School trust reveals £9m deficit after strikes
PA MediaAn academy trust where teachers went on strike for several days has confirmed it ended the last financial year with a near £9m deficit.
The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) wrote to parents on Wednesday in response to what it described as a "deeply frustrating and unsettling period" for families.
In a letter addressing parents concerns, a spokesperson added they have spent "more than its income over the past three years" with rising staff costs cited as driving financial difficulties.
To remain "financially sustainable" ATLP said, it had also agreed financial support from the Department for Education (DfE) in the form of repayable loans.
More than 800 members of staff, who are part of the National Education Union (NEU), went on strike across 20 schools over nine days in January over the then-prospect of compulsory redundancies.
Further strike action was planned across nine days this month, before an agreement was reached between the trust and the union.
In the letter to parents, interim chief executive Lee Miller said, following discussions with the DfE and recent negotiations with the NEU, he had agreed to end all current consultations linked to staffing restructures.
He said financial recovery would be achieved through a number of steps, including honouring voluntary redundancy requests and a commitment to redeploy staff to avoid compulsory redundancies.
Criticism from parents
ATLP also issued a collective complaints response to parents and carers on Wednesday, following a number of concerns about the strike disruption and the trust's financial management.
Addressing financial transparency, the trust's spokesperson said a review of its accounts showed staffing costs had "increased at a greater rate than our income" and was the primary driver of the trust's in-year financial deficit.
"Other spending decisions were made based on the information and financial position available at the time," they added.
Parents had also criticised short‑notice closures, communication and provision for special education needs and disabilities (Send) pupils and had raised concerns that strike action had harmed pupils education.
The trust said it had informed parents of strike action as early as possible and had followed DfE guidance.
Miller, who has replaced former chief executive Richard Gill for a "period of time", said they recognised that the recent strikes had been disruptive and placed extra pressures on families.
"The trust received formal notice of proposed strike action in advance of the strike days and worked with schools to ensure parents were informed once arrangements at individual schools were confirmed," their letter added.
"Each day, decisions about whether a school could fully open, partially open or was required to close were made following a thorough risk assessment."
Schools affected by strike action were:
- Anna Seward Primary, Lichfield
- Coton Green Primary, Tamworth
- Curdworth Primary, Sutton Coldfield
- Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant, Witton, Birmingham
- Hill West Primary, Sutton Coldfield
- Mere Green Primary, Four Oaks
- Osborne Primary, Erdington, Birmingham
- Paget Primary, Pype Hayes, Birmingham
- Scotch Orchard Primary, Lichfield
- Slade Primary, Erdington
- St Chad's CE Primary, Lichfield
- St Michael's C of E Primary, Lichfield
- William MacGregor Primary School, Tamworth
- Two Gates Primary School, Tamworth
- The Coleshill School, Warwickshire
- The Royal Sutton School, Sutton Coldfield
- Nether Stowe School, Lichfield, Staffordshire
- Stockland Green School, Erdington, Birmingham
- The Arthur Terry School, Sutton Coldfield
- West Coventry Academy, Coventry
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