Teachers at a St Ives secondary school will strike on five dates in November, it has been confirmed.  

Cambridgeshire’s representative for the NASUWT teaching union says its members at St Ivo Academy will walk out on Wednesday (November 1) and Thursday (November 2). 

They will also strike on three dates the following week on November 7, 8 and 9.

The Astrea Academy Trust which runs St Ivo Academy says the school will still open as normal.  

The dispute with teachers centres around the controversial behaviour policies and what the union describes as "the erosion of professional autonomy”. 

For example, NASUWT says, the trust is “dictating the teaching method” and does not let teachers make their own decisions on how they teach.

It also claims teachers are told where to position posters on display and the bins in their classrooms. 

A previous strike date was called off earlier in the month after the union felt the talks were making positive progress.  

But those recently broke down and the union confirmed over the weekend upcoming strike dates will now go ahead.  

Mark Burns, NASUWT National Executive Member for Cambridgeshire, said: “Despite some initial progress in talks, since we declared our dispute, Astrea have imposed new policies around the monitoring of teachers’ performance... 

“... [these include] no notice observations which were not consulted on and which are having a significant detrimental impact on members.” 

He added: “I believe this pattern of behaviour by Astrea management, designed to erode the terms and conditions of teachers and reduce their professional autonomy will continue and suspect that other policy changes are in the wings.   

“In the most recent discussion there was a noticeable hardening of their stance, signifying a lack of willingness to negotiate in key areas.   

“They show the same rigid, fundamentalist approach to teachers and teaching as they do to pupil behaviour.  

 “Members therefore feel they have no alternative but to move to strike action.” 

A spokesperson for the Astrea Academy Trust said: “St Ivo will open as normal this week.   

“We continue to work to resolve any outstanding concerns whilst ensuring that the school makes the improvements necessary to provide students with the education they deserve.” 

The St Ivo Parents Forum says it continues "to support the dedicated, experienced and caring teaching and non-teaching staff".

A forum spokesperson said: "We recognise that the decision to take strike action is not easy and see it as an indication of the strength of concern amongst staff. 

"It is disappointing that Astrea senior managers continue to implement policies, without consultation, that are having a negative impact on working conditions, professional autonomy and teacher and student wellbeing. 

"We hope that Astrea engage with staff in good faith, that their concerns are heard and acted upon."