One day of this week’s teacher strikes at St Ivo Academy has been called off for talks to be held between union bosses and school management.  

Members of the NASUWT teaching union were still planning to continue with a second week of strike action and walk out tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday (November 7-9).  

But this evening, the union confirmed tomorrow’s strike date (November 7) has been officially called off as the trust that runs the St Ives secondary school requested a meeting.  

The talks will take place tomorrow and an update will be issued about whether the two upcoming strike dates this week will go ahead.  

Mark Burns, NASUWT’s national executive for Cambridgeshire, said: “I have made it as clear as I possibly can that serious commitments must come out of these talks.  

"Otherwise the two other days this week are still on, and there may be other days in the near future if we don’t get anywhere.  

“NASUWT will be meeting with the NEU [National Education Union] next week and if there is no movement from Astrea then we will see what we can do with them.  

“We are talking with parents as well as they need to know this may well escalate.” 

NASUWT members walked out over two days last week. 

Their dispute with the Astrea Academy Trust which runs the secondary school centres around the controversial behaviour policy and working conditions.  

Earlier today, the trust told The Hunts Post it had requested an “urgent” meeting with NASUWT to try and “avoid continued action”.   

This evening, its spokesperson said: “We are pleased to say that the NASUWT has called off the first of three days of strike action this week, following our request to engage in further discussions. 

“We go into these discussions in good faith and open to constructive dialogue.” 

The trust says the school will continue to open as normal if this week’s strikes do go ahead.