Thousands of children across the West Midlands have been forced to stay at home after teachers at a major Birmingham-based schools trust began a series of strikes in a bitter dispute over planned job cuts.
Nine days of industrial action begins
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) employed by the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) started the first of nine planned days of industrial action on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. The strike is a direct response to proposed staff redundancies announced by the trust last October.
The action is affecting 20 out of the Trust's 24 schools, with sites across Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Lichfield, Tamworth, Coleshill and Coventry all impacted. The strikes are scheduled to continue on Thursday, 15 January, followed by three days next week (20, 21, 22 January) and four days the week after (26, 27, 28, 29 January).
Widespread disruption for secondary and primary schools
The dispute has caused significant disruption at all six of the trust's secondary schools. The Arthur Terry School, The Royal Sutton School, The Coleshill School, Stockland Green School, Nether Stowe School and West Coventry Academy are all affected.
Four of the secondaries – The Arthur Terry School, The Royal Sutton School, The Coleshill School and Nether Stowe School – are completely closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Stockland Green School is open only for Year 11 pupils and a limited number of others, while West Coventry Academy is closed for Years 7 to 11 but open for sixth form students (Years 12 and 13). The remaining secondary schools have moved to remote learning.
Fourteen primary schools are also facing action. Seven primaries are fully closed on Wednesday and Thursday: Curdworth Primary, Coton Green Primary, Hill West Primary, Mere Green Primary, Scotch Orchard Primary, Anna Seward Primary and Osborne Primary. Others, including Paget Primary and Slade Primary, are operating under amended plans for specific year groups.
Only four schools within the trust – The Bridge Academy, Greysbrooke Primary, Brookvale Primary and Dunstall Park Primary – are unaffected by the strikes.
Union and trust at loggerheads over cuts
The NEU, which has 768 members across the 24 ATLP sites, reported an overwhelming mandate for action, with 99% voting yes on an 84% turnout. Chris Denson, a National Executive Member of the NEU, stated that members are "deeply concerned" about the impact of cuts on student support, SEND provision and class sizes.
"Any cuts should come from the massive central office spend, not from teachers and support staff," Mr Denson argued. "The ATLP need to drastically rethink their plans. Cutting pupil-facing roles will always damage education."
In response, the ATLP said it is facing "financial challenges" and must make difficult decisions to ensure long-term stability. A trust spokesperson stated they are committed to "maintaining the high standards of education" while returning to a "financially sustainable position." They attributed the need for cuts to savings identified in non-staffing areas being insufficient.
The trust expressed regret over the industrial action, acknowledging it causes disruption for pupils and parents, and said it is seeking "constructive talks" with the NEU to resolve the dispute swiftly.
