New Leadership Appointed at Arthur Terry Learning Partnership as Strikes Continue Across Birmingham Schools
Teachers say job cuts and funding concerns are putting pressure on staff and students
New leadership has been appointed at the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership as strike action continues across several of its schools in Birmingham.
The trust has confirmed that a new Chair and Vice Chair of Trustees are now in post, saying they are committed to addressing the financial challenges that have led to proposed job cuts and disruption across schools.
Strike action is ongoing as staff push back against planned reductions affecting teaching and support roles. Teachers say the cuts could have a significant impact on students, workloads, and the quality of education being delivered.
Speaking on the picket line at Arthur Terry School, RE teacher and NEU representative Victoria described the situation as deeply personal. She said the school “means so much” to staff and warned that losing experienced teachers and support workers would be “heartbreaking” for pupils.
Victoria said the proposed cuts would leave the school without enough staff to properly support students, adding that teachers do not enter the profession expecting to deliver a “substandard job” because of a lack of resources.
Another RE teacher, Christina, who has worked at the school for nearly 25 years, said staff are anxious about who could lose their jobs when changes are expected to take effect in April. She said colleagues facing uncertainty are “very upset” and questioned whether teachers should be “bearing the brunt of problems that have come from above.”
Teachers also raised concerns about how the changes could affect class sizes, the loss of specialist subject teachers, and reduced support for vulnerable students, including those who rely on teaching assistants and access to the school library.
Both teachers said the decision to strike had not been taken lightly. Christina said she would rather be in the classroom but felt she had “no choice,” while Victoria said the action was about protecting students in the long term, particularly those preparing for exams.
Staff said they have been encouraged by the support shown by parents and students attending the picket lines, as strikes continue while discussions around funding and job security remain unresolved.