Kernow Learning Academy has denied it has sacked any staff supporting the strike at a Falmouth primary school.
Members of National Education Union (NEU) members are currently on strike at St Francis Primary School in Falmouth.
On Monday the NEU claimed the academy had sacked a primary teacher and assistant after strike action and vowed to challenge the dismissals.
It said two long-term supply staff at St Francis Church of England Primary School were summarily dismissed on July 4.
It comes amid escalating tensions between Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust and its staff over workload, communication and wellbeing concerns.
It said on the day the NEU’s strike began, the teacher says she was contacted by her supply agency and told her contract was terminated immediately, without explanation or notice. The assistant, who is not believed to be a union member, was also dismissed. They said their requests for reasons went unanswered; both were asked to return school equipment.
“I was heartbroken for the children,” the teacher told the Education Uncovered blog. “They’ve already got complex needs—they needed continuity and stability. Parents were in tears, children didn’t understand why their teacher had gone.”
The union says it is taking legal advice on the dismissals
However, Kernow Learning Academy said nobody had been sacked because of the strike and made a plea to the union to not attempt negotiations through the media.
In a lengthy statement issued to the Packet, the academy said it continues to put the needs of pupils and staff at St Francis School in Falmouth at the heart of its decisions over recent strike action at the school.
“We know how important it is for pupils and parents that there is as little disruption as possible especially as parents already face finding childcare for the six-week summer break,” it said. “We have kept every class open, every day of the continuous strike action. We are grateful to our staff at the school and our wider family of schools for working so hard to make these last few weeks as calm and normal as possible for our children and families.
“Kernow Learning has been clear from the beginning that we respect the rights of staff to strike. Despite claims by the NEU, Kernow Learning has not sacked any teaching staff or support staff in relation to the strike action at the school. Furthermore, Kernow Learning have not used Agency staff to cover any strike action.”
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It said it continues to be in regular communication and discussion with the NEU both locally and nationally.
“Our shared understanding was that we had reached a point of resolution around most of the strikers’ concerns prior to any strike action,” it said. “Two outstanding issues have yet to be resolved; one simply because it involves a longer timeframe to review and adopt policy and the other relating to TLR payments for subject leadership, because it is not financially viable or common practice in a primary education setting in England. The NEU and strikers are aware of this,” said the academy.
“We urge the NEU and those striking to join us and our school colleagues in respecting the proper process to find a mutually satisfactory resolution which cannot be done via the media.”
In the meantime, the sixth day of strike action has taken place at the school with more promised.
Members have previously voted unanimously for ten additional strike days in September.
One member said, “We remain ready to negotiate, and we hope that the Trust demonstrates real commitment to addressing our core concerns around support, safety, and well-being.”
“The staff are so inspiring; we know they are fighting for a better education for our children,” said one parent, who spent the morning holding a placard beside her daughter’s teacher. “If you’re still here in September, there are hundreds of us parents supporting you all the way.”
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