A school academy trust has been accused of committing a 'direct attack on dedicated staff' as 47 employees at a Kingsbury school face a 'fire and rehire' plan, according to a union. Staff at the special educational needs (SEN) school in North London have already begun their latest round of industrial action, with 23 strike days scheduled during the exam season.
Woodfield School, a mixed secondary school in Kingsbury, Brent, caters for pupils aged 11 to 19 with a range of special educational needs, including physical disabilities and autism. It is part of the Compass Learning Partnership academy trust. The school had to close numerous times in December and January after members of the National Education Union (NEU) walked out.
Ongoing disputes about cuts to pay and hours have led to 47 staff being issued a 30-day consultation notice, after which so-called fire and rehire would be implemented. The move has been criticised by staff, the NEU, and the Deputy Leader of Brent Council.
Union condemns 'direct attack'
NEU member and affected staff member Lloyd Cole told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'Using 'fire and rehire' tactics to force through pay cuts under the guise of a 'three-hour restructure' is a direct attack on dedicated school staff. You cannot slash the wages of the people supporting our children and expect standards to remain the same. Management must withdraw these threats immediately and treat staff with the respect they deserve.'
The trust is facing financial difficulties, like many schools in London, but has faced accusations of financial mismanagement from the union. Some of the per-pupil funding from the government is used to fund its centralised operations, a practice known as 'top slicing'. Despite this, the trust still has a deficit of over £370,000. The threat to jobs and salaries is part of cost-saving measures to tackle this deficit, which is predicted to rise.
Previous offer rejected
During talks at the end of last year, the trust made an offer to cut teaching assistants' working time by one and a half hours per week, reduced from the three and a half hours previously proposed. The offer was rejected by union members. The NEU claims the trust has 'refused to negotiate further' and instead plans to resort to fire and rehire, a practice set to be made illegal in January 2027.
Local NEU Branch Secretary Jenny Cooper said it was 'absolutely shocking to see the level of disdain for these hardworking staff' while the trust diverts money from the classroom to fund its central operations. Staff have been told they have two options: accept the variation of contract offer by July 8 or decline it. Those who decline will be invited to dismissal and re-engagement meetings.
Trust's response
Compass Learning Partnership academy trust was approached for comment but did not respond ahead of publication. A letter from the trust's CEO, Chris Eracleous, sent to staff states that the purpose of the proposed restructure is to 'address the school's ongoing and unsustainable financial position' and ensure its 'long-term viability'. The letter adds: 'Woodfield School reported a deficit of £76,469 at the end of the 2023/24 financial year, which increased significantly to a net deficit of £372,422 in 2024/25. Current projections indicate that, without intervention, the deficit will increase by a further £517,790 over the next three years, resulting in a cumulative five-year projected deficit of £966,681.'
The letter notes that these figures exclude agency staffing costs, where current annual expenditure exceeds £600,000. The trust is taking steps to bring expenditure under control. Brent NEU has previously raised concerns over alleged poor financial management and high executive salaries. The trust stated it had 'reviewed its central costs' following discussions with the union regarding the level of top slice charged to individual schools and the cost of leadership at trust level.
The CEO letter adds: 'As a result, the trust has reduced the top slice by £400 per pupil. To support this reduction, following the departure of the previous CEO in April 2026, both the CEO and CFO roles have been reduced to 0.6 FTE.' Strike action will continue while negotiations are officially ongoing, with the NEU calling for support for its picket lines on June 11 and June 12.
