Teacher A, who works for the Astrea Academy Trust, has shared their feelings anonymously through a teaching union for fear of repercussions from their employer. 

Earlier this week, concerned parents of students at one of the Trust'si schools, St Ivo Academy, in St Ives, say their children “are living in fear” and suffering with anxiety since the new rules were implemented.  

Examples include reprimands for forgetting a spare pen or their pen running out of ink – yet the Trust insists behaviour is improving with the measures in place. 

But a teacher has now revealed how experienced staff feel "bullied" and says many teachers are actively looking for new jobs.  

Teacher A said: “Coming to work now is not something I look forward to. 

“Most staff, including myself are looking for other jobs as the repressive nature of the Trust is designed to implicitly bully experienced staff to leave.  

“It is clear that our experience does not count for anything and that we are replaceable.” 

Teacher A added: “I used to be able to help the students in my class the best way I could but that is no longer the case.  

“I’m terrified that if I do not enforce the core routines forced on staff by Astrea then I will lose my job.  

“I have been robbed of all my professional autonomy.... 

“... The focus is no longer on what a student has learned but whether or not their behaviour is immaculate.” 

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• Children "living in fear" over school policies

Adrian Miller, the Cambridge Secretary of teaching union NASUWT, is meeting with the trust’s senior leaders this afternoon to discuss the situation at St Ivo Academy. 

In his view, many of the teachers are as stressed as the students.  

Speaking ahead of the meeting, he said: “The teachers feel very anxious and they’re very concerned their professional autonomy is being undermined. 

“All their years of training, experience and judgement is being put into question as they are being made to teach in a certain style. 

“In teaching, it is often the quirky and idiosyncratic teachers who make a difference and inspire students to study a particular subject.  

“But that is being taken away from them and they feel frustrated and dictated to as [Astrea Academy Trust] say they can’t teach in their own way.  

“They’re being made to start lessons with a particular microscript and to end lessons in the same way.” 

He added: “I also find it interesting to hear Astrea want to cut creative subjects from the curriculum and have these masterclasses of 60 students in a hall with just one or two teachers. 

“There isn’t enough teachers because so many are off with stress.” 

Adrian Miller, the Cambridge Secretary of teaching union NASUWT, is meeting with leaders of the Astrea Academy Trust. (Image: Supplied)

But the Astrea Academy Trust said the policies are in response to previous staff feedback that lessons were being disrupted due to poor behaviour. 

A spokesperson said: “Our colleagues are our greatest asset and they deserve to be professionally fulfilled.  

“So we listen and respond to them by putting in place effective measures which will free up their time, talent, and energy so they can give our students a brilliant education.” 

She added: “Last year, half of our secondary school staff told us clearly that their work was either constantly or often disrupted by poor student behaviour.  

“Misbehaviour was preventing them from teaching and our students from learning.  

“Their feedback, as well as feedback from parents, led to the improvements we have made to our behaviour policies.  

“This has been hugely welcomed by our colleagues at all levels, who have commented on how their time in the classroom has been rapidly transformed by these changes.”  

The spokesperson also denied arts subjects are being dropped and the merged classes take place in “exceptional circumstances” when “dealing with high levels of staff absence” as per Department of Education guidance.  

Since raising their concerns in the media, the St Ivo Parents Forum says more parents have joined its mailing list and Facebook group.  

The independent group represents more than 400 parents of St Ivo Academy students, and met with school leaders on Monday (March 6). 

Dr Yasmin Finch, the forum's chair, said: “Seeing the responses the Astrea Academy Trust has issued publicly, and in the media, we feel they’re not listening to us or our concerns for the children's mental health.  

“They say the school is seeing improvement in behaviour - but in our meeting we were told they’re not seeing that at St Ivo.  

“We’ve asked if they can show us evidence of this improved behaviour and all they could say is more detentions are being given out - and that's because of the stricter measures. 

“Our next step is to raise awareness of the issue with local GPs because we’re deeply concerned about the mental health of these students.”