Controversial trust to pull out of Whitehaven Academy

The Trust responsible for running a troubled school in west Cumbria is to be replaced, according to the Department for Education.

Teachers at Whitehaven Academy have carried out a series of strikes, to protest against the way the school has been run by Bright Tribe Trust.

Concerns include the state of the school buildings, changes to teachers' pensions, their workload, and their conditions of employment, including pay and pay progression.

The Chief Operating Officer of the Trust resigned this week, and the Department for Education has now confirmed "the process of identifying an alternative" body to run the school is now underway.

Teaching staff at Whitehaven Academy have published an open letter, saying the futures of children at the school are being "ruined".

A public meeting into the Academy's future is taking place at Whitehaven Golf Club this evening.