Parent says strikes at specialist school are harming her autistic daughter

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Venturers' Academy and six other schools run by the E-ACT multi-academy trust are taking five days of strike action in September. The dispute centres on how historic backpay for support staff is calculated after E-ACT took control of the former Venturers' Academy schools in 2024. This follows previous industrial action in June and July.

Charlotte Brine, whose 9-year-old daughter Ellie-Rae attends Venturers' — a specialist school for autistic pupils with sites in Withywood and Brislington — says the earlier strikes have had a clear and negative effect on her child. She reports more disturbed sleep, increased meltdowns, and unusual crying outbursts. Brine also describes emotional distress when her daughter sees siblings preparing for school, because Ellie-Rae perceives she is missing out.

Why routine matters for these pupils

The NEU says strike action is necessary to secure a fair deal for some of the lowest-paid staff in schools. The union gives an example: a member earning £20,000 has lost out on about £2,000 because of the calculation method used after the trust takeover. NEU members say many in support roles work multiple jobs to make ends meet.

E-ACT says it gave staff a pay rise and considers demands for additional historic backpay to be unreasonable. The trust and the union are therefore at odds over entitlement to further payments tied to the period since E-ACT assumed control in 2024.

Brine expresses strong respect for support staff and their right to fair wages. She calls for a resolution that addresses staff pay while restoring stability for pupils. Her request is practical and child-focused: she wants both sides to come together, listen to each other, and reach a solution quickly so children do not bear the emotional cost of the dispute.

The article notes a comparable dispute in late 2025 involving support staff at the Cathedral Schools Trust, which ended when that trust improved workers' terms. The NEU and parents are using that outcome as a reference point for what could happen if negotiations succeed.

The dispute affects two overlapping concerns: fair pay and conditions for support staff who provide daily care, and continuity of routine and care for pupils with complex needs. Parents like Brine are urging both interests to be balanced so children do not continue to experience avoidable distress.