Teachers at Islip Manor High School in Northolt have begun strike action after talks failed to resolve a dispute over proposed compulsory redundancies and staffing changes.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) walked out on Wednesday (1 July 2026), saying they are seeking to protect specialist teaching and oppose plans they believe would result in more lessons being taught by non-specialist staff.
The school, previously known as Northolt High School, was renamed Islip Manor High School on 1 September 2025 following a stakeholder engagement process, ahead of the opening of its new school building on Eastcote Lane.
The union says the dispute is not about pay but about maintaining educational standards, protecting specialist teachers and avoiding increased workloads for remaining staff at the school.
Neetu Malhi and Aisha Abbasi, joint district secretaries of Ealing NEU, said: “This dispute is not about pay. It is about protecting the quality of education that students receive and ensuring specialist teachers remain in the classroom. We are concerned about the long-term impact these proposals could have on students, staff and the wider school community.”
The union said strike action had originally been due to begin on Monday (29 June 2026) but agreed to suspend the first planned day of action to allow further discussions with the school. It said negotiations failed to resolve members’ concerns, leading to Wednesday’s strike.
Further strike action is planned for Wednesday (8 July 2026) and Thursday (9 July 2026), although the union says it remains committed to reaching a negotiated settlement before then.
A spokesperson on behalf of Islip Manor High School told EALING.NEWS: “Strike action by members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Islip Manor High School resulted in the school having to close on Wednesday (1 July 2026).
“A thorough risk assessment concluded it could not safely open without being able to guarantee appropriate supervision and safeguarding arrangements.
“We recognise this is disruptive for students and families and are very sorry for the impact on their education. Work has been provided for students to complete at home so they can continue their learning during the closure.
“The school remains in ongoing discussions with union representatives and is working hard to reach a resolution and minimise any further disruption.”
