Principal of under-pressure Astrea academy said she was “very concerned” about results of staff survey –as statistics reveal surge in number of its pupils sent to “reset”

A "character card" in use at Longsands, as part of the school's behaviour policy

The principal of an academy which has been under pressure over the number of its staff departures said during a governance meeting that she was “very concerned” about the results of an opinion survey of its employees.

Dr Catherine Cusick, principal of Longsands Academy in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, made the comments in a meeting last term, where it was also noted that the staff survey had shown “an overall decline in staff satisfaction in all categories” compared to the previous year.

The admission from Dr Cusick seems significant, with Longsands being one of several secondaries run by the Astrea Academies Trust which have been facing controversy over their centralised teaching and behaviour management policies, and with Dr Cusick having been less open about problems with staff retention in an interview with the BBC in January.

Education Uncovered has been told by a union source that 35 staff are due to leave the school by the end of the summer term.