Teachers fearing for their safety at a troubled secondary school are continuing to strike in an ongoing row over pupil behaviour and violence.

National Education Union members at Oasis Academy Sheppey voted “by a significant margin” last night to down tools today and tomorrow.

It is the second walkout staged in as many weeks after the school was forced to shut on November 22 as 80 staff went on strike.

Yesterday evening, the union’s regional boss Nick Childs said: “Whilst progress has been made in negotiations this has been insufficient to assure our members that it is safe for them to be in school and that behaviour management will improve rapidly enough.

“There remains a real issue of lack of trust in Oasis management amongst members and this is making reaching an agreement difficult”.

Staff were picketing outside the Marine Parade campus in Sheerness this morning and will return tomorrow between 7.30am and 9.30am.

In a letter sent to parents, executive principal Mr Booth confirmed both campuses will be shut to all year groups today and tomorrow “as there will not be enough staff available” for it to “operate safely as a school.”

He added: “I apologise for the inconvenience this causes you and your child or children.”

It comes after the Minster Road, Minster, and Sheerness sites were forced to close during the last rounds of protests on Wednesday, November 22.

One teacher, called Lisa, told KentOnline staff face daily abuse including racial slurs and threats of violence, whereby a student threatened to cut her throat.

“We’ve had enough,” she said. “We are collectively striking because there have been too many incidents of violence against staff and threats of violence against staff and the school has had about 18 months to sort this out.

“Members of staff are off with stress because they’ve been physically assaulted. We have the n-word used on a regular basis by our black teachers. We have chairs thrown. I myself have been threatened with death on numerous occasions.

“A particular student told me he was going to cut my throat. Teachers have been pushed and shoved.”

It is understood the strikes mark the first time in Kent that staff from the NEU have taken a stand over behavioural issues.

Staff walked out after the academy reportedly failed to meet their demands for safe management of poor pupil behaviour and staff and pupil safety.

Teachers have been calling for fixed exclusion tariffs of 10 days for assaults or threats of assaults against staff and pupils following numerous incidences of pupil threats and violence.

The NEU says there were disputes over workload and a promised bonus payment, which were largely addressed during negotiations.

However, concerns over safety in the face of “widespread and deteriorating behaviour” still remain unresolved, the union says.

An Oasis Academy spokesman told KentOnline previously: “Providing a high-quality education for every student is always our top priority, and during this industrial action we will be offering online study materials to all students to minimise the disruption.

“We will also be offering on-campus support to students with specific needs.

“Whilst this is a scenario that nobody wants, we have had positive discussions with the union, and we are confident that we have made significant progress.

“We remain committed to working positively with staff representatives to try and avoid any future disruption, and to ensure that Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey is a school where everybody can thrive.”

Further days of strike action have also been scheduled for next week, including December 5, 6, 7.