First strike at one of Michael Gove's flagship free schools suspended after it agrees to enter contract negotiations

Teachers at one of Michael Gove's flagship free schools have suspended their strike action (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Teachers have suspended what would have been the first strike action against one of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s flagship free schools.

Members of the National Union of Teachers had been planning three weeks of strike action at the STEM 6 Academy in Islington, north London, after an attempt to introduce what they described as “zero-hours” contracts.

However, the strikes were called off after the academy agreed to sign a recognition agreement with the union and enter into negotiations over the contract.

The academy was launched last September to teach sixth-formers the so-called STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) considered vital to the future of the economy.