Teaching jobs under threat

Teachers could lose their jobs over a lack of funding

The continuing education funding crisis could result in Staffordshire teachers losing their jobs.

The education authorities in both Staffordshire and Cheshire say steps are having to be taken to deal with financial difficulties.

At a meeting this week, representatives from teaching unions in Staffordshire were told that 60 teaching posts in the county have been identified as ones that will go in August.

About 50 of those are reported to be directly related to a lack of money.

The education authority says other schools have only avoided cuts because they have built up reserves in case of such shortages.

In Cheshire, the Liberal Democrat Education spokesman, Derek Bould, is asking the county council for £1m from its budget to be put into schools after a number of head teachers said they either had to make staff redundant or make cuts in other areas.