1,350 schools staff to be axed in Staffordshire

Up to 1,350 school staff in Staffordshire will be made redundant in the next five years, the Express & Star can reveal today.

Council chiefs expect 230 posts across the county's schools, 400 of which are funded by the authority, will go in 2012/13.

They are warning the figure, thought to include dozens of teachers and teaching assistants, will rise steadily to 310 in 2016/17.

They are blaming the job cuts on reduced Whitehall grants and rising costs due to the high rate of inflation, which is running at more than five per cent by the Government's preferred measure.

The total number of staff who will lose their jobs represents 7.5 per cent of the 18,000 workers employed in schools in Staffordshire.

Schools in the Black Country are also set to feel the pressure. At least 40 teaching jobs in Walsall are to be axed next year due to budget limitations and falling pupil numbers. Among the schools that have opened consultation with staff is the Blue Coat Performing Arts College.

Staffordshire education boss Councillor Liz Staples said: "We would estimate that approximately 230 school-based staff will be affected in 2012/13 and are anticipating this number to rise by approximately 20 per year over the following years."