The intervention of a Cabinet minister has failed to protect a primary school from having to shed jobs following budget cuts.
Governors at Windale Primary School, in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, have agreed to axe the posts of one teacher and seven learning support assistants (LSAs) for the next academic year.
The school has decided to not renew two LSAs' temporary contracts, keep another LSA on reduced hours, and lose the role of deputy headteacher to prevent having to make redundancies.
As a result of the changes, the school's deficit next year will be held at £27,000.
The loss of the posts will affect vulnerable children at the school most, according to headteacher, Mary Whitlock. She said: "Instead of having a full-time LSA in the class all the time, we will now only have one for half of the time."
The school is in the constituency of MP Andrew Smith, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who had promised to help Windale avoid the cuts. Mr Smith was unavailable for comment.
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