Teachers at two schools facing closure under the re-organisation of education in Oxford have learnt their jobs in teaching are safe.

Teaching staff wishing to transfer to the city's new Catholic secondary school next September have been assured posts should be found for all of them.

Fifty-five teachers at St Augustine of Canterbury Upper School and Cardinal Newman Middle School have asked to move over to St Gregory the Great School, which opens next year.

St Gregory's governing body said it would not be able to confirm the exact number of teachers needed at the new school until January, when the education authority announces student admissions.

But the new school said it was seeking to match all 55 teachers with posts at St Gregory's.

School spokesman Chris Bevan said: "At this stage, the governing body remains optimistic that all qualified teaching staff that wish to transfer will be able to do so."

St Gregory's also announced the appointment of two deputy head- teachers. They are Kathleen Roberts, the deputy headteacher at the Oxford independent school Rye St Anthony, and Clare Uttely, assistant headteacher at St Augustine's.

There is still uncertainty surrounded the location of the new school. St Gregory's will open on the sites of the Cardinal Newman Middle School, in Cricket Road, and St Augustine of Canterbury Upper School, Iffley Turn, although Catholics hope to eventually create a purpose-built school, possibly on a greenfield site