A HEADMASTER has told how he was forced to make four teachers redundant and increase class sizes because of budget cuts in education.

Michael Humphreys, headmaster at Our Lady and St John RC High School, Blackburn, told guests and pupils at the school presentation that the departures were 'by and large financial' and increased class sizes despite an increase in intake of pupils.

He said governors saved the day by injecting £55,000 from their reserves to defend staffing between April and the end of August, although they were forced to reduce the number of teaching groups in the lower school.

Mr Humphreys said: "It is not suprising that our teachers look tired at the end of last year.

"People do not realise the toll teaching takes these days."

Despite the financial problems, the school is one of the top two maintained schools in the town and examination results are pleasing, Mr Humphreys said.

The percentage of five or more higher grade passes increased from 33 per cent to 39 per cent, and 94 per cent of the year group obtained graded passes in five or more subjects.

In particular Asma Sange gained 13 higher grade passes, with eight at Grade A; Adele Rogan gained 12 passes, three at A* and five at Grade A; Aysha Mulla gained 12 passes with seven at Grade A; Brian Carr got 11 passes with four at A* and three at Grade A and Stephanie Haworth gained 11 passes, two at A* and five at Grade A.

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