GOVERNORS at George Ward School in Melksham hope that natural wastage and voluntary redundancies will mean they can avoid axing jobs.

The school is operating with a deficit and this year's budget share means the school cannot afford to keep its entire staff.

Headteacher Pam Stoate said: "The budget share does face us with some difficult decisions but the governors have been really committed to keeping the school going forward. I hope we don't have to make any compulsory redundancies. We do have to lose some staff but we have some who want to go."

Dr Stoate blames the school's problems on this year's funding from central Government, which she says does not offset increased expenditure.

It is hoped that the school will not have to increase class sizes or offer a reduced curriculum to its 1,410 students.

The school roll is not expected to increase greatly in the next academic year, which has helped the school avoid the problem of increasing class sizes.