Shoreham schools: 'Heads will roll'

THREE head teachers are certain to lose their jobs '“ and several other staff could be made redundant when plans to merge six schools in Adur go ahead.

West Sussex County Council has begun recruiting for heads for three new primary schools due to open in Lancing and Shoreham in September, 2008.

The council said there was no guarantee the jobs would go to any of the head teachers of the six schools being replaced and added that some of them might not find a position at all.

A spokeswoman said: "The existing heads will be able to apply for the headships of the new primary schools.

"If they are unsuccessful, they will be supported to try to find other positions, offered early retirement if appropriate and then, finally, if they cannot find another post, there could be compulsory redundancy."

The three new primary schools will replace The Willows First and Oakfield Middle in Lancing, Freshbrook First and Thornberry Middle in Lancing and Kingston Buci First and Buckingham Community Middle in Shoreham.

Freshbrook First will close and merge on to the Thornberry school site, while Kingston Buci First will also shut and merge on to the larger Buckingham school site.

The changes were intended to bring the area's schools in line with the national model of primary schooling until age 11.

The heads of each of the first schools are considered to be most at risk from the job cuts, as their middle school equivalents have more experience, with the challenges of dealing with larger schools.

A fourth new school is expected to be formed by a merger of Fishersgate First, Manor Hall First and Manor Hall Middle schools in Southwick, which should be confirmed in April.

Fishersgate head teacher Andrew Morris, a key figure in the fight to keep a school in the area, could lose his job.