A NEW £2m school is among scores across the region facing teacher redundancies as they struggle with shortfalls in their budgets.

Firthmoor Primary School, in Darlington, is one of many battling major financial problems as schools cope with an increase in teacher wages, pension contributions and a national insurance rise.

Union leaders say that at least 100 teachers and support staff will lose their jobs as a result of budget shortfalls across the North-East before the end of May.

They claim that the Government, while appearing to hand out money to cut class sizes and ease teacher workloads, are doing so at the expense of cuts in other areas.

Many primary schools are also facing the double blow of a fall in pupil numbers.

Firthmoor school, which opened in January, is facing tough cuts to plug its budget shortfall.

John Dean, vice-chairman of governors, said: "Our situation is made worse by our falling rolls due to the regeneration of the estate.

"We've made no plans with regard to redundancies, but we know we must take some action and we will be meeting to discuss the situation after the holidays."

Malcolm Wilkinson, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) executive member, said that while headteachers appeared to be receiving more cash from the Government, other grants were being cut such as the Standards Fund, which includes cash for drug education, special needs and advanced skills staff.

"Teachers and support staff are having to live with the uncertainty of redundancy and its very demoralising," he said.

Hummersknott School, also in Darlington, which has achieved specialist status as a language college, cannot afford to replace a languages teacher or a behavioural support post because of a £93,000 deficit in its £4m budget.

Although the school's main budget has risen by ten per cent, its Standards Fund has been cut by £92,000, giving a real rise of about two per cent - which is less than inflation.

Acting headteacher Ann Hughes said: "The rise in pension contributions and national insurance are all things we have no control over, like the Government's pay schemes which are not fully funded.

"With a less than two per cent rise we have to make cuts again, and the only way we can cut significant amounts is by either making staff redundant or by not filling posts."

Eric Fisk, deputy head of Tanfield School, near Stanley, County Durham, and a national council member of the NAHT union, said: "Many schools don't want to reduce staffing levels or see large class sizes, so they are forced to look at other areas to cut, whether it's spending on maintenance and repair of buildings or on new computers."

A Darlington local education authority spokesman blamed declining pupil numbers on any restraints.

A spokesman for Durham local education authority said: "We have put in an extra £2m to raise GCSE standards on top of what the Government has given us."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills said the North-East had received a 6.5 per cent increase in funding per pupil this year.