A small number of staff redundancies are to be made at one of Suffolk’s top fee-paying schools.

East Anglian Daily Times: The grounds of Woodbridge School. Picture: DAVID MORTIMERThe grounds of Woodbridge School. Picture: DAVID MORTIMER (Image: Archant)

Consultations are already underway with affected staff who are expected to be made redundant before the end of the academic year, the headteacher has confirmed.

Woodbridge School, where fees range from £10,122 to £32,091, is regarded as one of the top independent schools in the east of England and has more than 950 pupils.

Former pupils include film star Sophie Cookson, currently starring in the BBC drama The Trial of Christine Keeler, and Nick Lowe, who has produced and written songs for Johnny Cash and Elvis Costello.

Shona Norman, who became the school's first female headteacher last year, said: "As a school, we have to evaluate and adapt our resources and priorities so that we can continue to deliver the very best experience for pupils and prepare them for life beyond school.

"Sometimes, as is the case now, this includes reorganising staff resources to meet the needs of pupils and the ever-changing environment in which schools like ours operate.

"We will therefore be making a small number of staff redundancies before the end of the academic year, and consultations with staff have already begun."

Graham White, press officer for the Suffolk branch for the National Education Union, said: "Yes we can confirm there are potential redundancies at Woodbridge school. This is devastating for staff, some of whom have worked there for many years. The NEU is supporting its members at this difficult time. The NEU sincerely hope that pupils are not be impacted too detrimentally and that courses still run albeit with larger class sizes we suspect.

"The priority is to ensure pupils receive the best education and dedicated staff are not made redundant.

"These are difficult times for staff. The state sector has suffered funding cuts over a number of years with the result that some staff have lost jobs."