A CASH crisis at a top North Yorkshire secondary school has left more than eight teachers facing the axe.

The staff are faced with redundancy at Easingwold Secondary School after it ran up a £230,000 budget deficit.

It also emerged today that the school's bursar was taking the school to an employment tribunal over claims of "constructive dismissal".

Angry staff at the highly-rated school - popular with parents across North York - contacted the Evening Press to express their anger at the shock redundancy news, and their teaching unions said they were currently locked in negotiations.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said a number of cost-saving initiatives were "in the pipeline" and the school was seeking voluntary redundancy applications from staff.

"Those negotiations are on-going," he said.

A teacher at the school, who asked not to be named, said they were informed of the redundancies by head teacher Carey Chidwick at a "highly-charged" staff meeting.

"There is a lot of worry in the staff room," he said.

"People's jobs are on the line."

Easingwold School's chair of governors, Brian Taylor, today confirmed that the bursar, who oversaw the school's finances, was taking the school to an employment tribunal over allegations of constructive dismissal.

"We're aware that the budget was overspent," he said.

"The North Yorkshire local education authority is being very supportive and helping as much as possible.

"The school is putting in place measures to recover the deficit."

Graham Ibbetson, North Yorkshire federation secretary for the National Association of Schoolmaster/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), confirmed that eight teachers were at risk from redundancy.

"We are aware of the financial problems at the school and we are working together with all the parties involved."

Mike Rought-Brooks, field representative for the National Union of Teachers, said: "Redundancies are difficult times for schools and staff and we're doing all we can to help our members."

Louise Deighton, of Sheriff Hutton, whose 12-year-old son, Jordan, is in the first year at Easingwold School, said she was shocked at the news.

"We have heard absolutely nothing about this and it's come as a bit of a shock," she said.

A county council spokesman said: "Recent changes in legislation have led to different financial reporting procedures and a much stricter demarcation between capital monies and normal revenue.

"This is partly how the problem has arisen, but the school and its governing body are working closely with North Yorkshire County Council to redress the balance as quickly as possible."

In last year's GCSE and GNVQ exams the school ranked 18th out of 48 schools in North Yorkshire in the league tables.

It was 22nd out of 35 schools for A and AS level.

Updated: 11:34 Friday, February 25, 2005