SEVEN teachers from Torfaen are set to be made redundant at the end of term. The Argus revealed last month that 16 teaching posts were under threat in the county. Torfaen council then denied jobs were at risk, labelling public speculation "grossly irresponsible".

But they have now admitted that seven teachers will go after whittling the numbers down.

The cuts have had to be made as a result of falling incomes in schools because of falling rolls.

And one devastated primary school teacher said last night she had received a letter informing her that she was to be made redundant.

The primary school teacher, who asked not to be named, received the letter this week and will be out of a job with Torfaen Education Authority by the end of the term. She told the Argus: "What they are doing is laying off teachers and auxiliaries, nursery school nurses and classroom assistants.

"They are offering teachers aged 55 and over early retirement, in the hope that older teachers are going to go. With any luck they are going to offer the rest of us redeployment, but we can't rely on that.

"I learned that there were going to be redundancies about a fortnight ago, when we had our annual governors' meeting, but the actual letter came through this week." The LEA have offered her temporary work at another school, but the job is far from ideal. "I have been at the school for six years. I don't want to leave, I am devastated."

Her father said: "Where are all these millions of pounds that the government says it is putting into education, where are they?

"I can't believe that they are having to make people redundant, but at the same time the government is saying they are putting up the spending on schools. It just doesn't add up." Schools believed to have issued notices to teachers already are Pontnewynydd Junior School, Fairwater Infants School and Maendy Junior School.

A spokesman for the NUT said: "All teachers who are being made redundant at the end of August must be notified by the end of May, giving them three months' notice." He added: "For this to be a surprise to people is most unusual, plenty of advance notice is required."

A Torfaen council spokesman said: "We have been working hard with local teaching unions and have already brought the number of possible redundancies in Torfaen down to seven.

"Towards the end of any school year it is common for staff to move as class sizes change. Staff need to be deployed most effectively to keep class sizes at appropriate levels."