'I am determined not to mortgage our future'

Balancing the books has become a major preoccupation for the headmaster of a cash-strapped north London school. Nick Christou, head of East Barnet School, had a budget shortfall of ?300,000 last year. He told the Standard: "We have a stark choice. Either we make as many as 10 teachers redundant - which I am determined not to do - or go into deficit, which is illegal.

"Barnet has said it may be able to loan the money but I am determined not to mortgage the school's future.

"I will not borrow money unless I know the school will be in a position to pay it back next year."

Mr Christou - who is also chairman

of the Barnet Secondary Heads' Forum - chose to offset the school's deficit using money put aside for repairing leaking roofs and other major structural projects.

He said: "The Government wants us to raise standards. But the budget we have been given this year makes it impossible even to stand still, never mind go forwards.

"Unless the Government can show how spending will increase in future to cover these deficits, that just means committing my school to losing staff next year instead of this. That is something I am not prepared to do."