LODDON Infant School will not be losing any of its teaching assistants, parents at the school were assured yesterday.Reports last week that governors had proposed the redundancy of six teaching assistants at the school from reception level to year two in a bid to balance the school's budget over the coming years, following an overspend in the last financial year had brought concern form some parents.

LODDON Infant School will not be losing any of its teaching assistants, parents at the school were assured yesterday.

Reports last week that governors had proposed the redundancy of six teaching assistants at the school from reception level to year two in a bid to balance the school's budget over the coming years, following an overspend in the last financial year had brought concern form some parents.

But in a statement released by the school's headteacher Mandy Walden yesterday, she assured parents that the school would be keeping all of its teaching assistants for the next school year and that the school had resolved the issues within the budget with Norfolk County Council.

Mrs Walden, who also said that the proposed redundancies were three, not six as previously reported, said: “Following a meeting of the school's governors this week I am delighted to be able to confirm that we will not be making any redundancies among out teaching assistants.

“Our school values the vital role our teaching assistants play in the education of our pupils and we are extremely pleased that that we have been able to resolve issues within our budget, with the support of Norfolk County Council.

“We have been working extremely hard over the Easter break to try to plan for the school's economic future and it is deeply regrettable that this issue became public before any final decisions had been made by the school's governing body. I would like to thank staff, governors and parents for their understanding and patience at what has been a difficult time for the school.

“Together, we can now concentrate our efforts where they are needed, on our pupils' education and the future success of the school.”

Katharine Dean, who has a child currently at the school and another due to start in September 2009, stood down from the school governors because she felt the redundancies had been presented as the only option to save the school from its financial problems.

Last week she said losing the teaching assistants would be “absolutely disastrous” for the children at the school and started a petition this week to gather support for the teaching assistants.

But yesterday Mrs Dean said the final decision to keep the teaching assistants was “absolutely fantastic”: “I'm very happy and relieved. It's very very good news.”