EDUCATION chiefs have warned the impact of cuts in schools budgets across Kent are only just beginning to bite and could get worse next year.

As thousands of pupils returned for the start of the new school year, KCC said the consequences of government under-funding were being masked by what appeared to be a relatively modest number of compulsory redundancies.

Just under 30 full-time teachers have lost their jobs across Kent’s 600-plus schools while the number of unfilled vacancies stands at 23.

But council leaders said the figure for job losses was only part of the picture and many schools would start the term by implementing cost-cutting measures agreed earlier this year.

Cllr Paul Carter (Con), KCC's cabinet member for education, said: “There will be 29 fewer staff in our schools at a time when pupil rolls are rising. This figures does not include teaching assistants or support staff, which are often the first port of call for schools in difficulty.”

Many schools would be coping with larger class sizes, cuts in budgets for books and equipment and fewer extra-curricular activities.

“When you speak to headteachers, a lot are relying on the government to fill the spending gap next year. But every indication I have had is that will not be the case,” said Cllr Carter.

Education secretary Charles Clarke has sought to reassure education authorities that there will be no repeat of the funding problems many schools faced this year.

Teaching unions echoed KCC’s concerns, saying many schools continued to rely on supply staff and unqualified teachers employed on short term contracts.

Kent NUT representative Peter Vokes said: “We do know there are schools who continue to have problems recruiting staff. Some will be filling vacancies with unqualified staff on short-term contracts or with teachers from overseas.”

Alan Craig, of the Kent NASUWT, commented: "It is ridiculous for there to be compulsory redundancies when there are unfilled vacancies.”