ABOUT half of senior leaders in secondary schools have been forced to cut teachers, teaching assistants and support staff this year, new research has revealed.

More secondary school leaders are making cuts to staff than last year due to a squeeze on finances, according to a poll by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) for the Sutton Trust.

The survey of 1,208 teachers and senior leaders in England also suggests that more leaders are reducing the subject choices they offer at GCSE and A-level compared to last year, due to funding pressures.