THE new headmaster of Wellington School, Alex Battison, has said he will do all he can to avoid making job redundancies.

Wellington School, an independent day and boarding school, is a major employer in the town – employing around 300 people – and is an important part of the local community.

Mr Battison, who only took over as headmaster seven weeks ago, met with members of Wellington Town Council’s economic development committee on November 13.

Cllr John Thorne asked Mr Battison about whether ongoing and increasing financial pressures could see him having to make job cuts.

Mr Battison said: “These are tough times and we’re being pushed pretty hard by the Government as a business.

“We are looking at prioritising cost savings and that was being worked on before I came here. But we are looking at saving costs and protecting jobs.”

Mr Battison added: “We are working incredibly hard and the last thing I want to do is make anyone redundant or stop anyone from working here. It’s challenging, but we are very optimistic about the future.

“We want to ensure that the education we offer remains brilliant, but we don’t want to lose any jobs in the process.”

Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky said: “When you think of a private school, you think of a school built behind a brick wall.

“But Wellington School is very open and very much a part of the community and used for lots of community events.”

Mr Battison said: “Education is a community thing. Schools cannot be bubbles. They can’t be detached from the community – collaborating is the way forward.

“I’m keen that the school plays a major role in the town. It was a privilege to contribute to the Remembrance commemorations and to see the community come together.

“I’m committed to engaging with the local community the best I can and get very involved in creating real-life projects.”

Mr Battison said he and his wife, Pippa, and their three sons moved to Wellington in the summer before taking up his new role as headteacher in September.

“We’ve been made to feel very welcome by the community,” he said.