Four staff could go at a special state school in Wisbech – a decision that has angered long serving workers.

Meadowgate School is to reduce its staff numbers “because of a reduction in funding” says Cambridgeshire County Council.

A council spokesman said “this is currently the subject of a consultation and no final decisions have been made”.

Staff were told this week of the likely redundancies – a move that one worker believes is to “trim the numbers” before it looks to become an academy.

“Morale is very low,” he said. “We all work bloody hard and we are proud of what we have done. Not only that, of course, we are afraid of being out of work.”

He said staff had been asked for voluntary redundancies “but we are like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on rubbish. We have achieved fantastic results at the school and we don’t think it is right.”

He added: “Staff are dedicated to their children and we won’t find another job like it. It is also very unsettling.”

Last year the school –attended by some 120 pupils- had an Ofsted inspection which praised it for improvements made over the preceding four years.

The inspector said the school remained “determined that each pupil shall achieve the greatest possible academic and personal success and benefit from the highest standard of care and support”.

The inspector said: “Teachers and teaching assistants have worked together well to use and refine the most effective teaching methods. The impact on the progress of, for example, pupils with autistic spectrum disorder and those who have profound and multiple learning difficulties have been significant.”

One parent told the Ofsted inspector: “Being at this school has transformed my daughter’s life as well as her learning.”

Although the worker who contacted this newspaper was critical of school trips to Arizona and France, the inspector felt these were important and help the students prepare for independent or semi-independent living.

Ofsted believes leaders and governors should “celebrate and share their outstanding practice widely”.