When plans for the Bede all-age academy in Blyth were revealed, Northumberland County Council and the Emmanuel Schools Foundation said all staff would be covered by a TUPE agreement – with the foundation taking over staff contracts.

But now Geoff Holmes, of teaching union NASUWT, says that of the 55 teachers from South Beach First School, and Wensleydale and Delaval middle schools, only 30 have been offered posts.

He is concerned that the remaining 25 teachers – along with those yet to be taken on at the academy in Cramlington, due to open this September – will be forced to find employment elsewhere.

Speaking at a county council family and children's services overview and scrutiny committee, Mr Holmes said all three schools had been rated at least 'good' by Ofsted, showing that the standard of teaching was high.

"We have an academy which is supposed to be working in close partnership with the authority over staff contracts yet out of 55 teachers, they can only take on 30," he said.

"That leaves a large range of vacancies.

"I would anticipate these posts are going to be filled largely from people outside of Northumberland."

But Frank Jordan, director of strategic, planning and performance for children's services, said one problem was some teachers from the middle schools did not have the qualifications to teach at a higher level or a particular curriculum section.

Coun Jim Wright, executive member for children's services, said: "We can recognise how awful it must be for staff not yet placed.

"The authority will do all it can.

"There are a number of steps the authority is taking to ensure as many members of staff could be located in proper positions."

He added that it was a "fact of life" that schools always cut jobs to ensure they meet their budget and if the council had not gone down the academy route then the authority would be left with surplus places and school closures.

Coun David Montgomery said: "We were faced with a desperate situation in surplus places.

"In these days, no matter what job you do, your job is not safe."

Coun Robert Arckless said he was uncomfortable about dealing with sensitive information in public and said it was an issue which needed to be considered by the new single authority.