Dozens of teachers and school staff are still without jobs despite the fact the school they worked at has reopened.

More than 150 staff were made redundant from Newlands School in Seaford when it closed on April 4 because of financial problems.

The school officially re-opened on Monday after two parents bought back some of the buildings from administrators but many staff still do not know if they will be reinstated.

Kim Champion gave up his car rental business six months ago to become transport manager at Newlands. He hopes to stay on but has been looking for others jobs.

He said: "I know the head, Oliver Price, wants to take me on but he's in negotiations with the new consortium about the staff he needs and the money that's available."

He said competition was tougher for teachers because there would be fewer pupils in the new school.

He said: "It's all about economies of scale. There are teaching jobs elsewhere but for those who want to come back to Newlands there is bound to be competition."

An anonymous letter sent to parents Mike Holland and John Summers - who paid £2.5 million to buy back Newlands Court and a boarding house in Sutton Avenue to save the school - raised concerns about the way staff have been treated and the quality of teachers at the new school.

The letter said: "Why are the invited staff that are returning so short of qualifications or in some cases have no qualifications at all? Is this a way to take a school forward? Our lives are in turmoil. We are stressed and our families have been badly affected."

Mr Price said: "There are some staff who are unhappy with what has happened and don't want to return and others who have already found alternative employment but others do want to come back and I am grateful to them for their loyalty in such difficult times."

Some staff have returned on a voluntary basis and will be paid an hourly rate until the end of term.

Mr Price said it was unclear how many staff would be needed in future. There are about 35 pupils in school this week. That is expected to rise to between 80 and 100 next week - about a quarter of the previous pupil population of 450.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which has members at Newlands, said it was shocked at the decision to close the school and would ensure members received all pay owed from March.

Mr Price hoped an agreement would be reached with the administrators to pay staff a percentage of what they were owed.