CONCERNS have been raised over the running of a County Durham school after 17 staff left in one year amid claims of poor management and unruly behaviour by pupils.

Former staff members believe children have been let down by poor management at The Sacriston Primary School.

Steve Draper was a teaching assistant there for eight years but left last year claiming the working conditions were damaging his health.

In 2012, the headteacher of Sacriston Junior School retired and the head of Sacriston Nursery and Infant School, Lesley Farnaby, became the head of both schools, which share a site in the village.

Plans were later drawn up to merge the two schools and they became The Sacriston Primary School last September.

The 52-year-old of Brandon, County Durham, says between Christmas 2013 and Christmas 2014, 17 members of staff, who taught in the junior school, left.

He said there were just 12 teachers and teaching assistants in the school, and several new staff brought in to replace those who left had also moved on.

He claimed that staff faced constant unreasonable demands such as working for long periods without breaks, covering colleagues' lessons at short notice and receiving aggressive last-minute instructions by text or email.

It is also alleged that disruptive behaviour by pupils was not tackled and children needing extra help ahead of exams did not receive the support they needed.

"We were a good team and it was torn apart," he added. "And there is no doubt that the children were let down."

Another former staff member, who asked not to be named, supported Mr Draper's claims, adding: "I had to leave for the sake of mental health."

Despite a letter to parents suggesting Sats exam results were better than expected, Government data shows only 53 per cent of pupils achieved Key Stage 2 Level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths in 2014, down from 70 per cent in 2013, 76 per cent in 2012 and well below the national average for last year which was 79 per cent.

Staff said they raised concerns with school governors, locals MPs, county council bosses and union officials.

Vince Allen, principal officer at the National Union of Teachers northern branch, said he was aware of issues but because it was a live situation was unable to comment.

Responding to the claims, Caroline O’Neill, head of education at Durham County Council, said: “Teaching staff regularly move between teaching positions and schools as part of their natural career progression as well as for a variety of personal and professional reasons.

“The council is providing targeted support to The Sacriston Primary School, as it does to many schools which have experienced significant structural change over time, and will continue to work closely with the headteacher and governors in the future.”

The school's headteacher, Miss Farnaby, and chair of governors, Betty Gibson, did not respond to requests by The Northern Echo to discuss the concerns.