EDUCATION chiefs have axed the governing body at a North-East primary school following concerns at the way it was being run.

Regional Schools Commissioner for North of England Janet Renou has replaced the governors at Sacriston Primary School, near Chester-le-Street, with an interim executive body.

Last January, The Northern Echo reported accusations of poor management and unruly behaviour by pupils at the school after 17 staff left in one year.

Former staff members said they believed children had been let down by poor management.

Caroline O’Neill, Durham County Council’s head of education, said: “The Regional Schools Commissioner, on behalf of the Department of Education, has approved the appointment of an interim executive body to replace the governing body at Sacriston Primary school.

“The role of the IEB will be to work with the headteacher, staff and community to ensure all children attending the school receive a good education.”

Janet Bradley, the former chairman of the governing body, which has been replaced, said members were now considering taking legal action.

She said: “The Governing Body have carried out the local authority's instructions since the school opened in September 2014, and so were astounded when threatened to be replaced by an IEB.

“We tried to fight this, but the local authority had already rubber stamped the decision.

“It is galling for governors, who are unpaid local volunteers, to be replaced by a paid IEB made up of ex-local authority staff and paid out of the school's budget, using money that should be spent on the children.

“The ex-governing body are currently taking legal advice.”

Durham County Councillor Helen Liddle, who stood down from the board of governors earlier this year due to work commitments, said: “The education of the children is the most important thing.

“If the local authority has decided that the IEB is the best way forward then parents need to support that decision and work with the new governing body to make sure the children have a good education.”

North Durham MP Kevan Jones said Durham County Council should have done more to support the school, which was created following the merger of an infant and junior school in 2014.

He said: “Sacriston Primary School is a good school and the county council has got to take responsibility for the failure to support the merger of the two schools, which has led to some difficulties.

"The problem is with the culture of merging the two schools.

“The county council failed to put the strategic support in that has resulted in this drastic action being taken following the lack of action by the county council education department.”