A SCHOOL which faced accusations of failing its pupils last month has been forced to scrap German lessons from its curriculum.

Some pupils at Eastbourne Comprehensive School, in Darlington, are having lessons after regular hours because a full-time German teacher cannot be found.

And the situation has deteriorated to the extent that the subject will not be offered to pupils as an option in the foreseeable future.

Education chiefs have confirmed that more information computer technology lessons are to be provided in its place.

Pupils studying for a German GCSE will continue to be taught after school hours by an outside teacher.

Darlington Borough Council blamed the problem on a shortage of German teachers which was affecting schools nationally.

A teacher was recruited for Eastbourne earlier this year, but left soon after being appointed.

A council spokeswoman said: "The curriculum has been altered and there are no plans to offer German to pupils in year ten downwards in the foreseeable future."

One parent contacted The Northern Echo last month to complain that her daughter would not be taking her GCSE German exam this year because her regular workload was being added to by out-of-school sessions.

Other local authorities in the region have not reported similar problems.

A spokesman for Durham County Council said: "Each school does its own recruitment, but we have not had any schools ringing up and saying they are desperate for German teachers."

Last October, Eastbourne school was rocked by the resignation of its headteacher and several governors.

Several high-profile education figures in Darlington were drafted in to try to avert a crisis.

Parents of the 837 pupils at the school were told in a newsletter of former headteacher Richard Appleton's departure after seven years.

Tempers were frayed at the next governors' meeting, at which a number of resignations were announced.

The latest problems come a day after The Northern Echo told of a row at another Darlington school, Hummersknott School and Language College, over students being forced to take too many languages.

Some parents said their children were being restricted in their GCSE choices, and had to drop subjects they were stronger at for ones such as German, Spanish, French and Chinese Mandarin, which meant they were missing out on better grades.