A SECONDARY school which was plunged into chaos last year is facing accusations of failing its pupils - nearly six months after a team of troubleshooters was sent in.

Some pupils at Eastbourne Comprehensive Schools, in Darlington, are having lessons in addition to regular school hours because a regular teacher cannot be found.

The school was rocked by the sudden resignation of its long-serving headteacher and several governors last October.

High-profile education figures in the town were drafted in to avert a potential crisis, as fears grew about the future direction of the school.

But angry parent Jackie Hunter, whose daughter Elisabeth is attending all after-school sessions and has worked through her holidays this year, said Eastbourne was a "shambles".

The 16-year-old will not be taking her GCSE German examination this year because of her regular workload being added to by the out-of-school sessions, Mrs Hunter said.

"They are failing her desperately. She is staying behind three nights a week to have lessons after school with teachers from other schools," she said.

"We have a right as parents to know what is going on in that school. It is a total farce - we are not being told anything."

A German teacher was recruited earlier this year but has since left and education chiefs admit there are problems in some areas.

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said: "New staffing arrangements are in place, but there remain some difficulties in a small number of areas in recruiting staff.

"The school is working to recruit a German teacher and has arranged to have after-school classes teaching Year Ten and 11 students."

Former Hummersknott School headteacher, David Henderson is lending support as an executive director at Eastbourne.

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

Feelings ran high at the next governors' meeting, when resignations were announced.