By Mick McGann BBC News Online

Parent governor Jessica Vale wants government action now

Edenham High School in Croydon, south London, released 720 of its 1,200 pupils after lunch.

Head teacher Jonathan Parker said even after making cuts the school was still more than �200,000 in debt

And most parents seem to agree that he was left with little alternative but to send the children home.

Jessica Vale, a parent governor who has a daughter in year 10, said: "I know the school has only taken this action as a last resort.

"The government and the local authority know the situation we're in but there's been nothing forthcoming and we've now come to this situation.

This is stupid, my end-of-year exams are coming up and this is making me more worried about them Navenka Ross 12-year-old pupil

"The current budget isn't much more than last year but there's been more outgoings, such as the teachers' pensions having to be covered, and now they're short of resources.

"It's not just my children I'm concerned about. If this drags on it could have long-term effects for a lot of children in this community."

Siobhan Ross, whose daughter Navenka, 12, is in year eight was also sympathetic to the position the school found itself in.

Speaking outside the school gates, the mother-of-eight said: "I think the school has to take this action as they just haven't got the money to pay the teachers.

Siobhan Ross says the children are being cheated

"I feel the children are being cheated, as is the school.

"My daughter knows she is going home today because they haven't got any teachers but I don't think she totally understands the situation.

"I think the children will become increasingly dissatisfied with what is going on."

"A lot of them are disinterested anyway and this doesn't help."

Navenka told BBC News Online: "This is stupid. I hope this stops soon.

"My end-of-year exams are coming up this week and after half-term and this is making me more worried about them."

Kay Hopkins, who has two daughters in years eight and 10, said it was difficult to work out exactly who to blame.

She said: "I support the school in some ways, but at the same time I don't want my children's education to go downhill.

"They've both done really well here and I don't want that to stop.

"At the end of the day the government need to give them more money, but I must say I don't think the local authority have done a very good job looking after education.

"It's them that need to sort it out, not the teachers."