Parents are worried it may affect their children's education

Parents of children in the year nine class at Marple Hall School, Stockport, fear the changes in staff will adversely affect pupils' education.

One couple, Michael and Christine Beddard, have written to education bosses and politicians in protest.

A Stockport Council spokesman said the school was willing to discuss the children's education with the parents.

The Beddards are concerned that the school could be failing their 14-year-old son, Jamie.

Extra maths tuition

Problems at the school began last October, only a month into the new school year, when one teacher left the maths department.

The class has since had a series of supply teachers and full-time staff members.

The school, which has 1,599 pupils, has told parents the class is being offered extra maths tuition once a week during a lunch break.

The council spokesman said: "Unfortunately there is a regional and, we understand, a national shortage of maths teachers.

"There was a staffing problem at Marple Hall last autumn due to staff turnover for a number of unrelated personal reasons. It was very difficult to recruit.

"But that difficulty has now been resolved by the school - the head and governors made considerable efforts to find new staff and have now made two appointments who start in September."