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Parents of children at a primary school are asking for clarity about its future after its head teacher was suspended.
Marianne Allan was suspended from Cambois Primary, in Northumberland, six months ago. The BBC has spoken to parents and heard a string of serious allegations.
Parents have outlined their concerns about significant staff shortages and have asked the county council to set out a recovery plan.
Northumberland County Council confirmed the head was not at the school and the reason was confidential. Marianne Allan told the BBC that she was unable to comment.
The county council said an interim head teacher would take up post in September and that a meeting had been arranged with parents and carers for the new academic year.
A group of parents has written to the authority detailing their "considerable and urgent concerns".
In the letter, seen by the BBC, they allege that "significant staff shortages have resulted in extensive use of supply staff".
The BBC understands more than half of the teaching staff are on long-term sick leave.
The parents said there were "concern about a loss of continuity in teaching" as well as increasing behavioural disruption and limited communication about the situation.
They said they were not seeking to criticise individual members of staff "many of whom we know are working under exceptionally challenging circumstances".
However, they claimed a "cumulative impact of the current situation appears to be affecting our children's education, emotional wellbeing and confidence".
The parents also want to know what support had been deployed to the school and what the anticipated recovery plan looked like.
The BBC has spoken to parents and teachers at the school, who asked to remain anonymous, but gave similar accounts of disruption.
They also said it was unclear why the head had been suspended.
An NEU spokesperson said: "We have been very concerned about what we have heard about the situation.
"Members have approached us for support and we have assisted them.
"It appears that senior officers at Northumberland County Council should be investigating what has been going on."
Interim head teacher
In a statement the county council said: "We want every child at Cambois Primary School to receive the safe, stable and high-quality education they are entitled to, and we are doing all we can to ensure this.
"An interim head teacher, with significant primary leadership experience and expertise in SEND, will take up post on 1 September ahead of the new school year.
"Senior leaders meet regularly to monitor provision, address emerging issues and ensure that priorities remain focused on pupils' learning and welfare.
"We are arranging a meeting with parents and carers for the beginning of the new academic year."
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