Officials at Cambridgeshire County Council have moved to reassure parents after both the head teacher and deputy head teacher of a school in Somersham resigned in quick succession.

After extended periods of absence, both head teacher Paul Woodman and deputy Toby Gooch handed in their resignations to the chairman of governors at Somersham Primary School in the week after half-term.

The circumstances surrounding the resignations caused concerns among parents but officials at the county council have moved to quell their fears, stressing that both resignations were for ‘separate and personal reasons’.

In the interim, two senior teachers have been drafted in to help manage the school, Julie Branch, of the Horizons Learning Federation, in St Ives, and Angie Smith, from Priory Park School, in St Neots.

A spokesman for the county council said: “The head teacher and deputy head at Somersham Primary have resigned for separate, personal reasons.

“We have two acting head teachers from nearby schools managing the school until Easter, and the school is also being supported by the local authority.

“The governors have already met with the county council to plan the recruitment process for a new head teacher.”

Parents have received a series of letters from Jon Carpenter, chairman of governors, in recent weeks, setting out the situation.

In a letter handed out to parents last Friday, Mr Carpenter said: “The school governing body will be meeting with the Local Authority as soon as possible to consider the options available for our school and put in place a longer term plan.

“Please be assured that with the assistance of the local authority and our interim head teachers that the school is operating as normal and remains a safe and effective learning environment for our children.”

Speaking to the Hunts Post on condition of anonymity, a parent of a pupil at the primary school said: “We’ve not heard anything from the local authority despite having asked. The safety of our children is paramount and we want answers.

“I’m sure there is nothing untoward going on but to lose two heads from a school is concerning.”