FED-UP primary schools in Teignbridge and the rest of Devon have fired off a damning letter to the Government highlighting the damage inflicted on pupils and staff by the education system.

Nearly 60 headteachers put their name to the open letter which outlines a catalogue of grievances suffered by schools trying to keep pace with the rapid volley of changes imposed by Whitehall.

One serious consequence, they claim, has been the ‘haemorrhaging’ of teacher numbers as staff queue up to leave the ‘chaos and damage’ left in the classroom.

Their main bugbear has been the mounting workload heaped on them together with the changes to their pay and conditions.

They maintain the disaffection felt in ‘under siege’ schools has thrown up a serious recruitment crisis caused by the widespread exodus of the disenchanted and demoralised.

One teacher said of the letter: ‘It should have been written and sent long ago. This messing up of the education system has been catastrophic. Teaching is not the rewarding and enjoyable profession it once was.

‘It’s no surprise that teachers are leaving in droves. It’s bad and sad.’

The letter complains: ‘We ask you to act now to put a stop the chaos and resulting damage that your Government is currently inflicting upon children, families and staff involved in education in this country.

‘Teachers are struggling to cope with huge workloads, leading to demoralisation and exhaustion.’

It adds: ‘In devising its policies, the Government shows little regard for our knowledge or expertise.’

Signatories to the damning missive include heads from primary schools in Chudleigh, Shaldon, Bovey Tracey, Kenn and Kenton.

The Department for Education insisted the changes had been geared to raise standards which had been achieved with 1.4 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools compared with six years ago.

Reforms would continue with heads and staff given the authority to make further progress to cut the number of ‘failing and coasting’ schools.

A spokesman said the workload problem was being addressed as was the recruitment issue with the ‘investment of hundreds of millions.’