A “funding crisis” at a Forest Hill school has led to staff resignations with up to 30 teachers reportedly leaving this year.

Parents of students at Forest Hill School in Dacres Road have set up a petition which has been signed by more than a thousand supporters calling on Lewisham Council to solve the funding crisis.

They have asked the council to find funding to “cover the shortfall”, “safeguard the curriculum”, “extend the debt repayment” and “prevent future crises”.

In a statement the Forest Hill Parents Action Group said: “We do feel that it is important that parents are made aware that at least 30 teachers have now handed in their resignations and will not be returning to the school in the new academic year in September."

The statement continued: "This is a significantly high turnover of staff.

“Whilst the school has embarked on a recruitment process to fill the resigned posts, this is disappointing news and one of the outcomes we feared most and sought to help prevent in setting up this group.

“We believe that one of Forest Hill School's greatest strengths to date, and a sign of a healthy and well managed school, has been its high teacher retention rate.

“Unfortunately, Lewisham Council has failed to engage with and support the teachers and has completely refused to look at alternatives.

“We’ve seen other SE London councils actively engage with and support teachers at schools in similar predicaments, and in doing so they have successfully found other ways forward.

“So I’m sure that the teachers who have tendered their resignations feel let down by a council that has failed to take any steps at all to explore alternative solutions.”

They wrote on the petition website: “Forest Hill School is facing an unprecedented funding crisis.

“This crisis will lead to staff cuts, reduced provision for SEN and EAL students and a reduction in the creative arts and other subject options, ultimately damaging education in Lewisham.”

One supporter wrote: “These cuts are unnecessary and will damage the long term education of these and future students.

“Lewisham Labour Council should be fighting to support a school like FHS and it is disappointing that you are refusing to accept responsibility when LC have the ultimate responsibility.

“Find the money and save this school from staff and curriculum decimation.”

A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said, “We are doing everything we can to support the head teacher and chair of governors of Forest Hill School to raise standards and bring the budget back onto a secure financial footing.

“We welcome the NUT’s suspension of their strike action.

“Talks are continuing between Forest Hill School and the NUT to try and address the union's concerns. We hope these talks will result in an agreement that avoids further strike action.”