Teachers were in shock today after being threatened by an angry mother who forced a female head of year to take cover inside a building for fear of being attacked.

The mother was eventually escorted from Falmer School in Brighton by police after staff became afraid for their own and students' safety.

The incident echoes attacks on staff around the country which have put school security high on the national agenda.

Headteacher Antony Edkins said: "I am still shaking and close to tears.

"I have worked at five schools - four of which were extremely challenging, of which this is one - and served some of the most deprived estates in the country.

"Never before has a parent got so close to the wire or a situation had such a profound effect on me.

"I do not like to see my staff put in that situation.

"I understand there was one threat of physical violence, which I saw, and one attempt at physical violence which was defused by ensuring the head of year went into the office.

"She is very shaken and is resting. She is quite distressed and tearful."

The drama unfolded as assembly was ending shortly before 9am. The mother had been contacted by her child, one of 750 pupils, following an incident this morning.

Mr Edkins said the woman arrived and became abusive towards the head of year, who used a walkie-talkie to call for assistance.

He said: "We ran down the stairs and despite the head of year getting into the south office, the mother continued to be verbally abusive and threatening and physically threatening to the extent I had no choice but to call the police.

"This was not only for the staff's safety but for students' safety as well."

He said he had tried to placate the woman but to no avail.

Mr Edkins added: "I do not think as teachers we should be confronted with levels of aggression, verbal or physical, which place us in danger."

He said under the Education Act the woman's access to the school could be restricted and that was being considered.

He would like to see the matter resolved through mediation rather than formal police charges.

Brighton and Hove City Council executive member for education, Councillor Frieda Warman-Brown, said: "We take attacks, whether verbal or physical, on staff very seriously. This kind of behaviour cannot be justified."

David Hawker, director of children, families and schools, said: "In my experience, this is the first time this has happened at Falmer and I cannot remember an incident of a similar nature happening in Brighton and Hove.

"By and large, schools are extremely safe places. This is an isolated incident."

A spokeswoman for Brighton police said officers attended "an argument" although no arrests were made.