Parents fear their children's GCSEs could suffer because a Mid Sussex school has decided to use mums and dads to invigilate at exams.

Last week parents at St Pauls Catholic College in Oathall Avenue, Haywards Heath, received a letter asking parents to volunteer to oversee GCSE exams.

One parent, who has children at the school and many years' teaching experience, said he felt it was a cost-cutting measure and would jeopardise his children's education.

He said: "I feel really strongly that it would be wrong to bring in parents to do a teacher's role. Exam invigilation is part of every teacher's job description and is something a teacher is trained to do.

"How would a parent with no experience or training cope with an incident of cheating or if a child fell ill during an exam?

"It's a very stressful time for pupils as it is and they don't need any added distractions or strains.

"If they knew their mums or friends' mums were in the room with them they might not be able to concentrate.

"I think it makes a mockery of the system and undermines the profession. The line between paid, professional teachers and untrained helpers is increasingly becoming a grey, wishy-washy area.

"There are strict guidelines set by the examination boards concerning conduct in exams and these need to be adhered to."

Deputy head Jonathan Morris, who is spearheading the scheme, said he did not think seeing parents during an exam would distract pupils.

He said the school had decided to introduce the idea at the Christmas mock GCSE exams to cut down on teacher's workloads.

He said: "We need to have approximately one adult to every 20 pupils in exams to make sure there isn't any cheating, or to accompany students who need to go to the loo.

"Teachers because they can't prepare lessons while they are invigilating.

"There will always be at least one senior teacher in the room."

An NUT spokeswoman said: "I don't think we would have a problem as long as the parents were properly trained and paid."