Staff caring for vulnerable pupils say they have suffered anxiety and insomnia from the stress of their school facing closure for a second time.
The mental health impact of uncertainty over the future of Queensway school in Yeadon was revealed in an emotional speech to cllrs.
Leeds City Council reversed a decision to close the primary this summer after facing legal action from parents.
Fears were raised over the welfare of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) if they were forced to move school.
Closure was first threatened in 2022 but withdrawn after an outcry from parents.
Teaching assistant Lisa Holmes said: “As a result of repeated threats of closure, the pupils have suffered.
“Queensway staff have suffered, experiencing insomnia, anxiety, vertigo and near-total breakdowns in their ability to cope with the certainty of the whole process.”
The council said Queensway was facing a financial deficit due to dwindling numbers of primary-age children.
But the latest closure plan was paused after law firm Irwin Mitchell argued that the consultation process was flawed.
Speaking at a full council meeting Mrs Holmes said: “This news was shared via the law firm on Facebook. We didn’t even hear about it first from the council.”
Last month headteacher Mark Duce said he and other teachers had to find new jobs due to a “lack of clarity” over Queensway’s future.
Mrs Holmes, speaking on behalf of school support staff, said: “What has followed has been weeks of further uncertainty and no answers.
“We come to work because all we want to do is support our children. We try to hold things together but for how much longer can we do this?”
Leeds City Council leaders apologised and launched a “lessons learned” exercise to improve future school consultations.
The council’s Labour leader James Lewis told Wednesday’s meeting: “Nobody is happy about the situation with Queensway. We apologise about how the situation has unfolded.”
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