£44m schools shake-up plans may be changed

Jun 10 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

PLANS for a radical £44.6m shake-up of schools in two neighbouring Northumberland communities go before county councillors again later this month following a major public consultation exercise.

Members of the county council’s new Liberal Democrat executive meet on June 26 to decide whether changes should be made to the preferred model for reorganising schools in the Ashington Hirst partnership in the light of feedback from parents, governors, local politicians and residents.

The Hirst partnership – which includes schools in Ashington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea – is the latest to be changed to a two-tier education system following Cramlington and Blyth.

The shake-up proposes an all-age academy school for 2,725 students on four separate sites, jointly sponsored by the Duke of Northumberland’s business arm and the Church of England.

The academy would be created following the closure and redevelopment of nine existing schools – Hirst High and Seaton Hirst Middle in Ashington and Newbiggin Middle, plus Coulson Park, Welbeck, Alexandra, Hawthorn, Newbiggin Moorside and Newbiggin Windsor First.

The 18-week consultation exercise, which ran from February to June 2, included almost 20 public meetings organised by the county council and the academy sponsors. More than 15,000 consultation documents were distributed.

Yesterday a council spokeswoman said: “As a result of feedback received during the consultation period, further work is necessary to decide whether or not the model should be adjusted, with the possibility of publishing statutory notices.”

The current preferred model envisages building a main academy at the Hirst High site – with secondary, primary and special needs elements – and three primary academies at the Newbiggin Middle and Ashington’s Alexandra and Hawthorn sites.

Earlier this year the proposals sparked concerns from Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy, the local Labour Party and the NASUWT teaching union, because of their radical nature and fears that cutting school sites from nine to four will make education remote from communities.

The aim of the shake-up is for the Hirst academy to work closely with Ashington High School to raise standards across the whole of the town and surrounding villages.