Minister says Alnwick's Duchess School must be rebuilt urgently

Jan 29 2010 by William Green, The Journal

SCHOOLS Minister Vernon Coaker has admitted a Northumberland school must be rebuilt as “soon as possible”.

Mr Coaker made the admission in the House of Commons after coming under pressure from Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith over the state of Duchess’s Community High School in Alnwick.

But no date has yet been set as to when work at the school could begin, with officials yet to make a decision.

The key issue at stake will be whether the school will be allowed to join the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, which provides cash to rebuild schools.

The Journal understands it is currently excluded because of its good academic results, although Sir Alan is hoping a way can be found around this.

Speaking in the Commons, the Liberal Democrat MP said: “Does the Schools Minister, following his visit to The Duchess’s community high school in Alnwick, agree that it desperately needs replacing? Will the subsequent visit arranged by his officials clear some of barriers to getting that done?

Mr Coaker said: “I visited Alnwick recently and looked at the school. It clearly needs to be rebuilt as soon as possible.

“I hope that the subsequent visit by officials, which has taken place, will help with that process.”

Speaking later, Sir Alan said: “I welcome the interest the minister has taken so far and I want him to keep his officials up to the mark because they have got to find a way of tackling this problem and getting the school the building it deserves.”

The Schools Minister visited the 1,150-pupil school last October after being invited by the Berwick MP as part of a long-running campaign to get the high school replaced with a learning campus for children aged three to 19.

Campaigners had previously been told that the Government could not fund replacement of the high school as its results are too good and it is not in a deprived area – sparking calls for the Government to make Alnwick a special case for funding.

Mr Coaker met Sir Alan, school headteacher Maurice Hall, and representatives from local education authority Northumberland County Council and Northumberland Estates, which owns land previously earmarked for a new high school.

Afterwards he said: “There is clearly a problem around the suitability of the buildings and the age of the buildings.

“I will go back and see if there is a way forward. I cannot just go back and write a cheque but I accept we need to address the state of the buildings.

“I cannot promise anything but we need to look at it.”

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