Overview

After reporting on the Proposed Closure of Branton School in June this year, a recent Cabinet meeting at Northumberland County Council has approved statutory proposals to keep Branton Community First School open by reorganising it as a Primary School.

Detail

Proposals for reorganisation

Northumberland County Council’s Cabinet met on 10 November 2105. In considering both the original and ‘Further Consultation’ proposals about schools in the Alnwick Partnership, they agreed to publish last week (on 12 November 2015) so-called statutory proposals for the reorganisation of the community schools in the partnership.

10 schools are affected

Closure of the following Middle Schools:

• Alnwick The Duke’s
• Alnwick Lindisfarne
• Seahouses

Extension of the age range of:

• The Duchess Community High School, Alnwick. The school will convert to a one-site secondary school by accepting 11-12 year-old children into its current 13-18-year-old intake.

Extension of the age ranges of the following First Schools:

• Hipsburn
• Shilbottle
• Swansfield Park
• Swarland
• Seahouses
• Branton

Branton School statutory proposals

The current age range of Branton Community First School is 4-9 years. The proposed age range for the school is 4-11 years, effective from 1 September 2016.

So, having been proposed for closure, Branton Community First School will expand to become a primary school in Northumberland’s new two-tier (primary and secondary) system.

Statutory consultation period

With the publication of the statutory proposals (download here) there is now a four-week consultation period.

How to object or comment

If you wish to object or make comments on the proposals this must be done so by 10 December 2015. Send your comments to: The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children’s Services, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF or email Lorraine.Fife@northumberland.gov.uk.