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Parents criticise 'lack of plan' for schools

Helen Richardson
Political Reporter, BBC North East and Cumbria
Kristine Reilly-Blake Kristine Reilly-Blake is smiling over her daughters shoulder. You can see the shoulder strap of her pink dress and her hair is tied back. Her daughter has straight blonde hair and is smiling at the camera Kristine Reilly-Blake
Parent Kristine Reilly-Blake says she and others want more information about changes to schools in Berwick

Parents of children whose schools are changing are demanding answers from a council about what's going on.

After a consultation, Northumberland County Council plans to move from a three-tier to a two-tier system within the Berwick area, closing middle schools and rebuilding the high school in the town.

The transition should be starting this September but parents said there were "no spades in the ground" and they feared a "lack of a plan".

The council said work was "progressing on schedule" and it was in talks with the government about contributing towards the costs for Berwick Academy.

Berwick Middle school covers the middle section of the image with its one storey buildings and some temporary classrooms. In the foreground you can see the school's playing fields and behind the town and some trees
Parents in Berwick are holding a meeting in March to discuss their concerns

Northumberland County Council has pledged £50m to restructure schools in the Berwick Partnership to a primary and secondary model from September 2025 saying it would provide "the right and best education for our children".

Unions opposed the plans to close Glendale, Tweedmouth and Berwick Middle Schools but industrial action by teachers ended when a compromise was reached.

Kristine Reilly-Blake, who has a child at one of the middle schools, said: "There are no provisions in place, there's a lack of a plan for all these modular buildings and temporary buildings that they'll need.

"There's not a spade in the ground and at the end of the day it's our money that's paying for this."

About 50 people are standing in front of a school holding blue flags which say NASUWT on them. They are standing on a wide payment and behind you can see a large white house with lots of windows
Teachers took industrial action at the three middle schools which will close

Northumberland County Council said it would hold a public meeting but, with no date yet announced, parents have organised their own gathering on 7 March.

Ms Reilly-Blake said she was worried children would be attending schools which were "just building sites".

"We're talking four or five years of this, and we really really feel they're just laughing at us and that we don't matter, but we mean business," she added.

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said an "enormous amount of work has been done" and parents had been involved "every step of the way".

They added: "Designs are in their final stages, the procurement of contractors is under way and planning applications are being prepared.

"We are working to develop detailed plans for what Berwick Academy will look like."

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