Last month Northumberland County Council agreed to further discussions on changes to proposals for the schools in the Hirst Partnership to become a primary and secondary system as part of an academy for three to 18-year-olds.

A period of further consultation on a revised preferred model has been agreed by the council, where the possibility of an alternative site for the Primary Element of the Academy in Newbiggin will be looked into.

The proposals would see £46.6m invested in driving up school standards in a poor performing area.

The new all-age school would be sponsored by the Church of England and the Duke of Northumberland.

Further consultation is now taking place on several changes –
including the possibility of using a different site for the primary element in Newbiggin.

Other changes would see Lynemouth First School included in the Academy as a primary site, and returning the Fallowfield and neighbouring estates to the catchment areas of Wansbeck First, Bothal Middle and Ashington High schools, with the effect that the size of the Primary Element of the all-age Academy on the Hawthorn site would reduce from a 1.5 Form Entry to 1 Form Entry.

The schools that would form part of the academy would be Hirst High School, Coulson Park First School, Welbeck First School, Ashington Alexandra First School, Hawthorn CE First School, Newbiggin Moorside First School, Windsor First School, Seaton Hirst Middle School, Newbiggin Middle School and Lynemouth First School.

The schools would close on August 31, 2009 and would reopen on September 1, 2009 as the Hirst Academy.

The main site would be at the site of the current Hirst High School and Seaton Hirst Middle School, with the four additional primary elements located on the sites of the current Newbiggin Middle, Ashington Alexandra First, Lynemouth First and Hawthorn CE First Schools.