Next steps in future of Gateshead school
The future of Gateshead's Colegate Primary School is set to be discussed by Cabinet members at their meeting next week.
A consultation exercise with the school community was conducted earlier this year following a Cabinet decision to look at the Felling school's future.
Due to a funding deficit and a shortage of both pupils and staff, Gateshead Council is looking at whether the local authority-maintained school should be closed.
Cabinet members will hear about the findings of the consultation from officers, before deciding next steps to be taken.
The recommendation is to open a four-week period of representation on a final option to close the school. A further report will come back to Cabinet in September when a final decision on the future of the school will be made.
Helen Fergusson, Strategic Director of Children's Services for Gateshead Council said: "A comprehensive consultation exercise was conducted with all those involved.
This included regular engagement with staff and parents and carers of pupils at the school.
This new Cabinet report outlines the responses received. There was nothing in these responses which changed the current view of the council, which is the school is sadly no longer viable.
The recommendation is that we now move to one option - which is to hear further representations from stakeholders around closing the school. However, I want to stress that no final decision has been made or will be made until a final report is brought to Cabinet later this year.
We are briefing all those concerned as we go through this process to ensure that everyone has had their chance to be heard, understands the process and has clarity of what to expect next. Our priority is to ensure that all pupils in Gateshead receive the best education possible to thrive, and we are working hard to ensure the best outcome for pupils at the school."
Staff who may be impacted by any closure, should that be the final decision taken by Cabinet members, are being consulted separately. Should the decision be to close the school, pupils will be offered places at their nearest or preferred schools, where possible.
The council has previously set out three possible futures for Colegate: staying open as it is but with reduced staff and more mixed-age classes; reducing the size of the school into a single building and having more mixed-age classes; or that it closes entirely. The full Cabinet report can be found here (opens new window).
The future of Gateshead's Colegate Primary School is set to be discussed by Cabinet members at their meeting next week.
A consultation exercise with the school community was conducted earlier this year following a Cabinet decision to look at the Felling school's future.
Due to a funding deficit and a shortage of both pupils and staff, Gateshead Council is looking at whether the local authority-maintained school should be closed.
Cabinet members will hear about the findings of the consultation from officers, before deciding next steps to be taken.
The recommendation is to open a four-week period of representation on a final option to close the school. A further report will come back to Cabinet in September when a final decision on the future of the school will be made.
Helen Fergusson, Strategic Director of Children's Services for Gateshead Council said: "A comprehensive consultation exercise was conducted with all those involved.
This included regular engagement with staff and parents and carers of pupils at the school.
This new Cabinet report outlines the responses received. There was nothing in these responses which changed the current view of the council, which is the school is sadly no longer viable.
The recommendation is that we now move to one option - which is to hear further representations from stakeholders around closing the school. However, I want to stress that no final decision has been made or will be made until a final report is brought to Cabinet later this year.
We are briefing all those concerned as we go through this process to ensure that everyone has had their chance to be heard, understands the process and has clarity of what to expect next. Our priority is to ensure that all pupils in Gateshead receive the best education possible to thrive, and we are working hard to ensure the best outcome for pupils at the school."
Staff who may be impacted by any closure, should that be the final decision taken by Cabinet members, are being consulted separately. Should the decision be to close the school, pupils will be offered places at their nearest or preferred schools, where possible.
The council has previously set out three possible futures for Colegate: staying open as it is but with reduced staff and more mixed-age classes; reducing the size of the school into a single building and having more mixed-age classes; or that it closes entirely. The full Cabinet report can be found here (opens new window).
