Yahoo News Council approve new consultation on plans to close Felling primary school
Gateshead Council bosses have approved a consultation on the closure of a Felling primary school.
Gateshead Council’s cabinet signed off on Tuesday morning on a consultation to explore closing Felling’s Colegate Community Primary School in September 2025, despite opposition from parents. According to council reports, the school is suffering from low pupil numbers, with more leaving than joining, alongside a £208,630 deficit predicted to spiral to £350,000 by 2025/26.
A previous report and consultation on Colegate Primary explored other options, including consolidating the school into one building to reduce costs, however, these were not deemed feasible by council officers. A final decision will be made on the school’s future in September.
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From Wednesday, a new four-week consultation will be launched with admission authorities, neighbouring councils and local organisations on the proposal to close Colegate Community Primary School.
Cabinet member for children and young people, Coun Gary Haley said: “Pupils have been falling for quite some time. Two years ago, the only feasible way to mitigate this was to ask School Forum to de-delegate funds from other maintained schools across Gateshead, that is board of head teachers and school governors, not elected members, on the basis it would put other schools in a difficult position, including other schools in a deficit position.
“We are not in a position to sustain a school with a growing deficit budget, it would put other services in the council at risk.”
The council has earmarked Windy Nook, The Drive, Wardley, St Augustine’s, Roman Road, Lingey House, and White Meer primary schools as alternatives for the projected 113 pupils remaining by September this year. According to council documents, these schools are within a “reasonable walking distance”.
The move to potentially close the school has angered some parents and locals, sparking a petition for continued support of the school amassing 2,433 signatures. Parent Catherine Littlewood, who presented the petition to the local authority in May, said the moves to closure had left other parents “heartbroken and devastated”.
