Council chiefs approve closure of Felling primary school

Austen Shakespeare

17 September 2024 at 0:02 pm·2-min read

Colegate Community Primary School in Gateshead. — -Credit: (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)

Gateshead Council bosses have officially approved the closure of its "most vulnerable school" following consultations with staff and parents.

The local authority's cabinet agreed to close Colgate Community Primary School by August 31, 2025. The future of the school had been in doubt for some time, with a projected financial deficit of £547,728 by 2025/26.

Council documents previously highlighted worries about the educational attainment of pupils at the school, where teaching staff had been reduced by prior cuts. According to the council's report, "despite the best efforts of staff" academic performance for reception was below the national average.

In July 2024, Key Stage 2 results in reading, writing, and mathematics were also below the national average on both required and high standards. The initial 11-week consultation on the future of the school concluded on May 17, which was then followed by a month-long period of gathering further representation from parents.

Historically, the school's roll also contributed to concerns about the long-term future of the Colegate, with pupil numbers significantly below capacity. Almost all pupils have now been moved to alternative schools, with eight children still attending, five of whom are awaiting transfers.

Coun Gary Haley, cabinet member responsible for children and young people, said: "I want to stress that we've followed the process set up by the DfE to the letter on this and it seems like it has been a long process to get to where we are today but that has been necessary because of the statutory process.

"There was a lot of engagement with parents and in effect the school. Parents have chosen over the last few months to seek alternative places in other schools within the neighbourhood and almost all of those children have started in those schools and almost all of them have had their first choice.

"I want to put on record our thanks to the people who contributed to the consultation and the period of representation. Also, we recognise the professionalism of the staff who have contributed to this process, they have been working through this and serving the needs of those children during what has to have been an uncertain period for them."