Yahoo News Gateshead Council set for decision on Felling Primary School closure
A final decision on the future of Gateshead’s “most vulnerable school” approaches, with council officers recommending closure despite parents' pleas.
Colegate Primary School, in Felling, has now officially been recommended for closure by council officers following the completion of a public consultation. The future of the school has been on a knife edge since doubts about its future were first mentioned in council papers in February.
According to council documents, the school’s projected financial deficit for 2025/26 is estimated to rise to £547,728 due to a fall in student numbers and a subsequent decreased reduction. In addition, the local authority has blamed falling birth rates and no new planned local housing as further contributing factors to the primary school’s troubles.
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Concerns were also raised by the council with the school's academic attainments. A council report states that by the end of the academic year 2023/24, academic outcomes were below the national average for reception and below the national reading average at the end of Years 1 and 2.
Fewer than 20 children now remain at Colegate, after 80 applications were submitted for transfers to nearby schools during a consultation period between June and July this year. Historically, despite the schools low pupil numbers, it had around 28% of pupils with special educational needs, with an above-average portion having "significant" needs.
The school had in place a special educational needs specialist but with a secondment due to end this month. While a teacher had volunteered to train to replace them, the report states the training would take 12 months, and leave vulnerable children without specialist attention until then.
The prospect of closure has met with strong resistance from parents and carers in recent months. A petition in opposition to closure was presented to Gateshead Council in May this year, complete with 4,500 signatures.
According to the council’s final report on the school, one parent said during the consultation process: “I think it’s an absolute disgrace that you are even considering closing our school. The staff and children are devastated to hear this news.” During a meeting with the parents and council officials on July 17, officers recorded that parents felt they were “set up to fail from the beginning”.
Gateshead Council’s cabinet will gather next Tuesday to decide whether to agree to the closure of the school by August 31, 2025.
