Cabinet approves £41.177m investment in schools in Berwick
20 Jul 2023 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
Watch the cabinet meeting here.
Cabinet has approved an investment of £41.177m in the Berwick partnership of schools that is set to transform education in the area for generations to come.
Acting on the recommendations of a report on the Outcomes of Statutory Consultation on Proposals for the Berwick Partnership, Cabinet also approved the reorganisation to a two-tier structure of primary and secondary schools.
Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, Cabinet member with responsibility for Inspiring Young People, said: “This investment in world-class facilities will transform education in Berwick and north Northumberland for generations to come.
“I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this point and who has taken part in the consultation.
“Before making this major investment, it was vital that we made sure we had a sustainable school system that would work best for young people now and into the future and I’m confident that we now have that.
“It’s clear throughout this process that everyone involved has the best interests of children and young people at heart and that all our schools are committed to working together to make this a success.”
From September 2025, the partnership’s first schools will expand their age range up to 11 to become primary schools and Berwick Academy will become an age 11 to 18 secondary academy from September 2026.
Berwick Middle School, Glendale Middle School and Tweedmouth Community Middle School will close on August 31 2026.
Other changes include Belford Primary School moving into the Alnwick Partnership and Wooler First School becoming a primary school and community hub.
Specialist, post-16 skills and post-18 provision will be expanded including a new SEN Unit at the site of Berwick St Mary’s Church of England First School with 30 places for children diagnosed with special educational needs, primarily those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Speech Language and Communication (SLCN) and Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) with effect from 1 September 2025.
Cabinet also approved the allocation of £250k in order to develop an Outline Business Case for investment in Berwick Academy noting that the outcomes will be reported back to Cabinet at a later date.
The full details of the proposals can be found here.
Watch the cabinet meeting here.