Monkseaton High School set to close despite huge public opposition
by Austen Shakespeare · ChronicleLivePlans to close Monkseaton High School are set to be approved despite 86% of people coming out against the plans in an unfinished council consultation.
North Tyneside Council has published findings from an ongoing consultation on plans to close Monkseaton High School by 2026. 86% of the 272 people who responded to the consultation have objected to the plans.
The consultation is set to conclude at 5pm on Friday, December 13 - but the council has already published recommendations that the high school should shut, as well as its plans in the event of the closure being approved.
The local authority said it was moving ahead with the decision despite the consultation still running to allow parents and other people involved "sufficient time to digest all of the information contained within the report" ahead of a meeting next week.
Julie Firth, director of children’s services at North Tyneside Council, said: “The statutory consultation on the proposed closure of Monkseaton High School is open until Friday 13 December, and all responses will be considered before a final decision is made by cabinet next week.
“To allow the cabinet to make an informed decision, we have begun to confirm details of the council’s proposals for those who would be impacted by closure and how we plan to ensure all pupils, including those with SEND, could be supported into new school places in a cabinet paper.
“The cabinet report considers the feedback received to date, and I’d encourage anyone who has not already completed the consultation before it closes to ensure their views are considered in the final report to cabinet.”
Council documents have also laid out the authority's plans for current pupils in the event of Monkseaton High's closure. By September 2025, no pupils will be admitted to years 9 or 12.
Current year 9 pupils will be supported to move to alternative schools for year 10 by September the same year. The current set of year 10 and 12 pupils will remain at the school and move into years 11 and 12 respectively.
The local authority says there are enough spaces across North Tyneside's secondary schools to accommodate displaced students. Schools include Burnside College, Churchill Community College, Longbenton High School and Whitley Bay High School.
With regards to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or special education plans, council documents say the education chiefs will "take all practicable steps" to help vulnerable children. This includes "transition days" for pupils to meet their new teachers and get used to their new schools.
According to North Tyneside Council, the school is faced with closure due to a combination of low birth rates, parental preferences, and a predicted financial deficit of £7m by 2027. In addition, the school is operating at just over 50% capacity.
North Tyneside Council's cabinet will gather for an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Thursday, December 19, to formally consider the proposal to close the school. If approved implementation can begin in the new year, followed by a new in-year admissions process for pupils needing to attend a different school.
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