Parents 'chuffed' as school saved from closure

Parents have spoken of their relief after a school was saved from closure.

Monkseaton Middle School was earmarked to shut, with North Tyneside Council citing low birth rates, surplus places and the impact on school budgets as major contributing factors.

However, it was confirmed the school will now stay open and year groups will expand from Years 5 to 8 to Years 5 to 11.

Parents told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they were "chuffed" and relieved the potential closure had been stopped.

The school will introduce Year 9 in 2027, then Years 10 and 11.

It is hoped the phased plan will allow for gradual growth, a balanced Key Stage 4 curriculum, as well as enabling pupils to stay on until they are 16 years old.

Charlotte Knaggs, 39, said the school expanding to Year 11 was a "great idea", especially for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

"It's a big upheaval moving to another school, it's a mental trauma for a lot of them," she said.

"It has relieved a bit of stress to be honest.

"My son is slightly SEND so he didn't want to move and I think that school is a little more supportive for his needs, and it stops him leaving his friends and he is comfortable there."

Peter Howson, 44, said saving the school was "fantastic news".

"My daughter has special educational needs. Our option if the school closed down would have been to home school, which would have been life-changing," he said.

"The main reason we moved here was for the excellent schools. When we got the email about the possible closure, it was devastating."

Corey Foskett's daughter, nine, goes to the school.

"We were going to have to change schools which would have been a chew," the 34-year-old said.

"We have got three schools to go to so it would have been a nightmare if this closed down."

Stephanie Brown, 33, said she was "chuffed".

"It is brilliant to know they will be in the same school for a long time because change is not great for neurodivergent children."

A petition against the closure received 1,200 signatures and more than £5,700 was raised to finance a campaign to save the school.

Headteacher Kirsty Nichols-Mackay said the school community was "absolutely delighted" the school had been saved.

The Labour-led council said it was "pleased that a positive and sustainable solution" had been found.

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