'Crisis' for Northumberland villages where pupils cannot get into first choice secondary schools

Labour Party campaigner Vicky Oakley is calling on the council’s Conservative administration to intervene after children in villages like Pegswood and Ellington were unable to attend their first choice.

Ashington Academy has also implemented a new admissions system that prioritises pupils living closer to the school, putting youngsters from certain villages at a disadvantage.

However, the county council’s cabinet member for education has pointed out that the vast majority of pupils do get into their first choice school. The figure of more than 97% is one of the highest rates in the country.

Mrs Oakley said: “Because there are not enough school places at Ashington, children are being shipped off into schools across the county. Children in Pegswood are having to go to Blyth and Bedlington.

“It means parents do not want to send their kids to Pegswood Primary School because they know they will not get into [Ashington Academy]. It would be a huge shame if the school had to close.

“The same is happening in Ellington and Stakeford. Children should not be shipped off wherever, away from their friends. It is really upsetting for parents and students.

“We need a system where we have more school places. It is a lottery on where you live. I think we have got a school crisis in south east Northumberland.

“It is not fair on the kids. I understand there would be costs involved, but where would it end?

"Communities like Pegswood are going to die a death because people will not want to live there, because their kids cannot get into schools.”

Responding to Mrs Oakley’s concerns, cabinet member for education at Northumberland County Council, Guy Renner-Thompson, defended the council’s record.

He said: “If a school is a maintained school admissions policies are set by the council, but academies set their own.

"There have been numerous examples around the county with academy admission policies not fitting in with the traditional policy of getting local people into their local school.

“The council has been successful working with a number of academies such as the Cheviot Trust in Morpeth, which has changed their policy to prioritise local children rather than other schools in the same trust. We will work with academies to find a solution for everyone.

“In terms of capacity, we have our school building programme which has built new schools across the county. In terms of Pegswood, it is close to Morpeth and we are increasing the capacity at King Edward IV School there.

“In Northumberland, 97.71% of all children get into their first choice school. I know it is still a big impact on local families when they do not.

“Individual cases have come to me and in around half of those, we manage to find a solution and sort it out. In the other half, it is simply not possible.

“It is something we are aware of, but we do not have all the powers.”