Northumberland schools are facing a surplus of over 10,000 places, raising concerns about funding and future student numbers in the area
Northumberland: Schools in Northumberland are dealing with a big issue. There are over 10,000 surplus places. That’s about 21% of all school spots in the area.
This situation is tough for schools. They get funding based on how many students they have. So, fewer students mean less money.
Most of these empty spots are in rural areas. The Haydon Bridge Partnership has the highest surplus at 48%. Berwick follows with 33%, and Alnwick and Coquet have 26% each. Seaton Valley has the least, with just 3%.
Even though the population is expected to grow by 4.4% by 2043, the number of kids aged 0-15 is dropping. It went from 57,500 in 2001 to 51,721 in 2021.
At a recent council meeting, Sue Aviston, who oversees school organization, mentioned a 1.5% drop in school-age kids. The birth rate is also falling.
She noted that while this is a national trend, it hits some areas harder, especially in the far north and west. There’s also a 2% drop in kids coming from other areas.
To tackle this, the plan is to lower admission numbers. This way, students can be spread out more evenly across schools.
However, some changes, like reducing admission at Sele First School in Hexham, have faced backlash. Councillor Suzanne Fairless Aitken called it a “brave” move.
She emphasized that while parental choice matters, these steps are crucial for the future of rural schools.
Despite these challenges, only one school, West Woodburn, has closed since 2020.
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