School closure plan paused to 'explore options'

SOME North Tyneside schools under threat of closure and mergers could be offered a lifeline.

- By AUSTEN SHAKESPEARE

North Tyneside Council confirmed that its proposals to close Monkseaton Middle School and merge Langley and Appletree first schools have been paused, after the conclusion of an initial public consultation.

However, controversial plans to merge other schools are set to move forward. The mergers of Hazlewood with Greenfields primary school and Ivy Road with Forest Hall Primary will now be subject to a new statutory consultation, which is the next stage of the formal process required for the reorganisation.

The council announced the outcome of its original six-week public consultation exercise on Wednesday, which has led to major concerns from families over one of the biggest proposed overhauls to local education in decades.