Colegate West - Proposal to Discontinue a School

Statutory Notice
Proposal to Discontinue a School
Colegate Community Primary School

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and regulation 12 of the School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013 that Gateshead Council, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH Is proposing to discontinue Colegate Community Primary School, Colegate West, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 9AH on 31 July 2025.

As a result of the stage 1 consultation, no other viable options were proposed.

The complete proposal can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.gateshead.gov.uk/colegate and paper copies may be obtained from: Victoria Cramman, Education, Support and Inclusion, Gateshead Council, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by emailing ColegateOptions@Gateshead.Gov.UK or by sending them to Victoria Cramman, Education, Support and Inclusion, Gateshead Council, Regents Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH. The deadline for receipt of responses to the proposal and the representation period is 5pm on 24th July 2024.

The Council’s Cabinet will meet after the end of the representation period, to decide whether to discontinue Colegate Community Primary School.

Should the Council decide to discontinue the school, all children attending Colegate Community Primary School will be supported to find places at alternative local schools for September 2025.

Signed: Helen Fergusson
Strategic Director of Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning

Publication Date: 26/06/24

Statutory proposal for the closure of Colegate Community Primary School, Gateshead

Proposal
Proposal published by Gateshead Council, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH, to discontinue Colegate Community Primary School, Colegate West, Felling, Gateshead, NE10 9AH from 31st of July 2025. Colegate Community Primary School is a 3-11 school in the Heworth area of Gateshead.

Implementation
It is proposed to close the school from 31st July 2025.

Reason for closure

• Colegate Community Primary School carries a large financial deficit which is forecasted to increase.

• Other factors compound the school’s financial difficulties. The birth rate is falling, and no new housing is planned for the area. The school is currently judged requires improvement by Ofsted, making it a less attractive option for parents. Consequently, the school roll is falling. The school Pupil Admissions Numbers per year group is 30. In the last three years admission to Reception, despite the efforts of staff and governors to attract families, has been half of that.

• Outcomes at the end of the academic year (2023) were low for Reception and significantly below average at the end of KS1. There are significant gaps in knowledge that will be difficult to close as these cohorts move through key stages 1 and 2.

• The school occupies more than one building. This increases the number of staff needed to ensure pupils’ safety. Considerable capital investment (a minimum of £300,000) is required to move all classrooms and facilities into one building.

• Limited staff and leadership capacity, as well as a significant budget deficit, means that the school is struggling to implement the changes needed to secure a good judgement at its next inspection.

The school does not have a full-time substantive headteacher and relies on secondments to add to leadership capacity.

Pupil numbers and admissions

• Colegate is a single form entry school with a total Pupil Admission Number of 210 (30 x seven Year groups).

• Gender of entry is mixed.

• 28% of pupils have special educational needs and 6.5% have an EHCP.

• There is clear evidence of a low intake trend over the past three years. Projected numbers for September 2024 are within the table below. There are currently 11 children in nursery, of which five are projected to remain in Nursery in September 2024. Nursery is a non-statutory provision.

• While the birth rate for the catchment area remains stable, the school is struggling to attract children from its catchment area. The projected numbers show a decrease in this planning area’s population based on birth data and current numbers in primary schools. There is no significant house building (50+ houses) planned for the immediate area that would potentially impact positively on pupil numbers.

Displaced pupils

• Considering current and projected numbers from September 2024 all pupils in Colegate Primary School can currently be accommodated in neighbouring schools which are within a reasonable walking distance as outlined in Department for Education guidance. It stipulates travel to school for children of compulsory school age is two miles walking distance for children under eight years of age, and three miles for children aged eight years and over.

• There will be a clear plan for all the children who currently attend Colegate to be accommodated in neighbouring schools. The Council’s admissions team will work with the receiving schools to try and accommodate all parents’ preferences. A separate transfer process will be implemented by school admissions to manage the transfer of pupils.

• The catchment area for Colegate will be re-designated for September 2025 reception admissions.

Impact on the community

• Gateshead Council owns the school site and decisions about the future use of the school premises will be taken after the closure proposal has been determined.

• There will be a reduction in surplus school places which may bring greater financial stability to surrounding schools.

Travel
• All pupils in Colegate Primary School will be accommodated in neighbouring schools which are within a reasonable walking distance as outlined in Department for Education guidance. It stipulates travel to school for children of compulsory school age is two miles walking distance for children under eight years of age, and three miles for children aged eight years and over. Gateshead Council and the schools are committed to ensuring that parents and pupils travel to school in a sustainable way and are encouraged to walk or cycle to school where possible and not use personal transport for short journeys, and this would support this commitment.

Outcome of Consultation

The Stage 1 Consultation process on an Options Report took place from 20th February 2024 - 17th May 2024. During this period consultation took place with parents, pupils (through the school staff), teaching staff, support staff, school-based Council employees, governors, trade unions and neighbouring primary schools. Opportunities were provided for interested parties to speak directly to Council officers face to face wherever possible.

Consultation responses are available in the appendices of the main proposal paper considered by Gateshead Council’s Cabinet at its meeting on 25 June 2024 (Appendix 2-6) https://democracy.gateshead.gov.uk/uuCoverPage.aspx?bcr=1

Related proposals

This proposal is not related to any other proposals.

Procedure for making representations (objections and comments)

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by emailing ColegateOptions@Gateshead.Gov.UK or by sending them to Victoria Cramman, Education, Support and Inclusion, Gateshead Council, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH by 5pm on 24th July 2024.