WITH the potential for widespread disruption to schools across Tynedale on the horizon, the new cabinet member for children’s services at County Hall has made a commitment to giving education the “highest priority”.

Despite proposals from the Hadrian Learning Trust multi-academy trust to combine Queen Elizabeth High School and Hexham Middle School into one secondary school reigniting the two-tier versus three-tier debate, the council’s deputy leader insisted the future is “very bright” for education across the county.

“Our stance on all schools is that with good leadership and high quality teaching they will succeed,” Coun. Wayne Daley said this week.

“We need to try to ensure that there are sufficient good school places in all year groups for our children and their families.

“We will be responding to the consultation, but our primary concern is that arrangements should deliver the best possible educational environment for pupils across Northumberland and we will do all we can to work with and support all the bodies involved moving forward.”

The last few years have seen a real sea change in education structures across the district with six first schools in the Haydon Bridge Partnership upgrading to primary status in 2013, following the closure of Allendale Middle School.

Haydon Bridge High School now takes pupils from age 11 to 18 and, for the last two years, the school has been working towards becoming an academy.

The process of breaking free from local authority control has been a trend favoured by schools of all sizes across the district.

Prudhoe West Academy, the town’s Adderlane Academy, Whitfield Primary School and Haltwhistle Community Campus are among the schools to have already chosen the route.

In Ponteland, the six first schools, Richard Coates Middle School and Ponteland High School are in the process of converting to an two-tier structure, backed by a major council investment.

Meanwhile, Ponteland Middle school has opted to become a stand alone entity.

Parents with concerns over the repercussions a unilateral decision to introduce a two-tier system could have on the schools within the Hexham Partnership have launched a Facebook group to share their worries.

The page, called Parents of Hexham Partnership , is being used to raise awareness of the consultation process and as a forum for sharing views.

Looking to the future, Coun. Daley added: “The formal role of the authority is restricted to community schools; academies are schools that are in the control of the Department for Education.

“The council will always try to broker partnerships between, schools, academies and other interested bodies to ensure that all students have access to the best possible learning environments.

“Following consultation, the Hadrian Learning Trust board will meet to consider the responses received and will then decide whether or not to proceed with a second formal consultation.

“The Regional Schools Commissioner will be the ultimate decision maker in this matter.”

Meanwhile, over in East Tynedale, the latest meeting of a steering group leading proposals to link 10 schools in a multi-academy trust known as the Tynedale Community Learning Trust, was due to take place yesterday.

A consultation on the move, which involves Prudhoe Community High School, Highfield Middle School, Ovingham Middle School, Corbridge Middle School, Ovingham First School, Mickley First School, Wylam First School, Prudhoe Castle First School and Whittonstall and Broomley First Schools, closed on July 7.