The Bright Tribe trust, which already operates a dozen academies across the country is due to seize control of Haydon Bridge High School in September, following an order from the Department for Education.
But it was revealed this week, the DfE also intends to impose Bright Tribe on the Haltwhistle campus at the same time.
The campus’ upper school, for 9-13 year-olds, was placed in special measures by Ofsted last year, less than two years after being the first academy in Tynedale. Haydon Bridge High School is also in special measures.
Under DfE proposals, Bright Tribe will also assume control of the lower school at the Haltwhistle campus, which caters for pupils aged 4-9.
Bright Tribe revealed this week it was in discussions with about six other schools in the North-East. It has not disclosed whether they include primary schools which feed into Haydon Bridge High School.
Bright Tribe’s director of schools Gary Kelly addressed parents in Haltwhistle on Wednesday.
He admitted that the trust could take over other failing schools.
He said: “The landscape of education has changed. More schools will become academies over a short space of time. Schools deemed to have been weak or failing will very quickly move into academy status, within a multi-academy trust.”
Andy Saunders, chairman of governors at Haltwhistle Community Campus, said he would prefer the school to become part of the William Howard Trust, which runs schools in Brampton, Workington, and Yewdale. He preferred support from a locally-based organisation.
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