Northumberland County Council wants to move all 400-plus pupils from Haydon Bridge to Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School from September 2017, and then open a new ‘super’ school at the west end of Hexham in 2020.
But despite writing to Education Secretary Justine Greening to seek approval for its plan, the county council has refused to reveal further details.
It is still not known how additional pupils would be accommodated at the existing QEHS site.
And the authority has offered no explanation as to how the proposal would impact on other schools in Tynedale.
At present, there is a two-tier system in the west of the district, with primary school children feeding into Haydon Bridge High at the age of 11.
Hexham meanwhile has a three-tier system, with middle school pupils not joining QEHS until the age of 13.
When asked for more details, a county council spokesman would only say: “It is too early to say at the moment. There is no further information available.”
For the second week running, the county’s director of education Andrew Johnson was not available for interview.
The county council believes its proposal is a better option than the Government’s favoured academy plan for Haydon Bridge High.
The much criticised multi-academy trust, Bright Tribe, has been lined up to take over as main sponsor, but the county is frustrated by bureaucratic delays which have stalled the Cheshire-based trust’s takeover, and also Bright Tribe’s unwillingness to take on Haydon Bridge’s boarding wing at Ridley Hall.
Bright Tribe meanwhile insists it remains committed to becoming main sponsor, and raising standards at Haydon Bridge, which has been in special measures for two years.
Hexham’s MP Guy Opperman dismissed the county council’s scheme.
He said there was evidence that Bright Tribe staff already in post at Haydon Bridge were making improvements.
He added: “It is totally wrong to suggest Haydon Bridge High is not viable. It could be viable with even fewer pupil numbers than it currently has, and this has been proven by secondary schools elsewhere.
One parent of a Haydon Bridge High pupil said: “Next summer is not far away. It’s very unsettling, and confusing to be kept in the dark like this.”
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