CHILDREN are no longer staying in the boarding wing of Haydon Bridge High School, as a dispute rages over who is responsible for the facility.

Two dozen pupils have been told they are unable to use overnight accommodation at Ridley Hall, and are now facing daily round trips of up to three hours as they prepare for crucial exams this summer.

The future of Ridley Hall is in doubt as part of consultations to convert the high school into an academy run by the Bright Tribe trust. Bright Tribe does not want to take on Ridley Hall, saying that it should remain the responsibility of the local education authority.

Northumberland County Council insisted this week that the high school had ordered the sudden closure of Ridley Hall.

But the school’s governing body said the closure, which it hoped would be only temporary, was forced because of the council’s decision to withdraw staff.

Kielder parent Steve Webb, whose 14-year-old son Harrison used to board at Ridley Hall, said children were being made to suffer because of the squabble between the trust and the council.

“I think this is terrible treatment of the pupils. I’ve tried to seek answers, but I don’t have time to play games with the different organisations involved with the school.”

He said pupils, parents and staff had endured two years of uncertainty since the school was placed in special measures in February 2015, with no assurances over its future.

He added: “The children are the sufferers. We are not being treated fairly and I am disappointed with the decision-making parties. I have no confidence in them now.”

A new interim executive board (IEB) was appointed by the Government last week to oversee the school’s much protracted transition to academy status, under the direction of Bright Tribe.

The IEB said Ridley Hall had been closed for safeguarding reasons because the county council had removed care staff and a residential manager from the boarding wing at short notice.

The county council insisted it only acted after being told by the IEB to sever all involvement with the running of Haydon Bridge High.

The Evans family, which has owned Ridley Hall since 1949, put the property on the market for £1.6m in January after neither the county council, nor Bright Tribe, expressed any interest in its continued use beyond July.

Speaking on behalf of the Evans family, property surveyor Martyn Lytollis said: “Ridley Hall is available for boarding, and as far as we are concerned, the county council’s lease will be extended beyond the end of July to enable the council time to exit from a building it has used for more than 40 years.”

joseph.tulip@hexham-courant.co.uk