HALTWHISTLE Town Council has raised concerns over the uncertainty surrounding the town’s middle school.

The school is yet to find a new sponsor with the academy trust Bright Tribe planning to walk away from Haltwhistle Campus, which includes the middle and first school.

At Monday’s meeting councillors said they were unhappy that Northumberland Council was favouring closing the middle school and forming a two-tier system with Haydon Bridge.

The county council’s report on the consultation states that any academy trust interested in taking the schools over “would have to consider changing to a primary model.” This would see children in Haltwhistle from Year 7 travelling to Haydon Bridge High School, which councillors said was unacceptable.

Councillor Margaret Forrest said: “Haltwhistle parents are very concerned, because nobody wants their children travelling to Haydon Bridge from Year 7.

“The council say that it’s not under their control but it is. They’re responsible for education in the county.”

Coun. Alan Sharp confirmed that the local authority would take over the school again should a new sponsor fail to materialise.

But county councillor Ian Hutchinson said: “The school is an academy now, so the council has nothing to do with it. Any change to the school would be the choice of a new academy sponsor.”

The town council agreed that they should write to the county council to express their concerns.