SOME villages will retain their first schools, in a confusing combination of two and three-tier education mapped out for Ponteland and surrounding communities.

A report to next Tuesday’s cabinet meeting of Northumberland County Council recommends backing the views of individual governing bodies. This would see a number of schools in the Ponteland partnership convert to two-tier while, some would remain three-tier.

If cabinet members back the recommendations, four partnership schools would convert to two-tier.

Ponteland Community High School would extend its age range to 11-18 to become a secondary school with a new building.

Ponteland First School would extend its age range to three-11 to become a primary school with a new building.

St Andrews CE First School, in Heddon-on-the-Wall, would also convert to primary school status with an extension of the building to accommodate an additional 60 pupils.

Darras Hall First School would become a primary school with a new building on its existing site.

The first schools at Belsay, Stamfordham and Whalton would retain their current status, reflecting the views of governors.

The governing body of Richard Coates CE Middle is considering its views on the school becoming a primary school and the council expects it will have received a final decision shortly.

During the consultation period, Ponteland Middle School confirmed it would become an academy, outside direct local authority control.

If agreed, the proposals include a £55.1m capital investment from the county council.

A new shared site housing Ponteland Secondary School, Ponteland Primary School and leisure facilities would be constructed in Ponteland. And new school buildings will also be developed for Darras Hall First School on its existing site.

The report suggests this investment could be supported by capital receipts from the sale of the vacant school sites.