A PETITION set up to protect the future of Ponteland Middle School has been handed into 10 Downing Street after receiving more than 2,200 signatures. 

But in a bid to secure its survival, the academy school has now announced plans to convert into a primary.

A letter from headteacher, Caroline Pryer, and chairwoman of trustees, Jacqueline Knight, said the school was committed to the local community and keen to ensure a cohesive pathway for all children within the new two-tier system in Ponteland being implemented by the county council.

The letter added: “We propose converting to primary and joining a multi-academy trust providing a transitional pathway.

“We have arrived at the decision, in consultation with the Department for Education, and that it is in the best interests of all stakeholders that the proposal of age range change to a primary is considered.” 

The top-performing school twice rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted was recently placed 25th in a Sunday Times ranking of the top 250 state ‘primary’ schools in England.

But with the county council’s proposal to change the three-tier system in the area to two-tier system – with new primary school pupils expected to attend Ponteland High School – parents became increasingly worried about the middle school’s future and set up the petition.

With the primary school proposals now on the table, the campaign group Parents of Ponteland Schools said they would encourage the school’s myriad of supporters to back the schools latest plans.