Plans to demolish the existing Berwick Academy and replace it with a new building have been approved by Northumberland County Council. The £50.9 million project is part of a wider £64 million revamp of education across the Berwick partnership of schools.
The current school has been branded unfit for purpose by its headteacher, with reports of leaks and freezing classrooms during cold weather. Pupils in the area will move to a two-tier system, away from the traditional first, middle and high school model.
Headteacher's plea for approval
At Tuesday's meeting of the county council's strategic planning committee, a statement was read out on behalf of Berwick Academy's headteacher, Kelly Holbrook. It said: "On behalf of the young people and staff, I urge your approval of this scheme. An independent survey in February 2025 confirmed an £11 million maintenance backlog - but figures don't capture the day-to-day reality."
"The school is outdated, uninviting and fundamentally not fit for purpose. Water regularly pours into the building during bad weather, and classrooms are freezing during the winter," the statement continued. "The existing school creates an environment where young people feel undervalued by the system. It directly compromises their learning experience and it directly impacts their attendance."
"Parents should never have to weigh up whether they're sending their children into school means sending them into a cold, wet building. Reactive repairs are no longer enough to paper over the problems," it added. "This new school isn't a luxury - it's an overdue basic necessity. Students deserve to learn in a warm, dry, safe environment that tells them that they matter and that their education is worth investing in."
Council members vote unanimously
The plans were recommended for approval by council officers, and members voted unanimously to give the green light. Independent councillor for Berwick East, Coun Georgina Hill, said: "This new school has been a long time in the offing. It is incredibly positive."
"It is hugely disappointing that the money was secured in February 2021, but it has taken such a long time to get going. The harm is obvious - costs have gone up and the school hasn't been ready. That is unforgivable," she added. "It is also disappointing we have had a lack of Government cooperation so far. However - we are getting a £50 million new school. It is a huge investment by this administration and this council. I'm 100% in favour and I hope everybody votes yes."
The committee's vice chairman, Coun Malcolm Robinson, added that it would be a "fantastic facility for our children". Every day of delay forces another cohort of Berwick children to endure conditions no modern school should operate under, the headteacher's statement concluded.
