October marks a year since North Tyneside Council launched its most radical and controversial shake-up in local education in decades.
On 2 October 2025, the council made public its proposals to close Monkseaton Middle School and reduce the number of primary schools from six to three. The consultation affected Langley First School and Apple Tree Gardens First School; Forest Hall Primary School and Ivy Road Primary School; and Greenfields Community Primary School and Hazlewood Primary School.
In total, the council proposed closing three school buildings, with one to be repurposed. The move prompted public outcry, despite the council's reasoning of 300 fewer local births a year since 2018/19, financial pressures associated with small class sizes, and the state of some school estates.
Council defends 'difficult decisions'
Rebecca Wall, director of children's services, said: “The Ambition for Education programme is about ensuring that every child and young person in North Tyneside has an equal opportunity to learn, achieve and thrive, regardless of their background, circumstances or where they attend school.
“We recognise that this work has involved difficult decisions, particularly at a time when schools and public services are facing significant financial pressures. However, our responsibility is to ensure that limited resources are used fairly and effectively so that all children can continue to access the high-quality education and support they deserve.
“Schools are experiencing a range of challenges, including falling pupil numbers, increasing costs and changing patterns of demand. As funding is largely linked to pupil numbers, we must ensure that resources are targeted where they can have the greatest impact, helping to create a sustainable education system that is equitable for every child and young person across the borough.
“Our ambition remains clear. We want every child and young person to have access to the best possible education and the support they need to fulfil their potential. By working closely with school leaders, families and partners, we can create a sustainable education system that balances financial realities with our commitment to fairness, opportunity and excellent outcomes for current and future generations.”
The educational picture of North Tyneside is quite different to what had been proposed. Here is a timeline of events, summarising the journey from October last year to now.
October 2025: Consultation begins, opposition grows
October 2, 2025: The council begins its first public consultation on the future of education in North Tyneside, which will conclude on November 13, 2025. In a statement shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Tynemouth MP Sir Alan Campbell said: “It is important that parents’ voices are heard, including at the coast, where there remains strong support for a three-tier system. The closure of Monkseaton High School and the knock-on effect in neighbouring schools is a direct result of falling pupil numbers.
“Whilst the government is fully committed to better funding of schools despite the dreadful economic legacy which was left behind, when pupil numbers are falling there comes a point when it becomes inevitable that reorganisation has to be considered.”
October 3, 2025: By the second day of the consultation, parents have already contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service in defence of their schools. Father-of-two Mark Bowie said Monkseaton Middle School excelled at supporting children who may have “slipped through the cracks”, like his own son Teddy, diagnosed with ASD.
October 6, 2025: The creator of the publishing and TV sensation Vera, Ann Cleeves, threw her weight behind the ‘Save Langley First School’ campaign. In a video, the author stated: “If we want the best for our kids, and we want them to do well, we want them to experience the joy of reading and that’s why Langley school is so special and why we should try and keep it open.”
This accompanied a GoFundMe page, which amassed by October 6 £7,458 to help mount potential legal challenges over Langley’s potential closure and subsequent merger. A petition to retain Langley as it was also reaches over 4,000 signatures.
October 7, 2025: A petition to retain Hazelwood Community Primary School reaches over 1,000 signatures. The petition states: “We urge North Tyneside Council to reconsider this merger and listen to the voices of those it will impact the most—the children, parents, teachers, and local residents. Let’s keep the incredible community spirit that Hazlewood represents and ensure that our future generations can enjoy the same supportive and enriching educational environment.”
October 17, 2025: The chair of governors at Langley First School, Chris Riding, claims the council has not been “transparent” as to why the school has been earmarked for closure. Mr Riding stated the proposal does not mitigate against other Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts set to expire in 2032.
Mr Riding added: “This proposal appears to represent a short-term financial reaction rather than a sustainable education strategy and we urge the council to reconsider and make decisions based on long-term value, not convenience. We ask them to work with us and other school leaders to look at alternative solutions and help keep our school communities alive.”
October 20, 2025: North Tyneside Council states it has no plans to extend the consultation end date, despite calls to do so.
Pauses, approvals and a U-turn
November 26, 2025: The local authority announces it is pausing plans to close Monkseaton Middle School and merge Langley with Appletree Gardens First School. The consultation regarding these schools has been paused after “potentially viable” alternatives were found. The plans for Monkseaton Middle School were later unveiled, including expanding the year groups from Years 5-8 to Years 5-11.
November 28, 2025: Parents of Langley First School children say they are still living in “uncertainty” despite a pause on the consultation to close it while academisation is considered.
December 2, 2025: Campaigners and parents for Hazelwood Community Primary School say the resolve to fight for the future of the school is “stronger now than it has been before”. This is despite the council’s decision to move the consultation on its closure and absorption into the nearby Greenfields Primary to the second stage.
December 4, 2025: A second public consultation has been launched to decide the fate of Hazlewood Community Primary School and Greenfields Community Primary School. Similar plans were re-opened to the public for Ivy Road and Forest Hall schools. A decision is expected in January 2026.
January 12, 2026: North Tyneside Council’s cabinet formally approves the closure and merger of Hazlewood with Greenfields by September 2028 and the relocation of Forest Hall Primary to the site of Ivy Road by September 2026. Council documents state that Forest Hall school was operating at a deficit of £75,000 at the time, though it was expected to rise to £120,000 by March 2028, with Hazlewood’s deficit, according to the council, to rise to over £235,000 in 2028.
Hazlewood had also been suffering from weak, brittle concrete in place since its construction, alongside several other schools, which sparked educational disruption in 2024. Ahead of the decision, Mayor Karen Clark said: “No-one on this cabinet or in this council comes into public office to close schools. It is the last thing we want to do but for the reasons outlined in the report there are very difficult and challenging circumstances that we find ourselves in.”
January 14, 2026: Headteacher of Hazlewood Community Primary School Stephane Bommel states that while he is “extremely disappointed” with the council’s decision, hope remains for the school to become an academy.
Mr Bommel said: “Prior to the consultation I was already in contact with a multi-academy trust, which will remain unnamed for now, but this is still the case. We are carrying on the due diligence process and I will be in touch with them today to look at what is the next step.
“For me this is it, we need to look forward to the next stage now. I want to remain positive, I truly truly believe there is a solution here for Hazelwood for the long term. I think becoming part of a trust which truly believes in education is the way forward for us.”
March 16, 2026: North Tyneside Council bosses formally approve plans to expand Monkseaton Middle School’s year groups from 5-8 to 5-11, securing its future. The school, much admired by parents and pupils, will introduce Year 9 in 2027, then Years 10 and 11. It is hoped the phased plan will allow for gradual growth, a balanced Key Stage 4 curriculum, as well as enabling pupils to stay on at the school until 16.
Adjudicator overturns Hazlewood closure
July 1, 2026: The Office of the Schools Adjudicator announces it has overturned the council’s controversial plans to close Hazlewood school and have pupils moved to Greenfields. The Adjudicator found a number of “shortcomings” in the council’s original proposals in relation to Hazelwood.
The report found that the proposal to close Hazelwood was not a merger. The decision stated: "Simply closing a school and saying that it is 'merging' with another named school does not have the effect of turning what were two schools on separate sites into a single entity on the site of the second named school, as I think the local authority imagined is the case."
The council’s original proposal was also criticised for being not “wholly accurate” in relation to information given to staff. Template letters handed to school governors suggested that “all staff from Hazlewood would go over to Greenfields”, which may not have been the case. The adjudicator, however, did not object to the school being closed and said that although it could continue to function in its current building and state, it should not do so “indefinitely”.
Fresh consultation and call-in
October 6, 2026: North Tyneside Council leaves parents furious after agreeing to a second consultation to simply close Hazlewood Primary School. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, one father - who did not give his name - said: "Not one of them has committed half an hour to go and see the school which they are deciding for the second time to close.
"What on earth are they doing? They're accountable to the public, and there is no accountability."
Rebecca Wall, Director of Children’s Services at North Tyneside Council, said: "Cabinet agreed to commence a pre-publication consultation on the potential closure of Hazlewood Primary School from September 2028.
"No decision has been made to close the school. The consultation will give parents, staff, governors, trade unions, residents and other stakeholders the opportunity to review information and share their views before any future decision is taken."
October 9, 2026: Reform councillors accuse the local authority of relying on “flawed evidence” as part of its attempt to close Hazlewood. Councillor Richard Ross formally served a call-in notice on the council, requiring a public review of its decisions.
Coun Ross said: "Decisions affecting our children’s education must be built on verified facts and lawful procedures. Rushing a closure proposal through cabinet on short notice while relying on a 2024 scoping survey to claim '2025 repairs are due to expire' is completely indefensible.
"By formally triggering this call-in alongside my colleagues, we have constitutionally paused the consultation process. The council administration must now face public scrutiny, correct the flawed evidence on the record, and commission a proper, independent assessment of the school building before any further steps are taken."
Responding to the comments, Rebecca Wall, Director of Children’s Services at North Tyneside Council, said: "The council does not agree that there is any contradiction.
"The structural assessment was carried out to inform the temporary reinforcement works that were subsequently completed at the school. The report concluded that those measures could remain effective for up to five years, subject to ongoing inspection and monitoring, and the council continues to maintain that regime."
