Monkseaton Middle School in North Tyneside will expand to include Year 11 students, reversing a previous proposal for closure, a decision celebrated by parents who emphasized the importance of stability for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The phased expansion will welcome Year 9 in 2027, Year 10 in 2028, and Year 11 in 2029.
The reversal follows a community campaign that garnered over 1,200 signatures on a petition opposing the initial closure plan, which was prompted by declining student numbers and budgetary concerns within North Tyneside Council. Parents expressed profound relief at the news, citing the potential trauma of forcing students, particularly those with SEND, to transition to a fresh school.
“It’s a sizeable upheaval moving to another school, it’s a mental trauma for a lot of them,” said Charlotte Knaggs, 39, whose son attends Monkseaton Middle School. “It has relieved a bit of stress to be honest. My son is slightly SEND so he didn’t want to move and I think that school is a little more supportive for his needs, and it stops him leaving his friends and he is comfortable there.”
Peter Howson, 44, echoed Knaggs’ sentiments, stating that saving the school was “fantastic news.” He explained that homeschooling would have been the only alternative for his daughter, who also has special educational needs, had the closure gone ahead, describing the prospect as “life-changing.” Howson’s family specifically relocated to the area due to the school’s reputation, making the initial closure announcement “devastating.”
Corey Foskett, whose nine-year-old daughter attends Monkseaton, highlighted the logistical challenges a closure would have created. “We were going to have to change schools which would have been a chew,” Foskett said, noting the difficulty of navigating options with three schools already serving the area.
Stephanie Brown, 33, expressed her “chuffed” reaction, emphasizing the importance of continuity for neurodivergent children. “It is brilliant to know they will be in the same school for a long time as change is not great for neurodivergent children,” she stated.
Leave a Reply