County set to abandon huge schools shake-up

The plan was forced through in 2005 despite a 35,000-signature petition opposing it.

But the entire PLF programme has been effectively stalled because of the recession and the ever-tightening squeeze on capital spending in Northumberland.

School partnerships in Cramlington and Blyth are currently going two-tier, but no further work is proposed after the completion of the shake-up in the Hirst area of Ashington.

That means reorganisation of schools in Alnwick and Seaton Valley - which were next in line - and other areas due to follow later have been mothballed until the economic crisis eases, or Government funding is secured for rebuilding.

In the future, school partnerships could be allowed to remain three-tier as long as they pledge to tackle critical issues such as pupil performance and the link between deprivation and poor achievement.

Any revised PLF strategy adopted by the Liberal Democrat administration on the new unitary authority will maintain the commitment to key stage education and minimising the number of times youngsters change schools. But it will also explore the full range of options available to achieve it, including the retention of three-tier systems and all-age schools, which are already being developed in parts of Northumberland.

A discussion paper - Narrowing the Gap - has been sent out to schools, governors and "stakeholders" in the county, inviting comments to help the administration decide the way forward early next year.

Its recommendations include channelling future PLF resources into school areas where deprivation and other social factors are hampering youngsters' performance in exams.

To that end, a new bid for £80m from the Government's Building Schools for the Future fund - money so far denied to Northumberland - is earmarked for rebuilding and refurbishment in Ashington and Bedlington. The fresh look at PLF and the proposed county-wide switch to two-tier education fulfils a pledge made by the Lib Dems after they became the biggest single party on the county council at last May's
elections.

Executive member for children's services Simon Reed said the administration was now seeking feedback from schools and governors on the way forward for education - and widening the debate from the previous "narrow" focus on key stage two performance.

He said: "The issues we face cannot be solved by a simple process of switching to two-tier education, which is not acceptable to people in some rural areas.

"What we will be looking at are options which address the key issues, but that doesn't have to be delivered through a two-tier structure.

"We are seeing learning partnerships, trusts and federations developing in Ashington and Haydon Bridge and others emerging in Alnwick, Hexham and Amble.

"If school partnerships can address the main issues and create a structure which delivers that, then we are not in a position to insist on a two-tier or three-tier model. What we need is flexibility.

"However, at present there is no more money for PLF after the Hirst reorganisation and no prospect of us doing anything until such time as the wider funding situation improves."