Alnwick middle schools to close in two-tier shake up

The Duke's County Middle School in Alnwick is one of those to close

All four middle schools in an area of Northumberland are to close.

The county council's cabinet has voted to replace the current three-tier system in Alnwick with two tiers.

Lindisfarne, The Duke's, Seahouses and St Paul's middle schools will shut and the county's first schools will expand to take children up to 11.

Branton Community and Embleton Vincent Edwards CofE first schools, previously proposed for closure, will instead expand to become primary schools.

The Duchess Community High School being built in Alnwick will convert to a secondary school on one site and add 11 and 12 year olds to its current 13-18-year-old intake.

Seahouses Middle School has fought stay open.

Northumberland County Council said it had reviewed existing provision at the request of schools, in order to consider the impact of any individual changes on other schools in the area.

It had "no plans to alter school structures" across the county but would consider similar consultations in other areas if asked by schools, it said.

The council pledged to allocate about £9.6m to support school alterations.