Partner Article

Academy plans put to the public

Plans to replace three secondary schools on Teesside with academies, sponsored by the NHS and a university, are being put to the public.

Stockton Council has proposed closing Blakeston Community Sports College School, the Norton School Humanities College and Thornaby Community School.

Two academies would be established, one in North Stockton and one in Thornaby.

The move affects about 1,600 pupils. A six-week consultation of parents, pupils, and school staff has begun.

If the plans are agreed, Teesside University would be the lead sponsor of the academy in Thornaby which would specialise in business and enterprise.

It would be at the existing Thornaby Community School in September 2010 until a new facility is built on the same site as part of the £180m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

NHS Stockton-on-Tees would become the lead sponsor of the academy in North Stockton which would specialise in science, health and wellbeing.

This would open in the existing Blakeston School and Norton School of Humanities College buildings in January 2011 before moving to a new building created through BSF on the Stockton Sports Centre site on Norton Road.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .