A petition to save Hazlewood Community Primary School from possible closure and merger has amassed over 1,000 signatures. Hazelwood is one of six North Tyneside primary schools facing potential mergers alongside the proposed closure of a coastal middle school.
At the time of publication, 1,050 people had signed a petition calling for Hazlewood Community Primary School to remain as it is, in the light of a possible merger with Greenfields Primary School. According to the council’s on-going public consultation, the proposed move has been sparked due to Hazleswood’s unfilled places (13%) as opposed to Greenfields (7%).
However, Hazelwood’s predicted number of vacant places is expected to rise to an “unacceptable level” of 25% in the coming years. The number of vacant school spaces is also compounded due to a 300 fewer children being born in North Tyneside since 2018/19, a trend that is set to continue.
Hazelwood has also been blighted, alongside three other schools in North Tyneside, with historic weak and brittle concrete. The council has estimated it would cost at least £7m to build a new school but despite lobbying since 2024, no long term funding has been secured.
The council’s consultation goes on to say: “These falling pupil numbers, alongside Hazlewood’s proximity to Greenfields, which has the capacity to accommodate pupils from both schools, would have an impact on the Department for Education’s decision to fund a new school for the area.”
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.”
In an earlier statement, North Tyneside Council’s director of children’s services Julie Firth said: “We deeply value the strong connections our communities have with their schools, and we recognise how unsettling this process will be for pupils, families, and staff.
“Despite efforts to address falling pupil numbers, we are now at a point where change is essential to ensure our school system remains sustainable.”
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