A special school currently housed in buildings that date back almost 200 years could be rebuilt in the coming years. Northumberland County Council has submitted an application to the government in the hopes of building a new Barndale School in Alnwick.
Northumberland has seen a significant rise in the number of children requiring some level of specialist provision in recent years. Leading councillors say the proposals would mean “modern facilities” for the school, as well as “high-quality learning environments, facilities and grounds that are designed to meet the increasingly complex needs of pupils”.
Councillor comment
Coun Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member for education at the council and ward councillor for the nearby Bamburgh ward, said: “Barndale School plays a hugely important role in supporting children and families across North Northumberland.
“Having toured the school, it’s clear the staff are doing a brilliant job in very outdated buildings. Following our major investment in the outstanding Barndale-by-the-Sea development in Amble, we are determined to continue improving specialist education provision across the county.
“This application to the Department for Education represents an important opportunity to secure long-term investment in the Alnwick partnership and ensure pupils and staff have facilities that match the exceptional quality of education being delivered. I urge the Government to agree with us that this school deserves an upgrade.”
In response to rising demand, the council has made significant recent investment in specialist education provision across Northumberland, including the successful opening of the new Barndale-by-the-Sea satellite site in Amble.
Headteacher comment
Mark Phillips, Headteacher of Barndale School, welcomed the application. He said: “We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved at both Barndale School and Barndale-by-the-Sea.
“Our staff work tirelessly to provide the very best support and opportunities for pupils, and modern facilities are an essential part of delivering that vision. We really hope the Department for Education considers investing in a fit for purpose provision in Alnwick to ensure we can deliver the provision we want to.
“The school is on a journey to become a ‘Centre of Excellence’ and wants to work with a wide range of schools to support the needs of all pupils with SEND. A new building would hopefully provide facilities that would allow for quality training, support and a hub for a wide range of professionals to be based at the school.”
The council has submitted a bid for the DfE’s School Rebuilding Programme for Barndale. An application has also been made for the specialist Hillcrest School in Cramlington – but decisions are not expected until next year.
The Government will carry out checks on pupil numbers and capacity, as well as planned housing developments in the area. Guidance states: “Once rebuilding or significant refurbishment need has been confirmed, consideration will also be given to plans to combine capital projects, the use of additional funding streams, and, where it offers better value for money, moving site.”
Projects in areas with large surpluses of places or where pupils have reasonable access to alternative schools are unlikely to be approved. The time scales will be confirmed if and when a bid is successful.
Councillor Gordon Castle, ward member for Alnwick Castle, added: “As someone who attended school on this very site when it was an infant school, I know just how important this part of Alnwick has been to generations of local families.
“We have already seen the huge positive impact that investment in education infrastructure can bring through the redevelopment of The Duchess’s Community High School, and I would love to see the same ambition now delivered for Barndale School.”
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