Tyneside primary school faces closure for second time
A Tyneside primary school is facing a renewed threat of closure, just months after an education body halted a council’s decision to close its doors.
The future of Hazlewood Community Primary School, in Wideopen, has been thrown into question yet again – with North Tyneside Council bosses saying there is no viable way to rebuild a site in need of major repairs.
Families celebrated earlier this year when the Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) blocked a plan to close Hazlewood and merge it with nearby Greenfields Primary School, though it did warn at the time that the school could not continue indefinitely due to an “absence of certainty” regarding funds to replace its buildings.
Its pupils are currently learning in modular classrooms due to major structural concerns in the school’s main building, linked to weak and brittle concrete.
The council confirmed last week that it had challenged the OSA’s June ruling. And the local authority is now poised to consider renewed proposals to close Hazlewood from September 2028.
An extraordinary meeting of the Labour-run authority’s cabinet will be held on October 5 to consider whether to launch a fresh public consultation on what would be a standalone closure of the school, rather than a merger.
North Tyneside Council director of children’s services, Rebecca Wall, said: “Hazlewood Primary School is operating under temporary arrangements because parts of the main building cannot be used for education due to significant structural concerns associated with failed pot-and-beam concrete. Although remedial works have been carried out and modular classrooms are in place, these measures were only ever intended to be temporary.
“The remedial works are expected to provide a safe operating environment for only around five to six years from installation. Despite sustained engagement with the Department for Education, no viable long-term rebuild option has been identified, and no funding has been made available to reinstate or replace the main school building.
“The OSA recognised that the council followed the appropriate statutory process and acknowledged that Hazlewood’s buildings cannot be used indefinitely without capital funding for a rebuild. The adjudicator also confirmed that neighbouring schools have sufficient capacity to accommodate Hazlewood pupils, and said that any future proposal should be brought forward as a closure of Hazlewood Primary School rather than a merger.”
The OSA rejected the initial proposal based on shortcomings in the original merger plan, announced in October 2025.
It was told that repair options included a £1.76 million temporary metal deck for the school’s damaged ceilings, a £3.88 million full internal rebuild, or a £6 million total reconstruction. North Tyneside Council’s entire school maintenance budget was only £4.3 million.
Ms Wall insisted that there is “sufficient capacity in neighbouring schools to accommodate Hazlewood pupils, supporting parental preference and ensuring access to suitable school places”.
She added: “We recognise that the OSA determination has created a period of uncertainty for Hazlewood’s staff, parents and the wider community, and we know this has been difficult and unsettling. The steps being taken now are intended to bring clarity to the situation and ensure everyone is fully informed as the process moves forward.”
Hazlewood parents fiercely opposed the council’s original plans, with a petition to save the school amassing almost 1,800 signatures. However, despite vocal opposition, the school was marked for closure in September 2028 in January of this year.
Following the council’s confirmation that it had challenged the OSA’s ruling last week, Hazlewood headteacher Stephane Bommel said: “Our attention must now turn firmly towards the future of Hazlewood Community Primary School. I would also respectfully ask all local and national leaders, whatever their political position, to reflect on the outcome of the consultation and the clear importance of working together to support the future of Hazlewood Community Primary School.
“Now is the time to put differences aside, listen to the outcome of the consultation and work collaboratively to ensure that the school, its pupils and its community have the support, investment and opportunities they deserve. This should be a moment for everyone to consider what is best for the children and for the future of the school.”