Design images for the proposed new £42m Berwick Academy revealed

The preview comes as the administration at County Hall is seeking to reassure parents and the wider community about this specific project and other work that is being carried out for the Berwick Partnership re-organisation from three-tier to two-tier.

The local authority has earmarked £42million to rebuild Berwick Academy and £8.2million for the conversion of the first schools to primary schools alongside the creation of a family and community hub in Wooler.

David Smith, Labour MP for North Northumberland, has criticised what he believes is the “slow progress of Conservative Northumberland County Council’s plan to rebuild Berwick Academy” as “frustrating for parents, students and the whole community”.

Coun Guy Renner-Thompson, county council cabinet member for Inspiring Young People, hit back and insisted work has been progressing well on the rebuild.

He has revealed this week that local councillors have now seen detailed plans of what a new school could look like, including design images, pending a final decision by the council’s cabinet later in the year.

The proposed 8,800m2 new build includes dedicated special educational needs facilities and post-16 skills training facilities. Access to the new school would come from Northumberland Road, allowing education at Berwick Academy to continue undisrupted while the new school is built.

A drop-in event is being organised in Berwick to share information with parents and the community about the new build and the transition for pupils as the new system is introduced.

Coun Renner-Thompson added: “We are totally committed to delivering what will be a huge development that will benefit our children for decades to come and the next chapter in the regeneration of Berwick town itself.

“Berwick has been starved of investment for decades until this council stepped forward with projects like the new leisure centre and the Maltings project.

“I also understand this is also a worrying time for some parents with children who will be at school during the change from three to two-tier.

“This is an absolute focus for us as we move into the next stages of the transition and I have instructed that extra support is made available for this on top of the support schools are already getting.”