We invite you to stand in support with Scremerston First School which, under the Outcomes of Consultation on Berwick Partnership Organisation, is facing the threat of potential closure.

Whether a two or the current three tier school system is adopted by the Northumberland County Council going forward, Scremerston First School is planned for closure, a loss which would be felt not only by students but also the teachers, parents, and wider community.

Situated on the outskirts of Berwick upon Tweed, the school prides itself on being an inclusive, rural school, with 52 students aged 4-9 years. Scremerston’s GOOD Ofstead report speaks for itself, something not all schools in the area have achieved. The school is known to attract students from the immediate and wider areas, with many students travelling from outside of their local catchment to attend, bypassing more accessible schools in the commute, proving its popularity. Parents are choosing the school by choice, not out of necessity.

Also situated on the school grounds is Lucky Ducks pre-school which, should the proposed plans go ahead, would also inevitably close alongside the school.

There is no logic in the proposed closure. Despite Scremerston being a valued part of the community with high standards of learning and a continuously good intake of students year on year, we are the only school set to be terminated under both the two and three tier plans. No reasoning has been provided on this decision, and thus parents, students, and teachers have been left with nothing but shock, uncertainty, and unanswered questions.

To further expand on the lack of reasoning, under section 65 of the Outcomes of Consultation, it states “decision-makers should adopt a presumption against the closure of rural schools”, with the exception being “rationale for closure should be strong and in the best interests of educational provision in the area”. Despite being included in the report, these points seem not to have been applied and the closure of the school goes against the factors to consider which are outlined in section 65.

Furthermore, the timing of this announcement feels like a further blow provided to us by NCC. This month, parents of 2023 reception children are due to start applying for school places. It seems like the NCC has tried to damn the school even before a final decision has been made, for people are sure to be deterred from applying to a school which may not stay open, thus it’s likely the lack of applications will be against us.

The announcement of the proposed closure has sent waves through the school and wider community, leaving the students and staff with an uncertain future. As parents, we chose this school for our own specific reasons and do not want to see our children shuffled into other schools. The children are settled, happy and, after the upheaval of the past couple of years due to COVID, the last thing the children need is more uncertainty and change. Children may be resilient but they shouldn’t have to be, and taking them away from their friends and teachers would only cause unnecessary stress and further impact their learning.

Please take a moment to sign our petition and stand with the Scremerston First School community. The school cannot be allowed to close and we refuse to shut our doors without our voices being heard.

Wrote by the very kind nichola Moffat!