I had the great privilege last week of cutting the ribbon to officially open a new school at the Coast.
Monkseaton Coastal School is an 11-16 mainstream school and replaces the former Monkseaton Middle School. The story of the transition began really with the closure of Monkseaton High School and the backdrop of falling pupil numbers. The local authority began a consultation on future provision and the spotlight fell on Monkseaton Middle. The parents unsurprisingly were alarmed.
It wasn’t just about the possible closure of their school: it was about this school in particular. Monkseaton Middle had catered for a relatively high number of children with additional needs including conditions like autism and ADHD. Not only had the school provide exceptional support on a safe environment, but they had also instilled in every pupil the desire to succeed and excel.
But how do you save a school? The answer was an audacious plan for a new school, an 11-16 school, with mainstream provision but building on the historic provision and fantastic staff. I think it’s fair to say that some feared that the local authority, other schools and some parents might not be prepared to back the plan. That they did is testament to our strong community of schools at the coast and I thank them for that.
Given that I had enthusiastically backed the new school plan and backed the parents and staff, they gave me a front row seat at the opening. This is not the end of the story but the beginning of a new chapter and I wish everyone concerned the best of luck.