Northumberland County Council is proposing to build a two form entry Primary School, a 1250 pupil Secondary School and a new Leisure Centre all on the current Leisure Centre site with some sports fields and changing rooms on the current Coates Endowed Middle School site being retained for community use. This proposal would result in a two tier educational structure for Ponteland with the closure of Ponteland Middle School and Coates Endowed becoming a primary school. All outdoor sports fields would be jointly used by the schools and sports clubs in addition to there being a very significant reduction in playing fields. Currently the rugby club has three full size fields available to us. This is likely to reduce to one on the school / Leisure Centre site.

As a community rugby club we work with the Ponteland pyramid of schools to develop rugby with Y2 children through to Y13 students. This focus on developing the mass participation in rugby is not impacted upon whether there is a 2 tier or 3 tier education system in Ponteland. The rugby club will work with whatever school structure is decided upon. The rugby club has arrived at the considered position that it will not express an opinion on this educational issue but remain neutral. The rugby club is of the view that parents, head teachers, teachers and governors are best placed to inform this debate.

Ponteland Rugby Club welcomes Northumberland County Councils commitment to spend many millions of pounds on providing new educational and leisure facilities within Ponteland and we are also sure that elected members wish not only to provide new facilities but improved facilities for Ponteland. The rugby club is unable to support the current proposal because it will not provide improved facilities but severely and detrimentally impact upon the number of adults and young people playing rugby in Ponteland. There would be a detrimental impact on the ethos of the club, our ability to run the number of teams that we do, our capacity to work with the local schools and on our community activities.

Ponteland Rugby Club will make a full response to this effect in accordance with the County Council’s consultation timescale.