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AN ACADEMY TRUST NOW IN CHARGE OF THE FORMER COLEGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS SUBMITTED PLANS TO IMPROVE THE SITE'S CAR PARK IN THE HOPES OF REOPENING THE SITE TO SEN PUPILS 16:46, 27 May
2025 Plans to help convert a former primary school in Gateshead into a special educational needs (SEN) school have been submitted to the local authority. The Cedars Trust, an academy
organisation which specialises in educating children with special needs, has applied for permission to expand the car park to the former Colgate Primary School in Felling. In February this
year, Gateshead Council made the decision to transfer the Colgate Primary School building to the Trust to increase local SEN school places. It is hoped the conversion of the site will allow
for primary education for up to 180 SEN kids by September this year. The application states: “As such, it is proposed to provide a new ‘car park’ area for the school, primarily to be used to
facilitate the pick-up and drop-off of children arriving in home-to-school transport, arranged by Gateshead Council, and those transported by parents / carers.” The existing car access
entrance from High Heworth Lane would also be widened to allow for two-way traffic, while pedestrian access would remain from Colegate West, to the north of the site. This comes after the
local authority reached the decision to close the school in September last year. Colegate Primary had been dubbed the council’s “most vulnerable school” in official documents, with a
projected financial deficit of over £500,000 by 2025/26. Academic results, particularly Key Stage 2 reading, writing, and mathematics were found to be below the national averages, alongside
historically low pupil numbers. At the time of publication, no decision has been reached on the application. Article continues below OUR CHRONICLELIVE DAILY NEWSLETTER IS FREE. YOU CAN SIGN
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