Latest news with #PrudhoeCommunityHighSchool
BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Prudhoe teacher banned after sex with 'vulnerable' ex-pupil
A teacher accused of entering into an "inappropriate" sexual relationship with a "vulnerable" ex-pupil has been banned from the profession.A report by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said David Blight, who taught at Prudhoe Community High School, Northumberland, had also requested sexual photographs and videos of the past student - known as Former Pupil A. The pair would also meet to have sex in his car and public places such as woodland, and he had also offered her morphine, the report panel said the married 59-year-old's behaviour was "unacceptable", adding he had "brought the profession into disrepute". Mr Blight first joined the staff at the school in 1999 and had taught Former Pupil A from 2009 until 2011, which is when he became head of sixth pair had crossed paths again via social media in 2016, at which time she was in her third year at afterwards, Former Pupil A's mother reported their relationship to a GP who subsequently informed a Local Authority Designated Officer - responsible for managing allegations against adults who work with school then carried out an internal investigation and Mr Blight was dismissed from his job in January 2022, with the matter referred to the TRA. Two-year review Following evidence submitted at a misconduct panel hearing in February, the TRA also found that on "one or more occasions" Mr Bright had offered morphine to Former Pupil had also failed to disclose to the school that he was in a sexual relationship with her when she applied for work experience there "in or around November 2016".The panel described Mr Blight's conduct as having fallen "significantly short of the standards expected of the profession", adding that he regretted his behaviour and "the impact to his family and career".It stated that Mr Blight, who had a "previously good history", can apply for the prohibition order to be set aside, but not until a two-year review period expires in April 2027.A panel will meet to deliberate should any appeal be lodged, and if unsuccessful he will remain barred from the profession for life. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
10-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Prudhoe High school: New site found for pupils of 'unsafe' school
A temporary site has been found for a school which had to be closed when cracks appeared on its upper floor. Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland was shut on Monday 17 February, and pupils were told they would not be able to return until 3 the Cheviot Learning Trust then told parents the school would be closed for "six to nine months as a minimum" after the building - built nine years ago - was found to be unsafe. The trust said it would reveal the new site once the deal with its owners was complete. Trust chief executive Alice Witherow said: "I know that this is frustrating but the other party has asked us not to release information at this point."I am very hopeful, however, that this is a good interim solution."The school was built in 2016 at a cost of £14.6m under the previous Conservative government's priority school building programme (PSBP).The building has been deemed "unsafe" by engineers and "stringent" safety measures are in place to prevent are currently learning online from Tracey Gilmour said she was worried about the impact on her daughter, who is about to take her GCSEs. "Now they're home-schooling and not in front of the teachers so they're missing that crucial stage of the year when they really need to prepare for their exams," she said. In a statement, the trust said it continued to "explore the possibility of installing portable classrooms onsite as a longer-term option".But, it said, that was dependent on "ongoing structural investigations and advice from surveyors regarding land movement beneath the school building".Ms Witherow added: "Staff have told me they are really impressed with the resilience of the students and it is great to hear these positive stories."I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who is making this possible."The support from parents, the local community, the Department for Education and Northumberland County Council has been invaluable." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
School shut for at least six months due to cracks
A school which was built in 2016 and forced to close earlier this week after a "number of cracks" were found will now be shut for at least six months. Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland was shut on Monday and pupils were told they would not be able to return until 3 March at the earliest. But following further checks, parents were told the school, which is run by the Cheviot Learning Trust, would be closed for "six to nine months as a minimum". The trust's head Alice Witherow said the safety of staff and pupils was the organisation's "top priority". The trust said engineers had found that the building, which was built at a cost of £14.6m, was "not safe to continue operating". It said lessons would be taught online until another solution was found. Options being explored include relocation and the construction of temporary mobile classrooms. Ms Witherow said she understood the anxiety the situation had caused particularly for those in their GCSE and A-Level examination years. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the parents, staff, and community members for their continued support during this challenging time," said Ms Witherow. "The safety of our pupils and staff is our top priority, and while this situation is difficult, I am confident in the strength of our school community to navigate through it." She said meetings would be held after the half-term break to share updates and address any concerns from families. The school was built under the previous Conservative government's priority school building programme (PSBP), which has now been withdrawn. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. School closes after cracks found in building Prudhoe Community High School Cheviot Learning Trust
BBC News
22-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Prudhoe school shut for at least six months due to cracks
A school which was built in 2016 and forced to close earlier this week after a "number of cracks" were found will now be shut for at least six months. Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland was shut on Monday and pupils were told they would not be able to return until 3 March at the following further checks, parents were told the school, which is run by the Cheviot Learning Trust, would be closed for "six to nine months as a minimum".The trust's head Alice Witherow said the safety of staff and pupils was the organisation's "top priority". The trust said engineers had found that the building, which was built at a cost of £14.6m, was "not safe to continue operating". It said lessons would be taught online until another solution was found. Options being explored include relocation and the construction of temporary mobile classrooms. 'Confident in school community' Ms Witherow said she understood the anxiety the situation had caused particularly for those in their GCSE and A-Level examination years. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the parents, staff, and community members for their continued support during this challenging time," said Ms Witherow."The safety of our pupils and staff is our top priority, and while this situation is difficult, I am confident in the strength of our school community to navigate through it."She said meetings would be held after the half-term break to share updates and address any concerns from families. The school was built under the previous Conservative government's priority school building programme (PSBP), which has now been withdrawn. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
17-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Prudhoe Community High School closes over 'structural issue'
A school which was built in 2016 has closed because of a "structural issue".Prudhoe Community High School in Northumberland is shut until Friday, and with half-term the following week, pupils will not return until 3 March at the a social media post, the school said the decision was made "on the basis of professional advice" and "further investigation by a specialist team" would now take place. Northumberland County Council's cabinet member of children's services Guy Renner-Thompson said: "They're getting structural surveys done but they think it's a bit of ground subsidence, there was a lot of mining in that area." The school is an academy, so independent from local authority control, and part of the Cheviot Learning was built at a cost of £14.6m under the previous Conservative government's priority school building programme (PSBP), which has now been withdrawn. The trust has been approached for said he had not seen any reports yet but understood "some cracks have appeared". "We've given them a building in Prudhoe for their senior leadership team to use," he said. "From a council point of view, we're just supporting them the best we can, but they've got two weeks now to check everything over. "If the kids need to go elsewhere we'll be looking at buildings, things like that." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
