New school plans: kids ask NCC – what happened to our pond?
By Artograffi
We noticed that Northumberland County Council (NCC) want to change the plans for our new school. In the plans which were agreed in November, there were lots of outdoor things such as a wildlife pond, outdoor learning areas and quiet seating areas. These seemed to us like good things to have, especially for students who learn better outside or need quiet spaces at break. We asked the team responsible why they now want to remove them.
Artograffi met some of the team responsible for the new school
Along with Councillors Glen Sanderson (GS) and Guy Renner-Thompson (GRT), we met Sue Aviston (SA), Head of School Organisation & Resources, and Roddy Graham (RG), Senior Project Manager at Kier Construction.
Pic: THE GREEN PLAN. These plans were approved by NCC in Nov 2024, they included growing areas, an amphitheatre, a wildlife pond and landscaping.
Skylar: Why are we having a new school (rather than just fix the old one)?
GRT: The decision to build a new school in Amble is a big one for NCC. We’ve built new schools in Ponteland, Hexham, Seaton Delaval, Berwick and Amble. We think a new school is best for children in Amble. We have the best schools in the NE. A new school is good for both children and teachers. There are cheaper running costs in a new school.
Pic: THE GREY PLAN submitted in April 2025. The building footprint is now smaller and outside features have been removed or simplified.
What we discovered: The grey plan is the one being built although it does not yet have planning permission.
Nina: We would like to know why you put the green plan (which is nicer) to be approved, then you just changed it to be the grey plan (which is smaller), when you already started work on building it? Why promise things then you discard the idea and do something else?
SA: The green plan went into planning. The grey plan has been simplified to create more value for money.
These outside areas have been removed in the grey plan version.
Eden: Why is there not a pond anymore, or the outside learning areas? Also where are the other outdoor ideas e.g. the canopy/shaded seating area to let people stay outside more, or the quiet seating areas for people who enjoy time in smaller groups?
GS: This is very important. I hate being stuck inside. We will have a discussion about this.
SA: The pond is a safeguarding issue. There would need to be fencing. The needs of young people are different than in the past. We need to run the building to be cost effective.
RG: We are building the grey plan. We build the plan we are instructed to build. The costs for the green plan were made three years ago. They are not reflected in 2025 prices.
We say: It looks like money is the reason that we won’t get our pond in the end, and we think that is a shame.
By Eden, Nina, Skylar, Issy, Maisie, Indie and Esme
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Wow! Well done Artograffi. Value for money = euphemism for cost cutting