Schools in Ashington were the first to be reviewed

Northumberland County Council executive decided on Monday to recommend the closure of Alexandra Middle School, in Ashington.

The other schools - Linton First and Coulson Park First - will remain open.

About 200 pupils who attend Alexandra Middle School will be sent instead to Seaton Hirst Middle School, which will undergo a significant expansion.

Northumberland County Council is preparing a big schools closure programme in an effort to rid more than 7,000 spare pupil places.

Repair bills

A review of its education provision in September 2001 concluded that council bosses should take strategic steps to resolve the issue, which is costing the authority tens of thousands of pounds a year.

In May, education chiefs said Linton First School had a minimum capacity for 40 pupils, with only 23 pupils on its roll, and a backlog of school building repairs estimated at more than �170,000.

Coulson Park First School has 190 pupils in attendance - despite having spaces for 240 youngsters - with a waiting repair bill of �250,000.

Alexandra Middle School, the only one to close, has a pupil capacity of 266, with only 204 on roll and a repair bill of �225,000.