Sunderland High School announces closure

Sunderland High School has announced its closure. 

In an open statement released by the school, it is said that “current and projected pupil numbers cannot secure the school’s long term future”.

Numbers being admitted to the school have plummeted. This fall in numbers has meant that the school has been losing money which is “no longer viable”.

Savings have been made but the school estimated a “six figure loss this year”.

The school added: “We have reached the point which any further cost savings would now directly impact on the quality of education on offer.”

The United Church Schools Trust has also subsidised the school’s budget “significantly”.

Sunderland High School has a reputation as an excellent school but will close at the end of this academic year.

John Coles, Chief Executive of the school, said: “I deeply regret that we have had to take this decision, which I know will come as a shock and considerable disappointment to parents, pupils and staff.

“It has become necessary because we have explored all other avenues for keeping the school open without success.

“Once we concluded that all other options had been exhausted, we wanted to give everyone as much notice as possible so that over the coming weeks and months we provide any assistance we can to ease the transition for pupils into other schools and staff into new jobs.”

Discussions with other local schools in both the independent and state sector have begun.

Mr Coles added: “The decision to close the school is one that we have tried to avoid by exploring every other option to keep the school open. We believe that we have exhausted every possibility for keeping the school open.”