The Governing Bodies of Valley Gardens Middle School (VGMS) and Marden Bridge Middle School (MBMS) are presenting a formal proposal to establish a hard federation. Under this arrangement, both schools will operate under a single, unified Governing Body, effective from 1st February 2027. For many years, schools within the Whitley Bay three-tier educational system have maintained strong, loose, informal partnerships. Whilst these historical relationships have facilitated smooth first to middle transitions, they are no longer sufficient to protect individual institutions from current regional, educational, economic, and demographic pressures.
This proposal initiates a formal 6-week statutory public consultation phase. The process is designed to ensure all local partners, families, staff members, trade unions, local authority representatives, and community ward councillors (specifically across Monkseaton, Whitley Bay North, and Cullercoats & Whitley Bay South) can thoroughly inspect the operational framework and provide feedback before any final transition is approved.
Read more:
Federation Formal Consultation Document
Consultation response form can be found here or by scanning the QR code below.
