Due to essential maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 6.00pm on Monday 2 October until 8.00am on Tuesday 3 October: our online council tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. You will also not be able to register to pay council tax online, make a change of address for council tax or cancel single person discount. You are still able to make a payment during this time. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Consultation on proposal to merge Ox Close Primary School and Oxclose Nursery School (phase two)

We are proposing to merge Ox Close Primary School and Oxclose Nursery School into one primary school on the Durham Road site of the former Tudhoe Grange Comprehensive School from 1 September 2024.

Why this is being proposed

We are consulting on a proposal to merge Ox Close Primary School and Oxclose Nursery School into one primary school (age 2-11) in a new build on the Durham Road site of the former Tudhoe Grange Comprehensive School. We are aiming to move towards a model of 'all through' primary schools instead of separate nursery, infant and junior schools where it is practicable to do so. Merging the schools will mean that children can benefit from primary education in one school rather than changing schools at age 4.

All schools must be viable and sustainable for the long term as well as being able to respond to 'growth'. Spennymoor is an area of County Durham that has experienced and continues to experience significant growth via housing developments. This is putting pressure on school places across the town. The most effective solution for Spennymoor to address the pressure on places at Ox Close and across Spennymoor generally is a new build replacement school.