The School Opened by Rab Butler in 1960

This school was opened in 1960 by Rab Butler, the architect of the 1944 Education Act which created the pattern for post-war secondary schooling in Britain. It is appropriate that the many changes which have occurred since then have been reflected here.

There was a big expansion of housing in Ponteland in the first half of the 1950’s. A new road was laid called Thornhill Road which opened up previously agricultural land to development as social housing. The increasing population placed a strain on Ponteland’s already antiquated and inadequate school’s provision. In the mid-1950’s there were demands for a new school to be built in the village.

Traditionally, the school in Ponteland had been provided by the Church of England as the benefactors of a bequest dating from 1719 from the merchant Richard Coates. The new school which was built here in 1958 was a joint venture between the Newcastle Diocese and the Local Education Authority. The school was constructed out of reinforced concrete with brick walls. The buildings were limited to two-storeys and grouped together to ease movement between them. It was named the Richard Coates Secondary School after the original benefactor in April 1960 and under the educational system introduced by Rab Butler, was for pupils who had failed the 11 plus examination.

With the introduction of the Comprehensive Education System in the early 1970’s, the 11 plus examination was abolished. This school was transformed into a Middle School educating pupils aged from 9 to 13 years old irrespective of their ability range.

There were further changes in 2017 when Ponteland moved from a three-tier to a two-tier education system (primary and secondary). As a result, the Middle School was phased out and a new primary school emerged in its place, operating initially as a voluntary aided school. In 2019 this transitioned to become the Richard Coates Church of England Primary School (Academy) under the Pele Trust. In 2021, the school relocated to the neighbouring site vacated by Ponteland First School and the buildings here were abandoned.

In September 2022, a special school formerly based at Seghill, the Emily Wilding Davison School moved into these premises.