Commenting on news that Hetton School will be the only secondary school in the North East Priority School Building Programme to be awarded ‘first school status’, Bridget Phillipson MP said:

“The announcement by the Department for Education is an important step forward in a long campaign to rebuild Hetton School.

“First school status means Hetton School will shape the standards and priorities of the North East rebuilding programme . It will allow the Head and his team to have a greater say in the design and construction. I discussed this possibility with the Schools Minister, who agreed to consider giving Hetton School this status. He accepted that the condition of the school needed urgent attention.”