A Northumberland school now has a parent teacher association.

A PTA has been set up at St Mary's C of E Middle School in Belford, to carry out fundraising.

Headteacher Lynne Brookes said: "We are asking the children to name the group and we would be delighted if anyone wants to join us or support our efforts in any way.

"We already have events planned to raise funds and encourage parental involvement in the school in the near future."

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A man left unable to work for 18 months after a serious accident is looking forward to a new career.

Skilled labourer Duncan McPhee suffered a broken back in December 2006 in an accident involving a two-tonne garage door.

The 35-year-old from Beadnell, in Northumberland, previously worked in a number of physically demanding jobs, including stonemasonry, joinery and plumbing, but has had to retrain.

View 2009 Key Stage 2 test results for Seahouses Middle School and St Mary's Middle School.

See these pages on the Berwick and Alnwick community sites for links to performance tables for other local schools.

View comparative tables for Northumberland schools: Key Stage 2, GCSE, Post-16.

Children's imaginations literally went wild when they produced amazing woodland creatures from recycled materials.

The children, from Seahouses Middle School, Branton First School, Alnwick South First School and Longridge Towers, made the wildlife models when they took part in the Children's Countryside Day run by the Glendale Agricultural Society.

They include a cardboard red kite, an egg box hedgehog, an orange squirrel, a lemonade bottle salmon and a badger made from boxes.

The impressive creations will now go on display during the half-term holidays in the National Park Visitor Centre, Ingram.

A piece of Poland has been brought to Northumberland after a special children's language school was set up.

The classes running in Seahouses aim to help Polish children with reading and writing skills in their native language.

Dr Beata Kohlbek, one of the school's founders, said: "This is the first school in the area for Polish children to learn Polish literacy and open up their potential to continue with their first language.

A major review is to be carried out amid fears that a declining population in Northumberland will force the closure of more small schools and harm rural communities.

A working group of county councillors will be given the task of investigating the likely future impact of demographic change on the demand for school places across the county.

It will try to identify how many schools are at risk of closure because of falling rolls and how council policies - such as in new housing development - can help tackle the problem.

An honest schoolboy kept his promise of scaling new heights as a tribute to Sir Bobby Robson.

Gareth Davies was given a signed copy of the Newcastle United legend's autobiography as a present.

The 12-year-old had earlier told family that if it was signed he would climb Ben Nevis and raise cash for his cancer charity, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

A range of after-school learning activities is being offered to children in Seahouses and north Northumberland.

The extended services team of the Alnwick Schools Partnership caters for children at the town's Duchess's Community High School, five middle schools, 15 first schools and Alnwick's Barndale House School.

The team has established after-school learning in these schools in four ways, with a peer-to-peer learning programme, professional tutors, voluntary coaches and fun learning days during half-term breaks.

Inspired by the range of local produce on their doorstep, budding young chefs were stirred to take up a tasty learning challenge.

Youngsters from Seahouses Middle School took part in a week-long project to find out about the relationship between local producers and the food on their plate as part of the project.

Pupils visited Northumberland producers Swallows Fish, of Seahouses and Sunny Hill Eggs, based at Detchant Farm near Belford, to whet their appetites for local food.