A question mark has been hanging over the future of Darlington's secondary schools since a council report in 2003 revealed some would have to close or merge within the next ten to 15 years. Education chiefs have since remained tight-lipped about which will shut - but speculation has been rife. The rumours intensified this week after Darlington Borough Council agreed to apply for £12m of Government funding for Hummersknott School, potentially securing its future. Sam Strangeways looks at which schools might now face the axe.

BRANKSOME COMPREHENSIVE

Government inspectors gave Branksome the worst possible ranking earlier this year, placing the 790-pupil school into special measures, the final stage before closure. In terms of results, Branksome came joint fourth with Longfield in Darlington last year, with 42 per cent of pupils getting five or more GCSEs at A* to C. It fared better in value-added tests for 14-year-olds, as the second best-performing school in the town.

Headteacher Howard Gilfillan has said he is determined to turn the school's fortunes around, pledging in February to improve standards. He could not be contacted for comment yesterday, but said then: "I don't think closure is a threat."

CARMEL RC

TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE

Darlington's only Catholic secondary school, which came third for GCSE results in the town last year, is safe from closure, with 58 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C GCSEs. The school came fourth for value-added tests for 14-year-olds.

The December 2003 council report which first outlined school closure plans said Carmel, a voluntary-aided school with 1,057 pupils, would not shut. Headteacher James O'Neill would not comment on the subject yesterday.

EASTBOURNE COMPREHENSIVE

The headteacher of Eastbourne, Karen Pemberton, believes the 771-pupil school is safe from closure because of its pioneering education federation with Hurworth School Maths and Computing College. She said the Department for Education and Skills had invested £2m in the two schools as part of the project.

"It would seem like a fairly pointless exercise if the ultimate aim was to close Eastbourne School," she said.

Eastbourne went into special measures in 2002, but was taken out last year after making big improvements.

Plans for the Church of England to invest £20m in the school collapsed last summer. It came last in the town last year for GCSE results, with 34 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C results. It came second from last, or sixth, for value-added tests for 14-year-olds.

HAUGHTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL

There is no question of Haughton Comprehensive facing the axe in the near future. The school, which has 898 pupils, is part of a new £33m experiment, Haughton Education Village, opening in November. At the school, 36 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A* to C GCSEs last year, ranking it second from last, or sixth, in the town. It came bottom for value-added tests for 14-year-olds.

HURWORTH SCHOOL MATHS AND COMPUTING COLLEGE

Hurworth School Maths and Computing College has suffered the most speculation over its future, despite achieving the town's top results and an outstanding Ofsted report a year ago. Hurworth is number one for both GCSE results, with 79 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C results last year, and value-added tests for 14-year-olds.

It is the town's smallest secondary school, with 637 pupils, and a high number of children have to travel to it by bus, one of the criteria for closure. The land value of the site, in a sought-after village location, is high.

But headteacher Dean Judson said he thought it was "extremely unlikely" that the school would close.

"We see a very bright future for the school," he said.

HUMMERSKNOTT SCHOOL AND LANGUAGE COLLEGE

The future of Hummersknott, Darlington's largest secondary school, with 1,233 pupils, looks assured if its bid for funding to the Department for Education and Skills is successful. An investment from the Government of £12m and a further £3m from the local education authority to improve the building in Edinburgh Drive means it would be highly unlikely to shut in the next ten to 15 years. Hummersknott came second in the town for GCSE results last year, with 60 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C results. It came third in value-added tests for 14-year-olds.

LONGFIELD COMPREHENSIVE

Longfield, which has 909 pupils, is in a densely-populated area of Darlington, and only one of its pupils needs to be bused in. It recently achieved specialist sports college status. It sits in the middle of the Darlington league table for results. It is ranked joint fourth for GCSEs with Branksome, with 42 per cent of pupils achieving A* to C results last year. It came fifth for value-added tests for 14-year-olds. Headteacher Keith Cotgrave would not comment on its future yesterday.