AN MP has praised efforts to amalgamate two secondary schools into a new academy.

Pat Glass MP held talks last week with Kevin Reynolds, principal of the newly-formed Consett Academy.

The school, formed by the merger of Consett Community Sports College and Moorside Technology College, opened on a split site earlier this year.

Education officials hope the academy will move to a single school in a new £26m building on fields at Belle Vue in 2014, subject to the outcome of on ongoing legal challenge over the site being heard in the High Court.

Mrs Glass and Mr Reynolds met on Friday to discuss the transition to a single academy, including an update on how the new curriculum was being implemented and what measures were being taken to keep parents informed.

The MP said: "I have a lot of experience of school amalgamations and I know that it is not always easy to bring two schools together into one.

"Given transitions can be a difficult process it is therefore especially pleasing to see how well the former staff and pupils of Consett Community Sports College and Moorside Technology College have come together into the new Consett Academy and I praise them for their efforts.

"The new curriculum is now in place and working well and early assessment predicts good results for 2012".

Mrs Glass added: "I am confident good times are ahead for the children of Consett."