The passenger terminal regularly welcomes tourists travelling on cruises that call at North Shields as an access point for Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider North East of England. In 2017, 52 ships docked, bringing 120,000 visitors to the region. A number of "dudes" - red and blue powder coated figures designed by artist Perminder Kaur - can be seen on a grassy mound at the entrance to the terminal. Education The town's schools are part of a three-tiered system: Nursery schools Sir James Knott Nursery School Primary schools Christ Church Church of England Primary School Collingwood Primary School King Edward Primary School Kings Priory School Monkhouse Primary School Percy Main Primary School Preston Grange Primary School Riverside Primary School Spring Gardens Primary School St Cuthberts Roman Catholic Primary School St Josephs Roman Catholic Primary School Waterville Primary School Whitehouse Primary School Secondary schools John Spence Community High School, Preston Kings Priory School, Tynemouth Marden High School, Cullercoats Norham High School, Chirton St Thomas More RC Academy, Billy Mill Religion North Shields has a number of churches and religious groups: Christian churches Many are members of the ecumenical Churches Together in North Shields, itself a member of Churches Together in England. Other organisations North Shields Fishermen's Mission, 42-47 Fish Quay - Based in North Shields, the organisation covers the North East coast from Amble to Redcar. The Cedarwood Trust, Avon Avenue - A Christian ethos community development organisation based in Meadow Well, initially established through a partnership of the Church of England and North Tyneside Council. Both are associate members of Churches Together in North Shields. Other religious groups The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Malvern Road Iglesia ni Cristo, Stormont Street Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Lower Norfolk Street North Shields Spiritualist Church, 42 Stanley Street West Economy Retail Town Centre A significant part of the town centre is pedestrianised and it is dominated by the Beacon, a partly-covered shopping mall which was constructed in the late 1970s and originally named The Bedford Centre. As with many British high streets, a number of large chains have closed their branches in the town in recent years, including Littlewoods, Woolworths and McDonald's. As of 2019, Wilko has a large store in the Beacon, alongside high street regulars such as Specsavers, Superdrug and Boots. A number of discount retailers including B & M, Home Bargains, Peacocks and Heron Foods have