AMBITIOUS plans to improve York secondary schools with £40m of building works are a step closer to becoming a reality.

A report detailing the progress and plans for building schemes at Huntington School, York High School, Joseph Rowntree School, Fulford School and Manor CE School will be discussed by City of York Council chiefs next week.

The report, due to go before the council's executive on Tuesday states that plans are on course to see a massive boost to school building standards in York by 2010.

In total, £39.16 million will be invested by the council in building new school buildings and improving existing ones.

A further £13.6 million will be invested at Manor School, bringing the total capital investment to almost £53 million across the city.

Speaking about the projects to The Press, Coun Carol Runciman, executive member for children's services, said: "This is the largest school building programme the council has ever undertaken.

"These projects will all have a long-lasting impact on future generations of pupils, who will benefit from improved buildings and modern facilities.

"Teachers are such a vital part of the success of any school, but better buildings really help them to do their job and maintain York's position as one of the top education authorities in the whole country.

"It is very exciting to be involved at such a busy time. Managing this level of investment takes a lot of work from officers, as everything from consultation, to planning, to project management needs to be spot-on throughout the life of the projects.

"I am looking forward to 2010, when the buildings are all completed and pupils are moving into top-quality classrooms.

"The plans we are developing now have the potential to bring even better opportunities for future pupils, which will be a boost to the whole city."

Under the plans, three of the city's state secondary schools will be given a new lease of life through multi-million pound revamps.

In the north of the city, the council is planning to use a Government grant to replace Joseph Rowntree School, at New Earswick, while a blueprint to build a new Manor School and the new York High School - which will replace Lowfield and Oaklands in west York - is pushing ahead.

At York High School, both Oaklands and Lowfield schools are to be replaced by a new state-of-the-art building, on the Oaklands site.

Meanwhile, Manor School is to undergo a £17.6 million revamp to create modern facilities for pupils.

The Major Capital Schemes Update Report is recommended for approval at a meeting of the executive in the Guildhall.


Money means a great future for pupils in York

Joseph Rowntree School: The council has secured money under the Government's 15-year, £45 billion Building Schools For The Future (BSF) programme to build a new school.

York High School: The Government is contributing £8 million towards the total of £10 million for modernising and extending the buildings on the Oaklands site, while City of York Council is putting forward the remaining £2 million.

Manor School: The new school will benefit from £13.6 million of Government cash, with the sale of the old site making up the remaining £4 million for the new school.

Fulford School: Head teacher Steve Smith and the school's governors are bidding for a loan of £607,000 from City of York Council to bolster a £1.266 million scheme to create new laboratories and classrooms.