Heads briefed over £179m scheme

The building programme in the city is due to start in 2005

Headteachers from secondary schools across Wearside will find out more about a major building project.

Earlier this year, Sunderland was among a number of education authorities chosen for the Building Schools for the Future scheme.

The scheme for the city is for £179m with the first wave of funding for eight secondary schools.

Headteachers will have a chance to meet the project leaders to find out more about the scheme.

They will meet Ian Macdonald, team leader for Partnership for Schools, which is leading the government's school building transformation programme over the next 15 years and Chris Foy from the Department for Education and Skills' buildings team.

Modern buildings

The building programme in the city is due to start in 2005.

Four education authorities in the north-east of England were chosen for the Building Schools for the Future scheme, announced last month.

Sunderland, Newcastle, South Tyneside and Gateshead will receive a total of nearly £500m for building projects.

The aim of the programme is to replace current school buildings with modern, state-of-the-art facilities.