School building project approved

All five of Exeter's secondary schools will have new buildings

A £100m investment in schools in Exeter has been given the go-ahead by Devon County Council.

Plans to replace all of Exeter's five secondary schools and build a new primary school at Wonford have been approved.

The council has signed a 30-year contract with Mowlem and Innisfree as part of a private finance initiative.

The council said it was delighted Exeter's education system was moving into the 21st Century.

All five of Exeter's secondary schools will have new buildings.

This huge investment in modern buildings will give our children the best possible learning environment John Hart, Devon County Council executive councillor for schools

West Exe, St Peters, St James and Priory will see new schools built on their playing fields, with the old buildings then demolished to make way for new sports facilities.

St Luke's will move to a new site at Monkerton, next to the Pinhoe Sainsbury store.

A new primary school will be built for Wonford to replace the Bradley Rowe first and middle schools on their current site.

Devon's executive councillor for schools, John Hart, said: "We have had an enormous amount of detail to agree on such an ambitious project.

"But I am delighted to say we are on course to bring the Exeter education system into the 21st Century with this huge investment in modern buildings that will give our children the best possible learning environment."

From September 2005, Exeter will adopt the primary-secondary school system that is common in the rest of Devon, with pupils moving between the two sectors at the age of 11.

It will mark the end of the current system, where children transfer from first to middle schools at the age of eight and then on to high schools at 12.