£1bn schools overhaul is approved

Pupils have been involved in the consultation process

More than £1bn is to be spent replacing all secondary schools in Barnsley with state-of-the-art learning centres.

The government has approved plans to replace or refurbish all 13 of the town's secondary schools with nine Advanced Learning Centres (ALC).

The centres would provide courses for those aged beyond 16 in addition to conventional GCSE courses.

The first Barnsley ALC is expected to open in 2010. Each centre will cater for between 900 and 1,800 pupils.

The £1bn investment, which will fund building costs and maintenance work for 25 years, is part of the government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

Surplus places

Barnsley Council said replacing the 13 schools with nine ALCs would remove an estimated 1,000 surplus places from secondary education in the town.

In addition to the new centres, half of Greenacre Special School will be rebuilt and the remainder brought up to modern standards.

A new community special school will also be built. Springwell Achievement Centre will care for 25 primary and 40 secondary pupils with behavioural support needs.

Edna Sutton, executive director of education, said: "Building Schools for the Future is absolutely central to our vision, enabling us to completely transform our secondary and special school provision and so deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, their families and communities.

"I am delighted that we are moving forward with this tremendous initiative."