Gateshead Council is celebrating after news of a successful £80m bid to rebuild and refurbish secondary schools in the area.
Five Gateshead secondary schools will benefit from the multi-million pound investment, which will complete the transformation of secondary schools across the borough.
Extensive refurbishment and redevelopment of facilities will take place at Whickham, St Thomas More and Joseph Swan, with a brand new state-of-the-art school also being built to allow the planned merger of Hookergate and Ryton Schools.
In excess of £80m will be spent to create modern, cutting-edge environments which exploit the educational potential of ICT and transform the way that education is delivered now and in the future.
This significant investment into the local economy will see potential new jobs, opportunities for apprenticeships and a massive boost for the region’s construction sector.
All developments will also meet the highest building standards for sustainable design and will use locally sourced materials wherever possible.
Parents, pupils, staff and the local community will be involved in shaping the designs for the new schools and consultations will begin soon. At the moment work on Whickham and Joseph Swan School is expected to start early 2011, with the new Ryton / Hookergate School and St Thomas More RC starting later that year.
Councillor Catherine Donovan, Gateshead Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People says: "We are delighted to get this news today and would like to thank our partners - inspiredspaces - and MP Dave Anderson for all their help and support in bringing this vision to reality.
"These new schools will help to complete the transformation of education and learning across Gateshead. This programme is not just about providing those physical state-of-the-art educational facilities for the local community, but it is about helping to raise attainment levels and acting as a catalyst to further neighbourhood regeneration.
"Our South Tyneside and Gateshead Building Schools for the Future project (STaG BSF) has already seen the major re-development of Thomas Hepburn and Heworth Grange Schools this announcement now allows us to complete the picture with every secondary school in Gateshead redeveloped or rebuilt for the benefit of present and future generations."