Half of all the primary schools in a Black Country borough are to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch or refurbished now cash has been secured to replace crumbling classrooms.
Work to improve facilities at the worst Walsall schools is expected to start in two years’ time, when the first instalment from the Government-funded Building Schools for the Future budget is due.
School bosses and the council have campaigned for years to attract the millions of pounds required for the huge revamp.
Tony Stainer, the managing director of Education Walsall, which runs the authority’s schools, said: “We are really excited. In April 2009 Walsall will receive the first allocation of capital money for its primary schools.”
No figure has been put on the amount to be allocated.
But the education department which is run by private firm Serco is currently carrying out an assessment of its position compared to other councils also in line for buildings cash.
Negotiations are also under way with the Department for Children, Schools and Families to set a start date for the programme.
Walsall Council’s cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Zahid Ali said: “This will give us the money to provide 21st century state-of-the-art facilities for our children.”
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