EDUCATION chiefs were celebrating today after the Government revealed a £5million spending plan for two Bolton schools.

Education Secretary David Blunkett has revealed that a project to redevelop Deane School and move Woodside Senior School onto the same site can go ahead.

work will start this summer on improving both the inside and exterior of the dated Deane School, with work including windows and doors being replaced, unsightly concrete cladding removed and a pitched roof replacing the current flat roof. Pupils will move to other parts of the building while the work is carried out and next year pupils at Heaton's Woodside Senior School will move onto the site in their own dedicated part of the building.

Bolton's deputy director of education Terry Piggott described Mr Blunkett's announcement, made at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference in Harrogate today as "wonderful news".

"It has taken us slightly by surprise. We were not expecting to hear anything before Easter," said Mr Piggott.

Bolton will have a total of £4.96 million to spend on the improvements, £3.3 million of which will come from central funds.

Overall, some 450 schools in the North West will benefit from the £61,446,000 allocation announced today by the Secretary of State.

Bury receives £952,150, Salford £2,208,786 and Wigan £3,827,527 to be spent on three projects in Leigh. The cash for Bury will be spent on replacing and extending school premises in East Ward County Primary School, external structural repairs and health and safety improvements at Philips High School, replacement and extension of school premises at Affetside Primary, external structural repairs, health and safety improvements and replacement of boilers and heating systems at Prestwich High School and external structural repairs and health and safety improvements at Unsworth County Primary, Tottington High and Hazlehurst County Primary.

There will be minor improvements to boilers and heating systems at six schools and similar but more major works at St Paul's CE Primary in Bury, Holy Trinity CE Primary and Christ Church CE Primary in Walshaw.

Three schools including Fairfield Primary will have window and glazing repairs while the electrical wiring and fire alarms at St John's CE Primary in Radcliffe will be upgraded. There will be access improvements to seven schools including Bury & Whitefield Jewish Primary, St Mary's RC Primary and St Andrew's CE Primary in Radcliffe.

Major works will take place in three schools in Leigh - Bedford High, Westleigh High and Higher Folds Junior and Infant School.

Major projects in Salford include the replacement and extension of school premises at Boothstown Methodist Primary in Chaddock Lane and the replacement of temporary classrooms at Walkden High School and Clifton Primary School. Announcing the cash, Mr Blunkett said: "This investment will bring schools into a modern and fit state for higher standards of education.

"We are determined to improve the quality of the environment in which teachers teach and pupils learn and address the scandal of crumbling schools.

"This investment will go a long way to providing these conditions and at the same time play a part in regenerating local economies and boosting the surrounding communities."

And he highlighted the £1.9m to replace Leigh Higher Folds Junior and Infant School in the Wigan Education Action Zone to equip it with the facilities it needs to play a bigger role in the community.

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