The initiative is part of the council’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and will involve the rebuild and refurbishment of six schools as part of the city’s flagship education redevelopment programme.

A spokeswoman from Sunderland City Council’s BSF division told B&E online that there would be a big emphasis on parent and pupil involvement.

She said: “We have already held three design quality workshops where pupils and parents have been involved with ideas and designs and we expect this to continue as the developments progress.”

Building work will begin in March next year with the first buildings opening in September 2009, while the last schools in the project will be completed in December 2009.