Five secondary schools are set to 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.

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. Work on Whickham and Joseph Swan School is due to start early 2011, with the new Ryton / Hookergate School and St Thomas More RC starting later the same year.