EDUCATION chiefs are to ask the government for money to finance the multi-million reorganisation of schools in Blandford.

The closures take place this summer but the building programme to convert the schools will continue over several years, as and when funding becomes available.

The controversial decision to switch from a three-tier to a two-tier system was taken last year because of falling rolls at The Blandford School.

During the consultation process education officers made it plain to parent that the money was not in place and that funding from central government would still be all to play for.

Eight million pounds has been set aside from Dorset County Council's own budget and a bid for £12 million is envisaged from central government to help upgrade The Blandford School and turn some of the first schools in the pyramid into primaries.

DDC's cabinet will be asked to support the move on April 5.

The Diocese of Salisbury is making a parallel bid via DCC - expected to be in the region of £6 million - for government money only available to church schools.

This would pay for the re-siting of Archbishop Wake School on the current St Leonard's Middle School site as a primary.

The money would also be used to convert Spetisbury, Blandford St Mary and Durweston first schools into primaries, all four being voluntary aided Church of England Schools.

DCC spokesman Phil Farmer said he hoped the money would be available in "the very near future".

"Even if the reorganisation hadn't gone ahead we did inform the public there was a substantial need for quite a bit of modernisation and in some cases replacement," he said.

"They're all under consideration - every single school - just to bring them up to 21st century standards."

Diocesan spokesman Simon Franklin said Salisbury would be bidding for 100 per cent funding as the governors - usually expected to fund 10 per cent of such projects - had not themselves instigated the change.

"We're optimistic that we will get it," he said.

The diocese had been successful in the case of Shaftesbury's re-organisation, he added.

First published: April 5