A PRIVATE finance plan to rebuild two Dorset special schools looks set to be dropped.

Instead county education chiefs will be looking at a more a traditional funding route for the multi-million pound projects, the Dorset Echo has learnt.

School leaders today expressed their concern at the limited time available to submit the bid for funding and at the way the situation has been handled by the Government.

Dorset County Council bosses have already agreed that both the Wyvern School in Weymouth and the Mountjoy School in Bridport desperately need new buildings and up-to-date facilities.

The council had been working on a major scheme to attract funding from private investors to rebuild Wyvern and Mountjoy.

It is now understood that instead of funding the new building projects through a private finance initiative (PFI), the county council will be applying for cash from central Government.

Mountjoy chair of governors Ivan Kent said: "After a year's work we have been informed that the Government has not set up any mechanism for it to go ahead."

He added that county officers in the education department were now seeking 'alternative routes' for funding the new schools.

Mr Kent added: "What worries us is that certain Dorchester officers will again try to close Mountjoy."

Wyvern headteacher Helen Mackenzie is more positive about the situation but is still concerned at the amount of time left to submit a bid for funding.

She said: "As far as I am aware the PFI bid is being dropped. The bid needs to be submitted by December 17 so there's not a lot of time left."

A Dorset County Council spokesman said a report will be submitted to a Cabinet meeting on December 5, but would offer no further comment.