UP TO four comprehensive schools and 22 primary schools in Derwentside could close as part of a massive education shake-up.

Durham County Council this week announced a £300m overhaul of its schools over the next 15 years. It includes proposals to close two primary schools - in Beamish, near Stanley, and Burnhope, near Consett.

The rest under threat are listed for re-organisation - or mergers. They are linked in pairs, meaning either both sites will be closed and a new school built to serve both communities, or one school will close and pupils will move to the other site.

Tanfield School and Stanley School of Technology are paired together for re-organisation, as are Moorside College and Blackfyne Comprehensive in Consett.

Headteachers are still coming to terms with the announcement and no-one was prepared to comment at the time of going to press.

Coun Neil Foster, cabinet member for education, said: "This isn't a hit list of school closures to save money, it's about spending £300m building new schools and adapting existing ones to ensure that we have a network of world class facilities of the right size, in the right place."

The shake-up is part of a Government drive to reduce the number of surplus places across the county. Much of the deficit is caused by the falling birth rate.

County Durham Local Education Authority has 8,156 surplus places in the primary sector - 17 per cent of pupils - and 3,752 in the secondary sector - ten per cent. Each surplus place costs £150 a year to maintain.

The reorganisation of the primary sector will be funded by capital money - designated for school buildings - and the council will put in a bid to the Government for money to match a private investment programme, which will make up the rest of the £300m. No exact figures have been released.

The master plan will be rolled out in 18-month phases. The first bid for Government cash will be made in October.

The council's chief executive, Kingsley Smith, said work on some schools could start by the end of this year.

The appraisal report will publish the condition of every school building in the authority, the quality of education provided by the school and the extent to which it is used for community activities.

County director of educationKeith Mitchell said about ten per cent of school buildings gave them 'real concerns.' A further 20 per cent would need a 'significant input' of cash.

He said: "We would be looking at ten to 12 closures anyway under the normal course of events because of falling rolls and school buildings being in decline. Here is marvellous opportunity to get ahead of that."

Voluntary aided schools are subject to a separate review.