FUNDING has been secured to provide two new schools in Sunderland next year.

The Local Education Authority has been given £4.8m for a replacement school for Grangetown Primary and to combine Davenport and Wellbank special schools.

Both projects are planned for the financial year 2002 to 2003 and were bid for by Sunderland City Council.

The special school will have a strong focus on young people with autism.

Sunderland's director of education, Dr John Williams, said: "The best thing is that these two important projects will be funded in full.

"Sunderland has been successful in having both its proposals approved in a very competitive bidding environment.

"This will allow us to complete our programme of replacing special schools and deliver a superb new facility for the children at Grangetown."

The money is part of £193m of Department for Education and Science funding for 87 projects in 81 local education authorities in England and Wales.

Grangetown Primary School is expected to be completed next year, with the first intake of pupils timed for September of that year.