Schools across an area of Teesside are in line for a facelift during the next few months.

More than £4.6m has been earmarked to pay for improvements to primary and secondary school buildings across the borough of Stockton, this year.

The money will fund a variety of schemes, including improvements to, and the conversion of, existing buildings, the creation of new classrooms, increasing access for disabled pupils, and providing new roofs, replacement windows and heating systems.

Councillor Alex Cunningham, Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for education, leisure and cultural services, said yesterday: "This represents real investment by the government and the council for substantial projects.

"I'm sure that everyone will welcome this huge programme, which will make a real difference to children and staff within schools across the whole of the borough."

Among the major investments included in the programme is more than £550,000 to be spent on roofs at 17 schools, and £270,000 to be spent on windows in ten schools.

Another major project will be a £388,000 extension at Abbey Hill Technology College, Stockton.

Mike Vening, headteacher, said: "This extension will make provision for young people who are of secondary school age and have profound and multiple learning difficulties."

The number of children in need of this provision is expected to treble by 2003, by which time there could be 38 youngsters with profound and multiple learning difficulties at Abbey Hill, compared to 12 in 1997.

Mr Vening said: "The extension will offer a greatly improved environment for learning."