SCHOOLS in Wear Valley are hoping to join forces to make a bid for £150m of Government money in a major shake-up of education.

If successful the bid could change the way education is delivered throughout the area.

Education bosses have held meetings in recent weeks to discuss how they see the future of schooling for the whole of the Wear Valley and the South West Durham area.

Parents from Sunnydale School, Shildon, were told of the school's plans to join forces with other education centres to make the bid.

Acting headteacher Andy White told people who attended the meeting last week that a huge pot of money, up to £150m, was being made available through a Government initiative called Building Schools for the Future.

The scheme is a new approach to capital investment in school buildings and will involve members of the private sector. The programme would be implemented over a ten to 15 year period from 2005.

Mr White said that schools in South West Durham were to put their ideas before Durham County Council over the next few days. The council has until December 19 to make its bid.

Mr White said: "If the bid is successful, it will provide a chance to secure provision for secondary education in Shildon for future generations.''