EDUCATION chiefs have announced that as many as 23 schools could close in a shake-up of the education system in County Durham.

The schools were identified this week in a wide-ranging appraisal report published by Durham County Council, which is intended to be a blueprint for the next ten to 15 years.

Durham County Council said the report, containing an assessment of some 306 schools for which it is responsible, was not a 'hit list' but a blueprint for excellence.

Among the schools earmarked for closure are Sunnydale Comprehensive School in Shildon and Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston.

Twenty one primary schools in all will close while dozens more schools could be merged together in a bid to tackle falling pupil numbers.

In Durham City six primary schools are earmarked for closure. They are Cassop Primary, Browney Primary, Witton Gilbert Primary, Sherburn Hill Primary, Newton Hall Infants and St Oswald's CE Infants. No change is recommended for six other primary schools and all the others are listed for reorganisation or mergers to remove surplus places.

Two comprehensives in the city face reorganisation: Belmont and Durham Gilesgate Sports College. It is planned to retain the others with a possible increase capacity at Framwellgate if the proposed closure of Fyndoune Community College goes ahead.

Almost 12,000 of the county's pupil places are currently unfilled, which is leading to hundreds of thousands of pounds being lost every year by the education authority.

The county council has already identified that up to £300m needs to be spent on building new schools and adapting existing ones.

Education director Keith Mitchell said that some schools would probably have closed anyway over the 10-15 year period. He said: "All this document does is to look at what problems are likely to arise in our schools over the longer term and identify them earlier than might have been case." The appraisal report will be circulated over the coming months to parents and schools and a consultation process will take place.

Elaine Kay, principal officer with the northern region NUT, said the prospect of school closures at a time when many teachers were already losing their jobs was 'alarming'.

She said: "We are watching this situation very carefully in County Durham and I am sure that the education authority will be considering all the aspects and going through consultation and listening to everybody's views before they make a decision."

Kathleen Linsley, headteacher at St Oswald's C of E Infant School, in Durham, which is facing closure, said: "Obviously, we are very very concerned. This is a very good little school and parents and governors will work together to prevent the closure.

"We will be having a meeting with the governing body next week."