FALLING pupil numbers could see a school closed as part of £90m revamp plans.

Three options are to be put forward as part of Hartlepool's future schools plans.

One could be reducing the number of secondary schools to five, with Brierton closing.

Numbers of pupils educated in Hartlepool are expected to drop from the current 6,500 students to about 5,500 in the next ten years.

The Government has indicated that the town could receive the £90m as part of a nationwide programme to bring all secondary schools up to 21st Century standards.

Earlier this year, Hartlepool Borough Council embarked on the first stage of consultation which involved 13,000 information packs sent to families in the town, and 48 consultation meetings.

All of the feedback has been analysed and the Building Schools for the Future Project Board has agreed that three options should be put forward for the next consultation stage, early in the new year.

The three options are:

* Keep six secondary schools at the same size they are now.

* Keep six secondary schools, but make some of them smaller.

* Reduce to five secondary schools, with Brierton closing.

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, the council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform secondary schools across the town and give the young people of our town the quality of education provision they deserve.

"I want to make it very clear at this stage that these are options. No decisions have been made, or will be made, until we have consulted fully with townspeople.

"This is without doubt one of the biggest consultation exercises ever undertaken and everyone will have the opportunity to have their say."

Consultation on the options is to begin next month and last until early March.