MILLIONS of pounds are to be spent on improving North Yorkshire's schools.

North Yorkshire Education Service has sanctioned the spending of £35 million on schools from April, £8 million more than in the current financial year.

The windfall will see the creation of new classrooms and libraries to improve the learning environment for children.

Work will be carried out all over the county ranging from major projects to minor works, in primary and secondary schools, many of which date back to the Victorian era and rely on temporary classrooms.

One of the schools that has been chosen to benefit from the cash is Tadcaster Grammar School. The school will gain a new library and technology rooms costing £1.2 million as it develops its sixth form.

Harrogate Grammar School will get a new information technology suite and upgrading throughout, including new flooring, decoration, ceilings, lighting and curtains at a total cost of £550,000.

And Kirk Fenton Primary School, near Selby, will receive £500,000 for two additional classrooms and a nursery unit.

A series of small projects also won approval. These include extra classrooms at Hertford Vale Primary School, Willerby Staxton, near Scarborough, and Sheriff Hutton Primary School, costing £150,000 each.

Improvement work worth more than £2 million is also currently being carried out at a host of village schools including Kirk Smeaton, Hemingbrough, Wistow, Long Marston and Starbeck.

Councillor Chris Metcalfe, the county council's executive member for education, said: "The projects in each school are all different and are designed to meet par-ticular needs. In each case they have been developed in partnership with the school and governing bodies are contributing to the cost with funds obtained directly from the Government.

"This investment shows we are commit-ted to providing the very best facilities for our pupils."

Cynthia Welbourn, North Yorkshire's di-rector of education, added: "These projects mark the continued improvement of schools in the county over a number of years because we believe having the right environment for children is crucial for learning."

Updated: 10:43 Tuesday, March 18, 2003