NORTH Yorkshire County Council say £51m being invested in upgrading schools in the next three years will be spent on facilities such as science labs, and design technology, art, music and drama centres to support teaching and learning, as well as improving school kitchens and maintaining the fabric of school buildings. Cash will also be invested in building and site improvements to support school mergers and make split-site campuses, such as the two sites in Northallerton, work better.

The authority has more small schools and old buildings than almost any other authority in the country and says the governments allocation reflects this for the first time.

Around £17 million will be spent in each of the next three years. The increased allocation has come about partly as a result of a national school property survey last year which revealed the high need for improvements to school buildings in North Yorkshire. The authority has also received additional capital funding of nearly £600,000 to deliver free school meals for all infant children. This means North Yorkshire will also be able to refurbish a number of school kitchens in most need of renovation.