THREE schools in the borough have been put forward for Government funding to help improve or re-build their buildings.

Wigan Council has placed bids in to the £2 billion Priority School Building Programme for Leigh CE Junior School, Golborne High School and Shevington High School.

The council has chosen schools which it says are 'dilapidated and not fit for purpose' as a priority due to the poor state of their buildings.

Stephen Callaghan, head teacher at Leigh Junior School, said: "We welcome Wigan Council’s bid to secure additional funding for the school as we have restricted outdoor space and no playing field.

"Being surrounded by housing, there is no scope for development to improve our outdoor provision. Whatever the outcome of the bid, the school is looking to continue the considerable improvements of recent years.

"This is already an exciting time for the school, as we are subject to a proposal to convert to an all-through primary school in 2016. If successful, this funding would help us to continue our programme of improvement, and provide the very best facilities for our children.

"Although the school has been described as 'dilapidated and unfit for purpose' Leigh CE Junior School provides a warm and welcoming environment for its children. Visitors routinely comment on the attractiveness of the environment and pupil numbers continue to rise."

The council has outlined in detail to the Department for Education the conditions of the buildings at the school and if successful the funding will enable the schools to completely re-build areas of their schools.

The second phase of the Priority School Building Programme funding has been allocated by the Department for Education for “significant” re-building or refurbishment projects at schools that are in the poorest condition.

The government is expected to respond to the bids by the end of the year and state how much funding, if any, the schools will receive.