Plans to give schools a £17.5million boost as part of an education shake-up have moved a step nearer.

The schools in Adur will be extended and facilities improved as part of proposals to create a new system of "all through" primary schools.

West Sussex County Council will change the age that pupils transfer from primary to secondary school from 12 to 11 next year.

As a result some primary schools will merge and will need to build facilities to cope with extra pupils.

Kings Manor Community College in Kingston Lane, Shoreham, will also expand to take on extra pupils.

Planning applications for the work at Kings Manor, Shoreham Beach Community First School in Shingle Road, Shoreham, Thornberry Middle School in Freshbrook Road, Lancing, and Oakfield Middle School in Irene Avenue, Lancing, have been received by Adur District Council.

Adur has been asked for its comments by the county council which will make the final decision on the expansion plans.

The work is expected to be approved and could begin in time for the new school system to take effect in September 2008.

Kings Manor will get a new building to house an IT suite, food technology rooms and a systems workshop.

It will help the college cope with an extra 127 pupils and an additional eight teachers.

Three new classrooms and a new library would be built at Shoreham Beach Community School.

The school is expected to accommodate an extra 70 pupils and will need to employ three teachers.

Thornberry Middle and Freshbrook First are expected to merge as part of the re-organisation.

There are plans to re-model and extend Thornberry to include 14 new classrooms, an IT suite, library, and extra teaching areas.

They would be built to the east of the existing school building in Freshbrook Road.

Oakfield Middle School in Irene Avenue will merge with nearby Willows Primary School to create a 630 pupil school.

Three new extensions will be built at Oakfield to accommodate the changes.

A county council spokeswoman said: "This is part of the £17.5million capital investment programme we are making in schools across Adur.

"It would be difficult at this stage to give exact costings for each school as we are still in the tendering process."

Mark Dunn, cabinet member for children and young people's services, said the changes were needed to bring Adur in line with key stages of the national curriculum.

He said: "They will reduce the number of times that children have to change school and open up exciting opportunities for extended schools.

"The investment will help us provide a wide range of modern facilities and an education system that will benefit children now and for generations to come."

Earlier this month The Argus revealed that education watchdogs gave permission for Fishersgate First School, Manor Hall First School and Manor Hall Middle School in Fishersgate and Southwick to merge.

The announcement ended years of uncertainty over the schools' future.

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