SCHOOLS for the Future, Poole's £200 million project to change the age of transfer, is leaping its final hurdles.

However, the scheme will be delayed a further year, with transfer to a secondary school at 11 now put back to 2013.

Funding is in place for a joint Poole/ Bournemouth bid under the government's Building Schools for the Future programme, but in Wave Six, with work due to start early in 2008.

"We were hoping for Wave Five," said John Nash, director of children's services, Borough of Poole, "but there were benefits in building more in advance."

A special meeting of Poole's children's services overview group gave the project the go-ahead and will be recommending to cabinet on January 30 that the changes, excluding the Corfe Hills pyramid, are implemented.

Statutory Notices will then be published followed by a six-week period for objections.

It has taken three years' work to get to this stage and a huge consultation for the 42 schools and parents last year resulted in objections from some, including Heatherlands First, which wants to become a primary rather than an infant school. A decision on Heatherlands will be made later.

Concerns were raised by Liberal Democrats that new builds for Rossmore and Winchelsea Special School under a Private Finance Initiative would be funded in part from the dedicated schools grant.

"This is in effect putting a millstone around all Poole's schools," said Cllr Mike Brooke, leader of the Lib Dems.

Mr Nash said the government insisted in PFI and the actual sum would not be known until later. If the council, which was providing £500,000 for three years for the joint programme with Bournemouth, funded more, there would be implications for council tax.

The £86m plan for the secondary and special schools will begin with £12m of work to Poole High and Poole and Parkstone Grammars starting 2008/9.