THREE sites have been earmarked in the town as Poole considers the possibility that by 2018 it could need a new secondary school.

With increased births, migration and housing developments, and based on current projections, the town could need an extra 300 places per year between 2018 and 2022.

Cabinet will on Tuesday June 10 be asked to recommend undertaking detailed technical analysis of the sites.

They are: n On the edge of Creekmoor on land north of Upton Road and south of Northmead Drive on land earmarked for educational use.

n Bournemouth & Poole College’s campus at Lower Constitution Hill, which is being vacated next summer.

n The Dolphin Swimming Pool and Kingland Road car park – which could mean building a new swimming pool.

A new school, which could cost around £40million and would be an academy, is one option under consideration, with the possibility of expanding Carter Community, Parkstone and Poole Grammars, Poole High and St Edward’s also being looked at.

“The possibility of having to build a new secondary school would be a major undertaking for a local authority,” said Andrew Flockhart, acting chief executive of Borough of Poole.

“We think potentially that expanding the current schools would not provide enough places. That is why we are putting the options alongside each other.”

Vicky Wales, head of children, young people and learning, said: “We keep looking at the trend in terms of the children. We are planning potentially for children who aren’t yet born.”

Cllr Janet Walton, cabinet portfolio holder for children, young people and families, said: “The information from the study will be used to develop a borough-wide plan with schools, dioceses and academy trusts, which will enable the council to meet its statutory duty to provide sufficient and suitable secondary school places.

“This might include building a new school but no decisions have been made at this stage.”

The need for new secondary places is in the south of the borough, around the town centre, Lilliput and Newtown.

Plans for the borough’s new £6.8m junior school, Ocean Academy, on the former Fourways site, have been submitted to planners.

Under the change in the age of transfer, which took place last September, secondary schools were expanded and new accommodation built and some will be unable to expand further.