BOURNEMOUTH and Poole have been allocated millions of pounds to rebuild eight secondary schools.

The chief executives of the councils formally joined the government's Building Schools for the Future programme by signing a memorandum of understanding with the chief executive of Partnerships for Schools, Tim Byles.

The two boroughs will receive approximately £90 million to re-build or refurbish eight schools; Ashdown Technology College, Rossmore Community College, Winchelsea School, Montacute Special School, Winton Arts and Media College, Glenmoor School, Kings High School and Oakmead College of Technology.

Programme director Barry Watts said: "This is about building new types of schools that work better with the community. It is about changing education delivery not just about buildings.

"All the schools will become 21st century schools."

Some of the schools could be turned into academies with involvement from businesses, colleges, universities or churches.

Others might be combined with primary schools or special schools.

A few of the older schools are likely to be demolished and re-built from scratch, possibly on another site, while the others will be extensively refurbished.

Director for children and families services at Bournemouth Borough Council Jane Portman said: "This is a really exciting project.

"It is also the largest project that Bournemouth and Poole are working on jointly."

In June the councils will start consulting students, parents, teachers and other members of the community about what they want for their school.

Students will work with the architects on designing the new schools.

Bournemouth and Poole Councils have together contributed £3 million to delivering the project but expect the building work to be paid for entirely by the money from central government.

Building work on the first two schools is likely to be finished by September 2013.

Government funding will be available for all secondary schools to form part of the project within the next 15 years.