FOUR of the borough's schools are set to be expanded or rebuilt in an attempt to satisfy the rising demand for pupil places.

Brent Council has earmarked £100 million for the secondary schools, which follows the £35 million paid by the Government for an academy school in Wembley.

Councillor Bob Wharton, lead member for children and education, said: "The academy is the first step in a big programme of expansion and development. Applications for places are up on last year and will continue to rise with a surge in population. We need to act quickly or face a real crisis in the near future."

The council hopes to fund the proposed development with a Building Schools for the Future grant. The central Government funding programme was set up to fund the renewal of secondary school buildings in under-performing areas.

Mr Wharton said: "We put in a first phase application for a £100m grant last week, stating exactly how we would use the money. There are a number of priority schools if we are successful in getting the funding."

Alperton Community School, John Kelly Boys and Girls School and Queens Park Community School have been listed as the first beneficiaries.

Mr Wharton said: "We are looking to rebuild and expand a number of areas of each school and increase the number of school

places in the south of the borough.

"Alperton will be a total rebuild." The local authority will put in a full application for the grant in June and wait with bated breath to see if the money is freed up for the next financial year.

When asked if the planned revamp of schooling in the borough would have a negative effect on children's education, Mr Wharton said: "It will not be to the detriment of kids' education if we are able to keep it in line. We were a bit slow to the fact that we were going to have a massive shortage of school places. The academy will give us a breathing space on the secondary front but we are still very pushed in terms of primary."

The local authority predicts it will need £200m-worth of investment to solve the school place crisis in the long term.