AT least 15 schools across north Worcestershire are set to close as part of a £150m education shake-up.

Every middle school and four first schools in the region would be axed under proposals to replace the three-tier education system with a two-tier arrangement.

Councillors will also consider whether to shut Wolverley High School, near Kidderminster, at a meeting of Worcestershire County Council's cabinet on Monday morning.

Blow

If they agree to the finalised plans, put forward by director of education Julien Kramer, the recommendations would be implemented by September 2007.

The news came as a bitter blow to campaigning parents, who spoke out against a move to two-tiers at a full council meeting last week.

However, at the same meeting, cabinet member for education, June Longmuir, spelt out the problems of the present system.

"Curriculum choices at 14 are almost impossible to make when entry to a high school is at 13," she said. "We need to think of the long term needs of the area and we need more skills coming in."

The plans, which have led to a year of protests from parents, governors and teachers, would see first, middle and high schools replaced by primary and secondaries.

Areley Common, Stone, St Barnabas and Lea Street would close while all the other first schools would become primaries - educating four to 11-year-old children.

Some would simply convert their sites while others would move into nearby middle school buildings to increase capacity.

All 11 middle schools across Stourport-on-Severn, Bewdley and Kidderminster would close to make way for two-tier education, which is used by 93 per cent of the country.

As part of the Wyre Forest Review document, high schools headteachers have also been warned to raise standards or risk losing their sixth-form status

The controversial proposals also include setting up a task force to run the changeover and moving Sytchampton First School from Stourport's "Pyramid of Schools" to Droitwich.

The county council would examine funding for plans as part of the 2005/06 budget.

The cabinet will discuss the proposals on Monday, July 5.