A £30m school building project is set to transform the future of education in Oxford.

Work has begun at schools to prepare them for an influx of thousands of pupils, following the closure of the city's middle schools in 2003.

The work is taking place at primary and secondary schools, and involves the construction of teaching blocks, sports halls, craft workshops and offices.

Cllr Tony Crabbe, Oxfordshire County Council's executive member with responsibility for schools, said the work was great news for teachers and pupils.

He said: "These are major changes and we're pleased with how the work is going. Obviously with a project of this sort, there are a few hiccups, but on the whole it's going well and is on schedule.

"It's a tremendous investment in the future of young people in Oxford."

Cheney School, in Headington, is at the focus of a £5.5m re-building programme, to allow the 1,000-student Cheney Lane school to take in 450 more pupils.

The programme involves the creation of a new sports hall and a £2m teaching block, with design and technology workshops, classrooms for business education and personal and social education and accommodation for the school's careers department.

Deputy headteacher Steve Lunt said: "It's a very exciting period and in 2003 it will be like a new school. Many people are very positive about the changes and it's allowing us to do some of the work we have been wanting to do for a long time.

"The work is going remarkably smoothly. We're benefiting from the fact that most of the rebuilding is going on around the edges of the school site, which has kept disruption to a minimum. The work is on target and it should all be finished on time."

At Bayswater Middle School, in Barton, £5.5m is being spent on refurbishing and extending the school to allow it to accommodate 280 new pupils taking its school roll up to 500.

Among the projects are a new early years centre and a sport and leisure centre. The site will also house the Oxfordshire Music Service.

Funding for the scheme has come from Oxfordshire County Council, the Government and the National Lottery New Opportunities fund.

Headteacher Ron Holland said: "What we will end up with is a very well equipped primary school. It's hard work but we're excited. It will be the realisation of a dream.

"Barton hasn't had much money pumped into it in the past, so this is going to be something special. It shows real commitment to the people of the area."

Cherwell School, in north Oxford, is set to be transformed when it merges with Frideswide Middle School, which faces it across the Marston Ferry Road, and Marston Middle School.

Although the Marston site will close, the Frideswide campus will become part of Cherwell, and will be the site of a new £1.5m building housing art and technology workshops and a computer suite.

The changes will see the school's roll increase from 1,000 to almost 1,700.

Headteacher Martin Roberts said: "I think the worst is over and all the difficult decisions have been made. The new facilities will be far better than anything available at the middle schools."