Work to prepare Oxford's first schools for the change-over to a two-tier education system is reaching completion, with all building work set to be finished within a month.

Education officers and headteachers have welcomed the culmination of the year-long project which will see the city's first schools expanded to take in more pupils, ahead of the closure of Oxford's middle schools.

Projects at Cutteslowe and St Ebbe's First Schools have already finished, work at Wolvercote First School is expected to be be completed by the end of the month, and 12 more schools will be finished by early July -- almost a year ahead of the changeover date in 2003.

Although building work continues at the city's secondaries, the project -- the largest ever undertaken by Oxfordshire County Council -- is proceeding ahead of schedule.

As reported in the Oxford Mail on Saturday, the cost of the programme has risen from £30m to £35m -- largely due to unexpected ground work, and the addition of a new sports hall at Cheney Secondary School. Senior education officer Keith Borien said: "Work is on time and going very well. I am not surprised it has gone so successfully as a lot of effort has gone in. We would have been very disappointed if it hadn't gone so well, as it is important that all the building work is finished before the children move."

One of the first projects to reach fruition was at St Ebbe's CofE First School, in Whitehouse Road, where a new computer suite, music room, pupils' resource area and four extra classrooms were built.

Headteacher Sue Matthew said: "We are absolutely delighted. It has been a real partnership between the local education authority, the diocese and the school community."