TWO secondary schools in a borough are set to expand to meet a rising number of teenagers needing places.

Lancashire County Council's Cabinet will next week be recommended to approve the enlargement of the two in Colne in Pendle.

If a approved the number of pupils admitted to each Colne Primet Academy in Dent Street and Saints John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School in Gibfield Road will rise from September 2022.

The former will also see a new unit for pupils with special educational needs.

The proposals for Colne Primet Academy, run by the Pendle Education Trust, are to increase in the admission number from 165 to 210, approve the provision of an inclusion unit to provide an extra 16 special educational needs places at the academy, and approve the multi-million pound capital expenditure required to provide additional accommodation at the site.

The proposals for Saints John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School increase admission numbers from 160 to 180 places and approve the capital expenditure required to provide additional accommodation for the new pupils.

The plans would provide 325 extra secondary school places in Pendle in the future.

Cllr Jayne Rear, Lancashire County Council's education boss, said: "As a result of an increased demand for places in Pendle, we are considering providing some of the additional places that are needed by expanding two existing schools.

"It is important that children with special educational needs and disabilities are able to have the most appropriate school place, and we are fully committed to achieving this.

"The reality is that we are facing an increasing demand for special school places in Pendle."

Anita Ghidotti, chief executive of the Pendle Education Trust, said: "Primet has a longstanding tradition of working at the heart of this community and we very much welcome the possibility of the opportunity to grow in a planned and sustained manner."

Simon Smith, director of education for the Roan Catholic Diocese of Salford, said: "The county council, the Diocese of Salford and the school governors will work together to deliver the required additional places."

The proposals for both schools will mean that an additional 65 places will be available per year. This ensures that sufficient places are available for future year groups through to 2028.