A MASSIVE shake-up of Burnley's secondary schools is being proposed in a bid to bring youngsters from different ethnic backgrounds together and end the division which led up to last year's riots.

Three schools are initially set to be transformed by the end of 2003 if the government gives the go-ahead, with more following suit after 2003.

The move by Lancashire County Council, which will now go out for consultation, represents a huge change in the way education will be provided in the borough.

It has been proposed in response to Lord Clarke's report into the disturbances in the town last year. It suggested they were triggered in part by the fact that some sections of the white and Asian communities live in isolation from each other.

The education authority proposals, which will end the current policy of sending pupils to the high school nearest to their home, have been largely welcomed although union bosses today expressed concern that it would not solve the town's problems.

Under plans unveiled yesterday, children will be sent to the school which specialises in the subject areas they are best at.

Ivy Bank High School could become a specialist college for business and enterprise, while St Theodore's RC High School could be given sports college status and a city learning centre would be created at Towneley High School.

Other schools in the area could follow suit, with the Government already turning schools in other areas into specialist colleges, with themes such as the arts and technology.

Specialist colleges devote a larger proportion of their timetable to their chosen subjects.

The target for responding to the the recommendations in the task force report is 2003.

A county council spokesman said: "The compact nature of Burnley means that most pupils will remain within three miles of a school.

"Parents will still be able to state a preference for a school but will be advised which suits their child the best."

Ken Wales, head of pupil services at Lancashire County Council, said: "We are beginning a review of the way our secondary schools work in the area.

"Part of the plan is to change admissions policy so that different groups mix more, so rather than send pupils to the school nearest their homes, they would go to ones which suit their abilities the most.

"We are looking at education and lifelong in the area as a whole, making sure people from all communities have access to the course they want.

"We hope this review will result in a lot of new building work at schools so they can cope with the different demands.

"There are no plans for separate faith schools. Burnley doesn't even have a CE school and although we would listen to suggestions, it is not in our plan."

An existing review of the over-provision of primary school places in Burnley will also be brought under the review.

Two primary schools, Cherry Fold and Burnley Wood, will benefit from neighbourhood learning centres which are designed to promote education within the whole community.

Children in primary schools -- where the task force found there to be 'deeply entrenched views on race and culture' -- will have more lessons and opportunities relating to other cultures so the switch to a mixed secondary school is smoother.

And children attending youth clubs and groups will also get to meet people from similar clubs as part of exchange schemes being organised across the town.

Coun Hazel Harding, leader of Lancashire County Council, has agreed to oversee the county council's response to the task force.

More than 30 of the 83 Task Force recommendations relate to the county council in some way, with two thirds of those specifically about education.

Coun Harding said: "I was proud of the way our officers reacted in the wake of the problems there. They worked with other authorities and it wasn't a case of 'what shall we do?,' we just got on and did it.

"It is important to aim high in Burnley and show people what can be achieved."

Coun Tony Martin, a Burnley county councillor, said: "I am sure the people of Burnley will be pleased at Coun Harding's involvement."

Other projects involving the county council include encouraging adults from different communities to mix through workshops, and making sure that when resources such as grants are directed to large minority group areas, the reasons are made clear.