EDUCATION bosses have spent £42million on school building upgrades in the past year.

A new report shows the city is ahead of target for its school estate refurbishment scheme.

Councillor Stephen Curran, Executive Member for Education and Young People, said: "We are now one year into our ambitious £250m investment in the school estate in the city and I'm delighted with the progress and works to date.

"Headteachers and pupils are reaping the benefits of the refurbishments in more that 59 schools and nurseries with a staggering £42m already spent."

Glasgow City Council has committed £40m each year for the five-year 4Rs Strategy for Glasgow - Right School, Right Size, Right Place and Right Time. An extra £5m was ­earmarked for planning and managing the scheme.

A report to be sent to the council's executive committee states that work is needed across the city due to buildings being more expensive to upkeep than to rebuild and changing school rolls.

All works are being carried out in a way that will minimise disruption to pupils and to teaching staff.

Council chiefs have set up a team to oversee the schools' programme with 11 staff.

Since last April, work has started on immediate remedial works such as roof repairs, external fabric repairs and decoration, playground upgrades, new wireless fire alarm installations and new windows.

A total of £42m of work has been completed and another £17m is under way.

To speed up the process, standard fixtures and fittings are being used across schools, as are standard colour schemes.

This allows bosses to bulk buy and save money and means maintenance programmes are simpler to carry out.

It is estimated £85m of the £200m total will be spent on new-builds and extensions, with £165m spent on refurbishments.

Managers plan to make new-builds carbon efficient and use renewable energy sources in schools.

By fitting schools with new windows, education bosses also hope to save money on heating and air conditioning.

Insulation is also being ­fitted to roofs and inside loft spaces while LED lights are being used for their environmental benefits.

A total of 39 schools will have £1m spent on them, 54 will have between £1m and £2m, while 21 will see £2m to £3m and three will benefit from £3m.

Currently Garthamlock and Kincardine Nurseries could be replaced with a new stand-alone nursery; Broomhill Primary is under consultation for a new-build school and Gowanbank Campus is to benefit from a new build school while ­Merrylee Primary will have a four-classroom extension.

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk