North Tyneside Council has been invited to bid early for a potential £213m from the government which would see school buildings improved, upgraded or rebuilt.

Due to the local authority's success in high education standards – recently being ranked third in the country – the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has invited the authority to apply for early entry to the programme.

The council is currently scheduled to benefit from the multi-million pound investment programme during 2011-14 but this could be brought forward if the bid is accepted.

Mayor John Harrison said: "This is a very exciting opportunity for North Tyneside.

"We have a radical education vision that places schools at the heart of communities and at the centre of providing integrated support services for children and families."

He added: "Our ambition is to work with the government through the Building Schools for the Future programme as soon as possible so we can deliver excellent learning environments for our students."

The programme will complement the council's current plans – as one of only 23 pathfinder authorities that will initially share £150m to invest in capital projects at primary age before the full roll out nationally.

It is hoped the improvements will help the borough address the challenge of law aspiration and low participation in high and further education in some communities.

If the bid is successful, it will work in with a recent joint review by the council of a secondary school investment strategy in the borough.

A report is due to be presented to the council's cabinet once the government makes its decision, expected in June.