Under the plans, a new primary and secondary school could replace the borough's five special schools.

The announcement, which goes before Cabinet next week, aims to get more special needs pupils back into mainstream education under national guidelines.

The news also comes as the council's Transforming Our Primary Schools team announces its recommendations to Cabinet after a lengthy consultation to tackle the borough's surplus places.

Under the plans, 12 schools will close and merge under new names, while Boldon C of E Primary in West Boldon will close all together.

If the plans get the go-ahead, five of the borough's six special schools – Bamburgh, Margaret Sutton, Epinay, Oakleigh Gardens and Greenfields Schools – could close, with two new schools opening in their place.

Special education needs (SEN) units attached to a number of local schools could also be relocated.

The move is part of a national plan to get SEN youngsters into more mainstream schools and learning alongside their peers, after it was found that the percentage of children placed in special schools in South Tyneside was higher than anywhere else in England.

The council's Cabinet will decide whether to give the green light to start the consultation process next Wednesday.

Coun Jim Foreman, lead member for children and young people, said: "We have too many special schools for a small borough.

"We need to reverse this trend and develop the capacity to offer more young people the opportunity to learn alongside their mainstream peers.

"We also want all our children and young people to grow up understanding and accepting others with a range of additional needs."

He added: "We need to develop better facilities for our children to give them the best chance in life to make a successful transition into adulthood and their community."

Education chiefs have been in close talks with headteachers and managers to develop proposals.

Parents have also been part of the process and the proposals are a result of views expressed during those discussions.

If the recommendation is approved, parents, governors, staff and trade unions will be involved in the consultation.

Under the plans, Sen pupils will attend a new primary special school on the Bamburgh School site in Norham Avenue, South Shields, and a hi-tech secondary special school on the same site as Hebburn Comprehensive.

Borough pupil referral units and the Galsworthy Centre at Biddick Hall will relocate to the current Margaret Sutton School in South Shields, if the plans go ahead.

The new schools will not be built or moved into until 2012 at the earliest.

The six current special schools and units educate 468 pupils, aged two to 19.

According to figures from the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education in 2004, the percentage of South Tyneside children placed in special schools was higher than anywhere else in England.

If Cabinet agrees, consultation meetings will begin next month.

* What do you think of the plans? Do you have a pupil at any of the special schools. Are you worried about the plans or do you think they are just what the borough needs? Call education reporter Leah Strug on 427 4850 or e-mail her here.