Plans for up to two new secondary schools costing up to £60m in the north of the borough are under discussion.

Coun Tim Pollard, Cabinet member for children, young people and learners, has revealed the council is investigating building two entire new schools, each of which will cost between £15m and £30m, to cope with growing demand.

Official plans are yet to be drawn up, but an announcement is expected in the next six weeks.

He said: “I expect you will hear news that will make people in the north of the borough happy.”

The council was awarded £8m by the Department for Education in November to provide more school places, and a further £9 was awarded in December.

Plans have been drawn up for eight additional primary school classes to be created before September 2012, and Coun Pollard said he hoped the government would provide funding for increasing secondary school capacity also.

He said: “We are not entirely certain of the formula for how the funding is allocated but we believe it is more weighted towards secondary need, which of course is correct as it is more expensive. We are moving into that zone and hopefully the funding will reflect that.

He added the disused Croydon General Hospital site on London Road was one potential location for a new school.

The council is celebrating after results from across the UK show Croydon is above national average.

In particular a report, due to go before Croydon Cabinet on January 23, will show children in receipt of free meals, those from minority ethnic groups and pupils whose first language is not English are performing above the national average.

Coun Pollard said: “Even for those who raise questions over year on year improvements and a perceived dumbing down, Croydon is excelling. In the past few years we have gone from being a couple of points below national average to three or four points above.”