The �50m school at Les Nicolles in St Sampson's will have 720 places and represents a major re-organisation of Guernsey's education system.

It will replace St Sampson's secondary school and help prepare for the redrafting of catchment areas when St Peter Port school shuts.

Guernsey States is expected to give the final go-ahead later this month and the school should be open in 2007.

A special needs school will be built at the same site for Mont Varouf and Oakdale pupils.