UP TO 600 teenagers are set to leave mainstream education in Blackburn and Darwen with the creation of two new schools.

The ‘studio schools’, designed for pupils aged 14 to 19, would provide a range of academic and vocational qualifications for all abilities.

The Government has received applications for one in Blackburn town centre and another near Junction 4 of the M65.

Education bosses fear the move will see schools ‘haemorrhaging’ pupils while unions say parents will be left ‘confused’ over where to send their children.

They are particularly concerned the move will have a detrimental impact on schools involved in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF), programme, as the new builds cater for specific pupil numbers.

The news comes as the council’s education bosses were told a new ‘free school’, Tauheedul Islam High School for Boys’, is now seeking to take 100 school children out of mainstream education a year instead of the initial 75.

In total 500 boys will attend the school, which opens in September, when it reaches its full capacity.

Studio schools were designed to offer a range of course, including GCSEs in English, Maths and Science, as well as paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the area.

Dr Sohail Bhatti, director of public health at NHS East Lancashire, is behind the plans for a digital technology school in Blackburn town centre.

Dr Bhatti said the school would target children already struggling in mainstream education, such as Pakistani boys with low attainment and white working class boys.

He said over 500 expressions of interest had been registered so far.

Dr Bhatti, who revealed a number of small to medium businesses and volunteer groups were on board, said: “Unfortunately we have one of the highest number of young people not in education, employment, or training, in the country.

“Some people think we are destablising other schools but we will take no more than 300 pupils.

“It is going to be project based learning, practical courses. It will be learning by doing.”

The Aldridge Foundation, which sponsors Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (DACA), is behind the other application.

It would specialise in areas of IT, retail, business administration and leisure and tourism.

A spokesman for the Aldridge Foundation said: “Our aim in preparing a bid is to help prepare local young people for work in sectors where there are existing skills shortages and the potential for future jobs.

“Our intention is to build on the success DACA has had in the borough and to further develop existing links between the business and education sectors in providing new routes into employment.”

Both would open in September 2013 if approved by the Government.

Councillor Maureen Bateson, Blackburn with Darwen executive member for children's services, said: "Our priority remains around providing high quality, universal education for all children of every background in the borough, and this is reflected in our £200million BSF strategy.

"We would aim to ensure that this strategy and investment is not undermined by proposals for new school provision under the government’s plans.

“We already have an issue because of the free school that is opening.”

Simon Jones, division secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said he feared the schools would ‘fragment’ and ‘dismantle’ the borough’s education system.

He said: “The council is absolutely right to express its concerns about the problems these latest publicly funded independent schools will cause for planning admissions for schools places and undermining social cohesion.

“The National Union of Teachers utterly rejects these proposals. ”