15/03/2013

NAO Warn Of Urgent Need For Extra School Places

With one in five primary schools in England full or reaching capacity, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that an extra 250,000 school places will be needed autumn 2014.

It is understood that the demand for places has being driven by the rising birth rate, which is increasing quicker than at any time since the 1950s.

The past decade had seen the biggest 10-year increase in birth rate since the 1950s, said the NAO.

In total, 256,000 new school places are needed by 2014-15, 240,000 in primary schools, it said.

London has the greatest need - accounting for 37% of the extra primary places required, according to the NAO.

Ministers say 80,000 extra places have been created and demand will be met.

(H)


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