One in five (21 per cent) primary schools is full, or over capacity, according to new government statistics released today.
The figures published by the Department for Education mean that 3,520 primary schools were at or above capacity in May 2018 - a slight decrease from the previous year when 23 per cent (3,830) of primaries were at or above capacity.
The statistics show that there have been 59,000 primary and 37,000 secondary places added since between 2017 and 2018.
And the number of secondary schools at or over capacity has also decreased slightly from 16 per cent (550 schools) in 2017 to 15 per cent (510 schools) in 2018. But while primary pupil numbers may begin to plateau beyond 2020-21, secondary pupil numbers are forecast to rise.
While there are thousands of schools which have more pupils on roll than they are deemed to need to be full, there are also many which have unfilled places.
The statistics show that 79 per cent of primary schools had one or more unfilled places in 2018 and 85 per cent of secondary schools have unfilled places in 2018, up from 72 per cent in 2010.
“Unfilled places can be evidence of local authorities planning ahead for future need, as the increase in pupil numbers at primary level over recent years is moving into secondary level, and will continue to do so over the coming years,” the commentary on the statistics states.
“Unfilled places can also be attributed to the building of whole new schools, which fill up from the bottom, leaving space in the upper years until those year groups work their way through. In some areas, low or declining need for places will also contribute to the number of unfilled places.”
The DfE said the additional 96,000 new school places created in England in the last year - took the total number of new school places created since 2010 to 921,000.
Edcuation secretary Damian Hinds said: “This government is undertaking the biggest expansion in school places in two generations - and the statistics out today show we are well on track to create 1 million places this decade.
“With standards rising in our schools, this will mean that more families have the choice of a good school place.”