Cambridgeshire will need to find thousands more school places in the next three years, according to national figures.

Figures released by The Education and skills funding agency report, shows that there is predicted to a large growth within Cambridgeshire, with over 12,000 school places to be needed in the next three years.

The data shows that today’s capacity is set to increase from 31,811 (2016/17) to 37,774 by 2021/22 in state funded secondary schools.

As for state funded primary schools it is predicted that the amount of places needed with increase from 49,808 to 57,474.

The news comes as the increase in primary school pupil numbers are starting to affect the secondary sector.

The Education and skills funding agency report says: “The rate of increase in the forecast number of secondary school pupil’s increases through to 2019/20, with over 116,000 pupils forecast to be added between 2018/19 to 2019/20.

“Beyond that, there is still strong growth, but declining to an increase of around 70,000 pupils between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

The report predicts that extra 79,000 primary places are needed across England in the next three years, and an additional 87,000 places needed in secondary schools.

Out of the 207 state funded primary schools Cambridgeshire, 37 of those are full or have one or more pupils in excess.

Within state funded secondary schools, out of the 33 schools, there are 4 that are of full capacity, translating to 142 pupils in excess of full capacity.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council said: “It is the council’s statutory duty to provide a school place for every child living in the county whose parents want them educated in the state-funded sector. We have a comprehensive strategy in place for addressing the challenges brought by a fast growing county to ensure there are sufficient school places to meet current and forecast need. This includes expanding existing schools and building new ones.

“All children in Huntingdonshire who require either a primary or secondary school place in 2018/19 will have one.”

In September the county council will be opening a new school in St Neots, which is the first of a number of primary schools planned on the St Neots Eastern Expansion development area.