At a Bracknell Forest Council meeting of the executive on Tuesday last week, it was revealed through its School Places Plan – which forecasts demand for school places over the next five years – that more than 4,000 extra children could be seeking a school place by 2019.

The increase represents a 25 per cent rise on the current number of primary and secondary school places – 16,036 combined – with a further 4,090 anticipated.

It is forecast a total of 11,669 primary school places will be needed by September 2019 – an extra 2,208 pupils on top of the current demand, along with 8,458 secondary school places in the same year – an additional 1,882 children.

A deficit of primary school places in the borough is expected by the council as early as September 2016, with 373 spaces needed to meet predicted demand. Extra spaces would be needed for secondary school pupils the following year, where demand will outstrip supply by 33 pupils.

The plan goes on to predict that if no further school places were created, the borough would be more than 2,500 places short by 2019 to meet the need of primary and secondary places combined.

However, the council has already implemented measures to boost the number of places in the future after securing a Government grant in 2012 worth £7.8m to fund extra schools and expansion plans.

Planning permission has been given to build a stand-alone Sixth Form Centre at Garth Hill College – leaving room for an extra 350 pupils in the main school, while The Pines School, Brakenhale School and Owlsmoor Primary School are all being expanded, creating nearly 500 spaces between them.

Two schools – one primary and one secondary – will be built on the controversial Blue Mountain Golf Centre site in Binfield, but these are not expected to be ready by 2018 at the earliest.

Another primary school will also be built at Amen Corner in Binfield, as part of a plan to build nearly 400 homes on the same site.

Cllr Gareth Barnard, executive member for children, young people and learning, said: “The School Places Plan is an essential part of the council’s work. It tells us how many school places we are going to need in the future, and allows us to plan so that every child within the borough has a place at a Bracknell Forest school.

“We have worked closely with our colleagues in neighbouring boroughs, sharing information on housing developments and discussing implications on school places and designated areas.

“In the last 10 years, we have created more than 5,000 school places in Bracknell Forest, including expansion and surge classrooms at existing schools, a new primary school at Jennett’s Park and the re-build of Garth Hill College.

“The increase in pupil numbers will continue to increase, and we must make plans to accommodate the rising numbers.”