A plan has been revealed which would put 780 new students into Croydon classrooms by 2020.

A cabinet report published by Croydon Council outlined how two mainstream schools and one special needs school would be built in order to take on the flood of new students.

“We want Croydon to be a place of opportunity for everyone and central to this is maximising young people’s life chances through access to an excellent education," Councillor Alisa Flemming said.

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“As London’s growth borough we are always looking to the future and we have a strong track record in planning, partnership and innovation to meet demand, creating over 10,000 new primary places and nearly 2,000 new secondary places over the last six academic years."

The "ambitious" proposal will include the creation of 430 new, mainstream, year 7 secondary school places; 270 primary school reception year places; and 80 special educational needs places in a new school, over the next three years.

Council plans to deliver these extra places through expansion of existing schools, as well as the development of the new schools. This includes a proposal for two new free primary schools to be opened in 2020 – one on Morland Road, Addiscombe, and the other opposite Coombe Lane Playing Fields - plus the special needs school on Lodge Lane in New Addington.

“We will continue to ensure that as our borough regenerates, every child is offered a place in the high quality learning environment they deserve," Ms Flemming said.

"We have some really exciting projects planned to deliver excellence in education – and I am particularly delighted that our new special school for children with special educational needs aged 2-19 years will significantly improve life chances for these young people locally.”