Concerned parents are campaigning for a secondary school in Molesey, as the area struggles to cope with primary school leavers.

About 240 pupils leave St Lawrence CofE Junior School, St Albans Catholic Primary School, Chandlers Field Primary School and Hurst Park Primary School each year.

The nearest high school, Esher Church of England High School, only has 210 places available and a catchment area extending from East and West Molesey to Cobham.

Hinchley Wood School and Rydens Enterprise School, the second and third nearest secondary schools, do not include Molesey in their catchment areas.

Children attending the four Molesey schools can no longer be guaranteed a place at their nearest high school, campaigners said.

Mother of two Rebecca King, 37, from West Molesey, has collected nearly 400 signatures on her petition.

She said: “Many Molesey children were sent to secondary schools outside the borough this year, in a trend that is due to continue unless something is done quickly.”

Steve Bax, 39, of Cambridge Road, West Molesey, is a father of two children, aged four and six.

He said: “Primary schools are being rapidly expanded to cater for an increasing demand for places, but so far we haven’t heard much about secondary provision.

“There is a growing feeling in Molesey that the best solution is not a series of temporary classrooms on playgrounds and school fields, but an entirely new school in Molesey for the local community.

“This would be better for the environment as it would cut down on unnecessary school run journeys and a healthy option for children who could walk to school - plus a secondary school would be a huge asset for Molesey.”

Campaigners want Surrey County Council to build a new school in their town or provide support for a free school.

The county council said it would spend £300m expanding schools in the next five years, creating 12,000 additional classroom places in primary and secondary schools.

Stuart Selleck, Surrey county councillor for Esher and Molesey, said he would support the petition “110 per cent”.

He said: “We do need more secondary school places and primary places. Surrey County Council has acknowledged there was an under-investment in school and other projects over many years and there are plans to increase places but it does take time to come to fruition.

“The problem is, where would you build a school? There would be a knock on affect of parking for residents.”

A Surrey County Council spokesman said: “We have planned for two more forms of entry to be added by 2016 to give us more capacity in high performing existing schools.

“This, along with the rebuilding of Rydens Enterprise College and the opening of the new Cobham Free School secondary, will give us sufficient secondary school places across the borough up to 2020.

“We do not see the need for a new school in Molesey at present.”

To sign the petition, visit petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/Moleseyschool.