Education in Merton has been given a boost after the Government announced an extra £5.5m of funding for additional school places in the borough.

Earlier this month, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and Schools Minister David Law announced a further £1.3bn will be given to schools in 2017-18 to create extra school places for September 2018.

The Government will also allocate an extra £300m in 2015-17 to help areas which have increasing pupil numbers - adding to the £2.05bn already allocated.

From the £1.3bn pot, Merton Council will receive £5,412,937 for new school places by 2018 and an extra £649,819 to help with the expansion of specific schools.

Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, said: “I have long been aware of the urgent need for extra school places as our population increases. I am very happy that the Government have been listening to those concerns and have awarded this money.

“I hope now that Merton Council will use this money effectively to make sure that all parents have an opportunity to get into the schools that they desire for their children.”

Councillor Martin Whelton, cabinet member for education, said the council welcomes any extra funding to help with the borough’s school expansion programme.

He added: “We are already in the middle of our very successful £80m primary school expansion programme and are projecting that we will need to spend £13m in 2017-18, so, while it’s welcome, this government funding meets barely half of what’s needed to ensure we have enough school places for the future.”