The council is proposing to spend up to £60million to create more school places in the borough.

Plans include spending £10.1million on building a new primary school and £14.1million on expanding six primary schools to provide more places for children in the borough.

The extra classes are set to be in place by 2014. In the meantime, five bulge classes will be required to accomodate extra primary school children by 2012.

Just over £34million will be spent on creating additional places for children with special needs.

The new £7million Crescent Primary School in Selhurst, which will take its first pupils in September.

Councillor Tim Pollard, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and learners, said: “This is a significant investment in our young people and the borough’s education system at a time of unparalleled public sector spending cuts.

“The work being done now will create enough places to cope with the growing demand that is being seen. It will also radically improve the facilities we can offer locally to children with special educational needs.”