MORE than 3,000 extra school places have been created in Surrey this year to keep pace with rising pupil numbers, including 340 in the Farnham area.

As the new school year begins, Surrey County Council revealed that 2,515 extra primary places have been created and 490 additional secondary places.

The 3,005 new places are enough to fill 100 additional classrooms.

In Farnham, 310 new secondary school places have been created at Weydon School to add to 30 new places at Waverley Abbey Junior School in Tilford.

It brings the number of school places created over the past six years to 16,000, with 11,000 more needed over the next five years.

But the county council is warning that it faces a shortfall of tens of millions of pounds in the funds it needs to create places in future.

Peter Martin, Surrey’s deputy leader, said: “We’ve steadily increased the number of school places to meet rising demand but it’s getting harder and harder to find the funds we need.

“We’ve created 16,000 extra places in six years and will continue to make sure every child who needs a place gets one, but with strained council budgets getting ever tighter any extra help from the Government for this task would be gratefully received.”