A RECORD number of applications have been received for Surrey school places this year.

More than 13,800 applications for primary school places in September were submitted by the January 15 closing date – 215 more than a year ago.

The increase adds up to enough pupils to fill a new one-form entry primary school.

The picture was similar at secondary level, where 11,160 applications were received for secondary schools by the closing date in October last year – up 235 on the year before.

However, it is unclear how many applications have been made for school places in the Farnham area as Surrey County Council is yet to release a school-by-school breakdown of applications received.

Linda Kemeny, Surrey’s cabinet member for schools, skills and educational achievement, said: “These figures show the growing demand for school places in Surrey at a time when our budgets are also under pressure from the rising number of older people needing care.

“We need to find more than 11,000 extra places in our primaries and secondaries over the next five years but face a shortfall in the funds we need to create them.

“We’ll make sure everyone who applied for a school place gets one as we continue pressing the Government for a fairer deal on funding for school places.”