City and county schools in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are to receive an extra £3.8 million to create more school places.Nottingham City Council is to receive over £2.5 million and Notts County Council will be given just over £1.2 million.
The authorities can choose how the money is spent, either on primary or secondary schools.
It is part of £600 million in Government funding that is to address a shortfall of places throughout the country.
Coun. David Mellen, the portfolio holder for the city of council children’s services, commented: “I’m happy that we have got this money because we have had an issue with popular schools and places, particularly for five and six-year-olds.
“We have already made plans within our own resources to deal with the problem, trying to expand schools, but now we have this extra money we can do more.
“It will mean we can plan more as it is a basic duty of a local authority to find school places for children.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “Funding is targeted at areas where the pressures of soaring birth rates are being felt the most, and allocations are based on information that local authorities provide.
“We plan to announce future funding allocations for school places at the end of this year.”
Earlier this year the city council announced extra places were going to be made to alleviate pressure on the schools that were over-subscribed. This included the recommissioning of Lenton Primary School, which was closed previously due to a surplus of places.