KINGSTON'S education chiefs have welcomed a London Councils report urging the government to pump more money into the capital's schools.
The study highlights Kingston as one of the worst-affected boroughs, stating it will need more than 2,000 extra places over the next three years.
The Understanding Primary School Capacity Issues report claims the sheer scale of London's problem is unique and blames a rising birth rate, sluggish housing market and parents choosing state education due to the recession.
Last month the council confirmed it would need to add an extra 300 reception places in 11 temporary classrooms at schools across the borough in September 2010. This year a further 10 classes were added, and in 2008 an extra seven were needed.
Patricia Bamford, executive member for education, said: "I warmly welcome the findings of this report.
"The government can no longer ignore exceptional and unanticipated rises in demand for school places in London and must properly find local authorities to build the permanent new classrooms parents are asking for.
"Kingston is a small and efficient borough, but our schools have been overwhelmed by the population increases highlighted in this report.
"We will continue to work hard to ensure that there are enough places in our excellent schools for every local child."
The survey warns the problem is going to worsen every year until 2018. It lists Brent, Barnet, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Newham, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Southwark, Lambeth, Croydon and Richmond as other badly-hit boroughs.
Building permanent extra classrooms across the capital could cost up to £1.5billion, but the government has pledged just £200million for the whole of England.
