SWINDON needs a further 618 spaces to be able to accommodate new pupils for secondary schools by 2023, according to new figures.

Swindon has been ranked as the 22nd worst out of the 134 areas analysed - two places ahead of Reading which needs 656 new places, but significantly above Surrey which was highlighted as the worst with 2,317 spaces lacking.

Wiltshire came 122nd on the list, with the figures highlighting that schools in the county were likely to have 474 spare spaces.

The Department of Education (DfE) released the data which analysed 134 areas but excluded 16 councils where there is a “three-tier” system. The DfE did not account for children in middle schools that typically cater for nine to 13 year olds.

Combined, the figures show that secondary schools across the UK need more than 16,000 new spaces within the seven years as the number of applicants starting primary schools in 2016 exceeds the number of current secondary schools places.

The DfE said £7bn is committed to new places across the UK.

A report went to Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet four months ago and a council spokesman said the town was well on its way to planning for the future.

The spokesman said: “Swindon is one of the fastest-growing places in the country and this brings with it a need for many more school places in the future.

“A report which sets out what we are doing to meet this challenge went to the council’s cabinet four months ago. We have identified that three new secondary schools need to be built, and we have been consulting extensively across the education sector this year as part of our work to deliver these.”

The council has a long-term education plan until 2026, to support attainment and opportunities for young people across the town and borough.

Figures released this week show that one in six families missed out on their first choice of secondary school. The council spokesman added: “The council has a very good track record in recent years of providing enough school places and giving parents their first choice of school for their children, and we intend this to continue.”

Two new primary schools opened in 2012 and 2014 and even one was extended to relieve some immediate pressure off the council as the birth rate continues to go up in the area.

A new Church of England Secondary School will be built at Wichelstowe for September 2018, taking of the pressure for secondary school places.

The DfE said that local authorities had plans for 52,000 more secondary school places by 2018.