AN EXTRA £93 million will be invested in creating additional school places in Surrey over the next five years.
The investment represents Surrey's biggest-ever school expansion programme, as hundreds of parents scramble to find places for their children.
The funding, approved by Surrey County Council's cabinet, is on top of the £261 million already earmarked for school expansion and the £28 million from the Government to create more than 2,300 extra school places in 14 county schools. The Greville Primary School in Ashtead is among the schools and could see as many as 210 extra places created in the next five years.
It comes after Butterflies Nursery, which used to share the school's Stonny Croft site, closed in July to make way for a new reception class at the school from the start of this term.
Head teacher Max Depree told the Advertiser: "The school is aware that capital has been identified for potential expansion. We are holding discussions with Surrey County Council to see if expansion is feasible and appropriate for our school.
"Our key priority would be the continuation of our high standards and to ensure that any permanent expansion is in line with the quality of provision in place for our existing pupils.
"If there are any developments we will ensure that our community are kept informed."
Elsewhere, two of the schools selected for expansion are in Reigate, as the county council plans to accommodate 120 pupils at Holmesdale Community Infant School and about 120 extra pupils at Reigate Priory Community School.
The authority said the investment represents the biggest school expansion programme in the county's history.
Linda Kemeny, cabinet member for schools and learning, has welcomed the funding.
She said: "We've experienced a huge rise in demand for places at our high-quality schools and this surge is continuing.
"That is why we embarked on the biggest school expansion programme Surrey's ever seen with more than £350 million being invested in creating the 16,000 places we need to find.
"By next September, almost 6,000 of those places will have been provided and we'll continue to work on plans for the rest so that we ensure every child gets the best possible start in life."