EDUCATION bosses have backed £6.6 million investment in Sandwell primary schools to create more than 700 new places to meet demand.

Councillors approved the capital funding investment which will see the expansion of a number of schools, including a primary in Cradley Heath, by September 2018.

Reddall Hill Primary School will get refurbished and there will be new classroom extensions at Crocketts Community, Lyng and St Gregory’s Catholic primary schools.

Council leader Councillor Steve Eling said: "There has been an unprecedented growth in the birth rate over recent years but this has started to ease, however we still have a high demand for school places.

"We are meeting that demand with this investment."

The Government has also approved a new free school opening in September 2017, creating 420 places. Sandwell is supporting the government’s Education Funding Agency which wants to build the new primary free school, Shireland High Tech Primary School, while the agency seeks to identify a site for the school.

A report before cabinet said it was currently projected that an additional 26 forms of entry, 3,845 places, will be needed in secondary schools in Sandwell by September 2025.

Councillor Eling added: “Over the last six years we have provided more than 4,400 new primary places and we have an excellent record of providing these in good or outstanding schools.

"We are already preparing for increased demand in our secondary schools as higher numbers from the primary sector move up.

"A good example of this is the recent building and opening of Q3 Academy Langley, a building project managed by the council to provide additional places."