As school populations boom, Hertfordshire must create 535 extra classrooms in order to keep up.

By 2020, 44 new schools need to be built across the county to accommodate the rising number of primary and secondary school pupils.

Research from Scape Group, an environment specialist consultancy, shows that local authorities are estimating there will be an additional 729,000 pupils across the country.

The number of primary school pupils in England will rise by 8.6 per cent, and secondary school pupils are set to increase by 12 per cent.

Mark Robinson, chief executive of Scape Group, said: “The country will soon start to feel the full weight of the impending boom in pupil numbers, and we’re already seeing unprecedented pressure on school places.

"A radical new wave of school-building must be a top priority for government.”

Every region of England will see growth in primary and secondary numbers, but the impact of England’s rising population will affect school places in London, the south east and east of England the most.

Mr Robinson said: “As the growth of the primary school population gathers pace, the pressure on school places will soon transfer to the secondary population, requiring a new wave of advanced school building.

“The government’s preference for free schools has created uncertainty for local authorities, who are tasked with planning and building new schools, but will not be responsible for running them.

Proposals for new grammar schools has further muddied the waters.

“In a post-Brexit economy, with all of the uncertainty this brings, the construction of new schools must be a top priority for government and local authorities must be given the tools and funding necessary to deliver extra places in time."