This Bromsgrove school is the most overcrowded in Worcestershire

Department for Education data shows the busiest secondary school in Worcestershire is St John's Church of England Middle School Academy.

It has 600 school places but 654 children on its roll – meaning it was 9 per cent overcapacity.

This was followed by Parkside Middle School which is six per cent overcapacity.

Parkside Middle School.

In Worcestershire, data shows that seven secondary schools were at or above full capacity as of May 1 last year.

In 2018-19 – the most recent comparable year due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions – there were eight overcrowded schools.

It meant 6,213 pupils in the area were affected by overcrowded schools last year – among around 880,000 nationwide.

A school is at or in excess of capacity when the number of pupils enrolled is greater than or equal to its number of places.

Across England, 22 per cent of secondary schools reached this threshold last year – up from 17 per cent in 2018-19, and the highest proportion in a decade.

Despite the increase in overcrowded secondary schools, just 17 per cent of English primaries were at or over capacity last year – the lowest rate since records began in 2009-10.

This included 27 in Worcestershire – down from 36 in 2018-19.

Jon Andrews, head of analysis at The Education Policy Institute said the number of pupils attending primary schools peaked in 2019 and is expected to continue to decline.

But he said this could have implications for their long-term viability as most funding is determined on a per-pupil basis.

A DfE spokeswoman said: “The vast majority of pupils will be offered a place at one of their preferred schools this coming year.

"Pupils are also now more likely to have a place at a good school now – with 87 per cent of schools rated good or outstanding now compared to 68 per cent in 2010.”