'Super-size' secondary schools planned across England to tackle pupil place shortages

At least 17 local councils are planning new schools with between 12 and 16 classes in each year group

Councils are trying to create more than 80,000 extra secondary places (Getty)

New “super-size” secondary schools with more than 2,000 pupils are being planned across England as councils attempt to tackle the shortage of pupil places.

At least 17 local councils are planning new schools with between 12 and 16 classes in each year group, freedom of information requests by the Times Educational Supplement have found.

The new schools are being planned in both urban and rural areas as councils try to create more than 80,000 extra secondary places which they say will be needed in the next four years after a population bulge.

The government said larger schools could produce very good results but that expansion must be balanced against whether standards of behaviour and academic excellence could be maintained in a very large school.

Schools minister Nick Gibb says large schools perform well in countries such as China

Schools minister Nick Gibb told TES: “If you look at Shanghai, their schools are very large and they produce some very high standards of education.”

One of Shanghai’s top state schools, Shanghai High, has more than 3,000 pupils.