More than half of council areas will have a shortage of primary school places by 2017, according to latest data.
Analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) shows two-fifths will have more pupils than places next year and this will rise to 60% by 2018 unless further funding for new schools is found.
Earlier this year the LGA warned £12bn would need to be invested in England’s schools over the next decade to cope with an extra 900,000 pupils.
Cllr David Simmonds, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: ‘Mums and dads rightly expect their child to be able to get a school place where they live, but our fear is that we will reach a tipping point when councils or schools cannot afford the massive cost of creating places or find the space necessary for new classes.
‘As we approach a new parliament, the next government must commit to fully-fund the creation of all new school places and give councils the powers to open new schools once again, before time runs out and we are faced with a national crisis. Councils face an uphill battle creating places where they are needed when their hands are tied by red tape and they are short of money to do so.’
Cllr Simmonds warned ‘extreme measures’ may have to be taken if the next Government does not tackle the issue head on.
‘If councils are not given powers to open new schools we could see extreme measures taken, such as converting music rooms into classrooms and putting portable buildings on their playgrounds, which will compromise the quality of education children receive.
‘Under our plans, every child would get a place at a good local school. We need the next government to address this looming crisis properly.’
