More than 23,000 extra school places will be needed over the next five years to cope with a surge in births in the county.

Education chiefs say some will be created by expanding existing schools, but they are also looking at building almost 50 new primaries and secondaries in the county by 2022.

But there is a warning that the authority may not meet demand if planned free schools are not opened on time.

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KCC cabinet member for education, Roger Gough, said: "Demand for school places has been growing for the last five years.

"More than 10,000 primary places have already been provided by the county council.

"As demand continues to grow Kent is working hard to make the places available for more than 23,000 primary and secondary extra children who will need school places over the next five years in Kent."

But he said there was growing concern about free schools and the ability of them to absorb some of the demand.

Where school places/schools are needed (view in landscape mode on mobiles)

"That is a major source of concern for us as we look forward. These [free schools] are schemes funded through the Education Funding Agency, we have concerns there about processes, there is concern about finding the right sponsors of these schools; there is a question over delivery of places and the timing."

Education director Patrick Leeson echoed the concern: “We are at a tipping point where the level of risk is quite a serious concern. We have several free school projects that are now a year behind schedule; the fact that they are behind schedule is that we are finding it increasingly difficult to meet demand for places in some key areas of Kent.”

“If that situation does not improve significantly and we get back on track we will not be able to deliver our statutory responsibilities a year or two down the road. The timing is absolutely critical to get right, especially given the demand for secondary places."

Around 15,700 of these places is needed in secondary schools, while almost 8,000 spaces are required in primary schools.

A total of 37 primary schools and 10 secondary schools will be needed over the next five years.

Mr Gough said for some years there had been an increase in the number of babies being born across the UK generally.

This, coupled with the number of families moving into Kent and the extra housing being built across the county, has seen the authority expand 89 primary schools and 39 secondary schools since 2010.