Medway could run out of primary school places as early as next September in some areas, a report says.

Pressure from new developments and NHS recruitment drives have seen a spike in children entering Medway’s schools meaning some areas will soon reach capacity.

At cabinet on October 1, councillors will discuss the authority’s school place planning strategy up to 2027, which estimates the demands for places in both primary and secondary schools and outlines what the capacity is.

The report divides Medway into 10 sections and says some are facing serious capacity issues.

Peninsula West, which includes Chattenden, Cliffe Woods, and High Halstow, has been at capacity for reception places since 2011 and in 2026 the area is predicted to need 71 more reception places than it currently has.

The major factor identified by the council in their report is the number of housing developments on the peninsula which have been approved, which the council predicts will attract families who need places for their children.

The Peninsula West area has had a deficit of total primary school places, across all school years, of between eight and 25 every year since 2016 - but the deficit is predicted to jump to 93 next year, 188 in 2026, and 222 in 2027.

The council had been aware of the growing pressure for places in the area, and in 2021 approved plans to expand the Hundred of Hoo school’s primary provision - but forecasts now say this still won’t be enough.

The academy said it had noticed an increase in the number of children applying for places and was putting in place measures to accommodate the growth in numbers while maintaining standards.

Mike Etheridge, principal of Hundred of Hoo Primary Academy added: “We have certainly seen a growing demand for places driven by the increasing number of families moving to the area.

“While we are pleased to see our academy continue to be a popular choice for parents, we are working closely with Medway Council to ensure that we have the right infrastructure in place to accommodate all children who wish to attend.

“Our focus remains on providing an excellent education, and we are committed to expanding our capacity to meet the needs of our community.”

Elsewhere in the Towns, the report says recruitment drives by the NHS to hire staff to work in Medway Maritime Hospital have put increased pressure in Chatham and Gillingham.

The council says the net increase of pre-school children, aged zero to five, in 2023 was the largest the authority has ever seen at 581 - despite the number of births in the Towns falling.

It suspects the recruitment drive is behind an unexpected increase in the number of children joining Medway’s schools, especially those joining in middle school years, which is pushing up already strained school year numbers.

The council predicts Chatham will need bulge classes in 2025 to accommodate an additional 17 children it currently doesn’t have space for, but in 2027 the number of children needing places will rise to 75.

In Gillingham, in September last year there was a manageable shortage of eight places, but 2024 was predicted to see this rise to a deficit of 76, rising further until peaking in 2026 at a shortage of 136 places.

Similarly, both selective and non-selective secondary schools across Medway are anticipated to face shortages of places.

There are expected to be 207 too few year seven places in Medway’s non-selective secondary schools in 2026, and a further shortage of 260 in the year after.

In selective secondary schools, there has been a shortage of year seven places since 2023, and the deficit is expected to grow to 139 in 2027.

In the same year there is also predicted to be a shortage of 159 total places in selective secondary schools.

In order to manage the increased demand in primary schools, Medway Council has completed studies about expanding Riverside Primary School in Rainham and Hoo St Werburgh Primary School in order to alleviate pressure.

The council intends to bring forward plans for these expansions when it can find funding to support them.

Additionally, it is looking at completing further studies at Kingfisher Primary School, Greenvale Primary School, and New Road Primary School about increasing capacity - as well as finding funding for two new schools to be built.

For secondary schools, the council believes on-going plans for Fort Pitt Grammar, Chatham Grammar, and Holcombe Grammar to become mixed-sex schools will alleviate the pressure for places.

It believes the move will open up more places in those selective schools, and will therefore increase the number of places in non-selectives.

The decision of whether the three schools will become mixed-sex has yet to be decided, and was passed up to the minister for schools prior to the general election.

Education bosses had hoped to implement this this year, but no decision has yet been made.

The lack of spaces in secondary schools is also causing problems for children with SEND needs - where there are also a shortage of specialist places.

Where possible, children with SEND needs are placed in mainstream schools, but the number of those whose needs mean they require specialist support are also growing beyond capacity in SEND schools.

Medway Council’s cabinet will consider the report at their meeting on October 1 and discuss the place shortage problems and how their strategy will address them.