A ‘big build’ is on the cards for a Marlow secondary school as the demand for school places across the county continues to rise.

Last year the year seven intake for the academy – which is funded directly by central government - was increased by around 30 pupils, known as a ‘bulge class’, to accommodate the growing influx of pupils.

This comes after the county council announced another three secondary classes of 30 were needed over the next three years to allow for the increasing population.

Great Marlow is hoping to continue this expansion and add a bulge class across years seven to eleven by 2019, requiring the school to find room for an extra 150 students.

Headteacher Geralyn Wilson announced the building project would be a key focus for herself and her deputy, Kevin Ford, over the next six months before she retires from her post at the end of August.

Mr Ford – who will succeed Mrs Wilson - said: “Great Marlow is very much a community school and we want to make sure it remains that way.

“We are very oversubscribed and the building programme will increase places which will enable more students from Marlow to attend Great Marlow.”

Extra places will also be provided by Sir William Ramsey in Hazlemere and St Michael’s in High Wycombe.

The school is no stranger to big development projects, as just last year a £1 million 6th form block providing essential resources was introduced, taking over a large section of campus.

However campaigners have said the growing ‘teacher crisis’ would make it difficult to accommodate the extra wave of pupils.

Member of campaign group Local, Equal, Excellence (LLE) Katy Simmons, said: “There is always going to be a huge need for school places in the area. My main concern is the growing crisis in teacher recruitment.

“Many teachers are leaving education as they become more disheartened with the work load and there is no control over it.”

Ms Simmons also questioned if the grammar school system was ‘jeopardising’ standards in state schools by forcing them to take on more students.

She said: “It makes no sense for some grammar schools to be accepting out-of-county children, when local children cannot find a school place.

“At a time of austerity, we should be working together to tackle an issue that affects all local families.”