The number of pupils studying in England’s schools is expected to go beyond eight million for the first time in over half a century, the Department for Education (DfE) has revealed.

According to government statisticians, the hike has been attributed to a general increase in birth rate since 2002. Currently there are approximately 7.1 million children and young people in schools.

As things stand, by 2023, this significant rise in the number of children attending state primary and secondary schools is going to place incredible pressure on the education system.

This is already the case in some areas. News of this future growth comes at a time school leaders and teachers already have to cope with spikes in pupil numbers.

For example, the National Audit Office revealed last year that an extra 256,000 primary and secondary school places would be needed by the start of the new academic year in 2014.

London is under great pressure, as the data showed that of this total, 240,000 additional places are needed in primary schools in the capital.

A DfE spokeswoman said that the government is doing everything in its power to ensure that there are enough school places for the growing population, explaining that it remains one its top priorities.

"That is why we have more than doubled to £5 billion the funding available to councils to create new school places, and are allowing good schools to expand without the restrictions and bureaucracy they faced in the past,” she added.

"This has already led to the creation of 260,000 new school places across the country. Under this government nearly 80 per cent of new primary places created are in good or outstanding schools."

Speaking to the Telegraph, David Simmons, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People’s Board, said that parents are struggling to choose schools they wish to send their children to because of a shortfall of places.

“There was always more spare capacity in secondary schools than primaries, which is why the huge capacity-building programmes have been aimed at primary level,” he added.

“Although we have that extra breathing space, we must be sure the resources are there to expand secondary schools before it develops into a problem.”