Redbridge Council is considering expanding the borough's 'outstanding' grammar schools to meet the growing demand of secondary school places. 

The proposals focus on expanding Woodford County High School for Girls in High Road, Woodford Green, and Ilford County High School for Boys in Fremantle Road, Ilford, by providing an additional 600 places from years 7 to 11.  

Feasibility studies carried out in 2013 and costing over £130,000 found that both schools which currently have around 120 pupils in each year group, both have the capacity to expand. 

The aim is to create 300 additional permanent places across years 7 to 11 by taking on an extra each 60 places per year group, starting in September 2016. 

Both schools have said they are "strongly in favour" of expanding. 

Headteacher Jo Pomeroy of Woodford County said: "This presents a really exciting opportunity to increase and to modernise facilities supporting the first class education we offer.  

"Planning includes the construction of a 14 lab purpose-built science block as well as a new general teaching facility.  

"With restrictions on the use of our listed main building, new development gives us flexibilities we currently lack.

"Growing the population of the school is crucial to ensuring our on-going financial viability. 

"There are increasingly few four form entry secondary schools and the reason for this is economic." 

A statutory consultation lasting six weeks was launched on November 10. 

The consultation reports highlights that current projections from the Director of Children’s Services indicate a sufficiency of places until the summer intake in 2016. 

After that there is a steep increase in the deficit of places with a shortfall of 25 places in 2015/16 to 464 in 2020/21. 

 The report says: 'It can be seen that council’s strategy to address the deficits in secondary places has been successful for the medium term. 

"In the longer term there is a deficit that will need to be addressed. It is unlikely that there is the ability to expand existing secondary schools without the acquisition of additional land
reasonably adjacent to the existing school."

£113m has been set aside for the provision of additional secondary school places in the Children’s Services Capital Programme budget for the next four years. 

The deadline to complete the consultation is 5pm on December 19. 

Cabinet will decide in February 2015.