Schools in Orihuela Costa are exceeding official capacity by around 600 places as enrolment opens for the new academic year. The three coastal Infant and Primary schools have about 1,730 pupils enrolled, despite having space for 1,260. Around 100 applications are still awaiting allocation, and a similar number of late enrolments are expected before the autumn.

Los Dolses, built for 360 pupils, is accommodating around 650. Playas de Orihuela has 630 pupils despite capacity for 540, while Número 20, designed for 360, has about 450 in prefabricated classrooms. Education leaders say the area urgently needs an extension at Los Dolses, a permanent new building for Número 20 and potentially a fourth school.

More than 70% of pupils on the coast are non-native Spanish speakers, which schools say places extra pressure on staffing and language support. Headteachers warn there is no space for pupils to repeat a year if needed, despite raising concerns repeatedly with education authorities.

Separately, the head of CEIP Los Dolses, Isaac Bonafé, has filed a formal complaint against a neighbouring property community. He alleges wastewater from up to 12 terrace drains has been discharged into the school playground over a 15-year period. Part of the playground has been sealed off over safety fears, and the school says more than 600 pupils could be affected.