The South London Jewish Primary School will open this September.
A new free school in Wandsworth has secured a permanent home for its pupils after the council agreed to sell it a surplus building in Roehampton.
The South London Jewish Primary School, which will be known as the Mosaic Jewish Primary School when it opens in September, is buying a council-owned property in Roehampton Lane which they hope will open permanently in 2015.
The school will admit 30 pupils a year and hopes to eventually provide places for up to 420 children in the area. Half of its pupils will be Jewish while the other half will have other faiths and beliefs or none.
Mosaic Jewish Primary School will be one of three new free schools that will be opening their doors to pupils in Wandsworth for the first time this autumn.
A new two form entry school will be opening at the Tooting Primary School in Franciscan Road, which is sponsored by Graveney School while another two forms will be admitted to the Rutherford House School, which is located in the former Balham Youth Court building.
New research shows that the borough will need around 24 additional classes by September 2020, to keep up with the rapidly expanding school-age population, according to the latest population figures.
The birth rate in Wandsworth has risen from 4,359 in 2003 to 5,477 in 2011 and is projected to continue to rise rapidly.
Pressure is also growing on school places because of the growing reputation for academic excellence in the borough’s schools.
According to education standards watchdog Ofsted, 92 per cent of local schools are good or outstanding, placing Wandsworth in the top eight of high performing authorities in the country.
In comparison on average only 74 per cent of schools in other parts of the country and 80 per cent in London are judged good or outstanding by Ofsted inspectors.
Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “This is set to be a very satisfactory outcome not just for the Mosaic Jewish Primary School and local parents, but also for people who use respite services and also council taxpayers in the borough.
“If planning consent is granted, the school will have a permanent home and be in a much better position to plan ahead for its long term future. We look forward with great anticipation and excitement to the opening of the Mosaic School and the two other local free schools. They will offer parents vibrant new choices for the education of their children.
Chair of the MJPS governing body Shirley Lee added: “We are delighted with the support we have received from so many parents and look forward to joining the family of Wandsworth primary schools with our aspirations of inspiring, respecting and excelling.”
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