New free school Fulham Boys will finally open in a temporary home on the Gibbs Green Estate next autumn.
After months of searching, the secondary school has finally settled on the site of existing Queensmill School in Mund Street, West Kensington, which from September 2014 will relocate to a new building in Shepherd’s Bush.
The free school was forced to delay its opening, originally planned for this term, as it struggled to find a base.
Alex Wade, chair of governors at Fulham Boys, said: “We have been working tirelessly to ensure the school opens with its first intake of boys in September 2014, exploring various options for our temporary home.
“The Fulham Boys School set its sights on the Gibbs Green Estate in north Fulham after learning that school premises were being vacated and I’m delighted to confirm that we are working closely with the Department for Education to conclude negotiations on the site.”
The school, set up by parents with support from the Diocese of London, has been backed by Hammersmith and Fulham Council. And at Mayor’s Question Time in October, Boris Johnson described the plans for Fulham Boys as ‘brilliant’.
However, the council is currently leading controversial plans to move Sulivan Primary School onto the site of nearby New King’s Primary to free up its Peterborough Road home to become a permanent base for Fulham Boys. Campaigners from Sulivan have been fiercely fighting these plans.
If these proposals go ahead, the Department for Education will fund £13.5million to build a new school for Fulham Boys within the next three years.
Mr Wade said the school was already potentially oversubscribed after receiving more than 200 applications for its first 120 places next September.
When full it will teach 800 boys aged 11 to 19.
Parents and residents can comment on proposals for the new school by visiting www.fulhamboysschool.org . The consultation closes on January 23.
