PARENTS and neighbours are being asked their views on Harrow’s first flagship free school being located permanently at Wealdstone’s Harrow Teachers’ Centre.

Avanti House School, run by the Avanti Schools Trust whose parent body started Krishna-Avanti Primary School in Edgware, has permission to occupy the centre in Tudor Road temporarily for one year from September.

Following discussions with Harrow Council and the Department for Education, however, the trust has since decided it wishes to move in permanently.

The trust and the council, which owns the centre, are holding separate four-week consultations about the proposal and are urging people to contribute to both.

Councillor Keith Ferry (Labour), portfolio holder for planning and economic development at Harrow Council, said: “We are aware that residents will have concerns about increased traffic but we want to reassure them that these will be fully addressed by Avanti Schools Trust and through any planning process.

“That is why we are holding our own consultation to ensure all residents get the chance to have their say, not just about their concerns but also about what community facilities they would like to see on the site.”

The non-denominational school, whose dual specialism will be mathematics and performing arts and whose primary school places are already up to five times oversubscribed, will offer six forms of entry at secondary school level and two forms of entry at primary school level.

The curriculum will be based on the teachings of Hindu saint Chaitanya, giving pupils the opportunity to study ethics, philosophy, Sanskrit in years four, five and six, leadership training, meditation and yoga, while the school will serve vegetarian only cuisine.

A temporary split site solution will see the first year seven intake move into the Teachers Centre, while the first reception year cohort will be based at Krishna-Avanti Primary School in Camrose Avenue for the first year, subject to planning permission.

A drop-in session has been arranged by Avanti Schools Trust and the council between 10am and 3pm at the Teachers Centre on Saturday.

Avanti Schools Trust’s consultation closes on Monday, July 23 and the consultation document can be viewed at www.avantihouse.org.

Harrow Council’s consultation closes on Friday, July 27 and can be viewed at harrow-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal or by emailing schoolreorganisation@harrow.gov.uk.