According to the BBC, the government has asked the Fulham Boys School (FBS) to defer its opening this autumn, placing almost 100 school places in doubt.

The school has yet to find permanent premises, but education officials says that the the Department for Education - which funds the school - and the Hammersmith & Fulham Council have had enough time over the past two years to find a permanent home for the school.

However, FBS - which has aimed to have 800 boys in its classes - has challenged the decision, saying it is not in the best interests of its pupils.

Alex Wade, chairman of governors at the school, said prospective pupils now face a "frantic scramble" to find last-minute places elsewhere.

"It's imperative that this political misunderstanding is cleared up as a priority, because caught in the middle are nearly 100 boys and their families, whose interests are being ignored."

A spokesman for the DfE confirmed to the BBC the school would not be opening as planned in September.