'Free school' to open in Westminster

ARK says this is in response to concerns raised by local parents over a lack of primary school places.

Although no location has yet been decided for the new school, ARK says it will be ready to accept reception pupils from September 2011.

Older pupils will be admitted over subsequent years.

Earlier today, education secretary Michael Gove announced the school as one of 16 across England which are ready to progress to the next stage of becoming free schools.

Free schools will see relaxed planning laws to make it easier for parents, teachers, communities or sponsors to set up state-funded independent schools.

He believes the schools will help drive up standards and cut the achievement gap between rich and poor.

Mr Gove said: "Free schools form an integral part of the government's education policy to improve choice for parents and raise standards for all young people.

"All of these proposals have been driven by demand from local people for improved choice for their young people and I'm delighted that so many promising proposals have come forward at such an early stage."

The proposers will now need to make a fully-detailed business case for the new school and set out their plans for opening and operating the proposed school.

Mr Gove will then make an assessment on whether to allow a new school to be set up.

Sophy Blakeway, director of primary education for ARK, said: "We're working with the council to identify suitable premises for the new school.

"We're very pleased that the government has given the scheme the go-ahead, subject to the business case, and we hope it's good news for local parents because they are very keen to see more primary places in the local area."

Councillor Nickie Aiken, Westminster Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said she was supportive of ARK Schools' application.

She added: "We believe that a new ARK-run primary school, part of the government's first wave of free schools, will serve the increasing number of parents who want high-quality places in an area where there is an increasing shortage of reception vacancies.

"Our aim is to provide the best possible education for every child and we will continue to work with schools to raise standards across the city."