The new free school Fulham Boys School will open, after all, after interventions by London Mayor Boris Johnson, Greg Hands MP, and Lord Nash, the Schools Minister. Following meetings with Greg Hands MP, Lord Nash has phoned Greg to confirm the happy news.
The school's planned opening on a temporary site at the Gibbs Green was halted by the Department for Education, as there appeared to be no certainty in finding a permanent site in Fulham. Now the Mayor’s intervention has given the Department for Education enough certainty to allow the Fulham Boys School to open as planned, on its temporary site this September.
Fulham Boys had been due to take over a permanent site freed up by the merger of two local primary schools but this plan was thrown into doubt when the new Labour leader at Hammersmith and Fulham Council announced a review of the merger decision, leaving Fulham Boys with much less certainty of finding a permanent home from September 2016.
Over the last two weeks, Greg has been working to find a solution to the problem, and rescue the school’s opening. In recent weeks, Greg has had extensive conversations with Michael Gove (until yesterday Education Secretary, but now joining Greg in the Government Whips Office) and Lord Nash, the Schools Minister, urging them to reconsider the Department for Education’s decision not to fund the school in 2014/15. Greg Hands, along with the Leader of the Conservatives on the local council, Cllr Greg Smith, had also been trying to find a new site with the Council, but without success.
On Tuesday, however, Boris Johnson met Lord Nash and gave significant undertakings to help provide a permanent site for Fulham Boys School. Now the Mayor has secured an agreement in principle from CAPCO (owners of the temporary site at Gibbs Green) that allows for a one year extension to the lease, a decision that will mean pupils can occupy the temporary site until at least July 2017. Mr Johnson has proposed a number of permanent sites for the school, and given a strong pledge that a site will be found in Fulham.
This extension, coupled with a guarantee from the Mayor to help the school find a permanent home in the Borough, means the Education Funding Agency has agreed to release the funds to enable the school, to open with 84 pupils as planned this September.
Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham Greg Hands said: “I am delighted by this decision, and the very welcome news that Fulham Boys School will be opening this September, as originally envisaged, on its temporary site at Gibbs Green. Receiving the call from Lord Nash last night was one of the highlights of my time as MP for Fulham.
“This is fantastic news for parents who have been through a lot to get their schools into what we believe will be a top quality Church of England secondary school.”
Fulham Boys School (FBS) released a statement on Wednesday, welcoming the news that an ‘agonizing fortnight has ended in triumph’. Chairman Alex Wade said: “We’re delighted sense has prevailed. Whatever the agonies we’ve all been through, the ‘can do’ spirit shown by FBS parents, boys, and staff, has been quite remarkable in setting the foundations for a unique school. My thanks go to Greg Hands MP in particular, who has been with us from the start and has been a continual support in the last two weeks. Thanks also to the Department for Education for their work in reviewing their decision, to the Mayor of London for his intervention and to Councillors for their engagement in recent weeks.”
Alun Ebenezer, FBS headmaster, commented “I’ve gone on the record as saying FBS will be an outstanding school within two years. We can now start on the hard work of getting FBS set on the road to becoming one of the best schools in the country.”
FBS parent and founder, Deborah De Long said “This is unbelievably good news; what a huge relief. My son is over the moon. He’s been saying he only wants FBS. I couldn’t have given him better news in his final few days of primary school."
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “There is enormous pressure on school places and a key part of my efforts to improve education across the capital is about helping groups secure sites to set up free schools. I am delighted we have been able to find a solution which allows the Fulham Boys School to open as planned this September. I am grateful to CAPCO for their understanding and to the EFA for their openness in supporting our ambition to find a permanent site. Their decision today to release the funds needed for the school to start life in Fulham is great news. I know that parents and pupils have endured a dreadful couple of weeks but this agreement means there will be a Fulham Boys School up and running from this September.”
The Schools Minister Lord Nash said: “I am delighted that we are now able to open this excellent school in September as originally planned. The GLA and EFA have worked rapidly together to achieve this way forward, and the Mayor’s guarantee of a permanent site provides the school with the security it needs.”
FBS will be opening at Gibbs Green, North Fulham, for at least two years. It will then move to its permanent home, details of which will be announced later.
The places originally allocated to FBS boys remain open for them, regardless of any other offer they may have accepted in the last two weeks.
In addition, some places remain available for Year 7 entry this September. Interested parents should contact their local authority and the FBS office - [email protected].
Applications for admission to Year 7 in 2015 will be opening on 1 September as part of the pan-London co-ordinated admissions scheme.