Another primary free school is in the pipeline for Hackney

Hackney New School has announced its intention to open a two-form entry primary school in September 2015.

A free school application will be submitted to the Department for Education next January.

The first cohort of 100 children to attend the senior school began in September, in the educational charity Hackney Pirates’ former refurbished headquarters in Downham Road, De Beauvoir.

The school, founded by resident Andreas Wesemann, has attracted interest because of its long day, running from 8am to 6pm. All “homework” is completed at school.

The Secretary of State for Education gave the school the go-ahead last year to meet demand for school places in the borough.

Free schools were a centrepiece of the Conservatives’ election manifesto.

Similar to academies, they are semi-independent and outside of local authority control, being funded by Westminster, with the freedom to vary the school day, term times, the curriculum and teachers’ pay and conditions.