All new free school to open in Tottenham this September

The school, Haringey E-ACT Free School, has been accepted by the Department for Education, and will be run by the academy sponsor, E-ACT Free Schools Trust, while having strong links to Highgate School, Highgate.

The school, which is still in its final consultation stages, will open in a completely new purpose built building in Tottenham – in the Northumberland Park or Tottenham Hale area.

The site for Haringey’s new free school is yet to be announced, although there will be a temporary location for the school from September until the school’s permanent building is finished in 2014.

Free schools, which are funded by the state and from sponsorship, have freedom from local authority control and greater autonomy over their finances and curriculum.

Sonia Mallick, who has 20 years experience working in a variety of education roles in Coldfall Primary School in Muswell Hill, has been picked as the head for the new free school.

Mrs Mallick, who has not been a head teacher before, said she was ready for a new challenge.

The teacher, whose official role at the free school will be the principle designate, said: “I wanted to take up a headship – I was looking for my first headship and I was interested in free schools because of the emphasis on the high expectation, achievement and no tolerance of poor behaviour.

“What we want is for kids to be happy and healthy, but all the while emphasising the importance of high expectations and high academic skills.”

Mrs Mallick, who was appointed in early February will take up the post on April 16 to start preparing for the school's opening in the coming academic year.

The two-form school will have 60 places for reception students and 60 places for Year 1 students.

The aim is that these students will stay at the school until year six, with 120 new pupils joining the school each year until the site caters for 420 students – in reception to Year 6 - in 2018.

She stressed the importance of the school representing all of Haringey, with the first places allocated to children in care, children with social or medical needs, to students who have a brother or sister who have already been offered a place in reception, or to kids living closest to the school.

“It is very much going to be a Haringey school, it is going to represent the whole community.”

A senior member of staff, yet to be announced, will hold a post at both Highgate School and the Haringey E-ACT Free School to form a link between the two schools.

Adam Pettitt, the head master of Highgate School, said: “We will bring our experience of running and developing a broad and varied curriculum and a dynamic extra-curricular programme to the free school.

“We want to contribute to raising expectations and we look forward to creating opportunities for young people in this part of our borough.”

E-ACT Free Schools Trust sponsors 17 academies in England and opened one free school, Aldborough E-ACT Free School in Redbridge, last September.

Mrs Mallick and staff at E-ACT will hold an evening for parents and carers interested in the new Haringey school on Wednesday.

Stands with information on admissions, uniform and curriculum will run between 3-5pm, Northumberland Park Neighbourhood Resource Centre, 177 Park Lane, N17 0HJ.