An application for a new inclusive Jewish secondary school has been submitted to the Department for Education (DfE).

Barkai College is a parent-led initiative to create a new inclusive Modern Orthodox secondary school offering places to students on a lottery system across Borehamwood, Mill Hill, Edgware, Finchley, Hendon and Barnet.

If the application for the five-form entry school is approved the next stage will be an interview with the DfE after which the Barkai College Team will hear whether their school has been given the green light to open.

Eve Sacks, chairman of the Barkai College team, said: “Our aim is to create a centre of academic excellence that imbues pupils with an appreciation for faith, values and responsibility towards others.

“Barkai is a grass roots effort, started by parents and developed in consultation with the wider community.

“We have listened hard to what people want in the many meetings we have held across north London and feel that our bid will fill a need not currently met by the existing area schools.”

Barkai Colelge was supported through the application process by national education charity New Schools Network.

Sarah Pearson, interim director of New Schools Network, said: “Barkai College has worked tirelessly to prepare an application for the DfE and we hope they will have the chance to put their plans into action and see their vision of a fantastic new school realised.

“There a now more than 500 free schools open or approved to open across the country and the momentum of the programme continues to increase.

“These schools are proving popular with parents and are providing good new school places where they are needed.”

A free school can be set-up by parents, charities, groups of teachers or even existing schools and if they can prove they are wanted and needed in the area they will be approved by the DfE.

Interested parents can find out more at http://barkaicollege.org.