A community group of parents, teachers and volunteers are working hard to open the UK’s first free co-operative primary school.

The committee behind Mariposa Primary School, have announced plans to build the school at the former Lyonians Sportsground in Pinner View.

The school will be the UK’s first co-operative primary free school, meaning it will be owned and run by the community.

Volunteers have worked on this project since March 2014 and by June that year, they had been accepted on the New School’s Network Development Programme.

An application to the Department of Education was submitted in December 2014, and their plans were found successful in March 2015.

Hugh Brown, local parent and Chair of Mariposa’s Steering Committee said: “People have been asking us about a site for the school for a long time, so it is fantastic that we can now tell them our great news.

"We knew this was a lot of work when we took it on, and there have been challenges in the process. But Harrow has a projected shortage of primary school places, and new school places are needed.

“Choosing a site for the school is a big milestone, and we are so excited to share our news and to be working with the design team for our new school."

The school will be state-funded and non-selective.

It will Spanish lessons to children from reception age.

Joe Kerridge, President of the Old Lyonian Association said: “As we have been based here for nearly a century it was a difficult decision to sell, but the right one to make now that we have vacated the site and moved to the excellent sports facilities at our point of origin – the John Lyon School.

“We are very pleased that our old home will now become a community asset that reflects our commitment to education.”

Once the planning consultation is complete, a planning application will be submitted to Harrow Council.

The final purchase of the site by the Education Funding Agency is subject to planning approval.

The committee will hold public consultations in the near future, where people can offer feedback and learn more about the new school.