Council agrees to sell new free school surplus Roehampton building

The South London Jewish Primary School, which will be known as the Mosaic Jewish Primary School (MJPS) when it opens later this year, is buying a council-owned property in Roehampton Lane.

The school, which will temporarily open its first classroom in September in a local community building, had been looking for a permanent home so that it can properly accommodate additional pupils in the years ahead.

It will initially admit 30 pupils a year and hopes to ultimately provide places for up to 420 children from the local area. Half its pupils will be Jewish while half will have other faiths and beliefs or none.

The sale is subject to planning consent being approved. If this happens the school will open permanently in Hartfield House in September 2015. The property was formerly operated by the council’s adult social services department as a respite care centre but was declared surplus to requirements in June 2012 as it was no longer considered fit for purpose.

The respite care services formerly offered at Hartfield House are being transferred to a more modern property in Earlsfield which is much more suitable for the role. It will also benefit from a £280,000 refurbishment.

The decision to transfer services from Hartfield House to Earlsfield will save council tax payers £311,000 every year, while the money generated by the sale of the building will be available to fund future capital spending by the town hall.

Chair of the MJPS governing body Shirley Lee said:
“We are delighted with the support we have received from so many parents and look forward to joining the family of Wandsworth primary schools with our aspirations of inspiring, respecting and excelling.”

Council leader Ravi Govindia said:
“This is set to be a very satisfactory outcome not just for the Mosaic Jewish Primary School and local parents, but also for people who use respite services and also council taxpayers in the borough. If planning consent is granted, the school will have a permanent home and be in a much better position to plan ahead for its long term future. We look forward with great anticipation and excitement to the opening of the Mosaic School and the two other local free schools. They will offer parents vibrant new choices for the education of their children.

He continued:
“The transfer of respite services from Hartfield House to a more modern building that has been fully refurbished will mean a better service and better accommodation for the people who use respite care. And the new arrangements will mean a saving to council tax payers of more than £300,000 a year, while the money that is likely to be generated from the sale of Hartfield House can also be ploughed into future capital improvement projects across the borough. This is a very good deal all round.”

May 24, 2013