A new free secondary school opening in Wembley is inviting applications from year six pupils for September next year.

Gateway Academy hopes to tackle the shortage of places in Brent by offering 100 year seven places to children of all abilities and backgrounds.

Johnny Kyriacou, the proposed head teacher, said: “Parents showed a lot of enthusiasm for this school when we first did a demand survey and this really inspired us to go ahead with our plans to set up a free school.

“We also have a positive relationship with Brent Council and there is a recognition we are fulfilling a genuine need for secondary school places in Brent.”

Mr Kyriacou, who has confirmed teaching will follow the national curriculum, said the school has many unique selling points.

He said: “Our principals will be based on four key cornerstones based around the acronym of GATE: Global Citizenship, Academia, The Arts and Enterprise.

“Each cornerstone will hold equal value and we aim to ensure pupils have a valid 21st century educational experience through use of modern equipment and at the same time adhere to traditional educational principles.

“We have pledged to give teachers more non contact time during the week to plan and deliver their lessons.

“Children will be the only year group in the school and that means a lot of attention and focus on meeting the needs of children.”

The school will offer small class sizes and extra curricular activities with just 100 pupils in each year group when it reaches capacity after seven years with students ranging in age from 11 to 18.

As reported, Gateway Academy triggered concern from teaching unions who claimed education in the Wembley area was becoming privatised.

“Gateway Academy will be no different to all the other schools in Brent who are academies and run outside local authority control,” said Mr Kyriacou who pointed out that the school will be accountable to the Department for Education, Ofsted inspected and follow the School Admissions Code

He added: “I can certainly understand the concern from the teaching unions as there has been a massive shift in education over the last few years.

“We will be running Gateway Academy as a state school.”

Premises for the school are yet to be confirmed.

Open days are at the Vernon Hall in Chalkhill Community Centre in Chalkhill Road, Wembley, on September 21 from 2pm-4pm and October 7 from 6pm-8pm.

The applications deadline is October 31 for more infomation visit www.gatewayacademy.org.uk.