The Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust is understood to be considering swapping the locations of its boys and girls high schools.
According to a source close to the school, the boys would switch from Hendon to the site of the girls school in Mill Hill, while the girls would move to Hendon.
The option is understood to be on the cards after Barnet Council recently rejected the trust’s application to demolish the current girls school building, erected in the 1970s, and construct separate buildings for boys and girls on the Mill Hill site.
A similar proposal to develop the Mill Hill site was narrowly approved by the council against the advice of planning officers in 2017 but blocked by the Mayor of London which considered it unsuitable for Green Belt land.
But this time the council took on board “concerns relating to the impact of the proposal on the Green Belt, the loss of open space, the significant impact on protected veteran trees, and the biodiversity impact and the very significant negative biodiversity net gain score, which cannot adequately be compensated for elsewhere in the borough”.
The boys premises is particularly cramped with 752 pupils, five more than the school’s official capacity. In 2023, the school leased a vacant primary school site in Belsize Park to provide places for Year 7 and 8 boys – but the JC has been told that this site will no longer be available in two years.
The girls school has 583 pupils on its roll, less than its 747 capacity.
According to their official entry maximum, each school accepts 75 pupils a year – but the boys in particular has been taking well above that figure.
Hasmonean’s continuing search for suitable premises comes at a time of increased demand for places in Jewish state schools in London.
Whereas Menorah High School, whose ethos is to the right of Hasmonean, offers an alternative for Orthodox girls in London, there is no equivalent for boys.
The trust’s leadership has been approached for comment.
