A new state-aided Orthodox Jewish secondary school is being planned to open in Barnet in September next year.

Prospective parents have been invited to a meeting on Thursday week to discuss proposals to launch the Kedem High School.

The projected school is in response to continuing pressure on places at mainstream Jewish secondary schools in London which have been highlighted by the JC over the past year.

According to a website announcing the idea, Kedem would be under the auspices of the Chief Rabbi and run by a body called the Nekdama Trust. The project would be in partnership with Lilac Sky Outstanding Education Services, an educational agency which was called into manage the Rosh Pinah Primary Schoolin Edgware last year.

The plan would be to apply to the government to become a free school. If successful, it would be the first Jewish secondary free school in London.

It would offer “ a truly integrated and secular and Jewish curriculum which is rich, varied and challenging,” according to the website.

Nekadma Trust has been set up by the Andrew Rotenberg and Rabbi David Lister, respectively the chairman and principal of Rosh Pinah.

A spokesman for Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said that while the chief rabbi was "instinctively supportive" of new education proposals, he urged "all those involved to ensure that a comprehensive consultation process is in place, which takes account of community wide strategic planning on matters relating to education"

The Chief Rabbi, his spokesman, said would be "pleased to meet with representatives of Kedem to discuss the possibility of a new school under his aegis".

A new Jewish school, he said, "has the potential to be an extremely exciting project but it is, of course, essential that the requisite research and planning is done to ensure that it serves our community in the most effective way".