A bid to build a new free school for 180 children in north Kingston has this morning been approved by the Department for Education.

Members of the Kingston Educational Trust (KET) - a partnership between Kingston University, Kingston College and Education Kingston - were told early today that their application for a co-educational, non-selective and non faith school on the site of the North Kingston Centre in Richmond Road had been successful.

The new school is expected to open in September 2014.

As news of the successful bid broke, supporters took to Twitter to express their delight at the news.

Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, tweeted: "Best possible news for North Kingston parents: after years of campaigning, it's been confirmed that we are getting a new secondary school."

Liberal Democrat Robin Meltzer, who is campaigning  to unseat Mr Goldsmith in the next general election, put political rivalries aside to also congratulate KET.

He tweeted: "NEW SCHOOL IN NORTH KINGSTON! Congratulations to Kingston Educational Trust and all the parents and campaigners who made it happen."

Canbury ward councillor Andrea Craig, who became a councillor in order to campaign for the free school in north Kingston, added: "WE DID IT! - Parents of North Kingston we are getting our North Kingston Free school! So excited!"

And Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey said on Twitter: "Great news Kingston has got it's new secondary school at last! Great for north Kingston, great for all of Royal Borough! Very exciting!"

Free schools were introduced by education secretary Michael Gove in 2010.

They are state-funded schools free of local authority control, given teachers educational and financial freedom to decide the curriculum, length of terms and what to spend money on.

But opponents fear the scheme will only attract bids from middle class areas, with a disproportionate number of priviledged children attending the free schools.

Speaking after the announcement, Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne said: “I am thrilled that KET’s proposals have been accepted and that we can finally get on and deliver an exciting new secondary school for our children in north Kingston.

"Previous council decisions to build a new school were thwarted by Government policy so this news is of huge relief to parents.”

But Christine Arnold, a governor at the North Kingston Centre, expressed concerns over what the new school would mean for adult education in the borough.

The centre is currently home to a variety of adult learning courses, including maths, English as a Second Language, teacher training, health and social care and computing.

It also holds courses for people with learning disabilities, and recreational activities such as arts and crafts, horticulture and photography.

Ms Arnold said: “The fear would be that they will try and farm various parts of it out to various sites which in the past has not proved to be that effective.

“They tend to fizzle out if you have a class here and a class there. You need a central place for it to be fully effective.

“The loss would be very great to the community if adult education should get smaller or fizzle out all together.”

Councillor David Ryder-Mills, lead member for schools and continuing education, said: "We're still working to find a suitable site, or sites.

"We're aware of the urgency. It's always been on our agenda and we really need to be on it in what remains of this term."

KET's bid was among 102 free school applications approved by Mr Gove today.

Another bid by charity Chapel Street for a two-from entry primary in Motspur Park was also approved by the Education Secretary. 

The "change agency" already runs a secondary school in Wigan, with another due to open in Oxford in September.

A third free school bid by GEMS Education for a primary in New Malden and Tolworth was turned down.