Two new schools opening in the next academic year will share facilities after it was confirmed one of their buildings will not be ready by September.

Heron Hall Academy, run by Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust (CHAT), will share its new £40million Ponders End home, on the former Middlesex University’s Queensway Campus, with pupils from One Degree Academy, a new free school.

Although CHAT hope Heron Hall will eventually be home to 1,680 students, it will initially have only 240 students, leaving much of the building unused, while One Degree’s home in Bridport Road, Edmonton, will not be ready.

As a result, the Department for Education have requested Heron Hall use four spare classrooms to house 60 Reception pupils, aged four and five, from the other academy.

Phill Sowter, chairman of governors at Heron Hall Academy, said One Degree will pay rent for use of the classrooms, with the money being used to pay for a new AstroTurf pitch at Heron Hall.

He said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to extend the facilities available to Heron Hall’s students at their world-class new site, and at the same time raise further funds which can again be directly invested back into the Academy.

“We are very happy to help the pupils at One Degree, and we are also benefitting the wider community who will be able to use the new pitch.”

Aidan Sadgrove, founder of One Degree Academy, said they would work closely with parents to make sure their new pupils’ education would not be disrupted.

He said travel to the new school would not be too difficult, as Heron Hall is near Southbury Overground station, six minutes from Silver Street station, the nearest stop of Bridport Road.

He said: "Though co-located with Heron Hall Academy, One Degree Academy is a separate school and will have a separate space in Heron Hall’s building.

“Here, we will look forward to working tirelessly with parents and the local community to realise our vision, striving for excellence, step-by-step."