The Government has finally stumped up the cash to renovate the north Kingston centre into a secondary school in time for September 2015, it was announced today.

The amount of money from the Education Funding Agency (EFA) for construction and refurbishment has not been revealed.

The Kingston Educational has previously told parents the project would require in excess of £10m.

Graham Willett, of Education Kingston - the consortium of Kingston Council, Kingston College and Kingston University which will run the free school - said: "We are delighted the EFA are supporting our school with an amount of money that will ensure an outstanding physical environment for teaching and learning."

The funding for the school has been hanging in the balance since the coalition Government took over and  education secretary Michael Gove scrapped the Building Schools for the Future programme which would have provided money.

Timeline: 

November 2007 - Council leader Derek Osbourne defies parental pressure for new school saying case not yet proven

December 2008 - Council says 'balance has tipped' and new secondary school is needed

July 2009 - Council announces plans for secondary school split between North Kingston centre and Hawker Centre

July 2009 - Residents boo and jeer plans for 'superschool' in north Kingston centre

June 2010 - Residents given six weeks to shape plan for school 

January 2011 - Church of England loses its bid to open free secondary school in favour of council-led school

October 2011 - Desperate council considers PFI funding for school

April 2012 - Kingston school hit by funding delay

May 2013 - KET free school bid approved for school for 180 children to open in September 2014 

July 2013 - Delays to school opening announced as opening set back to September 2015