Meet the woman who will run Kingston's first free school

Sophie Cavanagh has been named as the principal-to-be for the new north Kingston secondary school which is due to open in September next year.

She is currently deputy headteacher at Graveney School in Wandsworth but will take up her post from September 2014.

She said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the principal of this new local school.

“The opportunity to establish an outstanding school within the community in which I live, in the locality where I grew up and in the very building where I was educated is a privilege."

The free school which will be based in the North Kingston Centre will be run by Kingston Educational Trust (KET) which is a partnership between Kingston University, Kingston College and Kingston Council.

Peter Mayhew-Smith, trustee for KET and principal of Kingston College, said: "This is another crucial milestone in our progress towards opening an excellent school in North Kingston, on time and on budget.

"We’re delighted to have attracted such a talented and committed leader in Sophie to make the school a reality.

"Her track record is exemplary and she will make a great principal."

The name of the school is yet to be decided but the four shortlisted names are Kingston Academy, River Park, Hawker Academy Secondary School after aircraft pioneer Harry Hawker and The Cesar Picton Free School in honour of a coal merchant from Kingston who had a rags to riches story.