Barnet Hill Academy to become state-funded faith school in September 2026

Barnet Council will take responsibility for Barnet Hill Academy, an Islamic faith school in West Hendon, from September 2026. The school will change from a fee-paying independent institution to a voluntary-aided school, removing costs for parents and expanding access to state-funded faith-based education for the borough’s Muslim community.

John Anthony, Barnet Council’s executive director of children’s services, signed off the decision last week. The move follows a statutory four-week representation period that ran from 8 May to 5 June 2025, during which all respondents expressed support for the proposal, as reported by the Barnet Post.

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Why the change matters for Barnet’s Muslim families

Barnet has 47,700 Muslim residents, accounting for just over 12% of the borough’s population, according to the 2021 Census. Until now, the borough’s state-funded faith schools have included Church of England, Roman Catholic and Jewish institutions, but no Islamic schools. Barnet Council stated that this left Muslim families without the same opportunities to access education aligned with their religious beliefs.

Barnet Hill Academy has operated as an independent school in Montagu Road for 20 years. The council said that its fee-paying model limited access to families who could afford the costs, restricting provision for most of the borough’s Muslim community. The school currently serves children aged four to eleven, alongside a nursery, and these arrangements will remain unchanged under the new status.

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Financial safeguards and future plans

The council has requested a deed of indemnity from Barnet Hill Academy to cover any liabilities that arose before 1 September 2026. Audited financial statements for the past three years, as reported by the Barnet Post, showed that the school had struggled to balance its books, with income not consistently meeting expenditure.

As a voluntary-aided school, Barnet Hill Academy will receive funding from Barnet Council, the Department for Education and its governing body. The council described the school’s pupil number forecasts as ambitious, projecting an increase from current levels to around 400 by the early 2030s. This growth is expected to follow the removal of fees and the school’s integration into the local authority’s provision.

Barnet Council said the change would help reflect the borough’s demographic profile and respond to demand from residents for education that aligns with the community’s religious, cultural and ethnic diversity. The council also stated that the move would support inclusive access to education and promote equality of opportunity.

What happens next

Barnet Hill Academy will formally transition to voluntary-aided status on 1 September 2026. The school’s age range, capacity and nursery provision will remain unchanged. The council has not announced any further public consultation or formal steps before the transition takes effect.