A headteacher has vowed to instill pupils with a “great zest and love for learning” at a new primary school.

Millbrook Park, in Frith Lane, Mill Hill, will open just a stone's-throw away from its sister school, the heavily oversubscribed St Paul’s Church of England School, in The Ridgeway, in September.

Anthony Davids has been the headmaster at St Paul’s for three years, and he has accepted the opportunity to lead both schools.

The 42-year-old said: “We run a very successful school at St Paul’s and our results are significantly above average - but there’s a lot more to running a school than just good grades.

“I am determined to see the children will have a great zest and love for learning and to encourage a sense of curiosity amongst all our learners.

“I’ve got very strong ambitions for the future of the new school, as well as the current one, and I am looking forward to putting them into practice.”

Millbrook Park will take pupils from three to 11-years-old, and when it is full in 2020 it will have a total of 630 children.

Mr Davids hopes have a good relationship with the school’s “pioneer” parents who will be heavily involved in their children’s learning.

St Paul’s is an accredited rights respecting school, meaning children are actively engaged in their learning, and he hopes to bring these values over to the new school.

The former head of a children’s centre in Highgate, he believes he has the right skills to ensure pupils leave the school academically and socially ready for secondary school.

He added: “We feel we’ve got the right teaching standards in place to make them happen. We want to take them into their adult life to make their mark on the world.

“We want to teach them about the dignity they can afford to one another, and demand back. It’ll be a cutting edge environment that meets their needs.”

As the new school opens, the 180-year-old St Paul’s could be also refurbished to meet with growing demand for school places.

Mr Davids added: “It’s going to be a big school; but we’ll make sure every child feels as though they matter."

The school is now open for applications for pupils starting school in reception this September.

Parents who have already applied can change their preference for a place at this school, by emailing school.admissions@barnet.gov.uk by February 12.