Headteachers are backing landmark plans to merge three Roman Catholic primary schools to form an academy.

Parents are being asked for their views on the ambitious project, which could see St Theresa’s, in Finchley, Sacred Heart, in Whetstone and St Catherine’s, in Barnet, become a single school.

The merger would be known as the Lumen Christi Academy and so far, teachers say they have had an “overwhelmingly positive” reaction to the idea.

A consultation was launched on November 3 and ends on November 28.

Eileen Quigley, the headteacher at St Catherine’s, which has 460 pupils, said: “It’s a fantastic chance for the three schools to work together to get the best possible results. When you share resources, you get the best value.

“We think it’s an exciting opportunity. It would enable the three schools to share specialist teachers and hold inter-school sporting activities.

“Parents have seen St Catherine’s go from strength to strength and that helps create a feeling of trust and support. If this project is successful, we’ll strive to continue offering that.

“I haven’t had any negative reaction to this. I did have one parent come to me with a few concerns, but these have since been addressed.”

Teachers also hope the new school will help strengthen their Roman Catholic ethos and links church communities. If successful, all three schools will leave local authority control and receive funding directly from the Department for Education.

It would also give them the freedom to teach a curriculum that meets the needs of their children.

All three schools were judged 'outstanding' in their most recent Ofsted reports.

If successful, the new academy would be Barnet’s first multi-academy trust. The schools would all stay on their current sites and their school uniforms would stay the same.

St Theresa's Primary School headteacher Maureen Kelly said: "This an interesting opportunity for the staff and 240 children at St Theresa's.

“If we do take the next step and make a formal application to the DfE we believe that our participation in the Lumen Christi Academy will enable us to provide each and every one of our children with even greater learning opportunities through the strengthening of our partnership with the two other schools."