A CHRISTIAN free school could finally move into a permanent site four years after first opening.

King’s School could get a permanent home in Brighton and Hove after plans for the secondary to move in with West Blatchington Primary School were revealed.

Under the proposals the 3.8 hectare school site in Hangleton Way would be developed for the secondary school with the primary receiving a brand new building.

The project will be funded by the Education Funding Agency and it is hoped the school will be completed in time for September 2017.

The Department for Education (DfE) agency, the boards of King’s and West Blatchington Primary schools, free school promoter Russell Education Trust and Brighton and Hove City Council have all been in discussions about a 125-year lease at a peppercorn rent which could be agreed by councillors next week.

The agreement would mirror a similar deal struck between the council and the Bilingual Primary School which hopes to move into its Hove Park site next spring.

An ecumenical Christian school which takes in up to 150 students per year group, the King’s School opened in September 2013 and is currently based at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy’s former sixth form in Portslade High Street.

A recently published Ofsted report, the school’s first, rated it good with outstanding leadership and pupil behaviour.

Council officers said the existing King’s School site is not large enough for the school once it is full and is not well located for its partner Church of England primary schools in Hove.

A previous attempt in 2013 to develop a new King’s School site on the playing fields of Cardinal Newman and BHASVIC was

withdrawn after it was met by vociferous public opposition.

Council officers have said the newly identified site is large for a primary school of this size.

The report adds that extensive site searches by the EFA and the council have not identified a suitable alternative permanent site in the city.

An initial sounding out of parents has revealed some reservations but support from the majority.

A DfE spokeswoman said: “We are currently working to secure a permanent site for King’s School.

“As with all free schools, we consider a range of factors when deciding on a site, including considering the best outcomes for pupils and value for the tax payer.”