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The History of St Luke’s
St Luke’s CE School, and its short history, is unique! We opened in September 2011 as the first Church of England Free School in the country.
In 2010 there was a severe shortage of primary school places in the London Borough of Camden, where St Luke’s Church is located. In Spring 2010, the Department for Education set out how local groups could serve their communities by setting up new state-funded schools where there was a proven need. A local group from St Luke’s Church coordinated an application to convert the extensive church halls to set up a primary school.
On 9th September 2012, the school was officially opened by the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres. The official opening was marked by a service and reception attended by a large cross-section of the local community, including parents, pupils and churchgoers from St Luke’s. At the service, the Bishop of London said:
“St Luke’s CE School is an illustration of the historic purpose of Church of England schools to serve the whole community. Church members who have contributed hours of voluntary effort to set up the first free school in the Diocese, have done so in the knowledge that none of their own children will be eligible to attend because of the strict admissions criterion which is based solely on how far children live from the school. This excellent school is a contribution to provision in the borough of Camden which is currently over 150 places short for children of reception class age. I found my visit inspiring.”