Kent County Council says the approval for a new school is “good news” for families in the area.

Ebbsfleet Green Primary School will hold more than 400 pupils on the new Garden City Estate, when it opens in September next year.

A total of seven primary schools are scheduled to be built within the Ebbsfleet garden development over the coming years in order to meet the growing need for places in the Dartford area.

Following a consultation from KCC last year on the creation of the school, the local authority revealed it was pleased plans were set to go ahead.

KCC’s cabinet member for children, young people and education, Cllr Roger Gough (Con), said: “We are very pleased the sponsor for the new school has been announced and this is good news for families in the area.

“Ebbsfleet Green Primary School will be the second new primary school to open in Ebbsfleet Garden City after Cherry Orchard Primary Academy in 2017."

The council’s plan for education provision in Kent between 2019 and 2023 identifies the Dartford borough as having the greatest need for primary places during that period – a deficit of more than 1,200 if no further action is taken – a reflection of the fact it has the highest amount of expected new housing of any Kent district.

"The primary schools planned will contribute significantly to meeting this need. We very much look forward to working with the Trust on this exciting project and to welcoming the first cohort of pupils and staff into the school in 2020.”

KCC ran open competition for multi-academy trusts to bid to run the new school. Maritime Academy Trust was successful with its entry and Education Secretary Damian Hinds approved the council’s recommendation for the trust to run the school at the end of January.

The school will start as a one form of entry, which means it will only accept one 30-pupil class per year group, before growing to a two-entry school, as the number of pupils in the area increases.

It will also be able to accommodate for up to 15 people diagnosed with Autism and provide 26 nursery places.