News that the creation of a new secondary school has been pushed back by a year has failed to allay fears a primary school is under threat if it is built next door.

Harris Federation, backed by Merton Council to open a new secondary school for the Wimbledon area, sent a letter to parents and supporters at the end of last month saying that the proposed new school would not now open until 2017, with building work continuing into the following year.

Wimbledon Times:

Harris Academy Merton will be expanded as part of the scheme

Dozens of places including churches, car parks and pubs across the borough have been analysed in depth and either rejected as possibilities to house new secondary schools or shortlisted.

From May: £130 million for huge school expansion programme

Three secondary schools - Harris Academies Merton and Morden, and St Marks Academy - will also be expanded and a new one built as part of a £130m building programme.

The Merton Adult Education site in Whatley Avenue, Raynes Park, site has been shortlisted as a potential location for the new school along with eight others - but a council report released in May said the site was too small.

Wimbledon Times:

This has sparked fears at the adjacent Joseph Hood Primary School, pictured above, that some or all of its land might be needed.

Posey Furnish, chairman of governors at Joseph Hood lambasted the council for a lack of information about what is going on.

Mrs Furnish said: "A stay of execution is still an execution whether they do it this year or rush it through next year."

She said it was dispiriting not to know what is going on and the governors and senior staff had to be realistic about the future.

"From a governor point of view we are absolutely thinking it is a real risk, as much as the council can keep saying no," she added.

When approached, Harris Federation, which runs the Harris Academies locally, would not confirm or deny the threat to Joseph Hood, instead directing the Wimbledon Guardian to the letter it sent to interested parties.

The letter from Chris Randall who is the director of new developments stated: "We have been starting planning and preparations to open but the main focus has been on finding a site and that has taken longer than expected to this point ... I cannot say much about them because they are commercially confidential but we are aware of the importance of good transport links, which is one of the key things for us."

Councillor Peter Walker said: "As the person responsible for giving the go-ahead to expand Joseph Hood at a cost to the public purse of £4.8m in 2011 I am very concerned at this threat to the school."

Education cabinet member councillor Martin Whelton said the council is absolutely committed to ensuring that none of the borough’s young people are left without a place at secondary school.

"We are expanding schools in Mitcham but we urgently need a new school in Wimbledon and Harris has proved it can deliver excellent education for our young people.

"The government’s Education and Funding Agency is responsible for finding a site for the new school and we are waiting to hear from them as to their preferred site for the school.

"No decisions will be made until this time but the council is clear that we will not allow any of our young people to miss out on an excellent education in the borough," he said.

Harris Federation is holding a public meeting about the new secondary school plans on Monday, July 13, at Merton Park Baptist Church in Bushey Road, from 6.30pm to 8pm.