An application is to be put forward for a new free school in a deprived area of Portland.

Plans for a new free primary school in Underhill are being put together by a group of educationalists, business managers and community representatives and they hope to submit an application for the school as soon as the Department of Education’s next window for applications opens.

The group has decided to go forward with the plans after the survey they conducted to gauge demand for the new school, from Underhill parents with children aged zero to nine, received 120 responses in its first week.

Councillor Lucy Grieve, who is liaising with the group intending to submit the application, said: “I think to get 120 responses in the first week is a strong response and the group it was a sufficiently strong response to proceed.”

She added that there may be more parents of young children who may not yet be aware that, from September 2017, there will be no primary provision for children in years one to six in the Underhill area.

This is partly due to the fact that the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) has decided to transfer its pupils from years one to four from its Osprey Quay campus in Underhill to its Maritime House campus on the other side of the island from that time.

Cllr Grieve said: “Underhill has a large population of children of primary age and coming up to primary age and they need a Portland school in their own locality and their own community. I think this is an acute need because of the levels of deprivation in Underhill.”

She added that the application has support from councillors at the town, borough and county level.

Councillor Kate Wheller, who represents Portland Harbour on Dorset County Council, said the plans had her conditional support.

She said: “I’m waiting to see all of the plans, but in principle, yes, because IPACA have let the children of Underhill down. There should be local provision for the children of Underhill.”

The new school will be called Portland Primary School and will follow the National Curriculum and Dorset County Council term dates.

All teachers will have qualified teacher status and it will initially be a one class per year school.

Cllr Grieve said that normally new schools start with just one or two years and then add more - and this might be the route the new school will take.

According to a statement from the group, the school will “recognise that every child is an individual and aim to foster a love of learning, helping children to develop into confident individuals, successful learners and responsible citizens.”

Additionally, a person with experience of primary education has been chosen to lead the school – though Cllr Grieve declined to identify them at this time.

It is not yet known when the next window of applications for free schools from the Department of Education will be.

The earliest the school will be ready to open its doors to its first batch of pupils will be September 2019.