Լոնտոնի Հայկական Վարժարան
The Armenian School of London
A weekday, not a weekend.
Our plan for a full-time school in Ealing where children aged 3 to 11 learn Western Armenian every day, alongside the full English National Curriculum — opening September 2031. Here is the whole plan, in ten short chapters.
Concept visualisation · planning stage — no school, building or place exists yet
- Sept 2031
- Planned opening, Nursery to Year 2
- 222
- Pupils when full, Nursery to Year 6
- £13.5m
- To raise before opening
- £4,500 + VAT
- School fee per term; nursery from £600
- Ealing W5
- Creffield Road, by Ealing Common
Start here — I am…
What it could mean for your family
- A full English National Curriculum education, plus Western Armenian every day, in Ealing from age 3.
- Nursery from £600 a term (mornings) or £1,150 (full day); school £4,500 + VAT a term, with bursaries.
- Founding pupils start in September 2031: children born September 2024 to August 2028.
What we’d ask
- 1.Join the founding register with your children's birth month and year.
- 2.Tell other Armenian families.
- 3.Consider becoming a parent ambassador in your area or parish.
Read next
Chapter 1 of 10
The idea: Armenian, every school day
In short:A full-time school where Armenian is part of every school day — not something squeezed into a Saturday morning.
Key points
- 1The full English National Curriculum, inspected by Ofsted once registered.
- 2Nine lessons a week of Armenian language, history and culture, and religious education.
- 3Small classes of up to 26, a 40-place nursery, and a school day of 8:30–15:45.
| Day | Lessons in order |
|---|---|
| Monday |
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| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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The English National Curriculum, in full
Phonics, reading, writing and mastery maths; science, history, geography, computing, art, music and PE. Standard Key Stage 1 and 2 assessments. Children leave Year 6 ready for any London secondary school.
The Armenian programme
Five lessons a week of Western Armenian (with support for Eastern Armenian speakers), from the Mesrobian alphabet in Reception to fluent reading and writing by Year 6. Two of history and culture, two of religious education, and music and dance through the year.
Reception
Ա Բ Գ above the phonics wall
Two alphabets, learned side by side from the first term of school.
Concept visualisation
Chapter 2 of 10
Your child's place
In short:We open in September 2031 with Nursery to Year 2 and add a year group every September until Year 6 in 2035.
Key points
- 1Children born September 2024 to August 2028 could be founding pupils.
- 2About 82 children on opening day; 222 when the school is full.
- 3Children in Year 3 or above in 2031 would be too old: each new year group opens as the eldest class moves up.
We only use this here, in your browser, to work out the school year. Nothing is sent.
Enter a date to see which class your child would join when the school opens in September 2031.
| Born | Year group |
|---|---|
| Sep 2027 – Aug 2028 | Nursery |
| Sep 2026 – Aug 2027 | Reception |
| Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 | Year 1 |
| Sep 2024 – Aug 2025 | Year 2 |
Watch the school grow
Drag through the years to see each class open and fill.
2031/32
- Pupils
- 82
- Classes + nursery
- 3 + 2
- Staff (FTE)
- 16.6
Base-case plan: 82 children on opening day, one new year group each September, classes of up to 26 (dashed line) and a 40-place nursery. Planning figures, not admissions.
Chapter 3 of 10
The building
In short:A new, purpose-built school of about 20,000 sq ft on roughly 1.25 acres by Ealing Common, built in two phases.
Key points
- 1Phase 1 (1,478 m²): classrooms, nursery, gymnasium, cafeteria, library and playground — ready for opening day.
- 2Phase 2 (380 m²): an auditorium around 2034/35, funded separately.
- 3Not yet secured: the land needs planning permission for a school.
A school on a leafy Ealing street
A purpose-built school of about 20,000 sq ft on roughly 1.25 acres off Creffield Road, five minutes' walk from Ealing Common station. A managed drop-off and a walking route from the station are part of the planning approach.
Where things stand with the site
The land to the rear of 5 Creffield Road, Ealing W5, is for sale at £5.25m with permission for seven houses. A school needs new planning permission. We will seek Ealing Council’s advice first, make any offer conditional on consent, and prepare a travel plan for drop-off. If the site does not work, the plan carries over to another West London site.
Chapter 4 of 10
The plan, step by step
In short:Five years from founding register to first school day — and we will be open about what is settled and what is not.
Key points
- 1Now: the founding register and the founding team.
- 22027–28: charity registration, the land and planning consent.
- 32029–31: building, registration and recruitment.
- October 2026DoneBusiness plan, financial model, building brief and a costed site option prepared
- October 2026NowFounding register opens
- 2026–27PlannedFounding committee formalised; charity (CIO) registration
- 2027Not yet securedOffer on Creffield Road, subject to planning; mortgage terms; capital campaign of about £13.5m
- 2028Not yet securedPlanning consent for a school; land purchase completes; architect appointed
- 2029–31PlannedDesign, tender and an 18-month build of the first phase
- 2030–31PlannedRegistration with the Department for Education and Ofsted; head teacher appointed
- September 2031PlannedOpening day: Nursery to Year 2
- 2032–2035PlannedYears 3 to 6 added, one a year; auditorium built around 2034/35
Chapters 5 and 6
What it takes to build it — and keep it running
Every figure that follows comes from our financial model. Nothing is committed yet: this is the plan we are asking the community to back.
Concept visualisation
Chapter 5 of 10
What it costs to build
In short:About £13.5m before opening — to secure the land, build Phase 1 and carry the school through its first years.
Key points
- 1£2.36m secures the land; a mortgage covers the rest of the £5.25m price.
- 2About £9.2m builds Phase 1, including inflation, contingency and VAT.
- 3The auditorium follows later, with a separate campaign of about £2.8m.
To raise before opening
£13.5m
- First year in surplus
- 2033/34
- Surplus in Year 5
- £493k
- Auditorium later
- £2.8m
Each option is the full financial model recalculated. A mortgage lowers the first raise and lets us secure the site sooner; buying outright needs more money up front but reaches surplus a year earlier. Surplus is after recurring support and any mortgage interest.
Where £13.5m goes
Our plan, before the first child arrives: a deposit on the land, the first phase of the building, and enough to carry the school through its first years.
Securing the land £2.36m
- Land deposit (40%)£2,100,000
- Legal, surveys & planning£260,000
Building Phase 1 £9.20m
- Construction£5,466,628
- External works & playground£900,000
- Professional fees£763,995
- Construction inflation£954,994
- Contingency£713,062
- Irrecoverable VAT on build£404,281
Opening and early years £1.97m
- Furniture, IT & pre-opening£580,000
- Mortgage interest before opening£661,500
- Early-year deficits£384,520
- Working-capital reserve£348,570
Securing the land early
The land is offered at £5.25m. A 40% deposit and a mortgage for the rest let us commit to the site years before the full campaign is raised.
- Cash to complete the purchase
- £2,360,000
- Mortgage (60%)
- £3,150,000
- Interest before opening
- £18,375 a month
- Repayments once open
- £22,525 a month
Assumes 7% over 25 years, interest-only for 3 years before opening. Terms to be quoted by charity lenders.
Where the money could come from
Indicative only — no funding is committed yet.
- Founding benefactors and families£4.5m
- Armenian institutions and government programmes£6.2m
- Community campaign (with Gift Aid)£1.9m
- UK trusts and foundations£0.9m
Plus recurring support of £450k a year once open:
- Armenian institutions and government programmes£150k
- UK Armenian organisations and foundations£150k
- Friends of the school annual fund (with Gift Aid)£150k
Chapter 6 of 10
Our projections
In short:Planned losses in the first two years, a surplus from 2033/34, and fees covering running costs on their own from 2034/35.
Key points
- 1The early losses are already included in the money we raise before opening.
- 2Recurring support of £450k a year carries the early years, then funds bursaries.
- 3We show what happens if enrolment, support or costs are worse — or better — than planned.
Each bar is one school year: income minus all running costs. Switch views to see the school with and without recurring support.
What the projection says, year by year
2031/32–33
1. Building up
The school opens with 82 children and grows to 116. Costs run ahead of income — a planned gap of £281k over two years, already included in the £13.5m we raise before opening.
2033/34
2. First surplus
With 144 pupils, income passes costs for the first time, after recurring support and mortgage interest: £145k.
2034/35
3. Fees cover running costs
Fees and government nursery funding alone exceed running costs (£49k). From here, recurring support funds bursaries, mortgage repayments and reserves rather than day-to-day costs.
2039/40
4. A full school
222 pupils from Nursery to Year 6, about 25.2 staff, and a projected surplus of £868k a year to reinvest in bursaries, the building and the school's future.
What the numbers assume
- Enrolment82 at opening, 198 by Year 5, 222 when full
- Fees£4,500 + VAT a term, rising 3% a year
- Bursaries15% of fee income
- NurseryGovernment-funded hours at the Ealing rate, plus parent fees
- Recurring support£450k a year from Armenian institutions, organisations and an annual fund
- Staff payOuter London teacher pay scales, rising 3% a year; 8% pension
- Mortgage£3.15m at 7% over 25 years
What if things go differently?
Each line is the whole financial model recalculated with one change.
| If… | First surplus | Raise before opening |
|---|---|---|
| Our plan | 2033/34 | £13.5m |
| Slower enrolmentAbout 62 children at opening instead of 82 | 2034/35 | £14.0m |
| Stronger enrolmentAbout 100 children at opening | 2032/33 | £13.3m |
| Less recurring support£250k a year instead of £450k | 2034/35 | £14.0m |
| No recurring support at allFees and nursery funding only | 2035/36 | £15.0m |
| Higher building costs£4,300 per m² instead of £3,800 | 2033/34 | £14.9m |
| Land bought for less£4.5m instead of the £5.25m asking price | 2032/33 | £13.1m |
| Higher mortgage rate8% instead of 7% | 2033/34 | £13.7m |
| Joining the Teachers' Pension Scheme28.7% employer contributions instead of 8% | 2034/35 | £14.1m |
Chapter 7 of 10
What families would pay
In short:£4,500 + VAT a term for school, and £600–£1,150 a term for nursery — with bursaries built in.
Key points
- 115% of fee income goes to means-tested bursaries.
- 210% off for brothers and sisters.
- 3Funded nursery hours are free; packed lunches mean no catering charges.
You would pay
£5,400
a term, including VAT
- A year (3 terms)
- £16,200
- Spread over 12 months
- £1,350
- Of which VAT, per term
- £900
- Sibling discount, per term
- —
- Child 1 · Reception to Year 6£5,400
Planned 2031/32 fees, expected to rise about 3% a year. Means-tested bursaries — 15% of fee income — could reduce this. Optional clubs are extra; there are no catering charges.
- VAT has applied to independent school fees since January 2025; nursery fees are exempt.
- Breakfast and after-school clubs (7:30–18:00) are optional and charged separately.
- Fees are planned for 2031/32 and expected to rise about 3% a year.
- Bursaries are means-tested and prioritise families on low incomes and recent arrivals.
Chapter 8 of 10
How you can help
In short:We need people as much as money: teachers, lawyers, planners, builders, accountants, translators, organisers and ambassadors.
Key points
- 1Pick an area below and press “I can help with this”.
- 2Help can be an hour a month or a seat on the founding committee.
- 3Organisations and benefactors: see the end of this chapter.
01 · 2–4 hours a week
Founding committee & trustees
People with experience of running charities, schools or community organisations to help form the board.
02 · Occasional meetings
Teachers & early-years practitioners
Help shape the curriculum, the Armenian programme, the timetable and early-years practice. Armenian speakers especially welcome.
03 · Project-based
Charity, education & equality law
Charity registration, admissions policy, safeguarding policy and the land purchase.
04 · Project-based
Planning, architecture & construction
Site appraisal, the planning application for Creffield Road, design brief and cost checks.
05 · A few hours a month
Finance, audit & funding bids
Review the financial model, set up controls, and write bids to trusts and foundations.
06 · Flexible
Fundraising & events
Plan the founding campaign, donor meetings, galas and community events.
07 · Flexible
Design, photography, video & social media
Tell the story well — in English and Armenian — across social media, print and events.
08 · Occasional
Armenian language & translation
Check and translate our materials into Western Armenian, and advise on the language programme.
09 · Flexible
Parent ambassadors & community outreach
Talk to families in your parish, Saturday school or neighbourhood and grow the founding register.
10 · A few hours a month
Website, data & IT
Keep the website, register and email running securely, and plan the school's systems.
Community organisations
- Host an information evening for your members or congregation.
- Share the founding register in your newsletters and groups.
- Lend a room for meetings, or introduce us to people with the skills above.
- Talk to us about future partnerships — cultural programmes, events, shared facilities.
We are not asking for endorsements at this stage — conversations first.
Benefactors, donors and lenders
- Founding gifts towards the £13.5m — the first £2.36m secures the land.
- Multi-year pledges that fund bursaries and the early years.
- Naming opportunities for the building, rooms, bursaries and the auditorium.
- Charity lenders and social investors for the £3.15m land mortgage.
The school will be a registered charity: gifts carry no financial return, and Gift Aid can add 25% to UK taxpayers’ donations.
Chapter 9
Every name on the register makes it more likely
Funders, Ealing's planners and lenders will all ask the same question: how many families and supporters want this school? Your name is the answer.
Join the founding registerConcept visualisation
Chapter 9 of 10
Join us
In short:Join the founding register — free, with no commitment, and the single most useful thing you can do today.
Key points
- 1Parents: tell us your children's birth month and year.
- 2Volunteers: tick the areas you could help with.
- 3Benefactors, professionals and organisations: we'll email you the full plan.
Chapter 10 of 10
Questions
In short:The questions families, supporters and volunteers ask us most.
Who would be able to apply?
The school is planned for the Armenian community of the United Kingdom: children from homes where Armenian is spoken, children with at least one Armenian-speaking parent, and children of Armenian heritage. Mixed-heritage families are very welcome. The final admissions policy will be set with legal advice before registration.
We speak Eastern Armenian at home. Would that work?
Yes. Teaching will be in Western Armenian, with support for children who speak Eastern Armenian, so every child can read, write and speak with confidence.
Is it a religious school?
Religious education will be taught in the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with Armenian Catholic and Evangelical families welcome, and respectful participation for children of other faiths or none. Feast days are celebrated together.
Is this run by a church, AGBU or the Armenian government?
No. It is an independent community initiative. We hope Armenian organisations, churches and the Republic of Armenia will support it, but none has made a commitment yet — and we will say so clearly when they do.
Does joining the register reserve a place?
No. It is free and carries no obligation. It shows funders and planners how many families want the school, and it tells us how many places each year group will need. Admissions will open closer to the time.
How do nursery mornings and full days work?
Mornings run 8:30 to 12:00 and full days 8:30 to 15:30, five days a week. The 15 or 30 hours of government-funded early education your child is entitled to are free; the term fee — £600 for mornings or £1,150 for full days — covers the additional hours, materials and enrichment. Nursery fees carry no VAT.
What about children with special educational needs?
A qualified special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) will be in post from opening. We will welcome children whose needs can be met in a mainstream setting, and talk openly with families about what we can provide.
Can I help if I don't live in London or don't have children?
Yes. Many of the skills we need — law, finance, design, translation, bid-writing — can be offered from anywhere, and you do not need to be a parent to be part of the founding team.
Are you collecting donations through this website?
No. We are building the founding register and the founding team first. When the school's charity is registered, gifts will be received, held and reported under charity law, and we will explain clearly how they are protected if plans change.
What happens if the Creffield Road site doesn't work out?
We would look at other sites in West London. The plan, the people and the founding register all carry over — the register is what makes any site possible.