Mosaic Primary, South London’s only Jewish school, has appointed acting headteacher Nerrissa Bear as permanent head.

Announcing the decision, governors’ chair David Kelin said: “Miss Bear is highly enthusiastic and has proved herself an able and effective leader during this past year as acting headteacher.

“She understands Mosaic’s ethos of inclusiveness and excellence and we are looking forward to working with such a capable and respected educator.”

Miss Bear joined the Roehampton-based free school as assistant head in 2014.

Under her acting headship, Mosaic has seen the biggest increase in applications for reception places across all schools in Wandsworth, resulting in a full reception class and a waiting list for this September. During the 2017-18 academic year, she has overseen the creation and launch of the school’s art, design and technology room and the new learning resources area.

Miss Bear said that having been involved in Mosaic almost from the outset, “I am very excited to lead this extraordinary school into the next phase of its development as we increase our student numbers, recruit more passionate teachers and continue to provide the level of excellence necessary to preserve our ‘outstanding’ Ofsted accreditation”.

Opened in 2013, Mosaic is a two-form entry school with half of pupils coming from across the Jewish community and half from local families of all faiths and none.