UJIA head of Jewish social responsibility Elaine Robinson will be the first Jewish education director at the cross-communal JCoSS secondary school opening in Barnet next year.

Raised in Liverpool, Ms Robinson, 37, attended the Orthodox Childwall congregation and was an active Bnei Akiva member. She previously taught at Immanuel College and still lectures at the London School of Jewish Studies, Limmud and the New North London Synagogue. The governors believe she will be “a bridge to every part of the community”.

Ms Robinson looks forward to working at a school where “all strands and traditions of Judaism are equally respected”.

She formally takes up the job in September but is already being involved in JCoSS planning.