Construction has begun on Noam Jewish Primary’s state-of-the art new premises, coinciding with its final preparations to enter the state system.

The Orthodox school — which has topped academic league tables of Jewish primaries in recent years — was started by parents of five children in 1999 in response to a squeeze on Jewish school places. Today there are 170 pupils. It has subsisted on parental donations while flitting between three synagogue locations over the past two decades. It is currently on the Wembley United Synagogue site.

But founder parent Jeremy Rees told the 300 guests at a fundraising dinner at the Montcalm Hotel in Marble Arch on Sunday that its long-held ambition of purpose-built accommodation to match “outstanding academic and Jewish education” was now in sight.

“Noam is poised to build a new home in Burnt Oak,” he said. “It has taken five years to get to this point, raising money to secure the building project — and it’s all been done by dedicated parents.”

Diners were shown an architect’s impression of the new school, a two-storey building with initial ground floor facilities including eight large classrooms, break-out rooms, a beis hamedrash and library, hall and offices. The intention is to expand to the second floor to meet anticipated demand. The school is expected to move into the building for 2020.

Governors’ chair Shelley Kelaty reported that the final application for state aid had been submitted. “We are working closely with Barnet Council and hope to achieve this status by January 2019. This will put Noam on a financially secure footing for the first time in its existence.”

Former Mossad head Efraim Halevy was guest speaker at the dinner, which raised £100,000 to help ensure the school’s financial stability until state funding kicks in.