JCoSS, the UK's first cross-communal Jewish secondary school has been officially opened by the undersecretary of state for children, Tim Loughton MP.

More than 200 people marked the opening of the voluntary-aided, co-educational school in Barnet, including former Schools Secretary Ed Balls, JCoSS president Gerald Ronson and headteacher Jeremy Stowe-Lindner.

Mr Loughton said: "I know it has been a long slog to get the first pupils through the doors. Looking around, those efforts were worth every twist, turn and setback."

The opening marks the end of almost a decade's work to create JCoss, which is only the second parent-promoted school in the country.

It has been operating since September with 148 Year Seven pupils, but will eventually teach more than 1,300.

JCoSS has specialist status in science and special provision in a unit for autistic children.