The Institute in East Finchley handed lifeline by Bishop Douglass School

A popular adult education college in financial difficulty will move into a nearby secondary school as part of plans to secure its future.

The Institute has announced a partnership with Bishop Douglass School, that will see the adult education college split its operations between the school and its current base, in Beaumont Close, off The Bishops Avenue, East Finchley.

From September, Bishop Douglass school, in Hamilton Road, East Finchley, will give up a number of classrooms in its art block for The Institute’s daytime and evening classes.

The Institute will also continue to use ground floor art rooms at its Beaumont Close site, which it recently agreed to sell to Archer Academy – a new free school set to open in September.

The deal will enable The Institute to pay off its debts, which run into millions of pounds.

Greville Waterman, chairman of The Institute, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be able to ensure the survival of The Institute through this partnership with a successful school like Bishop Douglass, which is situated so close to our current home and totally shares our ethos and objectives.”

Angela Murphy, the headteacher of Bishop Douglass, said: “As a highly respected college of adult education, The Institute will complement and enhance Bishop Douglass’s vision of providing education for the entire community of learners on its site.”