Teachers and builders celebrated a milestone in the building of a new Swiss Cottage school, which is sponsored by one of the country’s top universities.

The University College London (UCL) Academy, in Adelaide Road, is already oversubscribed with children wanting to join the school in year seven.

This is despite work on the new building not being scheduled to finish for several more months.

A topping out ceremony was held yesterday (Monday, January 16) as construction work that has seen the imposing new building takes shape on the skyline moves into the final stages.

UCL president and provost Professor Malcolm Grant said: “We discussed the unique possibility that a university should sponsor an academy.

“We didn’t think it was right for universities to sit back and criticise the quality of state education in this country without doing something positive and raising the aspirations of kids.

“We want kids to aspire no matter what their background or where they come from. That is the right of children in this country.”

The school will have a close relationship with the university in Gower Street, sharing expertise and organising lectures from visiting professors.

The school will specialise in maths and science, but all pupils taking A-levels will be required to pick one arts or humanities subject to help create a balanced portfolio.

It will open this September.