Public land has been released to speed up the delivery of 11 new schools in London.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, made the announcement during a visit to a new free school, Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy in Enfield.

The Mayor is working with the Department for Education, the London Legacy Development Corporation and the capital's boroughs to ensure London can meet this challenge.

The new schools will be developed in former police stations, on Greater London Authority-owned land and in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The Mayor has facilitated the acquisition of the sites by providing advice and help, including on planning issues. They include seven primary schools, three teaching at secondary level and one all through school. Nine will be free schools, one a new University Technical College and one a new Academy. Seven sites are located in boroughs ranked in the top ten most deprived in England.

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Mr Johnson, said: "I am determined to use all the resources available to me to enable more schools to be built across the capital. Free schools are now firmly established as part of the mix for the provision of urgently needed places and we're making good progress, matching 11 under-used public sites with groups wanting to set up new schools. 7,300 more places have now been secured for young Londoners, the majority at free schools set up in response to local demand.

"This is all part of my goal to ensure London schoolchildren have the best possible education regardless of their background and that we are equipping youngsters in our growing city to compete at a global level."

(CD/MH)