A training centre is hoping to continue to expand after being given independent school status.

The Focus Training Centre, based in Bowes Road, Southgate, was officially given independent status by Ofsted and the centre is now hoping offer more people a chance to join its courses.

The centre offers vocational courses to people ages between 14 and 16 and aims to give its pupils experiences and qualifications that allow them to compete in the labour market. 

Headteacher Marino Savva, who set up the centre in 2000, is hoping to give even more options to pupils.

She said: “We are delighted with the latest news and we are going to be offering more subjects to pupils that come to us such as maths, English, ICT, PE and science, among many other things.

“We aim at people who are more vocationally led and we give them the skills and experience in real world work.”

The centre can hold 25 pupils at any one time, but its pupils are mostly gaining work experience.

It is hoping to bring in more pupils with its new curriculum and will take pupils who are selected by their own schools as needing a more vocational education and who will remain with the centre until they are 16.

Asked why she started the centre, Ms Savva said: “I wanted to have my very own school which could give people more options and help students into employment.

“We still have places left this year and we would love to in a few years, have at least double what we take on now.”