A £28m faith school for Battersea is set to open two years ahead of schedule, so that a strong Catholic ethos and admissions policy can be installed as soon as possible.

The new state-of-the-art buildings, amalgamating John Paul II in Southfields and Salesian College in Battersea, will be completed by 2012.

But from 2010 Salesian will no longer take in any more pupils and John Paul II will start giving priority to baptised Catholic pupils, to reasssure prospective parents. They were concerned over the mixed community of pupils the new school would inherit.

John Paul II has 50 per cent non-Catholic pupils.

Wandsworth Council's executive member for children's services, Kathy Tracey said: "During the consultation last year, a lot of parents said this doesn't sound like a new school at all. Some were saying can't you just shut down both schools altogether and start fresh with a new one, but of course we can't do that.

"This is a compromise. We are determined to show parents we are starting with a new beginning."

Coun Tracey admitted the new revised proposals would be "complicated", with one headteacher effectively overseeing the two old schools as well as the new one.

The school will have a sixth form, special needs base for pupils with autism and communication technology labs so pupils could specialise in business studies and modern language.

Coun Tracey said it was vital that building work caused minimal disruption to the pupils' learning, and people living near the school would be consulted on the planning proposals.

The deadline for your responses to these plans is March 20. You can download the document at wandsworth.gov.uk/bsf