The founder of the new Kneller Hall School in south west London has spoken about his personal connection to the area and his hopes for the historic site ahead of its opening.

Aatif Hassan, founder and chairman of Dukes Education, grew up in the Whitton and Twickenham area and has a particularly strong connection to Kneller Hall.

His mother and her family grew up on Whitton Road, directly behind the historic building, while Hassan himself attended what is now Radnor House School, which will become the school's prep school.

Kneller Hall School is due to open next year, with a modern teaching block with state-of-the-art facilities and renovated listed buildings to bring them back to their former glory.

Speaking to Twickenham Nub News, Hassan said the project was particularly personal because of his childhood in the area.

Hassan said: "I grew up in the area, so there are so many memories across the entire London Borough of Richmond.

"Everything from hanging out on Richmond Riverside, to the cinema, to playing football, tennis and cricket in Marble Hill Park, to playing pool in the Crown pub."

Hassan explained his mother's connection to Kneller Hall was particularly significant, having grown up on Whitton Road before her death when he was young.

"So it's a really personal story for me," he said. "Having that connection with the place and with that house is very personal and very pertinent, and I remember it deeply."

From military music school to education

Kneller Hall has a long history, having previously been home to the Royal Military School of Music.

Hassan said the site's history would form an important part of the new school, particularly through music, art and drama.

The building itself is Grade I and Grade II listed and dates back to the 18th century.

"It's an extraordinary Grade I and Grade II listed 18th century building which is magnificent from the moment you enter," Hassan admitted.

"The staircases, the stained glass windows, the size of the doors. It has tradition all over it."

He said the school would embrace the history of the site while also creating a modern learning environment.

"We'll embrace all of that tradition and history when we talk about music, art and drama," he added.

"But equally, it's a new school. We'll take the best of Radnor House, now called Kneller Hall School, but we have the opportunity to enhance the learning environment whilst building on the success of an existing school with superb outcomes and value add but which has outgrown its current location on Twickenham riverside."

The site covers around 30 acres, which the founder said would provide pupils with opportunities for ecology, biology, sport and outdoor learning.

Alongside the historic buildings, the school will have modern classrooms, laboratories and learning spaces.

"I'm excited that it's not the building driving the curriculum," Hassan said.

"It's the curriculum the team have come up with, which takes world class research and innovation and puts it into a single place for young people to learn and thrive."

'Five years too long'

The development has not been without challenges, with Hassan describing the construction and planning process as frustrating.

He said the project had taken five years to get to the point of opening.

"The frustrating piece has been the construction, the planning, and the battles to get this up and running," he said.

"But I'm excited. We're there. It's going to open, and we're going to have many, many excited children running through the doors very soon."

Hassan also spoke about his own experiences at school, including living with dyslexia and ADHD, and said he hoped the new school could provide young people with opportunities similar to those he received from teachers who supported him.

"I'm excited that this building will inspire up to a thousand, maybe more, students every year to have the same opportunities I did," he continued.

"Great teaching, great values, and an incredible setting."

Plans for the wider community

The former Whitton resident said he wanted Kneller Hall to become more than a school, with the site playing a role in the wider Whitton and Twickenham community.

He said local charity groups, the Army, former members and band members of Kneller Hall, politicians, councillors and local schools had supported the project.

"We really believe that for young people, we don't just want them to have world class academics and the skills and confidence to be ready for the world," he said.

"We want them to grow up and leave so that they contribute to the community."

Plans include making parts of the site available for community use, including sports facilities in the evenings, at weekends and during school holidays.

Hassan also said he hoped the site's bandstand would continue to be used and would be preserved.

He expects the Army to return with its bands for productions and Remembrance Day events.

"I really think it's an exciting project," he added.

"Not only for Dukes and for Kneller Hall, and for the thousand odd children who will attend and the 200 staff who will be employed there, but for the whole of the community."

'Young people running through the gates'

Asked what he was most looking forward to once the school opens, Hassan said it was seeing pupils arrive at the site.

Hassan said: "For me, the entire project, from founding the organisation to what drives us every day, is about ensuring young people are empowered to lead an extraordinary life.

"So the simple answer is the young people running through the gates and having the opportunity to enjoy the space, enjoy the facilities, engage with their teachers, and have so much fun at school that they feel inspired to go off and do something equally incredible."

Hassan also hopes the school will become an important part of the identity of the area.

"I think it's an iconic building, but it's also something, alongside Twickenham Stadium, that has been able to put the area itself on the map," he continued.

"I hope it's a brand where young people are seen to be growing and contributing to society, and I hope that Whitton, Twickenham and the entire borough become proud of the school within it."

He added: "I'm excited for everyone that this project has finally come to life."

To learn more about Kneller Hall School visit its website here.

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