Parents at elite state school dubbed ‘socialist Eton’ threaten legal action over plans to join multi-academy trust after Ofsted issued termination notice amid reports of a culture of ‘fear, favouritism and inequality’
- Holland Park School, west London, given termination warning notice last month
- It came after its Ofsted rating dropped from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’
- The Ofsted inspection followed a report into historical allegations at the school
- Government said the way forward was via a trust if improvements were made
- But parents have penned a letter and are seeking a judicial review of decision
Parents at an elite state school dubbed the ‘socialist Eton’ have threatened legal action over plans to join a multi-academy trust after Ofsted issued it with a termination notice amid reports of a culture of ‘fear, favouritism and inequality’.
Holland Park School in Kensington, west London, was issued a termination warning notice last month after its Ofsted rating dropped from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’.
It came after a report into historical allegations, commissioned by the school’s governors, uncovered safeguarding breaches and ‘exploitation within teacher-student relationships’.
It also found ‘very little support’ was provided to students after traumatic events such as the Grenfell tragedy, and that ‘public humiliation’ or shouting was used as a behaviour policy.
The Department for Education subsequently said the school would not close imminently and the way forward was via a trust if improvements were made.
The government named United Learning Trust as its preferred academy to run the school due to its ‘proven track record of school improvement’.
But parents at the school have now sent a letter to academies minister Baroness Barran arguing that the government is trying to force the school into a multi-academy trust ‘without the proper involvement of the wider school community’, The Times reports.
Holland Park School (pictured) – an elite state school nicknamed the ‘socialist Eton’ – was issued a termination warning notice after its Ofsted rating was cut from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’
An investigation into Holland Park School in Kensington, west London, found safeguarding breaches and ‘exploitation within teacher-student relationships’
Termination warning notices are sent to academies by regional schools commissioners to outline why they are disappointed in its performance.
The official funding agreement states: ‘The Secretary of State may terminate the funding agreement if the Chief Inspector gives notice to the Academy Trust that special measures are required to be taken by the Academy or the Academy requires significant improvement.’
Once the letter is sent, if performance does not improve then the government can close the school or appoint additional directors.
A termination notice warning also threatens to terminate a funding agreement with a particular academy.
The notice requires the trust to implement improvement strategies, before demonstrating that they have been imposed within 15 days.
If performance does not improve, then a notice of intention to terminate can be sent. Only one has been issued to date, to Durham Free School, which closed three months later.
It comes after the school closed its doors to all pupils except those taking A-levels and GCSEs last month because teachers walked out in protest against the government’s proposals.
Students also previously held a ‘riot’ against the proposals, leaving one teacher in tears.
The parents are seeking a judicial review and, if needed, will apply for an injunction to stop it from being removed from its single-academy trust status.
It is understood that the majority of parents would prefer Holland Park to join nearby Kensington Aldridge Academy, with the National Education Union also believed to be contemplating joining the legal action.
The parents argue that the Ofsted inspection took place ‘in parallel, and perhaps not altogether coincidentally’ with its governing body’s talks about joining the United Learning academy.
The letter also states that criticism of the school’s leadership, which was described by Ofsted as ‘turbulent’ and having ‘destabilised’ its community, was never put to staff before the termination warning was issued.
It adds that a consultation period over joining the multi-academy trust lasted only ‘a couple of weeks’, with parents and staff having no knowledge of alternative options that had been explored.
The school got its nickname because it was popular with rich Left-wingers, with former pupils including The Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and actress Anjelica Huston.
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and the children of former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and ex-Speaker of the House John Bercow also attended the school.
Colin Hall (pictured) was headmaster of the London school for the entire time of the allegations, having retired earlier this year
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and the children of former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and ex-Speaker of the House John Bercow also attended the school.
As part of the report into the school, dozens of former pupils and staff were interviewed and allegations stretched between 2004 and 2021.
Colin Hall was headmaster for all of that period before retiring this February. He had been credited with turning the previously failing school around, but his strict discipline methods angered many Left-wing teachers.
Last year, staff reported him to the authorities for alleged abusive management, while 100 former pupils signed a letter claiming the school had a ‘toxic’ environment.
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