Parents protest outside Holland Park School
(Picture: Handout)A dispute over the future of one of London’s most well-known state schools has intensified after the local council backed parents angry about it being taken over by an academy chain.
Kensington and Chelsea council said Holland Park School, known as the “Socialist Eton”, should not join a multi-academy trust but should instead join forces with nearby Kensington Aldridge Academy.
A leading councillor said a proper consultation was not carried out before the decision was made for the school to join United Learning, the biggest academy chain in the country. Kensington Aldridge Academy is the school closest to the Grenfell Tower and is near to Holland Park school geographically and in values, according to the council’s member for children’s services.
The row comes after ministers told Holland Park School to consider joining a multi-academy trust when it gave it a financial notice to improve in November. Governors were also told to rein in the salaries of its highly paid leaders. Former headteacher Colin Hall earned at least £280,000 in 2020.
The school has been under scrutiny since claims of a “toxic” working culture and “public shaming” of students were made. In a letter to parents this week the chairman of governors said that joining the academy chain is the best way for the future of the school to be “secured and stabilised” and said that United Learning Trust is the governing body’s preferred partner.
But Josh Rendall, lead council member for family and children’s services at Kensington and Chelsea council, said the best academy trust for Holland Park would be a local one, and named Kensington Aldridge Academy as the council’s favoured partner. He said: “Parents should be consulted properly, and we do not believe enough time was given for community views to be heard. This should be a journey between the school and Kensington and Chelsea residents.”
He added: “We urge parents to reach out during the consultation process and have their say on what they would like to see with the future of the school.”
Parents have formed the Holland Park School Parent Collective to protest against the plans. More than 1,200 people have signed a petition against the school joining a multi-academy trust.
The department for education said: “Holland Park Academy will benefit from the stability and support that a strong multi-academy trust can provide. The school’s trust board has concluded that the best multi-academy trust for the school is United Learning.”
