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DON'T DITCH OUR SCHOOL
Parents, pupils and teachers rally to stop academy plan
PARENTS, teachers and pupils fighting to keep Pimlico School comprehensive have told the council: “Don’t ditch us now.”
They rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday ahead of crunch talks about the future of their school.
School chiefs will decide the fate of Pimlico, put on special measures following a controversial Ofsted report in December, in the next few weeks.
It was the last chance for parents to put their case for keeping the school comprehensive.
Quintin Kynaston’s new head, Jo Shuter, who was parachuted into Pimlico after the Ofsted bombshell, insisted she must be part of Pimlico’s future.
She said: “I am now totally committed to the future of Pimlico. We at QK want to be part of its future. Quintin Kynaston is in the top
1 per cent improving schools in the country.
“We are asking for a formal partnership with Pimlico. It is the only way for both schools to develop.”
The Pimlico School Association rejects the federation proposals – they want the council to stop negotiating and help them get out of special measures.
Fears that the iconic school’s future was already “a done deal” were exacerbated after union officials revealed secret negotiations between the council and academy sponsors
Absolute Return for Kids (Ark) had gone on before Ofsted published its report.
Padraic Finn, secretary of the Westminster National Union of Teachers, said: “Our fear is that we are speaking to closed minds.”
Lucy Heller, director of Ark, entered the lion’s den to hisses from the gallery. She said: “It now looks likely that Quintin Kynaston will move for trust status. That would leave Pimlico as the last community school in Westminster. We could provide institutional support in a time when the council is not.”
Schools chief Cllr Tim Mitchell said: “No stone should be left unturned in the effort to improve the performance of Pimlico.”
The council team will make a recommendation to cabinet members on June 20 in another public meeting.
A decision is expected in early July. |
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