Holland Park School

Holland Park School
Address
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Airlie Gardens Campden Hill Road London , W8 7AF England
Information
Type	Academy, Comprehensive
Motto	Floreat semper scola[1]
Established	1958
Local authority	Kensington and Chelsea
Department for Education URN	140134 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Headteacher	Colin Hall[2]
Gender	Co-educational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	1,696 (2019)[3]
Houses	Anderson, Baker, Bennett, Chappell, Seeley
Colour(s)	Blue,yellow,pink,red and green
Website	http://www.hollandparkschool.co.uk/

Holland Park School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form in Holland Park, London, England. In 2013, it has attained academy status. Opened in 1958, the school became the flagship for comprehensive education, and at one time had over 2,000 students. A number of high-profile socialists sent their children to Holland Park School, and it became known as "the socialist Eton".^[4]

Education at Holland Park[]

In the 1960s and 1970s, the philosophy was to ensure large student numbers (over 1,900), with the idea that the resulting size would enable more subject choices for the students. Indeed, amongst the more typical foreign languages, Latin, French and Spanish were taught. A similar philosophy and scale applied to other comprehensive flagships, such as the other "Labour-party Eton", the Haverstock School.^[5]

In the early 1960s, each school year was divided into A, B, C, D, and E streams up until the 3rd year. As the groups were so large, they were again divided, typically into 3. Later the "A" "B" etc. grading was considered to be bad for children's self-esteem, so "A" "B" and "C" were replaced by "H" "P" and "S" (Holland Park School). Nowadays, the banding system is divided into 4 bands, each with 3 levels inside them.

In 1970, streaming was completely scrapped in favour of total egalitarianism. Another aspect of egalitarian thought was that many school traditions were dropped, and in the 1970s there were no awards for academic achievement, in order not to demoralise low achievers. Dr Rushworth, who became head in 1971, nevertheless favoured high achievement in niche areas and himself continued to teach Latin to children who requested lessons. His motto was "Everyone should know about everything," and critics saw this as leading to a dumbing down of the curriculum.^[6]

The theory was that poorly achieving students would perform better if not segregated but rather immersed in an equal learning environment.^{[citation needed]}

Loyalists of the egalitarian approach argue that the experiment was never given a proper chance: Holland Park was the only fully comprehensive school in a borough where middle class parents tended to favour private schools. Therefore, by definition, it was a sink school, and thus some argue that the comprehensive experiment was never fully realised. Critics^[who?] counter that the school was on a downward spiral and "more of the same" would only have worsened the situation. They hold that the school's improved performance when it returned to more traditional values is evidence that the comprehensive experiment was doomed from the outset.^{[citation needed]}

This viewpoint differs from some experience in the mid-1960s when sixty or more fifth formers joined either the lower sixth on A-level studies, or another thirty joined 6G that represented students on retakes of O levels or additional O levels, or Technical studies.^{[citation needed]}

School organisation[]

When the school opened in September 1958, it was divided into eight houses. The eight houses were originally called Addison, Fox, Hunter, Macauley, Maine, Newton, Norman and Wilberforce. The house system has been retained, though there have been changes to the number of houses and their names. There are currently five houses: Anderson, Baker, Bennett, Chappell and Seeley. The earlier approach of naming houses after historical figures has been replaced by the approach of naming them after people, mostly governors of the school or teachers, who "mark a way of being that the school considers worthy and noble".^[7]

When the school first opened, the entire school assembled on only two days a week, in the Main Hall and four side halls which opened out to form The Great Hall. House assemblies took place in the morning in the side halls, with two halls alternating where they shared, whilst the other two days were for tutor groups within the house setting.^{[citation needed]}

Thus pupils had the potential, in theory at least, for guidance from Form Teachers, Tutors, as well as their Class Subject Teachers.^{[citation needed]}

There was a complete structure of Prefects; at the summit, two head boys and two head girls, then headmasters/senior prefects, prefects, sub-prefects, and TSPs [Temporary Sub Prefects]. This separate organisation was particularly called upon when teaching staff took the decision to stop monitoring the substantial play-grounds, in the sometimes turbulent mix of social classes, religious and ethnic origins, and the heady mix of boy and girl in the 1960s. Mr Williams, in the mid-1960s, one of two deputy heads, was required to dispense summary justice on boys presented by Prefects.^{[citation needed]}

Land history[]

In 1808, William Phillimore (1748–1814) signed an agreement for the development of over 19 acres (77,000 m²) of land, which now is roughly occupied by Holland Park School and Queen Elizabeth College, north of Duchess of Bedford Walk. On this land, seven particularly grand houses with large gardens were completed in 1817. Throughout the 19th century, and until the Second World War, they had a series of notable occupants. At one time in the 19th century, the approach road was known as Dukes' Row, because two of the houses were occupied by dukes, the Duke of Argyll and the Duke of Bedford, while a third was occupied by the Earl of Airlie.^{[citation needed]}

Of the seven great houses on this part of the Phillimore estate,^[8] only still remains. It is a protected historical building that serves as an ancillary space for the school. It was home to Henry Tanworth Wells from 1875 until his death in 1903.^[8] Montagu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England, was a resident from 1904 until his death in 1950. Priscilla Reyntiens joined Norman at Thorpe Lodge following their marriage on 21 January 1933.^[9]

1956 building[]

When plans to build the school were revealed in 1956, local residents formed an action group to stop the building. Among its members were the future poet laureate John Betjeman, who worried about the trees, the naturalist Peter Scott, who claimed the children would frighten away nightingales, and the High Commissioner of South Africa, who feared that his garden parties would be ruined. The Kensington Post was inundated with letters from residents, who feared that the school would "reduce Campden Hill to Earl's Court".^[10][11] The lobbyists were unsuccessful; the demolition began around 1957 and the first comprehensive school opened in 1958. It was officially inaugurated a year later by Lady Norman.^[12]

2004 building[]

In 2004, planning for a new school building began. Although the proposals were hotly debated, with a major concern among critics being the sale of the school sports grounds to a property developer as a way to fund the project, the new school building opened in 2012.^[13] The following summer, the school was accused of breaking undertakings given to secure the planning permission, because local residents were not permitted to use the swimming pool in the new six-storey building, as had been promised. Proposals to find a compromise were under investigation.^[14]

Staff relations[]

In 2019, 30 staff and former staff raised concerns with the ESFA about bullying. Leadership and safeguarding in the school were judged by Ofsted to be “effective” in a subsequent visit. It was later discovered that confidential questionnaires completed by staff in 2020 that were critical of the leadership had not been forwarded to Ofsted as required. In 2021, an investigation was launched into the school following allegations by 25 former teachers that it was a 'toxic' working environment.^[15]

School publication[]

In the 1960s and into the early 1970s, the school magazine was called Octavo (the title being a reference to the number of houses at that time, which numbered eight). In the 1976-9 period, the school magazine was called Andarkol. This was the name of a cartoon dog.^[16] The magazine contained poetry, music reviews, cartoons, as well as articles about school plays and sports, and student-contributed essays on comprehensive education and the representation of the school in the press. Before Andarkol, the school had a magazine called Feedback, which ended in 1974.^[16]

Students now^[when?] receive a booklet every half-term called 'Et cetera' about upcoming events around the school .

• Alpha (founded 1958)^[17]
• Octavo (196?-197?)
• Feedback (?-1974)
• Andarkol (1976–79)

Headteachers[]

• Allen Clarke (1958–71)^[10][18]
• Derek Rushworth (1971–1985)^[10]
• Maggie Pringle (???? -19xx)
• Mary Marsh (19xx–2001)^[19]
• Colin Hall (2001 – present)^[11]

Notable former pupils[]

Notable teachers[]

Notable parents[]

Holland Park School timeline of events[]

• In 1957, the school is built despite protests from Sir John Betjeman and others.
• In 1958, the school opens.
• In 1959, the official opening ceremony is held^[12]
• In 1969, Hilary Benn, represented the school in Top of the Form.
• In 1970, journalist George Gale, then editor of The Spectator, claimed that Holland Park girls were running a vice ring at the school.^[34]
• In 1973, the school snubbed the wedding of The Princess Anne by working through the national holiday granted to schools and giving children another holiday in lieu.^[34]
• In 1977, punk band The Slits supported by The Moors Murderers performed a benefit concert for the NSPCC at the school. The Slits performed on-stage masturbation.^[35]
• In 1985, the headmaster, Dr Rushworth, was beaten up and had both his ankles broken.^[1]
• In 1997, the school was heavily criticised by Ofsted for poor academic standards and lack of discipline.^[11]
• In 2000, the school was visited by Nelson Mandela.^[36]
• In 2001, the school received its new headmaster, Colin Hall, assigned with the job to turn its fortunes around.^[11]
• In 2006, fingerprint activated locks are installed on lockers.^[37]
• In 2007, the decision to sell parts of the school grounds to finance a new school building causes controversy.^[30]
• In 2011, the school was classed "outstanding" by Ofsted.^[38][11]
• In 2012, the new school building was opened.^[30][13]
• In 2013, the school was converted to academy status.^[39]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holland Park School.

• Holland Park School website
• BBC's 2004 league table for Holland Park School
• Melissa Benn and Clyde Chitty (Eds.), A Tribute to Caroline Benn: Education and Democracy, Continuum, London, 2004, ISBN 0-8264-7493-4

Coordinates: 51°30′17″N 0°12′04″W / 51.5047°N 0.2011°W / 51.5047; -0.2011