The future for Pimlico School - Westminster City Council

The future for Pimlico SchoolPimlico School is improving and changing.Please read this leaflet and use the formattached to feedback your views on thefuture for Pimlico School.

The 2006 inspection findings for Pimlico SchoolIn November 2006, the Ofsted inspection team judged that Pimlico Schoolrequired Special Measures. The inspectors’ judgement was that the school was:“failing to give its students an acceptable standard of education and thepersons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school arenot demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement inthe school.”The council’s responseWestminster City Council has acted swiftly in response to the Ofsted report.The council has:• agreed an action plan approved by Ofsted• replaced the governing body with an Interim Executive Board• established a School Improvement Board, chaired by a former schoolinspector (HMI)• appointed Jo Shuter, Head of Quintin Kynaston School, as interim headteacher for Pimlico School• secured the support of Quintin Kynaston School for an improvementpartnership• made extra funds available to Pimlico School to support improvement.The council has also agreed with the Department for Education and Skillsthat it will consider options for the future ownership and governance ofPimlico School.The council is looking to support the option most likely to securesustained and long-term improvement for all present and future PimlicoSchool students.Deciding on the future for Pimlico SchoolThe council would like to know the views of all those with an interest inPimlico School, or with an interest in education in Westminster, on futureoptions for Pimlico School.The planned timescales and processes for an initial decision:25th May Closing date for written responses to the InterimExecutive Board6th June Public meeting of the Council Overview and ScrutinyCommittee to hear presentations, ask questions andconsider optionsJune/July Council Cabinet recommends way forward to theDepartment for Education and Skills

The new Pimlico School buildingDiscussions and decisions on the future options for Pimlico School will not beallowed to delay the current plans to rebuild the school by September 2010.The future options for the ownership andgovernance of Pimlico SchoolMost state funded schools fall into four different categories:Community | Voluntary | Foundation, including foundation with a charityor trust | AcademySome features are the same in all four categories of school:• Department for Education and Skills Codes of Practice on Admissions andSpecial Educational Needs• staff pensionsThe main differences between the categories of schools are shown on theback of this leaflet. Any change in category requires a formal process,including statutory consultation and formal decision making.Westminster schools Category Ownership/SponsorThe Grey Coat Hospital Voluntary Grey Coat Hospital FoundationWestminster City Boys Voluntary United Westminster SchoolsSt. Augustine’s CE Voluntary Church of England DioceseSt. Marylebone Girls CE Voluntary St. Marylebone ParishSt. George’s RC Voluntary Roman Catholic Archdioceseof WestminsterPaddington Academy Academy The United Learning TrustWestminster Academy Academy The Exilarch FoundationKing Solomon Academy* Academy The Ark Educational Charity(*opening 2007)Pimlico School Community Westminster City CouncilQuintin Kynaston Community Westminster City CouncilAt present there are no Foundation or Trust secondary schools inWestminster, although Quintin Kynaston governors are currently investigatingthe option of Foundation status, with or without a Trust.Collaboration and federations between schoolsSchools can choose to join together in informal partnerships to improveteaching and learning. Schools can also agree formal legal partnerships orfederations. A future option for Pimlico School is for the council to promote afederation with another school. The purpose would be to share good practiceand help improvements in both schools. Federations of Community schoolsAcademies or Trust schools are possible.

Key features of a Community school• owned by the council• the council is the employer of most staff, although staffing, disciplinary andgrievance matters and budget control are delegated to the governing body• the school is funded directly by the council according to a published formula• the council determines the admissions policy• the council can propose the closure of a Community school• the school must follow the national curriculum and all education legislationrelating to maintained schools including the Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Act.Key features of a Trust school (Foundation school with a Trust)• the school is owned by a charitable trust with a sponsor• the sponsor can choose to create an endowment fund to support the school• the Trust sponsor can choose to appoint a majority of the governing body• most staff are employed by the governing body• the governing body determine the admissions policy• the governing body and the council can propose expansion or closure of the school• the school is funded directly by the council according to a published formula• the school must follow the national curriculum and all education legislationrelating to maintained schools including the Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Act.Key features of an Academy• the school is owned by a charitable trust with a sponsor• the sponsor of the Academy must provide between £1.5m and £2m to createan endowment fund for the school’s future• the Academy sponsor appoints a majority of the governing body• most staff are employed by the governing body• the governing body determine the admissions policy• changes to the Academy can only be made by the Academy trust and theSecretary of State for Education• councils cannot propose the closure of an Academy• mainly funded directly by the Department for Education and Skills at the samelevel as other local state schools• Academies are exempt from all education legislation including the nationalcurriculum and the Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Act.The council role and Department for Education and Skills role in SpecialMeasuresFor Voluntary, Trust and Community schools, if the school is placed in SpecialMeasures the council can remove financial delegation from the governing bodyor propose an Interim Executive Board. For Academies, it is the Department forEducation and Skills, and not the council, which has this power.Complaints against schoolsFor all categories of schools, complaints are dealt with firstly by the head teacherand then by the governing body. Complaints against the governing body aredealt with by the Foundation trustees or sponsors for Academy, Voluntary andFoundation or Trust schools. Complaints against a Community school governingbody are dealt with by the council.More details about school categories can be found on the Department forEducation and Skills website at www.dfes.gov.uk