This half term has been a whirlwind of activity, and I feel fully back and in the swing of the rhythm of Holland Park School It has been a real pleasure to work with the staff here again and interact at classrooms and in the corridors with the pupils We’ve bid farewell to our Year 13 students and today, to Year 11, their study leave. For them, and for us, this moment has quickly As we move into the final half term, the school draw to a close. Much of our focus now turns to the future new pupils and their families in September and planning ahead across all year groups. I am very pleased to say that few staff leaving and I expect we will be fully staffed in September. There are no planned changes to the structure school day or uniform However, I’m happy to confirm that and girls may wear short-sleeved blue shirts, especially warmer months After half term, pupils may leave their blazers if they wish to take account of the warmer weather excellent parent forum this week and the main points raised, answers are found in this newsletter I will hold another one I will notify you of the date as soon as it is fixed in. I welcome at all times so please do email me if you have any points raise at any time. My email is: Sally.Coates@hollandparkschool My thanks to Ms Tukacevska for all her work producing this edition of ‘In the Know’ and compiling the news and events from this half term.
With best wishes,
Dame Sally Coates - Executive Principal
In The Know
ENGLISH UPDATES: FIRST STORY FESTIVAL
This year, Ms Benfellahi, Ms Askew, and a fearless band of budding wordsmiths embarked on an adventure as part of the First Story programme Led by our writer-in-residence, Peter Hobbs, and Ms Benfellahi, the group spent the year sharpening their pens and minds in weekly creative writing workshops Their journey reached new heights when, alongside Ms Askew and Ms Carrera, they took their talents on tour to the First Story Festival, held in the beautiful grounds of Cambridge There, they dived headfirst into masterclasses, swapped metaphors and characters with published authors, and discovered - much to their surprise - that poetry might just be cool. The result? Pages brimming with imagination, confidence levels through the roof, and a newfound thirst for words.
In The Know
FIRST STORY REFLECTIONS
In a world increasingly moulded by screens and fast-paced distractions, genuine creativity often struggles to take hold First Story offers young people the freedom to prioritise imagination over efficiency - to think without boundaries, to write with honesty, and to engage with English not just as a subject, or words on a piece of paper, but as a form of expression. As a teacher and alumni at Holland Park School, I have long known of First Story However, it was not until I had the opportunity to be part of it from within the classroom, that I truly understood its impact Over the course of the programme, I witnessed students transform. Liberated from the usual constraints of the classroom, they embraced the opportunity to explore their voices and ideas. What began as tentative contributions, grew into confident, thoughtful, and often rich pieces of writing. Perhaps most striking were the quiet, dedicated few who stayed behind week after week, long after sessions had officially ended, simply to write, reflect, and watch the sunset To Pete, I would like to extend a thank you; your tenacity, patience, humour, and intellect brought out the best in every student Holding the attention of two dozen teenagers is no small feat (despite being fuelled by a steady supply of Digestives), yet you managed it with remarkable ease and grace. Your ability to draw out such honest, powerful writing from the group was nothing short of astonishing My thanks also go to Emma and the wider First Story team for continuing to inspire students to see English as something vibrant, relevant, and yes - even cool. To Mr Waterhouse and the Leadership Team at Holland Park, thank you for your continued support and for championing such opportunities And finally, to our local Waitrose: your contribution of biscuits did not go unnoticed - it was deeply appreciated This anthology is a testament and evidence of what can happen when students are given the time, space, and trust to create. It has been a privilege to watch their words and worlds come to life
Ms Benfellahi
MORE CREATIVE WRITING SUCCESS!
We are thrilled to announce that Year 10 student Sara Alexandra Madan has been awarded 3rd place nationally in the First Story 100-Word Story Competition for her powerful and thought-provoking piece, “Like It Was Once” (below) Sara’s entry stood out for its emotional depth and mature reflection on identity, self-image, and the influence of social media. Her work was selected from hundreds of entries across the country, showcasing the exceptional talent of young writers A huge congratulations to Sara on this remarkable national achievement
Like It Was Once by Sara Alexandra Madan
The girl stares at me and points out everything she thinks is wrong with herself Her skin, hair, stomach, legs, height, nose She wishes she could go back to the time when she never really thought anything was out of place, before the social media and the comments and the worries, when she didn’t diminish herself or pretend that someone else’s beauty took away her own. And I wish I could take her there, and tell her that I see beneath that, and that she’s destined for greater things than the symmetry of the reflection she sees in the mirror
In The Know
AN EVENING OF MUSIC
As promised, this year’s Evening of Music was a celebration of the diverse and eclectic music-making that takes place at Holland Park School The full programme included an extensive repertoire of solo and ensemble performances that covered a broad range of genres and musical disciplines including original compositions Thank you to all of the students and staff that participated in the event. Your commitment to shaping your performances and honing your craft has been a pleasure to observe. We are very fortunate to have such talented students who are willing to share their artistry with the school community so confidently and openly And to the audience, thank you all for attending the event and supporting our students We look forward to welcoming you back next year! If you can’t wait, please enjoy perusing some of the photos below, and we are hosting a Live From Holland Park Summer Recital on July 17th at 17:30 in Thorpe Lodge for a final musical send-off into the summer break If you are hoping to witness this unique event, then please reserve your seat via the Microsoft Form below Students, their families, staff and friends of the school are all welcome! https://forms.office.com/e/V98XzkjJev
Ms Chapman
In The Know
FROM PAGE TO STAGE: YEAR 10 WATCH MACBETH COME ALIVE!
On a cold and drizzly evening in March, a group of 40 students in Year 10 ventured to the south bank of the River Thames to see a performance of Macbeth – the Shakespeare text they have studied this year as part of GCSE English Literature – at the world-famous Globe Theatre For most members of the group (staff included), this was their first experience of Shakespeare in its original surroundings Like the historic 16th-century playhouse, the Globe Theatre is a 360° auditorium with no roof over the central yard; audiences who attend performances are told to dress for the weather, as the show goes on come rain or shine Yet despite the chilly temperature, the looming threat of rain, and the slightly daunting prospect of standing up for over 90 minutes, students were captivated by the performance from start to finish. As ‘groundlings’, we found ourselves in the yard immediately in front of the stage, giving an intimacy and immediacy to the experience that isn’t possible in a conventional theatre. If the cheering and gasping of students at every action on the stage is any indication, it was a hugely entertaining production From an eerily acrobatic trio of witches and a hilarious pyjamaed Porter to a backflipping Banquo and a particularly gruesome depiction of infanticide, this was Shakespeare at its best - bold, bloody and brilliant.
Mr Waterhouse
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNTIY
So many students qualified for our Golden Postcard trip in the Spring Term that we organised two trips for the start of this term Students who had been awarded 10 Golden Tickets in lessons, for demonstrating any of our three values of aspiration, integrity and respect were invited for mini-golf and pizza at Puttshack White City Students who attended the trip were very deserving of this opportunity to demonstrate their golf skills and socialise with members of their year group outside of school It was wonderful to have had so many students qualify, a true testament to the manners and determination exuded daily by students at our school.
In The Know
OPERA HOLLAND PARK WORKSHOP
Students from Year 7-10 taking part in the UL Magic Flute performance later this term at the Royal Festival Hall were lucky to be selected by Chapman to attend a workshop led by Opera Holland park last week Students took part in vocal exercises and were given recitals of arias from
cast members of the upcoming performances taking place in Holland Park this season The energy in the Main Hall was electric and students who took part kept commenting how much they had enjoyed it We are very fortunate to have formed this partnership with our local Opera and look forward to expanding this opportunity to more students in years to come
Ms Bott
In The Know
PTA SPONSORED COLOUR RUN
What an incredible afternoon at the PTA Colour Run –and a massive thank you to everyone who made it such a huge success! The playground was bursting with colour, laughter, and energy as pupils, families, and staff came together for a brilliant cause. Final Reminder: If you haven’t handed in your sponsorship money yet, please do so as soon as you can – every penny counts! https://www gofundme com/f/hollandpark-school-pta-sponsored-colour-run We’re thrilled to share that we’ve already raised £1,810 – an amazing achievement! This will go towards our exciting plans for a brand-new stage in the school hall, and a boost for the PE Fund to help keep our students active and thriving.
The PTA
PTA SECOND - HAND UNIFORM SHOP: STOCK NEEDED!
The PTA Second Hand Uniform Shop has been a huge success (thank you so much to the team of volunteers who run it) and is running low on stock! If you have any old uniform that students are no longer using (older siblings who have left or children who have grown) please do donate this to the uniform shop This can be done via reception at any time or via the shop when it is open (Tuesdays 14 30- 15 30)
In The Know SPORTS UPDATES
On Wednesday the 7th May, Our boys Futsal team represented Kensington and Chelsea in a London Youth Games tournament For many of our players this was a first experience at a new sport that contains several transferable skills from Football The team performed brilliantly against Richmond winning 1-0 (Sufyan), (Sufyan and Elvis) and a 1-1 draw against Hillingdon competition was strong and despite some strong example Jomari scoring a consolation in a 3-1 loss did not reach the semi-final stage. Taking place Centre , in Crystal Palace, this was a great experience new sport
Mr James
ESAA ENGLISH SCHOOLS’ TRACK AND FIELD CUP
On Wednesday May 14, approximately Park School in the ESAA English Schools' first time These students competed in but not limited to triple jump, javelin, sprints All of the students were a great representation values of integrity, respect, finished in the top three
Maram (2nd place): Javelin
Alana (3rd Place): shot
Tomas ( 3rd place): Triple
MK Jemal (2nd place):
Ahmed Ali (3rd place): Barnabas (1st place):1500
Leon: (3rd place): Shot
Hugo (3rd place): long
Minty (3rd place): 800m
Maximo (3rd place): High
On Sunday, 18th May, 35 students made their way to The O2 watch the Super-League Basketball Finals They had the chance to see both the Women’s and Men’s finals - each game full of energy, skill, and edge-of-your seat moments With the crowd buzzing and the action non-stop, it was a day that truly hit the mark - a real slam dunk of experience! Thank you to Ms Nandwa for organising this amazing experience for our students!
On Tuesday, 20th May, the Year 7 boys' football team had an unforgettable experience as they played a friendly match at QPR's Loftus Road Stadium The fixture, arranged as a reward for their outstanding season in the QPR Schools League, saw them face off against KAA’s Year 8 team From a pre-match team talk in the dressing rooms to walking out of the tunnel onto the pitch, the boys were given a taste of what it’s like to be a professional footballer Despite a narrow 1–0 defeat, they put in a spirited and competitive performance above their age group. The team now look ahead to their Final against Fulham Boys on Sunday, 22nd June, where
Mr Purnell
SEMI - FINAL V LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL
April 24th the U14 boys played the semi-final game and their last game of the season against Latymer Upper school, in a very close and highly anticipated match The boys played with great focus and tenacity and defensive The game had all in attendance on the edge of their seats, down to the final seconds where the final score was 45-44 to Upper Latymer school. The U14 boys finished the season in 3rd place for the league and the player of the game was Jeremiah (1st picture attached against the white wall)
Additionally, on April 25th the U18's boys basketball team played in the gold medal match of thei league In their final game which similar to the U14's was a nail bitter to say the least. The boys played with composure, grit, and determination against a very strong St Pauls team The score went back and forth for a while, in the end HPS saw the score drop not in our favour in a heartbreaking loss of 36-42 to St.Pauls. The defensive player of the match was Nikolas and the offensive player of the match was Oskaras This team has come so far from where they were last year and that is a testament of the hard work and dedication from each and every student, which led to a silver place finish (picture with the green background)
In The Know
CHELSEA FC FOUNDATION
Our association with Chelsea FC Foundation has flourished throughout what has been a fabulous year for both Year 9 and 10 students involved with the foundation's programmes The culmination of a very successful year saw 5 lucky year 9 students travel to watch the Chelsea men's team at a training session There they received scarfs and footballs and the opportunity to meet the players and get their signatures. They also got to have a photo with the manager and one in the media centre Lisa Manley from the Foundation said that this was a rare opportunity not open to the public and the students may not realise how lucky they have been until much later in life We look forward to another productive year during the next academic year while thanking Lisa and her team for making this year so memorable.
Mr McCarthy
have made a positive fixtures against UCS and against UCS saw and Pau make their boys acquitted both their matches determination keep going and was a similar story for was beaten, showed throughout his match The Mateo of Year 8, who stage, fought back win his match 7 -5.
saw Holland Park next match versus unable to play, Alex of very well to win his and Pau all narrowly leave Holland Park but Rafi and Alex meaning that if that Pau a tie break match winner Unfortunately, and Kazuma were game The spirit, the students have exemplary and they Well done, Boys!
In The Know VOLLEYBALL LONDON YOUTH GAMES
On April 5th and April 6th both the boys and girl's teams attended the Volleyball London Youth Games during their term to represent the borough of Kensington and Chelsea teams were facing opponents that were ranked 1st nationally coaches that were previous professionals in Volleyball played with great grit and fantastic attitudes throughout whole weekend The boys were able to keep their scores points in each set which showed their determination teamwork throughout the weekend. The girls team compete all of their games with only 5 out of
Today, four Year 10 boys and five Year 10 girls represented our school in the highly competitive Junior NBA 3v3 basketball competition. Despite the strong level of competition, both teams secured a win, demonstrating excellent teamwork and shooting ability Issa (Year 9) contributed significantly with a consistent range of successful three-point shots, helping to secure victory against CAM USC The girls’ team also impressed, with all players scoring against strong defensive opponents, boosting team morale Overall, it was a successful day marked by a vibrant atmosphere, reflecting the continued growth of Junior Basketball London
In The Know
NETBALL FUN!
The Year 7 and 8 girls played their first netball match against Lady Eleanor Holles and what a game it was! The tournament reached an electrifying conclusion with a dramatic tie-break shootout Amelia and Aurora were named Players of the Match, securing the win with their outstanding performance under pressure. A fantastic debut for the team - well done to all involved!
Ms Nandwa
YEAR 8 AT PGL
Friday 9th May, twenty lucky Year 8 students took part in the second of our exciting PGL Football Coaching Trips This trip was especially significant as it marked the first time members of our girls’ teams came too! Over the course of weekend, the students showed incredible enthusiasm, teamwork, and talent The FAlicensed coaches were highly impressed by both their skill and positive attitude throughout the coaching sessions. A huge well done to all the students who took part - you represented the school brilliantly!
Mr Purnell
In The Know
UNO COMPETITION!
The KS3 Inter-house UNO competition brought an unexpected surge of excitement to Room 4.12 on Wednesday afternoon, with students from Years 7 to 9 showing up in droves to represent their houses From the moment the doors
opened, competitors were lined deal their way to victory. So event that students crowded around a last-minute spot in case dropped out! The competition paced start, with the students through the first round in a matter The tension only grew in the semi were packed with drama and peers cheering on their friends exciting atmosphere! By the round arrived, spectators and players alike were on edge In the end, it was David (Year 7), Kit (Year 8) and Kealan (Year 9) who took the top position for their year groups earning well deserved victories and, more importantly, valuable House Points Their wins bring their houses one step closer in the race towards the ultimate showdown – Holland Park School Sports Day, set for June A big well done to all
WHAT’S COOKING?
STUDENT VOICE SHAPES OUR MENU
We were delighted to capture this photo of a thoughtful and constructive meeting between Tommy, our canteen manager, and the Student Leadership Team The discussion focused on student feedback from our recent survey about the school’s canteen offerings. Tommy, representing Taylor Shaw, was pleased to hear the overwhelmingly positive responses from students He also listened carefully to suggestions for new additions to the menu for the next academic year Thank you to the Student Leadership Team for voicing the views of their peers so clearly - and to Tommy and Taylor Shaw for being so responsive Watch this space for updates on exciting developments in our school meals!
In The Know
HOLLAND PARK'S FIRST LINGOLYMPIANS!
Earlier this year, 25 pupils entered the UK Linguistics Olympiad in 11 teams at all 4 levels UKLO is a competition to introduce children to the joys of linguistics, the scientific study of languages Bridging the arts & STEM, linguisticians are sought-after graduates in a world of large language model AI & data-rich economies Our linguisticians all received certificates from Prof Richard Hudson, FBA, with most also winning medals: 5 Participation, 2 Bronze, 1 Silver, 3 Gold (Alisa R; Bébhinn S, Lukas A; Maya J, Isabel N, Zeynep Y, Victoria C) At the last count, we know of 1+ y9 & 2+ y12s keen to study Linguistics at Russell Group universities To get involved,
we warmly encourage interested pupils to attend World Languages Hub with Mr Stinton on Fridays, 3 15-4 15 in 2 3 WLH is not just UKLO, though: we also offer French / Spanish / Classics, be it HW catch-up, remedial tutoring or pushing for 9s & A*s; as well as community languages - I can help with Italian & Persian, our Olympians can help with Thai, Hebrew, Turkish, among others!
Mr Stinton
RBKC YOUTH ELECTIONS
Friday 2nd May HPS students Stanley Reynolds was elected to the RKBC Youth council His campaign was well run and stretched beyond this school into others to gain the support required to get elected At HPS the hall became a polling station during lunch time and students streamed in to vote The process was run and overseen by RBKC members who were very impressed with the turnout. They were also impressed that we had seven students stand in the election Most of our candidates gained valuable experience and will have another opportunity to get elected as they are from Year 8 Mayor Will Lane and the Councils CEO Maxine Holdsworth gave speeches emphasising the importance of a student voice in the borough
Mr McCarthy
POLICE CADETS VOLUNTEERING
Last week the police came in and addressed the Year 8’s about their volunteering programme PC Jarret and PC FrancisNwaka of the Met police informed how the programme runs every Tuesday evening, and their talk attracted a lot of attention from the students They broke down barriers and pre-conceived ideas about what the cadets did because they do so much more than learning about policing and marching To find out more: awvpcstaff@qmail.com
In The Know MATHS OLYMPIAD
We are delighted to share the outstanding achievements of our students in the recent Maclaurin Olympiad A special congratulations goes to Zayn Merchant Dar, who earned both a Distinction and the Best in School Award, receiving a Bronze medal and a Euclid book in recognition of his exceptional performance Fellow students Nizar Bani and Elise Holmes also received Certificates of Distinction for their impressive efforts addition, students across Year 9 to Year 11 participated in the Kangaroo and Pink Kangaroo challenges, achieving commendable results:
Kangaroo (Year 9)
Riskin – 123 (Gold, Best in School)
Cosijn – 112 (Silver)
Jain – 101 (Bronze)
Giacomo Falcone – 92 (Bronze)
Kangaroo (Years 10 & 11)
Madan – 88 (Silver, Best in School)
Angelos Karagiannis – 79 (Silver)
Bani – 79 (Silver, Best in Year Group)
Kwok – 69 (Bronze)
JUNIOR UKMT MATHS CHALLENGE – IN ACTION!
Earlier this term, 150 students from Year 7 and Year 8 took part in the Junior UKMT Maths Challenge, showcasing their problem-solving skills and mathematical thinking
The photo above captures the focus and determination of our students during the challenge We look forward to receiving the results from the UKMT in the next two weeks and celebrating their achievements in the following edition of In The Know
Mr Casela
In The Know
JUNIOR UKMT MATHS - MORE NEWS!
Here are the amazing results from our Year 7s and 8s! (certificates are handed out to respective teachers) 90 out of 123 students who participated earned their Bronze, Silver or Gold certificates and 15 of them are going to the next round. Competing on the next round (Junior Kangaroo on 10th June in room 1.9 afterschool) are below. Congratulates to all the students that participated!
Year 7:
Arty 113 GoldBiS
Rafail 113 GoldBiS
Sumaya 112 Gold
Deep 107 Gold
Isabella 107 Gold
Helene 101 Gold
Maia 101 Gold
Adriano 100 Gold
Maximilian 100 Gold
Zeynep 100 Gold
Year 8
Vigo 112 GoldBiY
Renat 112 GoldBiY
Eva 106 Gold
Hamza 106 Gold
Caspian 102 Gold
May Half Term Camp: Westway Football Pitches (Mixed)Bloomsbury Football 6-16 10am-3pm TuesdayFriday £50 W10 6RP Yes
School Holiday Camp – Treasure Boxing Club 6-13 1-7pm TuesdayFriday Free and lunch provided NW10 3NB Yes (need to get benefit related FSM)
May Holiday Programme 2025 | City Lions 13-16 10am-4pm 27th , 29th and 30th May Free SW1E 6QP Yes (Need to live in Westminster)
London Youth Games 11-18 31st May 10am-2:30pm Free W10 5AY Yes Join Our Community Adventure Playground | North Kensington 5-15
10:00am4:00pm TuesdayFriday Free and lunch provided NW8 6LP Yes (some provision for 1:1 SEND support)
Flashpoint Playground Holidays 5-15 10:30am4:00pm TuesdayFriday Free and hot lunch provided if eligible for FSM SW10 0DS Yes
Notting Hill Adventure Playground Holidays 5-15 10:30am-4pm TuesdayFriday Free and hot lunch provided if eligible for FSM W10 5YB Yes
Basketball for young people and their friends 11-18 31st May 24pm Free and food provided SW1v 4BD Yes
In The Know PARENT FORUM SUMMARY: LEADERSHIP, STABILITY, AND NEXT STEPS FOR HPS
On Tuesday 20th May, Dame Sally held a parent forum with approximately 45 attendees, where she addressed some key concerns raised by parents and set out her actions moving forward A summary of the notes are included below for parents who could not attend.
Dame Sally addressed historic Leadership and Governance at Holland Park School
• In 2022, a new Board of Governors was appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) following leadership disruption after the departure of Mr Colin Hall
• Mr Arwel Jones was appointed Headteacher temporarily by an interim Governing Body , but issues at the school persisted
• Ofsted conducted a no-notice inspection and rated the school inadequate, specifically for Leadership and Management (not the quality of education)
• This triggered the requirement for the school to join a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT)
• Mr Steve Parsons was appointed Head before the MAT decision was finalised in September 2022
• The school joined United Learning (ULT) in January 2023
• Dame Sally Coates became involved in January 2023 and later took on the role of Executive Principal in September 2023, working with Steve Parsons until August 2024 Mr Steve Parsons resigned at the end of 2023 as Headteacher, citing a poor fit for the school but continued to work with Dame Sally until August 2024
• Mr Samson Olusanya was appointed as Principal by United Learning (ULT’s first formal appointment to the role) in September 2024, but he resigned in March 2025.
• Dame Sally returned and committed to stay until at least September 2026, potentially longer, to ensure stability until a suitable substantive Principal can be found for the school.
• Only Samson Olusanya has been appointed directly by United Learning This clarification is important in understanding the school's recent leadership journey.
Staff Morale and Retention
• Staff morale has been low for several years, but there are signs of improvement.
• This year, only 8 staff members are leaving, most due to relocation a significant improvement on past years
• Dame Sally’s goal is to raise morale and ensure greater stability in the context of a much harder national recruitment picture for teaching
Teaching & Cover
• Dame Sally addressed the high rates of supply cover, which negatively impacts teaching quality and staff morale
• The goal for 2025–26 is zero supply teachers, instead using permanent internal cover supervisors to cover staff absences when they arise.
• A full-time computing teacher has also been hired to fill the current vacancy
Curriculum and Reserves
• Dame Sally addressed questions about the school's financial reserves.
• After Colin Hall’s departure, there were £3 6 million in reserves
• Over 120 students left following the poor Ofsted outcome and as a result of the serious concerns that led to an independent safeguarding investigation into the school, this led to a dramatic loss of funding in the following two years.
• The curriculum was not initially adjusted to reflect reduced enrolment, leading to unsustainable staffing costs under interim Headteachers
• Curriculum restructuring and some redundancies have since addressed the mismatch between staffing cost and student role under Dame Sally All redundancies were of a voluntary nature and no staff were made compulsorily redundant.
In The Know
• Current reserves stand at £1 7 million, with recent spending including:
o New interactive whiteboards in all classrooms;
o Other facilities and upkeep costs rising due to prior lack of investment in the building;
o Staffing costs remaining high - the school has the highest cost per teacher in the UL network due to excessively high legacy salaries
Swimming Pool and Building Issues Update
• The school is on a tenancy at will with RBKC and the building has not novated over to United Learning due to building defects identified during due diligence This includes the swimming pool which has remained the responsibility of RBKC
• A survey was commissioned by RBKC and has now been completed and revealed that the pool is contaminated, likely due to the high-water table upon which the swimming pool and the school building were built
• Estimated repair cost of the swimming pool: £2.3 million, discussions are being held about how to fund this, but it remains the responsibility of RBKC
• The original building company who may also have been liable for the cost is out of business so the costs cannot be recuperated from it
• Concerns about the safety of the building were raised on the basis of the school being built on a floodplain:
o Tanya Wilkings (Senior Executive Business Manager) confirmed the building is safe but as a unique building, there are significant upkeep and update costs that will take up reserves over time This is the cost of inhabiting such a wonderful building
Pupil Numbers and Recruitment
• Year 7 and 8 are projected to be at full capacity next year, a positive sign of recovery and community confidence
• Student numbers are increasing, leading to more funding
• The school is oversubscribed for entry and had the most 'first choice' selection of any school in RBKC and Westminster
• There are some vacancies in Years 9 - 11; there needs to be a balance struck between filling the vacancies and ensuring stability of education and resources for the students currently in these year groups
Staff
Concerns
• Teacher turnover has decreased since Colin Hall’s leadership
• A letter from the NEU cited concerns around Leadership and direction; Dame Sally has met with union reps several times since her return and believes the situation has improved and will continue to do so She is committed to engaging with union reps.
• Concerns about lack of autonomy under ULT: Tanya Wilkings clarified that while some services (e g , catering) are centralised for cost efficiency, schools retain significant autonomy over structure and operations
• Concerns raised regarding the quality of ULT curriculum resources: Leon Wilson clarified that schools are not obligated to adopt UL resources The decision to use these materials rests with individual Heads of Department, who are free to choose whether or not to incorporate them.
Recruitment and Future Leadership
• Dame Sally intends to be involved in appointing the next Headteacher for 2026 and hopes to remain if the right candidate is not found.
Educational Quality and Homework Parents raised issues regarding:
o Homework not being marked
o High numbers of trainees.
o Lack of English books - Sally has committed to investigating this
o Online homework – concern over screen time.
In The Know
Leon Wilson emphasized the need to balance these demands with staff wellbeing Sally noted changing expectations around marking in the current education landscape, citing a shift towards work-life balance in teaching and a need to adapt to ensure teachers are not working late into the night and that workload remained manageable This is key to retaining good staff who could work less hard in other professions Dame Sally reiterated that this is about finding the right balance over time
Parental Engagement and Communication
Parents requested:
• More frequent parent forums
• More than one Parents’ Evening per year - Sally will review this and consider options, such as 'drop-in' sessions for parents, but made no firm promise due to the need to consult and have due regard for work-life balance of teachers
• A newsletter update will clarify uniform rules for summer (e.g. blue short-sleeved shirts allowed; blazers can be removed in class)
RE Lessons
• RE remains compulsory at KS4 as part of the basic curriculum, but students can attend lessons without taking the GCSE
Food Provision
• Complaints about the quality and quantity of food were raised.
• Tanya Wilkings is already reviewing the menu regularly and welcomed the feedback
• The Student Leadership Team has provided feedback, and continuous improvement is promised - feedback from parents/ students is encouraged
Follow-Up Actions
Sally will
GETTING TO
Mr. Hector Stinton Teacher of MFL and 2nd in Charge
A termly feature where we introduce a different member of staff each half-term!
1. What is your favourite food? From my side of the family, it’s haggis - I'm half Scottish. From in-laws’ side, it’s oshipalov, the national dish of Tajikistan. It’s similar to biryani: layers of rice, carrots, and meat, cooked together with spices.
2. Where would you most like to visit? Cuba, for the language, culture and history. We also watched a brilliant Anthony Bourdain documentary about Oman, that made us want to visit –sea, cities and mountains, all reachable within a day!
3 What would your ideal superpower be? I’d go for a photographic memory It would be incredibly useful for spinning all the plates of school life - and also a lovely way to hold onto happy memories as one gets older
4. What was your favourite book as a teenager and why?
I have very fond memories of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. My English teacher had a spare copy, and I picked it up just after my GCSEs. I was drawn in by the Spanish Civil War setting and the way Hemingway translated rural Spanish speech into lyrical English. I even went to a special university lecture on it later!
5. What skill do you wish you had? I’d love to be able to speak every language fluently (omnilingualism). It would build instant rapport with the wonderfully diverse pupils and parents we work with at Holland Park.
6. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Initially a marine biologist, mostly due to some fantastic David Attenborough documentaries, then I got interested in the Diplomatic Service. But I’m the 4th generation of teachers in my family, so although I tried other things first, I eventually saw the light and joined the profession!
7. Tell me about a time you failed at something. Teaching involves small failures every day - and strangely, I see that as a positive There is no ‘perfect’ lesson, but that constant room for improvement is motivating It keeps the job fresh and reflective
8. What would your teachers have said about you when you were at school?
My dad was actually my teacher for five years - he taught me music and was Head of Department Feedback was regular! On the plus side, they’d have said I was diligent But a common target? Improving my work/life balance Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose !
9. Who is the most famous person you’ve met or bumped into?
I was a chorister at New College, Oxford, for five years One Christmas, we performed at Dorchester Abbey and were introduced to Princess Anne I also got the chance to ask a question of the singer Tom Odell during a talk at the Oxford Union
10. What sport do you watch, and which teams or players do you support?
I mostly watch international rugby union - I'm an England supporter but have a soft spot for Scotland and France. I also support Chelsea Football Club.
HOLLAND PARK SCHOOL
Artist of the Term
AMELIA | YEAR 11 | A PORTRAIT OF A FRIEND | OIL ON CANVAS 2025
