Holland Park chair of governors takes aim at teachers who voted to strike against its plans to join United Learning

The leader of a governing body which has controversially lined up a school to join England’s largest academy chain has taken aim at many of its teachers, effectively accusing staff who voted to strike against the plans of threatening its move towards “stability”.

In a letter with yesterday’s date on it*, Jane Farrell, chair of governors at Holland Park School in Kensington, West London, criticised looming strike action by National Education Union members, against the governing body’s move to transfer its control to the United Learning Trust.

The board has been given six days during the rest of this month and June when strike action could take place.

Ms Farrell’s letter stated that the governing body’s aim was to stabilise the school, which has faced turmoil since last August when allegations first surfaced publicly that it suffered from a “toxic working environment”.The board last week published a summary of an investigation report which had raised multiple concerns, over a period from 2004 to 2021.

In her letter, Ms Farrell wrote: “Our aim – one that we know you share – [is] that the school moves forward positively and enjoys a period of stability for the good of our students, the staff and you as parents.