Student protest academy loses its “outstanding” rating –but still found to be “good” by Ofsted

Pimlico Academy, the London comprehensive which featured in weeks of media coverage earlier this year culminating in a student protest, has seen its Ofsted rating downgraded from “outstanding” to “good”, an inspection report released to parents this afternoon has revealed.

However, even the latter judgment will strike some observers as controversial, given the turmoil at the school during 2020-21 and the fact that an emergency inspection which took place only six months ago had documented staff and pupil concerns about recent goings-on at the academy, which is part of the Future Academies chain controlled by the former academies minister Lord John Nash and his wife, Lady Caroline Nash.  

Pimlico was given “good” ratings for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes of pupils and leadership and management, while pupils’ personal development, and sixth form provision, were both rated outstanding, following the inspection two months ago.  The school had not been fully inspected for 11 years, when it was rated “outstanding” just after becoming an academy under Future.

Under “what is it like to attend this school,” the new report states that “becoming better in a subject is taken very seriously by staff and pupils at Pimlico,” before adding that: “The school went through a period of considerable turbulence in the previous academic year.

“Leaders and trustees have worked hard to win back hearts and minds with much success. However, some parents and carers remain concerned about aspects of the school, including leaders’ work to secure further improvements.”