Pimlico School

Pimlico Academy is a secondary school in Westminster, London, UK. The school is a specialist Arts College.The school was designed by John Bancroft of the Greater London Council's architecture department and was built in 1967-70. It is an example of Brutalist architecture due to its austere use of concrete and glass without decorative claddings or ornament, and its appearance has been controversial since it opened.

The school is operated by the Westminster Education Department. It is currently on special measures after OFSTED adjudged it as failing; City of Westminster Council wish to turn it into a city academy with a private sponsor, which will remove it from their control.

The new temporary headteacher, Jo Shuter, is also the head of Quintin Kynaston School in Westminster.

September 2007 saw the departure of deputy headteachers Mike Hanoman and Sue Gregory.

Academy status

The decision by Westminster Council to turn Pimlico School into an academy was made on 9 July 2007. A consultation was held with the parents and all those involved with the school, who voted strongly in favour of it remaining a community school. However, Westminster Council still plan to make it into an academy. The new headteacher, Jerry Collins is due to start in September 2008 along with a whole new consulting team. [ [http://www.24dash.com/education/24027.htm Westminster backs academy school » Education » 24dash.com ] ]

chool uniforms

Students in years 7 to 11 are required to wear school uniforms. [ [http://www.pimlicoschool.org.uk/index.asp?page=uniform Pimlico School Website ] ]

A protest was held outside the school by students refusing to wear the new full school uniform enforced by Jo Shuter the first day it was introduced, at the beginning of the academic year in 2007. The students turned up in Pimlico polo shirts, as they had done before, but refused to wear the black shoes or black trousers/skirts she had enforced. Students were forced to go home and change, making them miss out on a significant amount of education on their first day (which they knew would happen and so had nothing to complain about).

Special Music Course

At Pimlico School, there is a specialist music course for a percentage of the students in each year. They learn two or three instruments (which can include the voice) and take part in a rich and varied programme of musical activities fitted into an extended school day. Entry is by audition. The course admits up to 24 students per year on to the scheme (giving a total of about 90 "special musicians" in a school of 1,400). They follow a normal curriculum, modified to allow them time for their music. Despite the special music course being a main part of the school's identity and what, in many people's opinions, contributes to making it unique, Westminster plan to abolish the music course for intake after it becomes an academy. This is what you get when you elect a Conservative local council and a Tory mayor.

Notable alumni

*William Straw cite news
first = John
last = Steele
title = Straw's son cautioned on drug sale
url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1998/01/13/ntoke13.html
work = The Daily Telegraph
date = 1998-01-13
accessdate = 2007-11-12
quote = Straw is studying for A-levels at a school in Pimlico and has been offered a place at Oxford.
archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20051111161447/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1998/01/13/ntoke13.html
archivedate = 2005-11-11]
*Julian GrayFact|date=July 2007
*Asher D cite news
first = Jonathan
last = Sale
title = Passed/Failed: Asher D
url = http://news.independent.co.uk/education/education_news/article21794.ece
work = The Independent
date = 2004-11-25
accessdate = 2007-11-12
quote = Then I went to Pimlico [mixed comprehensive] .]
*Roots Manuva cite news
first = Tom
last = Foot
title = Fears academy will mean the end for school’s music stars
url = http://www.thecnj.co.uk/westend/2007/102607/wnews102607_03.html
work = Camden New Journal: West End Extra
date = 2007-10-26
accessdate = 2007-11-12
quote = The school’s special music course has produced scores of professional musicians from the artistic director of the Royal Opera House, Tony Pappano, to the celebrated hip-hop artist Rodney Smith, aka Roots Manuva.]
*Thomas Sangster cite web
url = http://www.filmspot.com/people/106603/thomas-sangster/trivia.html
title = Thomas Sangster Trivia
accessdate = 2007-11-12]
*Dr Matthew Trundle, Senior lecturer in Classics, University of Wellington, New Zealand

*Graham Mulvein

References

External links

* [http://www.pimlicoschool.org.uk/ Pimlico School]
* [http://pimlicopsa.org.uk/ PSA]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/101/101148.pdf OFSTED report]