Mutiny erupted at a London school today as pupils protested against the new head’s ‘back to basics’ regime, with demands for a Union flag to be pulled down and u-turns on policies to toughen up discipline and adopt a traditional history curriculum emphasising kings and queens.
Hundreds of pupils and parents gathered outside Pimlico academy this morning holding Black Lives Matter flags and chanting ‘we want change’ as several police officers watched on. The protest was originally meant to take place on a football pitch in the school grounds, but this was allegedly locked shut by staff.
Opposition was originally focused on a uniform regime, introduced by new head Daniel Smith last August that banned hairstyles that ‘block people’s view’. Critics claimed this would penalise Muslims and people with Afro hairstyles at a school where three quarters of children are from ethnic minorities.
But the rebellion has now extended to include other policies viewed as ‘discriminatory’ by the protesters, including changes to the history curriculum to make it more chronological, which protesters say emphasises white kings and queens over BAME figures.
The British flag was removed and burnt by pupils in September before being put back up, and on the weekend anti-flag graffiti appeared on the school walls reading ‘Ain’t no black in the Union Jack’, ‘White schools for brown kids are u mad’ and ‘Pimlico Academy…run by racists…for profit’.
Protesters at the school – ranked ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted at the last inspection in 2011 – today released a extraordinary statement railing against ‘racism, Islamophobia and transphobia’ and said they were also angry about the lack of recognition for Black Lives Matter or Black History Month.
In a long list of demands, they complained about changes to the uniform policy, including an alleged ban on ‘colourful’ hijabs, and claimed that a transgender boy had had been forced to do PE with girls.
The list was presented to senior staff by six protesters. The trio of leadership figures, which included headteacher Daniel Smith, CEO of Future Academies Paul Smith and vice-principal Tony Oulton, agreed to the demands and took down the Union flag pending a review.
Other changes will be made when pupils return after the Easter break.
The school, which is run by an academy trust set up by former Tory minister Lord Nash – said it would go through with more changes after the Easter break.
Speaking this morning, one female student in year 12 telling the Guardian she had been inspired by Black Lives Matter to ‘speak out’ over the ‘abrupt’ changes to school policies since Mr Smith arrived in July 2020. ‘In light of Black Lives Matter, we do think that it was a responsibility of the students to speak to them and show support, as it was a very traumatic time for many of us’.
Even teachers have joined the uprising against Mr Smith, with up to 30 said to be planning to leave at the end of the year, and a vote of no confidence in him by the National Education Union last night. It is not clear if any teachers attended the protest today.
Mr Smith had emailed parents to say the last day before the Easter holidays would continue as normal. But with hundreds of students refusing to attend lessons parents were sent another email informing them the school would close at lunchtime. Year groups were sent home on a staggered basis with the school gates locked by 2pm.
It is the latest of a wave of demonstrations to hit British schools in recent weeks, which have included protests over ‘rape culture’ and an uprising by parents at Batley Grammar School in Yorkshire over its decision to show cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
Parents and police wait outside the school gates as school children demonstrate in the playground of Pimlico Academy
A demonstrator outside the school gates holds up a sign reading: ‘I stand with Pimlico students’
The school playground was packed full of students after they refused to take part in lessons
The National Education Union, which represents the school’s teachers, was due to hold a vote of no confidence in new head Daniel Smith (left) last night ahead of today’s walkout (right, a poster advertising the event)
Some parents have also backed the protests, with one mother with two sons in year 9 and 11 saying the school had gone ‘downhill’ since the new headteacher joined.
She said one of her sons got a detention because his Afro hair was deemed to break the school dress code. A second parent claimed racism was ‘rife’.
The school has since said press coverage of pupils discontent provided an opportunity for reflection, for ‘engagement in constructive dialogue’ and ‘action for change’.
The school is run by Future Academies, which was set up by former Tory academies minister Lord Nash, and his wife, Caroline, in 2006. Both still have leadership roles in the organisation.
Mr Smith marked his arrival in July with a punchy open letter to parents, in which he repeated the phrase ‘it is your responsibility’ three times in one paragraph while discussing the need for parents to ensure their children complete homework, dress properly and support the academy leadership.
Former pupils at the school include Chelsea footballer Tammy Abraham, PR executive Matthew Freud and comedian Mo Gilligan.
Non-students joined in the action today, with parents pictured outside the school gates, including one holding a placard which read: ‘I stand with Pimlico students.’
Police officers were also seen on the premises.
The sit-down protest came following reports that a senior member of staff had asked pupils to cancel the action the day before, but this only made the teenagers more determined to take part.
A sign covered in anti-fascism and anti-racism stickers outside Pimlico Academy School
A sit-down protest was held at the school this morning against its controversial uniform policy
A police officer outside Pimlico Academy School, west London, where students have staged a walkout in protest over a school uniform policy that they claim is discriminatory and racist
Officers stand outside the gates of the school this morning during the demonstration
The same flag was previously taken down and burned by pupils last September.
Students claim that concerns over the flag, and recognition of Black Lives Matter or Black History Month have also been repeatedly ignored by school bosses.
In a petition, the students claimed the uniform policy would penalise Muslims and those with afro hairstyles and demanded a change.
A statement accompanying the petition said: ‘We as students have the right to express ourselves however we choose, and also have the right to have our natural hair weather it be big hair small hair or loads of facial hair or no facial hair. We should be able to show our shoulders without ‘distracting the boys’.
Students packed out the school playground for the protest earlier this morning
There are warnings of a ‘mass exodus’ of teaching staff from the school in Westminster
‘We should be able to wear jewellery as some can be sentimental. We should be able to wear any coloured Hijabs we want as its part of a lot of people’s religion.
‘We should be able to have a clothing option for people who don’t want to conform to a gender. We should be able to wear as much make up as we like as it improves self confidence.
‘From year 11 up, we are more worried about what is going to happen to exams and grades. We don’t want clothing changes, we want reassurance for our learning.
‘We still have no idea what’s going to happen during this pandemic, yet we know what clothes we can and cannot wear? This only adds more pressure to us to get new clothes and conform to the dress code.’
Videos of pupils taking action at Pimlico Academy in Westminster, central London , have gone viral on social media, being shared hundreds of times
Students chanted ‘we want change’ this morning as they protested against their head teacher’s policy banning Afro hair and ‘colourful’ hijabs
One pupil told the Guardian ahead of the protest: ‘We believe the school has unfairly targeted groups of students.
‘The school should protect marginalised races, religions and other groups instead of target them.
‘We should see ourselves and our backgrounds represented in our studies.’
Meanwhile a teacher, who has handed in her resignation at the school, told the site she felt staff voices were not being heard.
Some of the school’s famous alumni include comedian Mo Gilligan, musician and actor Ashley Walters and Chelsea and England striker Tammy Abraham.