Pimlico Academy parents ‘apprehensive’ after replacement principal announced

By Owen Sheppard, local democracy reporter

Parents at the troubled Pimlico Academy are “apprehensive” following the news that its principal Daniel Smith has resigned and will leave the school on May 31.

Future Academies, which runs the school, and is chaired by former schools minister Lord John Nash, announced yesterday, May 18, that it is to appoint a new acting principal.

Mr Smith revealed in an email to staff that he “informed the trust earlier this term of my intention to step down”.

It comes after months of tension between the school’s leadership with parents, teachers and students, and the looming threat of staff resignations and strikes in June.

Lucinda Merritt, of the Pimlico Academy Parents Group, said: “It’s been a long time coming.

“We thought Future would stand their ground and stand by Mr Smith.

“I think all the parents are feeling quite relieved. There’s also a feeling of apprehension that we’ll just get someone of the same calibre [as Mr Smith].”

Ms Merritt, who is a teacher at another school, continued: “[Our] group is still concerned so we will be putting together a list of demands that will be similar to the one we sent to the school not long ago, where we called for a decolonisation of the curriculum.”

A statement from Future Academies said: “We thank Mr Smith for his unwavering commitment during this time which has been very difficult due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic.”

Mr Smith was new to Pimlico Academy when he was made principal in July 2020, and became deeply unpopular for his attempts to shake up its culture.

Changes to the uniform policy, such as banning afros and dictating how girls wear headscarves, were branded racially insensitive. As was removing Black History Month from the curriculum.

The school garnered national press attention when hundreds of pupils staged a sit-in on March 31. Pupils also demanded a new Union Jack be taken down from above the entrance.

During the Easter holidays, Mr Smith wrote to the parents of sixth form students who had organised the protest, threatening them with exclusion if they attempted to organise another.

This week, the National Education Union was balloting its members at Pimlico Academy on whether to go on strike for a number of days throughout June. The NEU has said over 32 staff already planned to leave at the end of the school year.

Newly elected councillor Liza Begum, a former student at the school, said on Twitter: “The school has a lot of work to do in repairing relationships with parents and students, ensuring they are more involved in decision making – having parent governors would be a start.

“I hope students are able to return to a better school environment and I will be working with parents and students to ensure the school takes their concerns seriously.”