Holland Park School

About Holland Park School

Holland Park School sits within the Kensington and Chelsea local authority, one of eight state secondary schools in the borough. Among its local peers, the school is outranked by The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School, All Saints Catholic College, and St. Thomas More Language College, with the nearest outstanding-rated school, The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School, just 0.8 kilometres away. The school is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Sally Coates, and currently educates 1,336 pupils aged 11 to 18. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, however, placed it in a difficult position: the school was rated Inadequate overall, with behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management both judged Inadequate, and quality of education and personal development both Requires improvement. Only the sixth form provision was rated Good. This marks a sharp decline from its previous inspection in 2014, when the school was judged Outstanding across all available categories.

Academically, the picture is mixed. The school’s most recent Ofsted report highlights that while the sixth form provision is Good, the quality of education in the main school requires improvement. The local authority average Progress 8 score stands at 0.4, which is above the national average, but Holland Park’s own Progress 8 data is not provided here, so it is difficult to directly compare its pupil progress against the LA benchmark. The school does offer a broad range of subjects and extracurricular activities, including clubs for drama, debate, chess, and science, as well as sports such as rugby, tennis, and swimming. However, the Ofsted inspectors noted concerns around behaviour and attitudes, which were rated Inadequate, suggesting that the school environment may not yet be fully conducive to learning for all pupils. Parents researching this school will want to look closely at the most recent exam results and any improvement plans in place since the 2022 inspection.

The school’s facilities are extensive, including tennis courts, an astro turf pitch, a swimming pool, music rooms, art studios, and a dedicated sixth form centre, which are unusual for a state school in central London. There is no specific mention of SEND provisions in the data, so families with children who have additional needs should contact the school directly to discuss support. The school is heavily oversubscribed given its size and location, but the current Ofsted rating may affect admission patterns. This school will suit families who value a large, diverse secondary with strong facilities and a wide range of clubs and sports, but who are also prepared to engage with the school’s ongoing improvement journey following a significant drop in its inspection rating. For those prioritising a top-rated school, the nearest outstanding alternative, The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School, is less than a kilometre away.

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