Another Headteacher gone from West London Free School?

[orangecurd]

According to the Good Schools Guide, Mr Naismith 'left abruptly in May 2014'. This must obviously have been in the last few days. Do any current parents (or anyone else) know more?

[orangecurd]

Ps no axe to grind about Free Schools, just interested because it's the closest school to us and my son will be making secondary choices this autumn.

[MrsMaturin]

Wow - how many is that 3?

[vindscreenviper]

Looks like the Head of the primary has left too, see here
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/2010963-West-London-Free-School-Secondary-staff?pg=2&order=

[BewitchedBefuzzledBewildered]

The head of Primary has gone? Does anyone have anymore info?

[HeadteacherWLFSP]

Dear all, this is just to inform you that I am still in post as Headteacher of the West London Free School Primary and have no plans to leave. Those rumour mills… Best wishes, Natalie de Silva

[orangecurd]

Natalie - thanks for your message. But can you shed any light on the WLFS secondary school situation which was the subject of my OP?

[vindscreenviper]

Ah, I see there is a vacancy for an Assistant Head of the Primary, wonder if that's where the rumours are coming from. This article in the Standard doesn't really shed much light on the departure of the senior school Head

but it does quote a MN user!

[christinarossetti]

Astounded that a headteacher has the time to be trawling MN during working hours, Natalie de Silva or is that someone from TY's press office?

And why would any halfway decent school even need a press office?

TY 'declining to comment' according to The Standard.

Sounds like there's trouble a' mill....

[sinclair]

Glad to hear I had the story back to front and the lovely Ms de Silva is still in post - a (usually very reliable) source has been reprimanded - wishful thinking by certain local primaries perhaps...and one less thing for Toby to worry about.

[MrsMaturin]

Obviously watching mumsnet closely

[MillyMollyMama]

No smoke without fire!

[AnnyBee]

So is the head of the secondary school still in post?

[vindscreenviper]

No, his job is advertised in this weeks TES AnnyBee, he has left mid-year for some reason.

[christinarossetti]

Seriously, though. What on earth is a head teacher doing prowling round on MN during a working school day?

[BewitchedBefuzzledBewildered]

What, HTs aren't allowed to mumsnet during lunch? Jeez

[christinarossetti]

Just thought she might have something better to do.

Like run a school for example.

Just a thought.

[wheresthebeach]

I agree...its odd for a HT to be on MN during the day. I realised they get a lunch break but it...well...just seems odd.

[dippingbackin]

This is the second Head to leave WLFS very suddenly with no explanation. All very strange. Have posted about this before, never found out why the first one left.

Sam Naismith was the deputy so obviously knew what he was getting into. Very high turnover at such a senior level.

[knickernicker]

My surmise w ith no knowledge of the situation is that head 1 was initially picked because he'd been head of minor public schools, the type Toby would like to imitate. Head 1 had probably been,a mediocre head in his previous schools and didn't cut it in a London State school. Head 2 was then promoted way too quickly, errors were probably made.
I think they need a head with experience of managing an urban school. Unfortunately this would mean that Toby's quaint ethos will be diluted. I'm not sure where he can go from here.

[prh47bridge]

Nothing wrong with anyone browsing MN during their lunch break. The head shouldn't be running the school during her break. That's why it is called a break! She has the same rights to a break as any other employee.

Of course, it is equally possible that a parent with a child at WLFS drew this to her attention and she decided to respond.

[vindscreenviper]

You're right of course prh, it's very likely that a parent/friend/colleague pointed her to this thread.

I don't know London at all, so can anyone local tell me if the £9.25 million paid for the WLFS's new building on Bridge Avenue, Hammersmith is good value for money? It doesn't appear to have any outdoor space, what about sport/P.E.?

[christinarossetti]

No idea, but overall it sadly seems that there's no particular correlation between the setting up of free schools and value for money.

Or school places needed, for that matter.

[levianne]

Holy moly, vindscreenviper, I didn't know about the Bridge Avenue building. That looks wholly unsuitable for a school, as it has large internal spaces so there won't be much natural light if they divide it into classrooms. Also, I'm sure the 20 local charities that were evicted from Paddenswick House for the WLFS to have it must be a bit miffed. (Unless the WLFS are being greedy and having both buildings?)

[vindscreenviper]

The agents put the details on their website a month ago

www.hanovergreen.co.uk/hammersmith-office-building-sold-by-hanover-green

but there's no mention of it on the WLFS website, which still refers to plans for Palingswick (sp) House. I just find it very strange that they haven't been more forthcoming, surely the pupils and parents should have been told as soon as the ink was dry on the contract (and eye-watering cheque).

[vindscreenviper]

It's amazing what you can find out on the internet!

Here is list of all the documents relating to planning permission for WLFS new site

This covering letter states the school will relocate in September and there will be a no-car policy for staff and pupils!

Looks like the school will operate on multiple sites;

"By September 2014, 480 secondary school pupils will attend the West London Free
School 240 of which will be located at the Bridge Avenue site. The other 240 will remain at the existing, temporary Cambridge Grove site.Those pupils who relocate to the Bridge Avenue site between September 2014 and 2015 will be from year groups 9 &10. Come September 2015, Bridge Avenue will be used to accommodate year groups 10 &11. All other secondary school pupils will be accommodated in the nearby Palingswick House site which is currently under development but due to open September 2015. From this date, secondary school pupils will no longer be accommodated at Cambridge Grove and this site will instead be used to accommodate the WLFS Primary School"

I was wrong about there being no outdoor space though, there is 37sqm of playspace round the back