The future of the leading London comprehensive Holland Park School was the subject of a Judicial Review in the High Court yesterday. A group of parents and the National Education Union are challenging the consultation process followed by the Department of Education which culminated in its decision to subsume Holland Park School into a Multi-Academy Trust with United Learning Trust.
The main issue in the case is whether the DfE carried out a public consultation which was subject to public law (so-called Gunning) requirements. The DfE wrote to parents and teachers outlining its proposal to transfer the school to a MAT. It asked for stakeholders’ views in relation to the potential transfer of Holland Park to ULT . The legal issues are whether there was, in fact, a public law consultation and if so, whether that consultation was lawful. Mrs Justice Henrietta Hill has reserved judgment.
The claimants are represented by David Wolfe KC, Sarah Sackman and Aidan Wills.