School threatened with judicial review climbs down over Year 13 entry

The selective voluntary aided school in the London Borough of Bromley at the centre of a threatened judicial review over excluded sixth formers has climbed down.

St Olave’s, at which the council has one nominated governor, had told some pupils at the end of year 12 that their results were insufficiently good to proceed into the final year for A levels.

Parents threatened a judicial review and the Department of Education has said that it is unlawful for schools to remove pupils from a sixth form once enrolled other than for disciplinary reasons.

A statement issued by the school said: “Following a review of the school’s policy on entry to year 13, the headmaster and governors of St Olave’s grammar school have taken the decision to remove this requirement and we have today written to all parents of pupils affected to explain this and offer them the opportunity to return to the school and continue their studies.”

Aggrieved parents are understood to be continuing the legal action as some had already made alternative arrangements for their children’s education.

Mark Smulian