20757 HPABG Prospectus

An exceptional education for local children

Your child’s education Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green in the London Borough of Bromley is a single form entry school, located in the very heart of its community, where a school has stood for two hundred years.

I am pleased to welcome you to this prospectus, which I hope will give you an insight into our school and its values.

Primary education is a very important step in your child’s development and, at Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green, we know that pupils achieve their best when they feel safe, happy and respected.

As a single form entry academy, children quickly get to know our staff and each other and settle into the school routines that help create a positive environment for learning.

Here at Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green, we celebrate all our pupils’ successes. Our aim is to give pupils a well-rounded and truly enjoyable education that prepares them for success in secondary school and beyond. If any child needs additional help, we will step in to give attentive guidance.

We are part of the Harris Federation, which runs five other successful primary academies in Bromley. These include Harris Primary Academy Kent House and Harris Primary Academy Shortlands, both of which have recently been rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted. We benefit from being part of this thriving family of schools.

I am very proud of our polite, well-behaved and conscientious pupils, and encourage you to come and have a look around and see the great work they have been doing.

We are happy to arrange guided tours from early October onwards if you contact the School Office.

I look forward to meeting you.

Ms Karen Minnis, Principal

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Happy in the classroom It is important children are taught and looked after in the right way for them. Our staff support each child in committing ‘To do our BEST’ in school life.

This section of our prospectus describes what education here is like.

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Every lesson is creative The aim of our teachers is always to deliver lessons that children enjoy and that motivate them to achieve.

We believe that all learning should be creative, not just arts subjects. In all lessons, children are encouraged to strive for excellence.

We want all of our pupils to be confident readers, writers and mathematicians. Our teachers make sure these areas, as well as the rest of the National Curriculum, are taught in ways that engage the children’s natural sense of curiosity.

The result of this is that children become eager, confident pupils who have a thirst for learning and are prepared well for academic success.

High standards in every classroom With each day, week, term and year being so significant in a child’s life, consistency is particularly important in their primary education.

As part of the Harris Federation, which has its own training school for teachers, our staff receive outstanding professional development to make sure that standards are consistently high in every classroom.

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Children treated as individuals We want children to retain their individuality and be treated in ways that enable them to flourish and grow into confident young people.

We step in quickly if a change is needed. For some children, this might involve one-to-one support if they are finding something difficult and for others it could mean stretching them more to keep them interested and challenged. As an academy parent, you would be welcome to discuss your son or daughter with us at any time.

We send progress reports home every half term with a full written report at the end of the academic year.

We welcome children of all abilities and want them to enjoy school and thrive. For children with special needs, one of our first steps is to work with their parents and other specialists to create a shared support plan. Our approach as a whole is reviewed with children’s classroom teachers, relevant specialists and parents every half term.

English We chose literacy as our specialism because we believe that learning to read, write and communicate effectively underpins all learning.

Reading is taught through the teaching of traditional phonics and children are encouraged to read for pleasure and take books home.

Maths Maths is taught through a mastery approach where children benefit from a deep understanding of the subject through concrete, pictorial and abstract methods.

Non-core subjects The International Primary Curriculum is used to deliver these subjects via exciting topics, which enable the children to learn about their local neighbours and international communities.

An academic head start As children progress through the school, one of our aims is to make sure we give them a ‘head start’ for the rest of their education.

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Happy outside the classroom There is always time at the academy for children to think, to play, to discover and wonder. This section of our prospectus describes our approach to helping our pupils become well-rounded, resilient and confident.

Hobbies, skills and experiences Our teachers and other staff seek to discover and nurture at least one special talent within each child.

There is something for everyone in our extracurricular programme, which is packed full of music, dance, drama and sport.

As your children progress through their education, typical outings and trips might include learning about World War II at the Imperial War Museum, exploring the solar system at the Science Museum and finding out about the Tudors at Ightham Mote in Sevenoaks.

Every pupil has a friend We want the academy to feel friendly and welcoming and we always make sure that pupils feel happy and included. Our children are taught to respect each other and their teachers.

The children benefit from the Peer Mediation Service that teaches the children to self-manage their friendships and concerns in a positive way.

Our school rules and values emphasise appropriate behaviour in school and the wider community.

There is a zero tolerance approach to any type of bullying.

Traditional standards of behaviour Our academy is relaxed and comfortable but pupils know that good behaviour is expected of them.

They are frequently praised and rewarded for doing their best and for being kind, hard-working and well-behaved.

Healthy and tasty meals Our school lunches are popular, healthy and tasty. Pupils may bring in packed lunches if they prefer. Please remember that foods containing nut products are not allowed.

Wrap-around care A Breakfast Club meets on site and After School Care is available for all children whose parents require these.

The clubs are well-organised and fun and give them an opportunity to do their home learning if they wish. After-school activity clubs are available for children in Years 1–6.

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A Federation of academies Our academy is part of the Harris Federation. This is a not-for-profit charity with nearly 30 years of experience of education in London.

The charity was created by Lord Harris of Peckham.

He and his family take an active interest in our achievements and the progress of our pupils.

Every Harris academy is different, serving its own pupils and community, but we share an ethos that ensures children are happy, enjoy learning and want to go to school.

Being part of the Harris Federation means that our teachers and support staff have access to excellent training and resources from a team of experts in Primary education.

All Harris academies are located in and around London and we work very closely together. Our teachers get together to share their best ideas and develop successful ways of teaching pupils. Our children also come together for events such as the annual Battle of the Brains contest and, each summer, the Harris Federation Sports Day. You can find out more about the Harris Federation and all of our sister academies at www.harrisfederation.org.uk or by following @HarrisFed on Twitter.

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Admissions We have 30 places available in Reception. Please do come along to meet us if you are interested in a place – you can contact us through the school office to arrange a guided visit.

If we are oversubscribed, children with an Education, Health and Care plan that names the academy will be given places first, followed by looked after and previously looked after children.

After this, we prioritise children who have a medical or social need to attend the school (and can support that with a letter from a doctor, social worker or other independent professional) and then those that have older brothers and sisters who are already at the academy and will still be there when they join in September, and finally those who live closest.

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St George’s Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 5JG T. 020 8650 5246 Email. info@harrisbeckenhamgreen.org.uk www.harrisbeckenhamgreen.org.uk

An exceptional education for local children

@HarrisFed