SECONDARY PROSPECTUS
A NEW ALL-THROUGH ACADEMY with drive and ambition
Learning changes lives In September 2017, we joined the Harris Federation, one of England’s most successful groups of academies. All of their academies inspected by Ofsted are rated ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’, with the majority rated ‘outstanding’. Harris Garrard Academy combines the traditional values of good manners, strong discipline and smart uniform with the best of modern teaching and technology. Our students take pride in their work and are enthusiastic about learning. My background with the Harris Federation is in leading the turnaround of schools, so that students get the high standard of education and care they deserve. I hope that this prospectus gives you a sense of our drive and ambition for this school. Speaking with our students and teachers is the best way of finding out about what we have on offer. So, if you are considering our academy for your son or daughter, please do come along to one of our admissions events. Mr Christopher Everitt, Executive Principal
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Harris Federation in numbers
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Independent experts Watchsted rank the Harris Federation FIRST OF 26 AcademY GROUPS for improving Ofsted outcomes.
There are five applications from parents for every place available.
Lower ability pupils are eight times more likely to achieve the demanding English Baccalaureate with Harris than they are nationally.
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85% of Harris sixth formers gain university offers, with places secured at Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, King’s, Leeds and Bristol.
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All Harris academies are rated ‘GOOD’ or ‘OUTSTANDING’ by Ofsted, with most achieving the top rating.
Drive and ambition Whether your child needs to be stretched, is struggling or is somewhere in the middle, we will always work to inspire the best in them.
We want our students to be well-educated but we also want them to be well-rounded individuals ready to take on the world once they leave this academy. Over the course of their education, we support them as they develop the confidence, work ethic and motivation they will need to thrive as adults. Where students need extra help with a particular topic or skill, our teachers coach them in small groups and even one-to-one. Special educational needs are catered for with care and expertise.
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Happy and welcome from day one We ensure the transition to secondary education is smooth and happy, whether a child is progressing to Year 7 from our own primary phase or joining us from elsewhere. Each student has their own tutor who makes sure they settle in well, academically and socially. All students join one of our four ‘houses’. We find that children enjoy the friendly competition between houses and benefit from being part of a smaller structure within the larger school. Parents are encouraged to get involved with their children’s education and to visit on a regular basis, whether for special events or to hear about their son or daughter’s progress. Reports are sent home every term.
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A well-rounded education Our carefully balanced curriculum provides students with a well-rounded education. The academy offers students a wide range of high-quality academic and vocational pathways, personalised to their individual needs, to ensure they can all achieve their true potential. We believe every student should be stretched and challenged through a balanced, rigorous and demanding curriculum. We place appropriate emphasis on the core subjects – maths, English and science – but we also offer all students excellent teaching in humanities, languages, PE and arts subjects and topics. As they progress through the school, students specialise, refining their subject choices. Our teachers are always happy to assist this process so that students make informed decisions about their future studies and work.
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Daily homework ensures that students learn how to work independently and establishes an ongoing momentum of study that makes it much easier when the time comes to revise for exams. Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC) are delivered through a combination of our Tutorial Programme, the Assembly Programme and also through the academy’s ‘Renaissance Days’ which run during the course of each year to develop cultural capital and resilience within our students.
Calm and orderly We have high expectations of students and the result of this is that they behave respectfully towards each other and their teachers. Whether you are in a classroom, the corridor or our playground, the environment is consistently calm and orderly. Good behaviour is always recognised so that students know whether they are getting it right or wrong. At the end of each term, students who have worked hard and behaved well are rewarded with activities including rock climbing, a waterpark visit and paintballing.
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Our clubs and activities We believe that academic success should go hand-inhand with a rich variety of extra-curricular activities. We encourage each student to find an activity that they enjoy and can excel in.
We work hard to ensure that a wide range of interests are catered for. Wherever there is demand for a club or activity, we will always try to find a way to make it happen. As a Harris academy, we are also part of Harris Experience. This programme has been designed for the most able students from Year 9 onwards. It exposes them to a range of cultural experiences that take their learning well beyond the curriculum. Recent examples range from learning the art of auctioneering at Christie’s to a day of lectures at the University of Oxford.
Harris Federation Our academy is run by the Harris Federation, a notfor-profit charity with nearly 30 years’ experience of running happy and successful primary and secondary schools in and around London. The Harris Federation has an exceptional track record with academic progress far greater than the national average. Every Harris academy so far inspected by Ofsted is rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, with the majority rated ‘outstanding’. The founder and Chairman of the Harris Federation is Lord Harris of Peckham. His vision of delivering happy and successful education is brought to life by an excellent team of teachers and leaders.
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As well as joint working between the teachers at our academies, there are many shared experiences for our students. These include federation-wide sports days at the National Sports Centre; Harris Experience, a unique programme that readies our most able students for life at top universities; and inter-academy events such as one-to-one reading partnerships between our primary and secondary schools, World Maths Day and Debate Mate. You can follow the Harris Federation on Twitter: @HarrisFed.
Apply for a place There are 180 places available in Year 7 every September and applications are made through the London Borough of Bexley’s coordinated admissions process. If you are interested in a place, please consider attending one of our open events – the dates are on our website. We look forward to meeting you.
Yarnton Way, Thamesmead, Erith, Kent, DA18 4DW T. 0208 320 4800 Email. info@harrisgarrard.org.uk  www.harrisgarrard.org.uk
@HarrisFed