Harris Academy Sutton

INNOVATION, INTEGRITY, DISCOVERY

WELCOME Our unique journey continues.

Harris Academy Sutton opened the doors to our brand new state-of-the-art £40 million building situated at the heart of the London Cancer Hub in September 2019. The Academy is a unique place to learn.

Everyone involved – students, parents and all the staff – are driven by the ambition to see the Academy succeed in its vision to become the centre of excellence for learning in Sutton.

James Fisher, Principal

Lee Mallin, Executive Principal

Our Academy has the vision to match the Hub’s ambition as a home for global excellence. We have already started to harness all this potential for creating a world class education as this amazing and unique project continues to unfold on our doorstep. The Academy believes that through nurturing our students’ personal development and driving for high levels of academic progress and achievement we will equip them with the tools for sustained success in life after education.

We also recognise the impact that participation in extra-curricular opportunities can make for young people and the opportunity for learning that can take place outside the classroom. As such we run a full and varied enrichment programme that supports our students to make decisions wisely, ready for the challenges they will face as adults.

As part of the Harris Federation, we will have the opportunity to partner with other successful Harris schools across London and will have access to a shared pool of resources and expertise. As part of the London Cancer Hub, we encourage interaction between our students, staff and its world-class medical professionals so that we inspire our young people to careers of significance and value.

Being part of an academy since its inception has been a great experience.

Being part of an academy as it grows into a leading centre for education in the Borough of Sutton is a challenge that I and all connected with the community here at Harris Academy Sutton relish.

Come and join us!

1

OUR CORE VALUES INNOVATION, INTEGRITY AND DISCOVERY From the outset we have asked that all involved with the Academy understand and work to embed our core values in all their thinking and actions.

We aim to develop our students as innovators: our students will not be afraid to try something new, will be able to complete their work using innovative thinking and different pathways, and will learn to value mistakes as a key part of the learning process.

PHOTO

Together we will grow an understanding of the importance of integrity: Our students will value the importance of the opinions and beliefs of others, will develop their own character, and will value the power of truth.

Our focus on science and enterprise will drive a thirst for discovery: Our students will push beyond what they already know and not be afraid of asking difficult questions.

2

EDUCATION WITH AMBITION Due to the school’s unique location, Harris Academy Sutton will place a special emphasis on the teaching and learning of science in all its forms.

In Years 7 and 8 the Academy places an extra hour of curriculum time in the hands of its science teachers with a special focus on experimentation and the scientific method. At GCSE, more than half of our cohort of students study 3 GCSEs in Science.

In addition to all of the opportunities presented by our location, the Harris Federation employs a team of specialist science teachers who help our academies ensure students are taught science imaginatively and engagingly. The team has built links with London’s top universities and medical schools so that students have access to a huge variety of experiences and opportunities.

Our focus on careers from Year 7 means that all students are able to link their ambition to their studies, and understand how all aspects of a broad and balanced curriculum can support the choices they make as they move through education to employment.

The two specialisms will be taught as part of a balanced curriculum that is rich in all areas, including the arts and creative arts, humanities, sport and languages. We will apply the scientific skills of research, creativity, innovation and investigation to every subject. This benefits all students, whichever academic or career path they choose to follow.

3

OUR SPECTACULAR BUILDING Our £40 million new building has surpassed our expectations.

The spectacular accommodation meets the Passivhaus energy performance standard, a first for secondary education in England. This means that our children study, play and develop in a meaningful, calm and inspiring learning environment.

The building is designed to make savings in the high running costs normally associated with school buildings, savings that are transferred directly into resources and teaching staff to enhance our students’ learning experiences. The atmosphere is quiet but purposeful, and a sophisticated air circulation system keeps the environment fresh and comfortable for all in the building.

4

In addition to the world-class science accommodation we have the space and facilities we need to excel in the arts and sport. Our hall, which will also be used as a performing arts space, is larger than the standard normally expected for schools. We also have a high-quality Sport England sports hall.

“I really do love my shiny new school and cannot wait to see what the future brings for me and Harris Academy Sutton.”

Year 7 Student

A WELCOMING AND THRIVING SCHOOL FROM DAY ONE Despite the challenges of the last two years, our first three cohorts of students have grown and thrived together laying down solid foundations for the culture and ethos that defines our academy.

With demand for secondary school places at a premium in Sutton, over the coming years we will begin to meet the need for additional, excellent schools to serve local families. We recognise the valuable role of parents and carers in the success of their child’s education. Parents and carers will be encouraged to get involved with their child’s education and to visit the academy on a regular basis, whether for special events or to hear about their child’s progress.

Reports will be sent home twice every year and inform parents and carers about their children’s Commitment to Learning alongside their Academic Progress.

“It is exciting to be part of a brand new school.

The teachers are really nice. There is a great atmosphere around the school – feels like family.”

Year 7 Parent

5

OUR CURRICULUM Our well-rounded and carefully balanced curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all our students.

The academy will offer a wide range of high-quality academic pathways to ensure every student achieves their fullest potential. We believe every student should be stretched and challenged through a balanced, rigorous and deep curriculum that can be adapted to their individual needs. Our students enjoy a fantastic experience in the core subjects – maths, English and science – but we also offer all students a fully developed curriculum including the humanities (history, geography and RS), languages, PE, computer science and the creative arts (performing arts, music, DT and art).

6

Although we will place a special emphasis on Science we recognise that the greatest thinking requires knowledge and creativity. To this end and alongside our specialist science facilities we have fully dedicated art studios, graphics and animation suites, a fully equipped Design and Technology workshop and a state-of-the-art Food Technology kitchen.

We are ready for the challenges that changes in technology will bring over the next century and look forward to equipping our students with all the skills, knowledge and experiences they will need to succeed in the brave new world.

Daily homework will ensure that pupils learn how to work independently and embed their learning, and will establish an ongoing momentum of study that makes it much easier when the time comes to revise for exams.

Alongside our academic curriculum, our Personal Development Curriculum prepares our students to thrive in modern Britain, and to live healthy, happy and successful adult lives. Students are taught PSHE, Citizenship and our Healthy Harris health and wellbeing topic each week through discrete sessions.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES We believe that academic success should go hand-in-hand with a rich variety of extra-curricular enrichment activities.

We offer activities in a wide range of disciplines. Over the last two years our students have been able to try their hand at public speaking, investigate European cinema, try out some coding, become a chess grand master or take part in Strictly Sutton as well as a wide range of other activities.

The inspiration for our clubs is driven by the aspirations of our students and the passion and expertise of our dedicated staff.

In addition, all our students will be encouraged to take up roles of responsibility in and around the Academy. Through our Student Leadership programme we run a Student Commission, appoint Prefects, use Lead Learners to inform our teaching and our Rights Respecting Schools Ambassadors to embed children’s Rights across all we do.

Alongside our many sports teams the opportunity to partake in a wide range of educational visits completes our dynamic approach to learning outside of the classroom.

As we emerge from the challenges of COVID-19, we’re excited to return to our full-fledged offer of educational experiences.

For students thirsting for greater challenge, our Scholarship programme involves further study in chosen disciplines. Last year, Maths scholars prepared investigations into Fibonacci sequences while Biology scholars produced presentations delving into the world of lipids, and these are just some of the deep and challenging learning opportunities on offer within the first years of students’ experience at HASU alongside their classroom studies.

As a Harris academy, we are also a part of Harris Experience, a programme designed for some of 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 attending a day of lectures at the University of Oxford.

“All in all it just feels right for him at Harris Academy Sutton and even the lure of a grammar school education (which he’d worked so hard to be eligible for) wasn’t enough to tempt him away.”

Year 7 Parent

7

PART OF THE SUCCESSFUL HARRIS FEDERATION The Harris Federation is a not-for-profit charity with 50 academies in London and Essex. 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.

The Federation regularly tops academic studies and national league tables measuring progress and performance. Almost all Harris secondary academies are judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Harris secondary academies are known for combining traditional standards of manners, discipline and uniform with the best of modern teaching and technology. There are around four applications from parents for every place available.

We send many of our sixth formers to Oxford, Cambridge and other Russell Group universities – winning places on these prestigious courses at a rate of more than twice the national average – as well as top apprenticeships and competitive vocational courses. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

In addition to running schools, the Harris Federation provides high quality training and professional development for teachers throughout this part of England.

Follow @HarrisFed on Twitter to stay updated.

APPLY FOR A PLACE We will offer 195 places each year.

If you are a parent in the area and would like to be kept up-to-date with relevant information about the new academy, please email us (info@harrissutton.org.uk) so we can add you to our mailing list.

Parents wishing to apply for a place will be able to name Harris Academy Sutton on their Common Application Form.

8

Like all secondary schools, if we are oversubscribed, children with Education, Health and Care plans will be offered the first places. Looked-after and previously looked-after children will have next priority.

After this, we propose to prioritise students for places in the following order: 1. S iblings of children already at the school.

2. T he children of staff who have been recruited to teach subjects where there is a shortage of skilled staff; 3. T he children living closest to the new school’s site.

Please see our website for details of our open events: www.harrissutton.org.uk

HARRIS FEDERATION

IN NUMBERS

1

ST

5 24

Government data puts the Harris Federation at the TOP of the league tables for the progress students make at secondary school.

There are FIVE applications from parents for every place available.

%

Nearly A QUARTER of our sixth formers went on to top Russell Group universities, this year, about twice the national average.

2 Chiltern Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5RD T. 020 3962 4500 Email. info@harrissutton.org.uk www.harrissutton.org.uk