Harris Academy Orpington - Prospectus 2023

TOGETHER: WE CAN

TOGETHER WE CAN

Welcome to the Harris Academy Orpington prospectus.

I am very pleased that you have taken an interest in our Academy and I welcome you to read our prospectus. Harris Academy Orpington inspires and supports students to achieve their personal best by fostering a love of learning, a passion for enquiry and a dedication to being the best that they can be. We know how important it is to learn together and take a collaborative approach to getting the very best out of each other. Our motto is Together We Can.

Ambition, Tenacity, Enterprising

Mr David Astin Executive Principal

Harris Academy Orpington is a happy school, and all members of the Academy community are encouraged to respect each other and talk about any problems they may encounter. We have an extensive team of support staff and pastoral workers to ensure that every child enjoys coming to the Academy, is cared for and successful.

Our learning ethos is designed to encourage students to become ambitious, tenacious and enterprising. Learning is not just something that happens inside the classroom. We believe that skilful teaching engenders an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and that knowledge is power.

We hope that this prospectus gives you a sense of our drive and ambition, but also how we will care for and nurture your child. Speaking with our students and staff is the best way to find out about what we have on offer. If you are considering our Academy for your son or daughter, please do come along to one of our open events or contact us to arrange a visit. We particularly welcome prospective visitors to the Academy who want to come and see us ‘live’ and ‘in action’ at one of our Open Mornings.

Mr Richard Carey Head of Academy

DRIVE AND AMBITION

We want our students to be well-educated, ambitious for themselves and others and well-rounded; prepared to take their next steps when they leave our Academy. Our specialist team of highly trained staff provide exceptional care, guidance and support, helping students to develop their confidence, work ethic and aspiration.

When extra help is needed with a particular topic or skill, our teachers coach in small groups and even one-to-one. Students with special educational needs are catered for with care and expertise.

We have high expectations of the way in which students should conduct themselves. There is a strong emphasis on students learning in a calm and respectful environment. Our consistent approach to encouraging good behaviour results in a culture that is always friendly, orderly, and purposeful.

HEALTH SCIENCE SPECIALISM

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Students benefit from well established relationships with local providers and we offer advice and guidance alongside more practical opportunities such as work experience and apprenticeships. Students will have the opportunity to gain well recognised qualifications and study subjects that will help prepare for life beyond school.

Whether your child needs to be stretched, supported or is somewhere in the middle, we will work with them to meet their individual needs.

Academy has a specialism in Health Science. The health sector is the main employer in the local area, and we know how important being healthy, fit and well prepared for the future is; we aim to encourage our students to embrace that too.

HAPPY AND WELCOME FROM DAY ONE

With each intake of Year 7’s, we make the transition from primary to secondary school smooth so new students feel welcomed, cared for and settled. We have a dedicated ‘transitions’ team who go into primary schools, meets with the students, teachers, parents and carers. We have carefully designed the curriculum to make sure that it matches closely what they study in Year 6.

New Year 7 students will have the opportunity to visit the Academy during Years 5 and 6 as part of our extensive primary liaison programme. On these days, students take part in literacy, science, design technology and sports events. In addition to the cross-borough Transition Day, we hold parents’ evenings, one-to-one meetings, sports days, and other opportunities for students to come into the school, so that when they join us in September, they are comfortable and ready to learn. Our summer ‘launch pad’ means that students get to spend a week with us over the summer, familiarising themselves with the school, the staff, and their new friends.

Parents are 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. We believe that parent voice is pivotal to our work, and we hold regular meetings with parents and conduct surveys and canvass views throughout the year.

A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION

Our carefully balanced curriculum is personalised and aims to meet the needs of all our students.

In Years 7, 8 and 9, we follow the National Curriculum and provide a wide range of subjects with appropriate emphasis on the core subjects; English, Mathematics and Science. For most subjects, your son or daughter will be taught with other students of similar ability. The core subjects are organised so that students can be in a different ability group for each core subject so that we best meet their needs. The majority of students study for the English Baccalaureate. All students study Religious Studies and PSHE, and students in Key Stage 3 participate in timetabled Enrichment activities.

As our students progress through the Academy, students specialise and refine their subject choices, beginning their GCSE courses in Year 10. Our staff offer expert advice to assist this process so that students make informed decisions about their future studies and work. Students in Year 10 and 11 all have the opportunity to take part in Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Homework is important and ensures students continue learning beyond the classroom. Daily homework is set to encourage good study habits and to assess their understanding of topics and skills. Establishing study routines early makes it much easier when the time comes to revise for examinations.

OUR CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

We believe that academic success should go hand-in-hand with a rich variety of extra-curricular activities. We encourage each student to find at least one activity that they enjoy and can excel in and have built this into the timetable. Students in Y7-9 have a timetabled enrichment lesson that we hope will inspire them to do even more!

We work to ensure that a wide range of interests are catered for and wherever there is demand for a club or activity, we will always try to find a way to make it happen. We have recently introduced table tennis, boxing, catering, journalism, dance, IT, computer science and performing arts.

As a Harris Academy Orpington, we are 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 takes 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.

PART OF A THRIVING SIXTH FORM

Our sixth formers are part of the wider Academy community and are proud to act as role models for our younger students.

The Sixth Form offers everything our students love about their Harris education in an environment where they are treated as young adults. Our sixth formers wear suits not uniforms and follow a working day that fits in with a new type of learning.

This period of our students’ education is filled with opportunities to develop their experiences and to work with leading practitioners in the field they are interested in. We offer a range of Level 3 academic and vocational courses.

We very much support learning beyond the classroom and our enrichment programme offers students the opportunity to take part in many activities, including Duke of Edinburgh, work experience, charity work and involvement with primary schools.

The Sixth Form regularly sends students to top Russell Group universities, specialist arts, drama and stage schools and directly into training and apprenticeships.

PART OF THE SUCCESSFUL HARRIS FEDERATION

The Harris Federation is a not-for-profit charity with 54 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.

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The Harris Federation is a London charity with nearly thirty years’ experience in education. Our Academies combine the traditional values of good manners, strong discipline and smart uniform with the best of modern teaching and technology.

Harris Academy Orpington has established itself as a highly enterprising and very successful member of our group. Working closely together in and around London, our Academies are able to offer a far broader range of opportunities, far better training and professional development for staff and real success for our students.

What makes this Academy so successful? Students who enjoy learning and look forward to coming to school each day; teachers and support staff who are genuinely ambitious for every student; a senior leadership team that consistently sets standards of excellence.

If your son or daughter wants to come to an Academy with drive and ambition, then I hope you will attend one of its open events to find out more.

FROM THE SPONSOR

When I set up the Harris Federation, a notfor-profit charity, I did so because I wanted London’s children to have a better education than I was able to receive.

I had no choice but to leave school when I was 15, to go to work to support my family after my father died. Although I am dyslexic, it was never diagnosed when I was a child and I struggled in school to read and write. Fortunately, I succeeded in business, but I could so easily have failed to do so.

My family and I give our time and money to education because we believe in the lives of children and want their futures to be happy and successful.

The Harris Federation is led and run by world-class teachers who share our vision. We have built our reputation on a family of schools that are setting new standards of excellence and fulfilling high expectations.

Sir Daniel Moynihan Ed.D, M.A., B.Sc. (Econ) Chief Executive of the Harris Federation

APPLY FOR A PLACE

There are 180 places in Year 7 every September and applications are made through the London Borough of Bromley’s coordinated admissions process.

If you are interested in a place, please consider attending one of our open events –these dates are on our website. We look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.