INSIDE Harris: Securing Attainment - Harris Academy Merton

At Harris Academy Merton we believe “Achievement is Success”. We develop our students into confident and capable individuals that have a desire to excel academically and personally now and in the future. We have 45.5% of pupils on FSM and 2.3% on EHCPs and yet 59% of all pupils achieve both English and Maths GCSE at grade 5 and 56% of our disadvantaged pupils, reducing the attainment gap to 3%. Pupil attendance sits at 93.4% and the suspension rate is 2.5%.

Our most recent Ofsted inspection was graded outstanding in 2022 and the report states: “There is a tremendously positive culture of learning and a very strong sense of community” and “Approaches to learning are based on strategies that reflect students’ needs and play to their strengths”. This consistency of practice has led to sustainable improvement over time.

Pupils at Harris Federation are twice as likely to go to Russell Group Universities and 150 Harris pupils, almost all from under-represented backgrounds, have taken up Oxbridge places over the past four years.

Summary Aims:

Insight into how we remove barriers to learning through consistent high quality adaptive teaching, targeted intervention and support as well as the meticulous tracking of performance.

Takeaways

1. High expectations and high ambitions have impact

2. High quality teaching for all

3. Using observations and assessment data to drive improved teaching and learning