Harris Garrard Academy
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Harris Garrard Academy
| logo = Fair use logo Harris Garrard Academy.png
| image =
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| caption =
| motto =
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| address = Yarnton Way, Thamesmead
| town = Erith
| county = Greater London
| postcode = DA18 4DW
| country = England
| coordinates = {{Coord|51.4958|0.1353|region:GB-BEX_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| other_name =
| former_name = Business Academy Bexley
| type = Academy
| religious_affiliation =
| established = {{Start date|2002|df=yes}}
| founder =
| closed =
| local_authority = Bexley London Borough Council
| trust = Harris Federation
| urn = 145140
| ofsted = Yes
| principal = Wayne Barnett{{cite web |title=Welcome |url=https://www.harrisgarrard.org.uk/610/welcome-to-harris-garrard-academy |website=Harris Garrard Academy |access-date=1 April 2023}}
| principal_label = Executive principal
| staff =
| gender = Mixed
| age_range = 4–18
| enrolment = 1,430 (2023){{cite web |title=Harris Garrard Academy |url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/145140 |website=Get information about schools |publisher=GOV.UK |access-date=1 July 2023 |language=en}}
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| website = {{URL|www.harrisgarrard.org.uk}}
| footnotes =
}}
Harris Garrard Academy (formerly Business Academy Bexley) is a 4–18 mixed, all-through school and sixth form with academy status in Thamesmead, Erith, Greater London, England. It was established in 2002 and is now part of the Harris Federation.
History
Business Academy Bexley was established in 2002 as a city academy, a secondary school under the sponsorship of 3E's Enterprises (later acquired by GEMS Education),{{cite news|title=Academy opens doors to the future|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2249188.stm|access-date=8 November 2014|publisher=BBC Website|date=10 September 2002}}{{cite web|title=Print article Save to favourites Bookmark and Share article icon Private giant buys into state sector|url=http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2052832|website=Times Educational Supplement|access-date=8 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108153336/http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2052832|archive-date=8 November 2014|url-status=dead}} and property developer David Garrard, chairman of the Minerva group, who donated £2.5 million.{{cite news | url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,711216,00.html | title=School seeks to attract staff with low-rent homes | author=Nicholas Pyke | work=The Observer | date=5 May 2002 | location=London}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2249188.stm |title=Academy opens doors to the future |publisher=BBC News |date=10 September 2002 |access-date=1 April 2018}}
The school relocated to dedicated premises in September 2003 and the primary school section opened in 2004. As of 2007 the total enrollment was 1,477.{{cite web | url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?event=getReport&urn=133769&inspectionNumber=294655&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\\school\\133\\s5_133769_20070514.xml | title=2007 Ofsted report | publisher=Ofsted | access-date=9 July 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070904023751/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?event=getReport&urn=133769&inspectionNumber=294655&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=%5C%5Cschool%5C%5C133%5C%5Cs5_133769_20070514.xml | archive-date=4 September 2007 | url-status=dead }}
The school was constructed on a {{convert|33|acre|m2|adj=on}} site at a cost of £31m. Architect Norman Foster designed the building, which was nominated for the 2004 Stirling Prize, and some parts have been compared to "a smart City office".{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,1257285,00.html | title=Schools fear fallout from local academy | work=The Guardian | date=9 July 2004 | location=London | first=Steven | last=Morris | access-date=27 April 2010}}
However the academy didn't make the progress expected{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/3344116/Beacon-school-takes-on-Ofsted.html |title='Beacon' school takes on Ofsted |last=Lightfoot |first=Liz |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=15 September 2004 |access-date=1 April 2018}} and by 2007 was languishing at the bottom of the School League tables for Bexley. In 2008 GCSE results and value added placed it ahead of a number of other non-selective schools in Bexley.
In 2010 the school had a deficit of £500,000, largely for repairs to the "incredibly expensive to run" seven-year-old building, but also to attract staff. The school had had a high turnover of headteachers and pupil enrolment had fallen to about 1,100 exacerbating the deficit.{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/business-academy-bexley-may-be-forced-to-cut-staff-over-500000-deficit-6459936.html |title=Business Academy Bexley may be forced to cut staff over £500,000 deficit |newspaper=Evening Standard|location=London |date=16 April 2010 |access-date=1 April 2018}}
On 25 September 2011 The Business Academy Bexley was featured on Channel 4's programme 'Derren Brown: How to be a Psychic Spy'.
The school was placed into special measures during an Ofsted inspection on 11 and 12 May 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebusinessacademy.org/98/news-articles/article/186/the-business-academy-bexley-placed-in-special-measures-after-a-challenging-time|title=The Business Academy Bexley placed in Special Measures after a challenging time – News Articles – The Business Academy Bexley|website=thebusinessacademy.org|access-date=2016-08-09}}
Due to the schools poor Ofsted inspection, the Harris Federation took over the school and renamed it the Harris Garrard Academy from January 2017.{{cite news |url=http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/news/principal-vows-to-up-expectation-levels-as-he-takes-over-at-the-harris-garrard-academy-1-5185492 |title=Principal vows to up expectation levels as he takes over at the Harris Garrard Academy |last=May |first=Luke |newspaper=Bexley Times |date=7 September 2017 |access-date=1 April 2018}} After joining the Federation the primary school section was granted a Literacy specialism.{{Cite web|title=Our Literacy Specialism – Harris Garrard Academy|url=https://www.harrisgarrard.org.uk/450/our-literacy-specialism|access-date=2022-01-16|website=harrisgarrard.org.uk}}
The academy is now rated as Good in all areas by Ofsted, which comments that the school has 'very high expectations of what its pupils will achieve',{{Cite web |title=Ofsted – Harris Garrard Academy |url=https://www.harrisgarrard.org.uk/463/ofsted |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=harrisgarrard.org.uk}} and is one of the most improving schools in the Bexley local authority for progress.{{Cite web |title=Exam Results and Performance – Harris Garrard Academy |url=https://www.harrisgarrard.org.uk/615/exam-results-and-performance |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=harrisgarrard.org.uk}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.harrisgarrard.org.uk/}}
{{Harris Federation}}
{{Schools and colleges in Bexley}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Primary schools in the London Borough of Bexley
Category:Secondary schools in the London Borough of Bexley
Category:Academies in the London Borough of Bexley
Category:School buildings completed in 2003
Category:Educational institutions established in 2002