Harris Garrard Academy

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.

Harris Garrard Academy
Address
Yarnton Way, Thamesmead

Erith
,
Greater London
,
DA18 4DW

England
Coordinates51.4958°N 0.1353°E / 51.4958; 0.1353
Information
Former nameBusiness Academy Bexley
TypeAcademy
Established2002 (2002)
Local authorityBexley London Borough Council
TrustHarris Federation
Department for Education URN145140 Tables
OfstedReports
Executive principalWayne Barnett[1]
GenderMixed
Age range4–18
Enrolment1,430 (2023)[2]
Capacity1,780[2]
Websitewww.harrisgarrard.org.uk

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),[3][4] and property developer David Garrard, chairman of the Minerva group, who donated £2.5 million.[5][6]

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.[7]

The school was constructed on a 33-acre (130,000 m2) 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".[8]

However the Academy didn't make the progress expected[9] 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.[10]

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.[11]

Due to the schools poor Ofsted inspection, the Harris Federation took over the school and renamed it the Harris Garrard Academy from January 2017.[12] After joining the Federation the primary school section was granted a Literacy specialism.[13]

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',[14] and is one of the most improving schools in the Bexley local authority for progress.[15]

References
  1. "Welcome". Harris Garrard Academy. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  2. "Harris Garrard Academy". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  3. "Academy opens doors to the future". BBC Website. BBC. 10 September 2002. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. "Print article Save to favourites Bookmark and Share article icon Private giant buys into state sector". Times Educational Supplement. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. Nicholas Pyke (5 May 2002). "School seeks to attract staff with low-rent homes". London: The Observer.
  6. "Academy opens doors to the future". BBC News. 10 September 2002. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. "2007 Ofsted report". Ofsted. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  8. Morris, Steven (9 July 2004). "Schools fear fallout from local academy". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  9. Lightfoot, Liz (15 September 2004). "'Beacon' school takes on Ofsted". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  10. "Business Academy Bexley may be forced to cut staff over £500,000 deficit". Evening Standard. London. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  11. "The Business Academy Bexley placed in Special Measures after a challenging time - News Articles - The Business Academy Bexley". www.thebusinessacademy.org. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  12. May, Luke (7 September 2017). "Principal vows to up expectation levels as he takes over at the Harris Garrard Academy". Bexley Times. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  13. "Our Literacy Specialism - Harris Garrard Academy". www.harrisgarrard.org.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  14. "Ofsted - Harris Garrard Academy". www.harrisgarrard.org.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  15. "Exam Results and Performance - Harris Garrard Academy". www.harrisgarrard.org.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
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