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Harris Garrard Academy

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Coordinates: 51°29′45″N 0°08′07″E / 51.4958°N 0.1353°E / 51.4958; 0.1353
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Harris Garrard Academy
Address
Map
Yarnton Way, Thamesmead

Erith
,
Greater London
,
DA18 4DW

England
Coordinates51°29′45″N 0°08′07″E / 51.4958°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

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

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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

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  1. ^ "Welcome". Harris Garrard Academy. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "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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