Harris Academy Sutton- reviews please

[PD18]

If you have your child or know someone with a child in Harris academy, Sutton, can you please give some feedback about the school. It will help us in choosing a secondary school for my child who is reasonably academic but sporty.

It only opened a couple of years ago so there are still unknowns about how it’s going to turn out. However, I’ve spoken to a couple of parents and they’re happy. Harris also have a very strong track record + the school has a STEM specialism so I expect it’ll attract more academic children and perform well.

Which are your other options in terms likely admission distances?

Harris are a bit like marmite - you either love or hate them. In my borough they’ve taken away much of the choice and parents who don’t like their ethos are feeling aggrieved, too many of the schools all have the same ethos and brand. I will add I am not a parent with a child in a Harris school.

Harris also have a reputation for elbowing out poor performers or even good performers who had high predictions and might affect their progress 8 score. A FOI for Bromley showed Harris schools as the worst for chucking out children at Y10 early enough so the school results wouldn’t be dragged down. www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/410751/response/994626/attach/3/BROMLEY%20Yr10%2011%20FOI.xlsx?cookie_passthrough=1

I am sure there are good things about Harris schools - I just haven’t heard them from the parents of DCs who attend Harris schools near me and of course Sutton could be different.

Not sure how ‘chucking out’ would work. State schools need to have solid grounds for it or not really possible if someone attends and behaves themselves.

No other Harrises around here, though, bar one Junior school. So no Harris sameness affecting choices.

Thank you...I have heard good things about Harris generally but the sutton school is a new one..

Being a new one school, it could be a bit of a leap of faith. So it really depends on what your other options are.

The secondary schools in Sutton outperform those of just about anywhere else in the UK, so it's unlikely that Harris Sutton will be any different.

I can think of a bad egg of a school in the area Only one, though.

OP, if you're considering the school from Banstead, then I'd definitely for for Harris. If you're East and possibly on the cusp for Glyn and your child is a boy, then that's a fab school. If you're more towards Cheam Village, in the catchment for Cheam High - that's a sought after school.
If you're the other way, Carshalton Boys are Girls might be options - attainment average, progress average for girls and above average at the boys school (+ very impressive progress in the 6th form). Both great options for sport.
There's also Overton Grange in central Sutton that tends to be undersubscribed (had a bad patch a few years ago) it's average academically but does offer fab extra-curricular options).
Mind you, the 'average' schools are in line with the national averages nationally and they do have top sets achieving fantastic GCSEs.

I'd also say that for a sporty child willing to pursue a sport to a high level, there are numerous sports clubs all over the place (rugby, cricket, football, tennis) and opportunities at the Sutton Sports Village (eg elite gymnastics) and generally loads of options in the immediate area.

Also golfm, climbing, swimming etc.

@JoJoSM2 do you know is it very hard to get a child into the boys grammar school in Sutton?
Also do you have any knowledge of manor park junior? Thanks

The grammars are very competitive so the children who get in are bright and well prepared. Definitely worth putting in the work in the summer holidays so the brain is freshly exercised for the exams. And do the mocks as exam days get very busy which can be very stressful.

I think it tends to be about 8ish candidates per place. Some will be super clever and almost certain to get in, some won't be academic enough to be much competition, but the numbers of children that are bright and prepared will still be high.

And Manor Park is a very nice, outstanding, high achieving school. I think it's also the most international in the area. If you're moving to Sutton and looking for an in-year admission, then definitely a nice school to be offered.

Thanks @JoJoSM2
We're in the area and manor park is our closest school so hoping it stays up there as DS won't start for another 2 years...just massively getting ahead of myself with the boys grammar I went to a single sex grammar so just keen for him to have the same as I loved school!
Do you have any other useful or insider knowledge of Sutton? Any exciting changes to the high st coming?

Manor Park has been a solid school for years. I think it is now in an academy trust with Cheam Common (which has ridiculously high exam results) so the two schools might be able to share good practice more easily. Have you checked the Sutton Primary School distance checker? The catchment is tiny so that would be my only worry if you don't live 2 mins away.

I think there's a new patisserie coming to St Nick's and a dance studio opened in there last month. I've been in Sutton for 5 years and the High St seems to be constantly evolving.

Hello everyone, we’ve recently moved to sutton and currently struggling to decide between Harris acedemy sutton and Greenshaw high school . Please advise which school is better out of these two?. I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Thanks 🙏

I am totally agree with you. Children are treated not fairly there. A lots of issues not solved. I am not recommended this school.

Hi, did you go with Harris in Sutton ?