Warning: Harris Academy Sutton

[SENMa]

This school school creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment for ALL pupils and one which is untenable for those with SEN. I have deregistered my child after over a year of hell. During the January of Year 7 after a day which included 6 assessments (should this be allowed?) she realised she had missed a detention given out for forgetting to attend another detention given out for 5 minutes lateness and started to have severe anxiety about going into school. She had been so looking forward to the change from primary to secondary, what a slap in the face. She was not sleeping at night, but still lateness (5 minutes in this case) is punishable by detention even in a child struggling as she was. Despite the school being aware of her struggles they mandated that pupils would not be allowed to use school bags that were not the official Harris Academy bag. This bag is too small for her to fit her PE things but yet they DO NOT SUPPLY LOCKERS. Due to my daughter's difficulties she was not able to successfully remember to take her separate PE bag from class to class. She was then disciplined for not having it when needed causing her severe stress leading to further school refusal and anxiety on PE days. We remedied this by purchasing a non-descript light-weight, larger black ruck sack which fit her PE things. The school then refused to allow this and confirmed that pupils without the official Harris bag would be disciplined. The same went for her non-descript black trainers. Sanctions are also placed on students who wear their coats in the corridors, coats which they are forced to carry from lesson to lesson due to their being no lockers. Perhaps the most degrading sanction Harris Academy imposed was that children are not allowed to use the toilet facilities during classes. At the beginning of year 8 the school implemented double periods of one hour and 40 minutes. Can you imagine 12-year-olds being asked sit without a break for one hour and 40 minutes? The only children that would have been allowed a break were those with timeout cards or girls menstruating. This stigmatises SEN pupils and girls. If you are truly trying to avoid discrimination you must give all pupils the option for a timeout. My daughter simply could not attend school at the time of the month for fear of these long lessons where she would be forced to draw attention to herself in order to get some privacy. I was forced to take her to the doctor to get proof of her period but then her absence still went down as unauthorised and I received a threatening letter as a result. There seems to be an agenda that promotes a culture of fear in our schools for both parents and pupils. Unlike at primary there was no WhatsApp group or way for me to contact other parents to find out if their children were having similar difficulties or to unite against discriminative school policy. It has been the most isolating and soul destroying experience. I cannot recommend Harris Academy, Sutton to any parent. I am glad to have found a space to break my silence about the school at last. This school has no regard for the welfare of their students. They simply wish to tick attendance and academic boxes.

Can't bear schools in general TBH. It's why mine are home educated.

I think that parents who criticise school's behavioural policies often get criticised for being overly protective, mollycoddling or just outright thinking their child can do no wrong and that schools can and should be allowed to do what they want. As a teacher and a parent I think this is disappointing and wrong on so many levels. Schools should be working in partnership with parents - they often say this but sadly, don't always mean it - as they get very defensive whenever anyone dares to criticise them. Why can't op criticise the schools policy - she isn't here to give a balanced a review but to discuss her experience and get support from others - so get over it.

There are some excellent schools out there with great inclusive behavioural policies, unfortunately, it seems this academy chain have form for not being that great from what I have seen written on forums like this.

Also I think it very unhelpful for posters to suggest if you don't like the schools policies move your child - it simply is not that easy unless you have money!

The authorities have spoken: you are not to criticize these poor, downtrodden academy chains any further. They have important work to do educating your children while also deliberately crafting policies to exclude any students who might drag their exam scores down. And if they’re draconian and inflexible enough, they might even be featured next time some right wing media outlet needs to do a “world’s strictest head teacher” story.

OP, have you requested an EHCNA? Rather than EHE, have you thought about pursuing section 19 provision?

or actually, home school, which is literally the only way you’ll get a totally bespoke way of getting your child taught.

Actually, EHE isn’t the only way of having a totally bespoke package. If necessary, with an EHCP it is possible to ensure the LA deliver a completely bespoke package.

As much as many think it is, schools making reasonable adjustments isn’t optional.

Sorry I haven’t read the thread. My kids are ND. My adhd DC is often late and quite disorganised, so they’ve had multiple detentions for this kind of behaviour.
You say that toilet and movement breaks etc should be allowed and not stigmatised. It is tough but would you really want your kid in a school where any kid is allowed a movement break? No work would be done! Would you be a teacher in that kind of school? Same regarding school uniform bags. As soon as one person is allowed something different, what is the rationale for everyone not being allowed to do as they please?
if your child has SEN needs, speak to the school about reasonable adjustments. If they don’t, help your own kids to stick to the rules! Be kind, help her, support her, help her to build her resilience. Teach her coping strategies. How to become more organised.
My AuDHD kids are going to have to live in the real world at some point, where no one gives a monkeys about what their issues are and they are judged by how they behave and what they deliver.
I feel lucky that the school holds them to standards, because how else will they learn? And it gives me a chance to help them to raise their behaviour to reach that standard. Without that bar, of course they wouldn’t bother! It’s much easier to be disorganised than to learn the skills it takes to get their stuff together, especially if you’re ND.
with all this said, it’s possible that my dc’s school is more compassionate and responsive - if this is the case then I am sorry. However we have also come up against multiple detentions for lateness and uniform so I think it’s standard for secondary schools. So I’d say, kindly support her with practical lessons for becoming more organised and hopefully this will reduce her anxiety.

@KillerTomato7 I think you've just proved my point

I'm sorry you and your child are having such a rough fyear 7.

However, Sutton has a big choice of secondaries, including a wide range of comps and Harris make it very clear in their open evenings what they are about and how they run their schools. I'm not a big fan but they are open about it.

Somewhere like Glenthorne would have been a much more nurturing environment, Greenshaw probably better as well.

Some of the complaints you have are just set secondary rules now and we have experienced them at a few schools in Sutton - primary to secondary can be a big leap and the only way round that can be going private if that's an option. Or if you have a relevant diagnosis, the separate school within a school at Oaks Park https://www.oaksparkhigh.org.uk/3205/send-horizon-asc-base.

That sounds absolutely awful OP and it’s really depressing to read the replies normalising this sort of brutality.

Children only have one childhood and good for you for trying to make sure your child has a happy time at school.

@HomeEdMom I agree that it's depressing that people say "oh that's normal".
I be curious about what people would think if they had to follow similar rules at work.
Go to work with the equipment required to do your job in a bag that's too small - so some of your equipment is in a separate bag meaning 2 bags to carry.
Then carry a third awkwardly shaped object (so in school something like an art folder).
Also carry your coat around all day. It might be wet because of the rain but you still have to carry it.
If you are moving from one work space to another (so for example from one desk to an office for a meeting) - you have to hump both bags, the awkward object and your damp coat with you.
Do that all day......
Really "normal' isn't it 🙄🤔

The extra support is provided to make up for time lost during covid. Current year 11s had just started secondary when the first lock down happened and then had several years of disruption with isolation requirements etc.

Teachers should be boycotting these catch up schemes. They are paid well below the minimum wage

Which is why I specifically mentioned reasonable adjustment in my post.

Imagine you start a new job and they send a strict dress code, down to the colour of your socks and style of your shoe. They also send you a list of equipment which they say you must have every day. Some of it seems a bit strange - two green pens?- but off you go dutifully to Smiths and equip yourself.

On the first day, you’re lined up with your colleagues and inspected. Anyone whose clothes aren’t exactly according to the dress code is told they’ll have to work an extra half hour. Same for any missing equipment. The penalties add up - wrong colour socks and missing protractor? One hour after work.

You’re a bit concerned at this because you had arranged a lift home and if you have to stay late you’ll miss it. You check your clothes and equipment, all seems okay. You pass the check, but the woman next to you has the wrong shoes. She’s distressed at the news that she’ll be staying late - she had plans later. Tough. She starts worrying about how she’s going to get new shoes to avoid the same tomorrow whilst also staying late at work. You don’t know how to help.

You get into your office and look around at your colleagues, but there’s no time to chat. On the whiteboard is a list of expectations for the day. You must be on task at all times and this will be monitored through your computer. Toilet breaks are limited to particular times and you’ll be queuing because it’s the same time for everyone. Eyes must be kept on your computer and this will be tracked. You must sit facing forwards and not slouch. You must use a regulation ruler whenever you read a document. If you break the rules, you’ll be kept after work the same day.

You‘re told that if you get too many ‘after works’ then you’ll spend a day in the Quiet Room where no one will talk to you for the whole day and you can’t eat lunch with your colleagues or go to the toilet more than twice. You start to feel a sense of unease. You’re worried about whether you can comply and what will happen if you start gazing off into space or rocking on your chair.

The office is very quiet. ‘Isn’t it lovely?’ says your manager. ‘People here appreciate our structure and clear boundaries. You’ll do the best work you have ever done here because no time is wasted. We’ve set it up so you don’t have to worry about making decisions, you just do what we say and concentrate on your work’.

You think perhaps this isn’t the right place for you, but they remind you that you’ve signed a five year contract without a get out clause. There are no other options. You are powerless.

What effect would that have on you? Would you be happy and relaxed at work? Would you be motivated and doing your best for those five years? Might you feel anxious and trapped or resentful and angry?

And why would we think it would be any different for our kids?

by Dr Naomi Fisher, Clinical Psychologist

The only part of this that you really cant justify is the not slouching.

Everything else is about maximising the educational outcome for every child, and it works, for many children. If it is the wrong place for your child, then move them.

But the not slouching rule is stupid, and dangerous. I know a child left with long term backache after a few months of this - there was a court case pending, but I left the area and don't know the outcome

Have you guys actually met any teenagers?!

No slouching = no you cannot lie on the desk during English.

Uniform = no we don't want to see your hot pink bra or lime green boxers thanks very much...

Great training for working at Amazon, these schools are.

For any career requiring confidence, self-esteem and a bit of spark, not so much.

No it doesn't, in these schools it means sitting bolt upright in a forced unnatural position for hours at a time without a break - it is painful and damaging. I have worked in such schools, and have never enforced this rule, and have been repeatedly reprimanded for it when managers have spotted children sitting naturally in my classroom.

The latest on Harris Academy Sutton’s discrimination against SEN pupils is that 5 such pupils are excluded from Year 11 prom due to not meeting the attendance and attainment criteria.

In hindsight, after two spinal operations as a result of my terrible posture wish I had been reprimanded for slouching a bit more…

I'd go and look to work somewhere else?

Well, I think your daughter is incredibly lucky to have you in her corner. I don’t know the solutions, but no way would I put my child through that hell. It clearly doesn’t work for her, even if its the only way of being that the school has (to control large numbers). we now have so many options, including viable home schooling (using tutors, if you can afford, if not then I’d research learning apps, for instance atom covers years 7 and 8 I think). Work out a strategy depending on your daughter’s interests and where she’d like to go in life. Cover all GCSEs. For socialising, there are clubs and activities if you can afford one or two of these a week. All this is more expensive than relying on a state school, but I’m not sure whether the state has to find provision for you.
ps and about uniform rules etc. it’s all about control. Interestingly at St Paul’s girls, highest achieving indie in the country, the kids wear their own clothes.

My daughter is starting at Harris in September 2025. It was not our first choice but the second, first one was Wallington high but she failed the SET.

The reason why we chose Harris, is for its military type of education.
My daughter is lazy, she is mainly interested in playing times, play dates, watching TV (which we have not), drawing, crafting...
If she could, she would spend hours on a phone or laptop but again she has neither one.

It takes us a good bag of patience, resilience and imagination to have her read, do her homework and get her interested to do things, it's not sustainable!!!

To your point on the toilet, I see it during homework at home, my daughter is suddenly always in need to go to the toilet which is not the case during a play date. If I'm a teacher I would be annoyed in having pre teen's always ask to go and I guess that would disturb the class.
My daughter also tend to forget a bag here, a coat there, and pencil case .. because she is relying on others to find them and save the day.
We need to educate those kids and it's not giving them a favour to treat them as toddlers.
They need to be ready for the worl ahead of them.

I kind of agree with you. My child is starting at Harris Wimbledon in September and I was a bit taken aback by their military approach, but I hope it will work out well!