Make a Difference Become a Harris Governor
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Want to MAKE A DIFFERENCE to the lives of children and teenagers? BECOME A HARRIS GOVERNOR 37,000 REASONS TO BECOME A HARRIS GOVERNOR Our academies educate over 37,000 children and teenagers in and around London. As well as opening brand new academies, we have transformed standards in schools that had, in some cases, failed for generations before joining the Harris Federation. Social mobility is the Holy Grail for the pupils we serve. The key to their futures is a high quality education. Our governors shape and guide our schools and are vital to their success. If you want to become a governor and if you share our aspirations for our children and teenagers, we would be delighted to hear from you. Sir Dan Moynihan Lord Harris of Peckham CEO Chairman @HarrisFed www.harrisfederation.org.uk HARRIS FEDERATION With 50 primary and secondary schools in and around London, the Harris Federation is one of the most established and successful academy trusts. We are deliberately a ‘federation’ rather than a ‘chain’ and every Harris academy is different. But, as a group, our academies are characterised by their drive, ambition and success. Despite many having been found to be failing by Ofsted before they joined Harris, the majority of our schools are now rated ‘outstanding’. The success of our schools has been recognised by Prime Ministers and politicians from all parties as well as think tank researchers, business leaders and newspaper editors. But most importantly, with our academies oversubscribed by four applications for every place, parents and children we serve know that Harris academies stand for happy and successful education. @HarrisFed www.harrisfederation.org.uk When it comes to achieving the in suite of academic GCSEs that make 1 3 up the Ebacc qualification, ‘disadvantaged’ disadvantaged pupils at Harris are pupils at Harris now outperforming non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. achieve the Ebacc 72% of inspected Harris academies are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, compared to just 3.8 x 19% of schools across the country. more likely to be ‘Outstanding’ applications Despite in many cases replacing failing, unpopular schools, for Harris academies are now heavily 4 every place oversubscribed. 80% of Harris pupils go to university, compared to just a third of 18 year olds in England. A quarter 80% of all Harris pupils attend elite Russell Group universities, which is going to university more than twice the national average. Since 2018, we have doubled the number of our pupils going to Oxbridge with well over 100 100 Harris alumni currently now at Oxford completing their degrees there! and Cambridge OUR ACADEMIES 6 Primary Secondary 46 18 1 Harris Primary Academy Beckenham 21 Harris Academy Battersea 2 Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green 22 Harris Academy Beckenham 3 Harris Primary Academy Benson 23 Harris Academy Bermondsey 4 Harris Junior Academy Carshalton 24 Harris Girls’ Academy Bromley 45 5 Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred 25 Harris Academy Chafford Hundred 6 Harris Primary Academy Coleraine Park 26 Harris Academy Clapham 7 Harris Primary Academy Croydon 27 Harris City Academy Crystal Palace 42 8 Harris Primary Academy Crystal Palace 28 Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich 39 9 Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich 29 Harris Girls’ Academy East Dulwich 49 10 47 Harris Primary Academy Haling Park 30 Harris Academy Falconwood 23 35 11 Harris Primary Academy Kenley 31 Harris Academy Greenwich 12 25 40 Harris Primary Academy Kent House 32 Harris Invictus Academy Croydon 21 17 5 13 13 Harris Primary Academy Mayflower 33 Harris Academy Merton 26 16 37 30 31 14 Harris Primary Academy Merton 34 Harris Academy Morden 29 9 15 Harris Primary Academy Orpington 35 Harris Academy Ockendon 28 16 Harris Primary Free School Peckham 36 Harris Academy Orpington 17 Harris Primary Academy Peckham Park 37 Harris Academy Peckham 18 Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane 38 Harris Academy Purley 8 24 44 19 Harris Primary Academy Purley Way Harris Academy Rainham 12 39 33 27 22 2 20 Harris Academy Riverside 41 Harris Primary Academy Shortlands 40 34 14 50 1 20 48 41 Harris Academy South Norwood 32 Harris Academy St. John’s Wood 36 42 7 3 Harris Academy Sutton 4 15 All-Through 43 43 19 10 44 Harris Academy Wimbledon 38 45 Harris Academy Chobham 46 Harris Academy Tottenham 47 Harris Garrard Academy 11 Sixth Form 48 Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form 49 Harris Westminster Sixth Form Alternative Provision 50 Harris Aspire Academy @HarrisFed www.harrisfederation.org.uk 6 46 18 45 42 39 49 47 23 35 25 40 21 17 5 13 26 16 37 30 31 29 9 28 8 24 44 12 33 27 22 2 41 34 14 50 1 20 48 32 36 7 3 15 4 43 19 10 38 11 2 3 20 25 STAND ALONE ALL-THROUGH PRIMARY SECONDARY SIXTH FORMS ACADEMIES ACADEMIES ACADEMIES YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED What kind of people How much of my time What training are you looking will being a governor do governors get for as governors? take up? with Harris? While they share our high There is certainly a time The Harris Teaching School provides expectations, our governors commitment involved, but our a successful and well-established come from all walks of life and all governors are volunteers. We use Governor Training Programme. backgrounds. their time carefully and respectfully. This ensures you are trained and equipped to perform your role as This diversity is a crucial component You can expect four to five a governor. of the success of Harris, as our governing body meetings per year governors bring a wide range of – often, but not always, these are We have expert trainers to help perspectives into our academies. in the evenings. Governors also visit you with topics including their academy three times a year so understanding school budgets, To be a Harris governor, you need they can see first-hand how they curriculum, safeguarding, to be willing and able to dedicate operate and have the opportunity Ofsted, codes of practice, special some time to the role and you need to speak to pupils and staff. educational needs and using data to be a good team player. to pinpoint priorities. From time to time, individual governors are also asked to offer This means you can be sure you’re their support and challenge as up to date with national changes part of a panel – for example, in education and know what is if the school is interviewing required to support the success of candidates for a key leadership the academy you are a governor of. role or if it is hearing an appeal about a pupil exclusion. @HarrisFed www.harrisfederation.org.uk IN OUR GOVERNORS’ WORDS… Tim Moore Marvin Chair of Governors Saverymuthapulle at Harris Riverside Chair of Governors at Just before my 40th Harris Junior Academy birthday, I became a Carshalton school governor. When I have been working with the friends asked why, I’d roll academy as a governor since out the usual cliché that it was placed under the care “it was time to give something back”. of the Harris Federation. Thanks to the efforts of I couldn’t have been more wrong about the the central (Federation) team, the Principal and his nature of the ‘transaction’. Over a decade later, staff, the school has been turned around into an I have a very different perspective. I view my academy that Ofsted calls ‘good’. involvement in local schools, and those across It has been a privilege to be a part of this the Federation, as a real personal privilege. transformation and I am proud of the I had completely underestimated the intrinsic overwhelmingly positive impact our organisation satisfaction of working with a highly talented is having on young people. and motivated group of educators that squeeze As a Management Consultant at a ‘Big Four’ every last drop of potential from the young accountancy firm, I have worked on performance people they work with on a daily basis. improvement programmes at several FTSE 100 The next generation will have to tackle huge companies helping them do more with less. global challenges and our schools must engender This has given me financial and programme a love of learning and develop the creative, management experience that has been invaluable technical and entrepreneurial skills required to in my role as a governor. Combining this with the solve big problems. education, legal and HR experience of the other governors has allowed us to become effective as Governors can help establish that culture. a Governing Body. Part administrator, strategist, communicator, confidant, cheerleader, politician, critic I believe that quality education is the best way and friend, it is far from being the virtuous to address the challenges we face today. There endeavour I originally thought. We are, in fact, is a lot more to do and the existing system is not beneficiaries. I have discovered a source of configured to deliver this. Organisations like the mid-life fulfilment that’s hard to explain, and I Harris Federation are effecting the change that look forward to working with governors across is needed. the Harris Federation to explore what’s next. IN OUR GOVERNORS’ WORDS… Geoff Payne Ros Wilton Chair of Governors at Chair of Governors at Harris Primary Academy Harris Girls’ Academy Purley Way Bromley “Well, what do I do to keep As someone with a the brain cells active and make background in finance a repayment to society for the and business I was privileges I’ve enjoyed?” I asked myself as I retired after 40 delighted to join odd years at senior level in BT. The answer...