Harris Girls' Academy Bromley, originally Cator Park School for Girls, is a

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

Beckenham Beckenham () is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Prior to 1965, it was part of Kent. It is situated north of Elmers End and Eden Park, east of Penge, south of Lower Sydenham and Bellingham, and west ...

in the

London Borough of Bromley The London Borough of Bromley () is a London Borough, borough in London, England. It is the largest and southeasternmost borough in London, and borders the county of Kent, of which it formed part until 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 ...

, England, for girls between the ages of 11 and 18, with boys joining in Sixth Form. In 2011, the school joined a federation of academies in South London called the

Harris Federation Harris Federation is a multi-academy trust of 52 primary and secondary academies in and around London. They are sponsored by Philip Harris (Lord Harris of Peckham). Description With 52 academies in London and Essex, the Harris Federation educat ...

, named after the Lord Harris of Peckham who is sponsoring them. The Academy was ranked 'Outstanding' by Ofsted in 2017. It was awarded with the World Class Schools Quality Mark, joining the just over 140 schools in the UK accredited with the recognition.

History

Cator Park School for Girls opened in 1919. In World War I, the school had been used as a hospital for injured soldiers.

Harris Federation

Harris Federation is a federation of Primary and Secondary academies in and around London. The academies' sponsor is

Phil Harris Wonga Philip Harris (June 24, 1904 – August 11, 1995) was an American actor, bandleader, entertainer and singer. He was an orchestra leader and a pioneer in radio situation comedy, first with '' The Jack Benny Program'', then in '' The Phil ...

(Lord Harris of Peckham), the former chairman and chief executive of Carpetright. The federation is a not-for-profit charitable organisation whose stated key aim is "to promote the education of young people in South London". The Chief Executive Officer is Sir Daniel Moynihan, previously Principal of the Harris City Academy Crystal Palace. He is the full-time CEO at the Harris Federation Headquarters in Croydon. Kelsey Park Sports College ( Harris Academy Beckenham) and Cator Park School (Girls' Harris Academy Bromley) converted into Harris Academies for September 2011, the first Harris Academies to open in the London Borough of Bromley.

Description

The Academy is a girls' school with a roll of 900 secondary pupils and a mixed sixth form of 260.

Academics

Virtually all maintained schools and academies in England follow the

National Curriculum A national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, possibly in consultation with state or othe ...

, and are inspected by Ofsted on how well they succeed in delivering a 'broad and balanced curriculum'. Schools endeavour to get all students at 16 to achieve the

English Baccalaureate The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance indicator in England linked to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results. It measures students' attainment by calculating an average score from specified subject grades. ...

(EBACC) qualification- this must include core subjects a modern or ancient foreign language, and either History or Geography. Harris Girls' Academy Bromley operates a three-year,

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14. In Northern Ireland the ...

as advised where all the core National Curriculum subjects are taught. Maths, Science and English are setted by ability, other subjects and options are taught in mixed-ability classes. In 10 and 11, that is in

Key Stage 4 Key Stage 4 (KS4) is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other examinations, in maintained schools in England normally known as Year 10 and Year 11, when pupils are aged between 14 and 16 by August 31 ...

most students do a Modern Foreign Language, and History or Geography, allowing an English Baccalaureate. Ofsted reported in 2017: “Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They inspire and sustain a love of learning in their pupils. Teachers have an absolute faith in the ability of their pupils to succeed and give their time generously to ensure that this happens.” This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under th
Open Government Licence v3.0
© Crown copyright “The excellent quality of teaching, learning and assessment throughout the school is a significant strength.”

Buildings

The site lies within the Aldersmead Conservation Area and the preserved 1920s previous school is grade II listed, though surrounded by additional buildings of little architectural merit. The new build was done by

Nicholas Hare Architects Nicholas Hare Architects is a UK architectural practice, with a portfolio of award-winning projects. These include schools, higher education, refurbishment, commercial projects, and buildings for the arts. Founded by Nicholas Hare in 1977, the pr ...

in partnership with Kier Construction. It is part of the London 2 batch of the

Education Funding Agency Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education also fol ...

's Priority School Building Programme. The new structure is a simple 3-storey building (in brick and render) that runs parallel to the southern boundary of the Academy, and together with the retained buildings it defines a secure central courtyard. The old building has been refurbished to provide general teaching and administrative support space. The more recent buildings have been demolished to make way for the new specialist teaching building, which houses the Science and Art departments, and a new sports hall.

Faculty structure

Under the

the previous

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

system was overhauled to be known as a faculty structure which is seen in all Harris Academies. The four faculties are now Blue, Yellow, Red and Green which are made up of different subject areas under the leadership of an assistant principal.

Notable alumni

Cush Jumbo Cush Jumbo (born 23 September 1985) is a British actress and writer. She is best known for her leading role as attorney Lucca Quinn in the CBS drama series ''The Good Wife'' (2015–2016) and the Paramount Plus spin-off series ''The Good Figh ...

, actress * Ellie Reeves,

Chair of the Labour Party The Chair of the Labour Party is a position in the Labour Party of the United Kingdom. The Chair is responsible for administration of the party and overseeing general election campaigns, and is typically held concurrently with another position. ...

(2024-present) *

Rachel Reeves Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician who has served as Chancellor of the Exchequer since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds West and Pudsey, formerly Leed ...

, first female

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and the head of HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, t ...

(2024-present)

References

External links

Harris Academy BromleyHarris Federation
{{authority control Girls' schools in London Academies in the London Borough of Bromley Secondary schools in the London Borough of Bromley Bromley Girls Educational institutions established in 1919 1919 establishments in England