Academy Mission

Growth 

We are confident that we can be better. 

We know that feedback is essential for improvement. 

We never give up, especially when it is difficult.  

Responsibility 

We are self disciplined, we own our decisions and we acknowledge their impact on others. 

If we do something wrong, we put it right. 

Ambition 

We aim to be the best versions of ourselves at all times.  

We believe in the potential to achieve the highest grades and access to the best careers/ universities.  

Compassion 

We are always kind to others, regardless of who they are.  

We regularly show our appreciation. 

Excellence 

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not, therefore, an act, but a habit.  

We are proactive, and curious to know and do more.  

Unified leadership and alignment. 

The mission for all students to become leaders in their chosen field, with the opportunity for leadership in STEM, permeates all aspects of academy life. Students and staff act with GRACE at all times in and outside the Academy and live by the values of growth, responsibility, ambition, compassion and excellence. This values-led vision creates critical alignment with all stakeholders and every decision is guided by these values. We celebrate staff and students regularly, constantly ‘talking up’ our mission and members of our team who are having an impact. A culture of feedback and a commitment to constant improvement runs through all aspects of academy life and all stakeholders have a responsibility to have courageous conversations to hold each other to account. Staff look out for each other and students and report any safeguarding concerns quickly.    

Exemplary behaviour.  

A kind, calm and structured environment creates the safest space for all students to thrive. This environment also gives students the skills of self-regulation to be a role model outside the academy and online. Adults are best placed to create this environment because adults can work in students’ long term best interests. Being positive, firm and consistent is a sign an adult cares, because this creates the foundation of a great adult: child relationship. The academy has, therefore, codified rituals and routines for the classroom and communal areas that show its students how to conduct themselves. Students practise these rituals and routines explicitly; they are frequently rewarded for meeting these clear expectations and held to account if they do not. Staff hold students to account with kindness and clarity, fully embodying the ‘warm and firm’ approach that is fundamental to a successful academy. All staff have a responsibility for building and maintaining this culture. There is a distinctness to the culture of Harris Science Academy East London which exudes learning and scholarship. The academy proactively works to minimise the risks and dangers of social media and online gaming and creates an environment at the academy where students digitally detox and focusses solely on learning.  

A well-taught, academic curriculum for all 

We believe that all students have a right to an academically rigorous curriculum because the qualifications received from such a curriculum give young people the currency to become a leader in their chosen field. The bar is never lowered for disadvantaged students or those with SEND. These students are given more support to reach the same high standards we have of everyone. Knowledge sits at the heart of the curriculum, because it is the foundation of creativity and critical thinking. Mastery of knowledge is monitored closely with rapid teacher response to close emerging gaps. The curriculum is implemented through an aligned model for teaching and learning that is precisely executed by every teacher at all levels, because the biggest variation in outcomes in UK academies is not between academies but within them. All teachers at Harris Science Academy East London, therefore, ‘row together’. This provides a highly predictable learning environment, where cognitive load is minimised and students learn a coherent metacognitive framework for how to learn. This has a disproportionately positive impact on disadvantaged students and students with SEND. Staff are expected to be, or commit to becoming, specification experts, so they have the knowledge and skills to deliver the highest outcomes for the academy’s students. All professional development (individual staff coaching, departmental co-planning sessions and whole staff training) is driven towards ensuring every child achieves the best grades in all their subjects.  

Character Education 

In addition to leaving the academy with the academic currency to gain entry to elite universities and professional careers, the academy works with parents to help their children develop the character to lead in often closed and competitive environments and make a positive contribution to their community. Oracy matters. Students learn how to communicate articulately and with conviction so they can be a leader in their chosen field. As parents would expect, the academy insists on the highest standards of courtesy and kindness, because this is a fundamental aspect of graceful leadership. Students have regular opportunities to develop their cultural capital through visits to museums, galleries and the theatre as well as trips abroad, so they can stand shoulder to shoulder with peers from more advantaged backgrounds. There are frequent opportunities for students to perform through public speaking, music, drama and sport. The co-curricular and careers program at the academy ensures students leave with a broad range of experiences that will enable them to make ambitious plans for their future. Alumni of the school frequently return to provide role models to younger students.