HSAEL News

 What we do and how we support parents and students

With the falling roll across London schools and increased student movement both in and out of the city; running Admissions has become more challenging than ever. At Harris Science Academy East London we have stepped up to the challenge, creating an innovative and personalised approach to our admissions process. We ensure all students who join us are setup to be successful leaders and have the support they need to thrive!

For our new Year 7s we have worked hard to ensure families feel supported throughout each step of the transition journey. Our approach is about being transparent with what we do but also creating a personalised touch to support each child as an individual.

We achieve this through four different areas:

1. Personal Touch:

We meet with every family before May half term at the Academy where they get to see lessons in action and visit our unique buildings. As part of this visit, they meet with a member of the pastoral team to discuss worries they have or what support their child needs. This might be related to a challenges they face with their learning, or with building friendships. Based on this conversation we put an action plan in place to support each individual child. For families who can’t make it to us, we visit them at their home to ensure that no child is missed as part of this process.

2. Clear Communication:

We pride ourselves on clear communication channels at the Academy, which starts before children even set foot in the building. We run a dedicated Transition channel on WhatsApp and post monthly transition newsletters which include key information, key contacts and videos from staff and students at the Academy. We also produce spotlight videos in each newsletter to showcase different parts of the Academy and give families an insight into everything we do.

3. Building Relationships:

We don’t just have one induction day at HSAEL; we have three! For students to start well at the Academy it important that they have had the opportunity to meet new people; particularly those coming from Primary schools with small entry numbers. We start our induction process in May half term where we run our Leadership Development Day. During this day students get to experience different activities including science experiments, coding and debating, all delivered by our incredible teachers. Prior to the Newham secondary school Induction Day we also run an induction day for children with SEND. We know how daunting change can be for some of these children so we put together a bespoke programme for them to support with their induction into the Academy.

4. Secondary Ready:

It is important that our students have the academic confidence before they start at HSAEL; so we provide them with summer holiday learning on our final induction day in July. Every child receives a reading book, which they are challenged to write a review on and we also provide a maths booklet where students are expected to engage and further their learning before joining us. To support students in completing this work we invite all new year 7s to the Academy over the summer break. Not only does this help students prepare for secondary level knowledge in English and Maths, it also helps us identify students who will need that extra bit of support as part of the induction process.

In conclusion, the transition process at Harris Science Academy East London is designed not only to ensure a smooth transition for our new Year 7 students but also to set them on a path to success. Through a combination of personalised support, clear communication, and a focus on building strong relationships, we create an environment where every child can thrive. Our commitment to being there for families every step of the way—from initial visits to summer learning activities—demonstrates our dedication to both academic and emotional support. At HSAEL, we don’t just welcome new students; we ensure they are fully equipped, confident, and ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of secondary school life and become a leader in their chosen field.

To find out more about HSAEL Admissions and to fill out an enquiry form, please click here.