Harris Academy Wimbledon: Your views Post Reply

[BlondieHeartofGlass]

Hello everyone, 

So I am looking into secondary schools for my daughter who is academically able and studious, and quite shy and not very streetwise. 

I went to see Harris Academy Wimbledon and thought the head teacher was good and the facilities are great, but because it is new, and had no exam results or ofsted report, it feels like a gamble.. 

I am now wondering whether it is the right place for her. Does anyone have any experiences of the school who can tell me what it is like?

Thanks 

[Tedd1224]

Hi - sorry don’t have any direct experience on this school, but I’m interested in how you define “rough”? Do you mean noisy or scruffy children? My friend went on the open day and was super impressed. A fly away comment like this could result in unfair negative perceptions on the school and its pupils.

[Flambeau]

I like HaWD(Harris Wimbledon) it is a good school.

It is academically challenging and you can see they want to find what your child is interested in and/or enjoys and give them the opportunity to excel.

I think that the diversity of the staff and the student population adds to the school. They are outward looking at local, National -and global community issues.
This can been seen in the diversity of the speakers and experts that they engage for their various deep dive days.

As the relative newcomer in the area (it has existed in Merton at a different site) it moved once the purpose built site became available. It was trying to establish itself and has fast become the school of choice in the local area.

It doesn’t have the long reputation!or history of older schools is the area, so it’s kind of been slept on, until recently.

They get a lot of applications now. It is hard to get a place.

I think they way the school started it makes it better for all involved, they started smaller and have grown. They have had time to develop and progress and HAWD are very proactive, ambitious for themselves and pupils.

HAWD are established and have the Harris federation resources and expertise to support.

The catchment area is getting smaller and smaller each year.

Things to watch out for:

They are VERY strict. Academically and behaviourally. Some children find it too much of a jump from year 6 to that strict environment.


Higher than average/anticipated numbers of pupils receiving SEN support. They have to do more with less.

The playing fields are part of the local park and children have to regularly cross that busy road that runs from Morden to South Wimbledon tube station, unsupervised to get to clubs and PE lessons.

Children are only allowed to use the toilets during break times and lunch times, not during lesson. Not ideal, for girls who are menstruating, I’m sure this policy will be the source of many a bladder and urinary tract problems for many students.

The site is located one is one of the most highly polluted areas for vehicle emission road pollution in London.

If you don’t receive the required grades you do not get a place at their 6th form.

Children must do 1 after school activity each week. It’s compulsory.

[ellesmum]

My daughter was amongst the second cohort at HAWI, and I couldn't be happier with our choice. Her progress has been incredible - she left Primary school working below average (no fault of her equally fantastic primary school, she just hadn't had everything "click" yet), and she is now in Year 10 and is absolutely thriving, with top grades predicted in many of her subjects. As a child who comes from what could be described as a more "deprived" background, the school have given her so many opportunities that I wouldn't normally have been able to afford - they have given her free extra curricular singing lessons, she has been to see Cirque Du Soleil and Tosca at the Royal Opera House, they encourage all the children to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, and last week they had Hugh Bonneville come into the school to give a talk. It is an incredibly supportive school for the children, albeit a very strict one. For my daughter, that works, as she thrives with a very strict set of rules to abide by (well, in school at least, not so much at home!), but it might not work for all children. They stamp on any bullying incidents quickly, so any experiences my daughter has had with bullying have been dealt with swiftly. On the negative side, school communication can sometimes be frustrating as they often only notify parents of things at the last minute, and it can sometimes be difficult to get hold of them. They are very strict about uniform - it was irritating to have to go and buy a new pair of shoes within her first week because her smart, clean, sensible shoes were "too shiny" (they were patent, which, at the time, they hadn't said weren't allowed!). A few of the teachers hand out blanket detentions to the whole class, rather than punishing the individual perpetrators, even though it is against school policy, which has caused a few issues & upsets . Teacher turnover appears quite high, which is a shame because the ones I have met have always seemed lovely, but I don't seem to have met many of them more than twice before they are gone. Oh, and the school canteen appears to be a point of frustration, as my daughter is always complaining that they have run out of food, or that other children have been pushing in the line, or she hasn't had time to finish her lunch...this could all just be her, though, and I have left her to address that one with the Headmistress!
All in all, though, I think it is the best school I could have chosen for my daughter. As one of the youngest in her year, she has had a unique opportunity to grow with the school, which is not something she could have had elsewhere. It is probably a good representation of London life, as it is very mixed - mixed sex (and a whole rainbow of genders), mixed cultures, mixed nationalities, mixed socioeconomic backgrounds - but that is exactly what I wanted, as it has allowed my daughter the opportunity to find her "tribe", and she has made a lovely group of friends.
I definitely recommend going for a look around & getting a feel for it. It's not Graveney, but there is no way my daughter would have thrived at a school like that in the way she has at HAWI.

[ellesmum]

Just to update, we received a letter yesterday with the outcome of the recent first OFSTED report, and they have been rated Outstanding across the board. The report should be available to read now, or will be soon.

[ttttttt]

There are a lot of thefts in the school by other pupils and nothing gets done at all