Harris Academy Bermondsey

About Harris Academy Bermondsey

Harris Academy Bermondsey is a girls’ secondary school in Southwark, one of 12 schools in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted out of 24 state secondaries. It sits among strong company: its local peers include The St Thomas the Apostle College, Sacred Heart Catholic School, and Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich, all of which rank highly on academic measures. The school is led by headteacher Gizle Landman and educates 835 pupils aged 11 to 18. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, awarded top marks across every category judged — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all received the highest grade. This continues a pattern of excellence: the school was also rated Outstanding in its previous inspection in 2015. For families in Southwark looking for a high-performing state option for their daughters, Harris Academy Bermondsey is the nearest Outstanding-rated school to its own postcode, sitting just 0.7 km away.

Academically, the school’s performance is strong, though the data does not include a specific Progress 8 score for the school itself. For context, the average Progress 8 score across all Southwark schools is 0.46, which is above the national average of zero and indicates that pupils in the borough typically make more progress than similar pupils nationally. Harris Academy Bermondsey’s Outstanding Ofsted rating for quality of education suggests its results are consistently high. The school has a sixth form, which was also rated Outstanding, so pupils can continue their studies post-16 in the same setting. The school is non-denominational — its religious character is listed as ‘does not apply’ — so it draws from a broad range of backgrounds. Without published exam results in this data, parents should check the school’s most recent performance tables for specific GCSE and A-level outcomes, but the Ofsted record points to a school that delivers strong academic outcomes across all key stages.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including science labs, a library, a theatre, music rooms, art studios, a sixth-form centre, and a dining hall. Outside, there are playing fields and an astro turf pitch. Sports on offer include athletics, cross country, dance, football, gymnastics, swimming, martial arts, hockey, rounders, and cricket. Clubs include art club, drama, film club, choir, and a newspaper group. The school has a chapel, which may be used for assemblies or quiet reflection, though it is not a faith school. For families considering this school, it suits those who want a single-sex state education for their daughter through to sixth form, with strong Ofsted ratings across the board and a broad extracurricular programme. The school is located in Southwark, London, and given its Outstanding status and central location, it is likely to be oversubscribed — parents should check admissions criteria and application deadlines carefully.

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