Harris Academy Clapham

About Harris Academy Clapham

Harris Academy Clapham is a mixed state secondary in Lambeth that currently educates 891 pupils against a capacity of 975, meaning it is not yet full but clearly in high demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 416 applications for 160 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.6, with 101 first-preference offers made. This level of competition signals strong local confidence. The school’s intake is notably diverse in socio-economic terms: 61.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average and indicative of the community it serves in inner London. The school is non-religious and has no sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. Headteacher David Astin leads a school that Ofsted rated Good overall in its most recent graded inspection in February 2023, with personal development judged Outstanding — a standout finding that suggests the school places particular emphasis on character and wider skills.

Academically, Harris Academy Clapham is a solid performer within Lambeth’s secondary landscape. The school’s most recent Ofsted report rated quality of education as Good, with behaviour and attitudes also Good and leadership and management Good. While the data does not include a specific Progress 8 score for this school, the local authority average Progress 8 for Lambeth is +0.07, which is above the national average of zero. This context suggests that schools in the borough generally add value for pupils. The school’s personal development rating of Outstanding is particularly notable — it is the only Outstanding grade in the inspection breakdown and points to strong pastoral care and enrichment. Among Lambeth’s 23 state secondaries, only four are rated Outstanding overall, so Harris Academy Clapham’s Good rating places it in the upper tier of provision locally. The nearest Outstanding school is La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School, 0.9 km away, but that is a single-sex school, so for families seeking a co-educational environment, Harris Academy Clapham is a strong contender.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a sixth form centre (though it does not run a sixth form itself), art studios, science labs, playing fields, an astro turf pitch, a sports hall, ICT suite, music rooms, library and dining hall. Sports provision covers football, gymnastics, rugby, netball, tennis, athletics, martial arts and rounders, while clubs include Debate, Model UN, orchestra, choir, newspaper, Duke of Edinburgh, drama, book club and chess — a broad enrichment offer that aligns with the Outstanding personal development grade. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. This makes the school well-equipped for a wide range of additional needs. For families in Lambeth looking for a well-subscribed, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral care and a broad extracurricular programme, Harris Academy Clapham is a realistic and popular choice.

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