Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich

About Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich

Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich stands out sharply against the local authority average for secondary schools in Southwark. Its Progress 8 score of 0.98 is more than double the LA average of 0.46, placing it third out of 19 schools in the borough and in the top 5% nationally. This is a school where pupils make significantly more academic progress than their peers across the country, and the gap is particularly striking in open subjects (Progress 8 score of 1.29) and English (0.93). The school also achieves a strong Attainment 8 score of 55.4, with 77.8% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. For a boys' state school in a diverse London borough, these figures put it in an elite group — only two other schools in Southwark have higher Progress 8 scores, and both are also faith-based or selective in intake.

The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023 awarded it Outstanding across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a clean sweep, and it matches the Outstanding grade the school held in its previous inspection in 2011. At Key Stage 5, the picture is more mixed. The sixth form's value-added score of -0.47 is rated 'Below average', meaning A-level students make less progress than similar students nationally, and the average points per entry grade is C-. However, 11.1% of entries achieved AAB or higher, and the school's best three A-levels averaged a C grade. The sixth form is small, with just 39 pupils in the data, which may partly explain the volatility. For families focused on GCSE outcomes, the school's performance is exceptional; for those prioritising sixth-form results, it is worth looking more closely at subject-level data.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 150 places in 2025/26, there were 439 applications, a ratio of nearly 3:1, and only 82 first-preference offers were made. This reflects its reputation and results. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, playing fields, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech and language difficulties, with 35.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals — well above the national average. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise, and sports range from rowing to rugby. This is a school that suits ambitious boys who thrive in a structured, high-expectation environment, particularly those aiming for strong GCSEs. Families should be prepared for a competitive admissions process and should consider the sixth-form offer carefully if they plan to stay on post-16.

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