Harris Garrard Academy

About Harris Garrard Academy

Harris Garrard Academy is a large all-through state school in Bexley, London, serving pupils from age 4 to 18 under headteacher Wayne Barnett. In the local authority’s secondary school rankings, it sits fourth out of 16 schools, placing it in the top quarter of Bexley’s state secondaries. The three schools above it are all grammar or faith-based: Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, St Catherine’s Catholic School, and Townley Grammar School. For families considering non-selective options, Harris Garrard stands out as the highest-ranked comprehensive in the borough. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 571 applications for 153 places, with 188 first-preference applications and 130 offers made to first-preference families. That works out at nearly four applicants for every place, a clear sign of local demand. The school also has its own sixth form, which is rated Good by Ofsted, and offers a full age range from primary through to A-levels on one site.

Academically, Harris Garrard delivers well above the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.54 is classed as ‘Well above average’ and far exceeds the Bexley local authority average of 0.03. Pupils make particularly strong progress in open subjects (0.79) and English (0.47), with maths progress also positive at 0.29. Attainment 8 sits at 47.5, and 63.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 45.9% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is high at 65.5%, though the proportion achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above is 19.1%. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.11, classed as average, with pupils averaging a C+ grade per entry and 32.09 points per entry. The most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2021 gave the school a Good rating across all categories, including behaviour and personal development — a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2016.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, a sixth form centre, and ICT suites. Sports provision is broad, covering rugby, cricket, gymnastics, tennis, martial arts, and dance, while extracurricular clubs include debate, Model UN, orchestra, and Young Enterprise. SEND support is extensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 42% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse and disadvantaged intake. Harris Garrard suits families who want a large, inclusive, non-selective school with strong academic progress, a full age range, and a wide array of enrichment — particularly those who value a school that has demonstrably turned around its performance and is now in high demand locally.

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