Harris Primary Academy Shortlands

About Harris Primary Academy Shortlands

Harris Primary Academy Shortlands stands out clearly against the Bromley local authority average for primary schools. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 69%, this school achieves 82% — a gap of 13 percentage points. That places the school 16th out of 69 primary schools in the borough, inside the top 10% nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2024, confirmed the school remains Outstanding. The previous graded inspection, from April 2017, awarded Outstanding across the board: overall effectiveness, leadership and management, early years provision, and behaviour and attitudes were all rated top marks. For parents comparing options in Bromley, the headline metrics show a school that consistently outperforms the typical local benchmark by a significant margin.

Academic outcomes are strong across the core subjects. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 95% of pupils reached the expected standard in maths, 92% in reading, and 84% in writing. At the higher standard, 55% achieved in maths, 42% in reading, and 13% in both writing and the combined reading, writing and maths measure. Average scaled scores were 109 in maths and 108 in reading, both above the national average. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures alone suggest pupils are well prepared for secondary school. The school’s ranking score of 82, based on the proportion reaching the expected standard in all three subjects, places it in the top 10% tier nationally. In the London region, it ranks 308th out of 1,592 primary schools. For a state primary in Bromley, these results put it comfortably ahead of most local peers and well above the LA average.

The school is oversubscribed, with 249 applications for 60 places in the 2025/26 admissions round — a ratio of 4.15 applicants per place. Of those, 49 were first-preference offers, so securing a place is competitive. Facilities include playing fields, an ICT suite, art studios, a dining hall, library and gymnasium. Sports on offer range from cross country and athletics to netball, rounders, dance, gymnastics and tennis, while clubs include film, book, science, drama and eco club. SEND provision covers a broad range of needs, including specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. With 16.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. This is a good fit for families seeking a high-attaining, well-resourced primary with strong Ofsted credentials and a wide extracurricular offer, though they should be prepared for competitive admissions.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Harris Primary Academy Shortlands

Helpful Guides for Parents