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Harris Federation
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Harris Federation
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Harris Federation is a multi-academy trust of 55 primary and secondary academies in and around London. They are sponsored by Philip Harris (Lord Harris of Peckham).

Key Information

Description

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With 55 academies in London and Essex, the Harris Federation educates around 40,000 children, which is about 1 in 40 London children, and employs 5,000 staff.[2] Through its "Train to Teach Programme", it provides initial teacher training and inset for teachers from London and the South East.

The sponsor is Philip Harris (Lord Harris of Peckham) who was the former chairman and chief executive of Carpetright. The federation is a not-for-profit charitable organisation.[3]

The chief executive officer is Sir Daniel Moynihan, a former principal of the Harris City Academy Crystal Palace. The Harris Federation headquarters are in East Croydon.[citation needed]

Schools

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Nursery

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Primary schools

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Secondary schools

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All-through schools

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Sixth forms

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Pupil referral units

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  • Harris Aspire Academy, Beckenham

Results

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In 2016, the Department for Education recognised the Harris Federation as a "top performer" in primary and secondary education, when comparing the performance of different multi-academy trusts.[5] In July 2016, researchers at the Education Policy Institute found that "at primary level the Harris Federation is the highest performing school group in England – the improvement it has made is equivalent to pupils making around one and a half times more progress than average".

In 2017, the Harris Federation was recognised by government league tables as being the top performing multi-academy trust (MAT) in England.[6] Commenting on the new performance data, Schools Standards Minister, Nick Gibb, said that the Harris Federation is "leading the way" in delivering excellent results for its pupils.[7]

In 2018, the Department for Education published a league table comparing the performance of all multi-academy trusts. The Harris Federation was ranked the top performing large trust for the progress made by its pupils and for the progress made by its disadvantaged pupils.[8]

Social mobility

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In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 research by the Sutton Trust found that the Harris Federation was among "The best academy chains (for) having a transformational impact on pupils’ life chances".[9][10][11][12]

The Harris Federation runs a cultural enrichment programme that aims to improve outcomes for their brightest students, with activities run with organisations such as LAMDA, the Royal Opera House and Christie's.[13] In summer 2018, the musician Stormzy, who attended a Harris Academy, returned to his old school to launch a scholarship scheme for black students at Cambridge university.[14]

In 2014, the Harris Federation and Westminster School opened the Harris Westminster Sixth Form. The aim of the sixth form, which received 1,000 applications for 250 places, is to help students from London's state schools access top universities.[15] In 2021, 36 students from the sixth form won places at Oxford and Cambridge universities.[16]

In 2019, the Harris Federation opened the first completely free nursery in England. With 55 hours of free childcare per week for 51 weeks of the year for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, the Federation said it "had been compelled to provide early years places to the most needy children because they miss out under the existing rules on free nursery places."[17]

Harris Federation academies are the top school for progress in five of the nine boroughs in which the Federation operates and three Harris academies – Harris Academy Battersea, Harris Academy Morden and Harris Academy Bromley – are in the top 1% of schools in the country for pupil progress.

The Harris Federation is the highest performing MAT in the country for pupil progress and EBACC qualifications for disadvantaged students.[18]

In 2018, Harris Academy Battersea received an "Outstanding" rating from Ofsted. Previously known as Battersea Park School and Battersea Technology College, the school became a Harris Academy in 2014 after it was branded inadequate. In one year at the previous school, no pupils gained five or more GCSE passes.[19] In 2003 three percent of children left with five A*-C GCSEs and in 2017 this figure was 83%. The school is now oversubscribed and the percentage of students applying to Russell Group universities has greatly increased.[19] Ofsted said that teachers were proud to work at the academy, that morale was high and pupils of all abilities make "very strong progress".[20]

In 2021, Will.i.am visited Harris City Academy Crystal Palace to film The Blackprint a TV documentary exploring what it means to be black and British. Describing the school as a “a place of black excellence”, he made a donation in order to fund new opportunities for students to study robotics.

Teacher housing

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In 2016, concerned that teachers were being priced out of London because of the cost of accommodation, the Harris Federation launched a campaign for academy trusts to be able to turn unused land on their school sites into affordable housing for teachers.[21]

Ransomware attack

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On 27 March 2021, the federation was attacked by the ransomware gang REvil, which published multiple financial documents of the federation to its blog. As a result, the IT systems of the federation were shut down for some weeks, which had been compromised in the attack, thus disabling 37,000 students' email.[22] This lasted for about 4 months.

Controversies

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Some of the schools within the federation were formerly run by local authorities, and forced by central government to become academies as part of the Harris Federation against the wishes of 94% of the parents and boards of governors. There was national media coverage over Downhills Primary School (now Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane),[23] where it was reported that 94% of parents opposed the change to academy status.[24] At the time, the government said it had decided to close Downhills Primary School and re-open it as a Harris Academy because of "chronic underperformance" at Downhills.[25] According to national news reports, standards of education at Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane quickly improved with the Federation's involvement.[26] Having been in special measures before becoming a Harris academy, its first inspection report after opening found that it was now good with outstanding features.[27]

Reacting to the news that the Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane[28] in the heart of Tottenham, had been unduly helping their pupils in their Key Stage 2 Sats tests, anti-academies campaigner Fiona Millar said "I’ve scrutinised their data and wondered how they get these results with similar cohorts of pupils. Increasingly we see they do it by this unethical behaviour. " [29] Year 6 pupils were given too much help in their English reading and maths reasoning Sats, according to the Standards and Testing Agency (STA). Thus, pupils’ scores in those papers have been expunged and they will receive scores only for their spelling, punctuation and grammar tests. In a letter sent to parents on Monday, 6 August 2018, the academy's chair of governors, described the investigation findings as “deeply regrettable and disappointing”.[29] However, the school was inspected by Ofsted after this and rated Outstanding, with the schools inspectorate judging that "The academy trust worked swiftly to investigate the maladministration of standardised tests and took appropriate disciplinary action. They have ably managed the school by brokering highly skilled leaders to provide the school with renewed focus and direction."[30]

In 2018, the second primary school run by this academy chain had SATs results annulled. The Standards and Testing Agency cancelled some of the results of former year six pupils at Harris Primary Academy Kent House over fears of “maladministration”. In 2013 Roke Primary School joined the Harris Federation, against the wishes of some parents and governors who did not want to have academy status. Now known as Harris Primary Academy Kenley, the academy has since been judged "outstanding" by Ofsted.[31] As part of a local awards scheme, the Principal of the academy was nominated as a 'Croydon Hero' because of the improvements that took place.[32]

The Harris Westminster Sixth Form, which was scheduled to open in 2014, has been criticised for costing £45 million of public money to establish. Before it opened, the former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge, called it a "vanity project".[33][34] However, Ofsted inspected the Sixth Form in autumn 2016, rated it "outstanding" in all areas and praised it for creating "a community of scholars".[35] Its first set of A Levels were described as "outstanding" by The Times, which reported that "almost a third" of pupils "cannot afford to pay for school meals, but they achieved 12% A* grades and 42% A* to A grades".[36]

In 2015 it was reported that Harris Academies had some of the highest turnover of staff amongst schools in the UK, with The Guardian reporting that over a third of Harris teachers leave after just one year, with 1,000 teachers leaving the Federation in three academic years, underlined by 34 leaving Harris Falconwood in 2015 alone. The Anti-Academies Alliance put this high turnover down to poor working conditions, excessive workload and unreasonable pressure on teachers from senior leadership.[37][38]

In 2019 numerous Harris Academies were accused of "gaming" the system through the practice of entering entire cohorts for the ESOL qualification, which is aimed at students who have English as an additional language (EAL), Harris Falconwood entered the whole of their Year 11 cohort (177 students) despite only having 15 EAL students. This was shown to be common practice across the Federation.[39]

Challenging Ofsted

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Harris educates about 2.5% of London school children, and considers itself experienced in increasing the social mobility of children of low income families. It has identified that these children do better with shorter Key Stage 3, and a three-year exam orientated Key stage 4. more colloquially this is spoken of as "three years to do their GCSE". Ofsted recognises that their GCSE results are outstanding but believes that the students are losing out on the wider Keystage 3 experience. The UK Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) warned Harris, that schools that used the two plus three method would lose their "Outstanding status". Harris instructed its 27 secondary academies to switch back to the three plus two model in July 2019. In many schools, this will have accommodation and staffing cost and they may not transition until September 2020.[40]

In January 2020, Martyn Oliver, the then chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, told The Times that:

"New Ofsted inspections favour middle-class kids. Inspectors, fighting against schools who just teach to the test are taking a far too simplistic a view on when GCSE teaching should begin. Many of the children in Outwood Grange Academies Trust schools need a three-year run up. They don't have books at home and space for homework. All that has to happen in school time and disproportionately their life chances come from qualifications."

Moynihan backed him up, saying:

"For many of our children qualifications are all they have in their hands at a job interview or college application and beyond. They have no networks, no contacts, no professional people in their family to help them on in life. Their GCSEs are crucial. Ofsted is valuing curriculum over qualifications." [41]

Ofsted denies that they have produced a middle class framework for middle class kids, or that it has a view on two year key-stage three but it is the mileage travelled not the length of the course that was being judged.[42]

Remuneration debate

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In 2017–18, the salary of the CEO of the Harris Federation was in the £440-450,000 bracket which is higher than any other multi-academy trust.[43] The salary has been at the centre of a warning of a "super league" of academy CEO salaries.[44]

Governance

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The trust has three sponsors, who, as of 21 March 2021 are Lord Harris, his wife and his son.[45][46]

Harris Tottenham Controversy

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In April 2021, a petition was started wanting the head of academy to resign, which reached 6000 signatures within two weeks of its creation. The petition alleged racism and staff bullying.[47]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Harris Federation

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

The Harris Federation is a not-for-profit operating 55 primary and secondary academies primarily in and surrounding areas, established in 1991 by philanthropist Philip Harris, Baron Harris of , to sponsor and improve in underperforming schools serving communities.
Led by teachers and supported financially by the Harris family, the federation emphasizes rigorous academic standards, character development, and closing attainment gaps for pupils from low-income backgrounds, educating approximately one in 40 schoolchildren.
Its academies have demonstrated strong empirical , with 74% rated "outstanding" by compared to a national average of 19%, Year 6 primary attainment in reading, writing, and maths at 74% meeting expected standards versus 61% nationally (and 63% for pupils versus 45%), and secondary Progress 8 scores averaging +0.48 against a national -0.03, including outperformance for pupils with English as an additional language (+0.83 versus +0.51). The trust was named "Trust of the Year" at the 2025 TES Schools Awards for its impact on outcomes.
However, the federation has encountered controversies, including reports of significant pupil "disappearances" from rolls prior to examinations at certain academies, raising questions about off-rolling practices to bolster results, as highlighted in investigations involving reductions in cohorts at schools like those in . Additional scrutiny has focused on high executive amid these claims and isolated instances of irregularities in assessments.

Origins and Development

Founding and Early Years

The Harris Federation was established in 1991 as a not-for-profit charity by Philip Charles Harris, Baron Harris of Peckham, a businessman who founded the carpet retailer Carpetright and served as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords. The organization's origins stemmed from Harris's sponsorship of the Harris City Technology College in Crystal Palace, South London, which opened in September 1990 as one of England's earliest independent state schools under the government-backed City Technology Colleges initiative launched in 1986 to deliver technology-focused education through public-private partnerships. This school, initially serving around 900 pupils aged 11-18 in a socio-economically challenged area, emphasized practical skills, science, and technology curricula to prepare students for employment in emerging industries. In its formative phase through the mid-1990s, the federation concentrated on in boroughs, sponsoring additional schools modeled on the CTC framework to address underperformance in failing state institutions. Lord Harris provided substantial private funding—reportedly over £10 million in the early years—alongside government grants, enabling the recruitment of experienced teachers and the implementation of rigorous discipline and extended school days. By 1996, the federation had incorporated a second CTC in , reflecting Harris's personal ties to the area where he grew up, and began demonstrating improved attainment rates compared to local averages, with early pass rates exceeding borough benchmarks by 10-15 percentage points. This period laid the groundwork for the federation's emphasis on centralized oversight, data-driven interventions, and a no-excuses approach to pupil behavior, which contrasted with prevailing local education authority practices.

Expansion into Multi-Academy Trust

The Harris Federation's transition into a stemmed from Lord Philip Harris of Peckham's early sponsorship of City Technology Colleges, precursors to designed to deliver rigorous education in underprivileged urban areas. The federation's foundational school, Harris City Technology College (later renamed Harris City Academy ), opened in September 1990 in , funded by Lord Harris as one of the UK's initial independent state schools under the Conservative government's CTC programme. This institution converted to sponsored status in 2007 amid Labour's expansion, formalizing the Harris model of centralized oversight with school-level and marking the federation's entry as a structured . Subsequent growth accelerated through sponsorship of replacement academies for failing local authorities schools. In 2007, Peckham Academy opened as the second core institution, targeting similar demographics in . By February 2006, Lord Harris was already committed to sponsoring three academies, leveraging private philanthropy to drive improvements where state management had faltered. The 2010 Academies Act under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition enabled voluntary conversions by maintained schools, propelling the federation's expansion by integrating converting secondaries and primaries, alongside government-backed new builds and sponsored takeovers of underperforming sites—primarily in with high deprivation indices. By April 2012, the trust encompassed 13 academies, concentrated in and focused on with one primary. This scaled to over 50 by 2019, incorporating both failing-school interventions and demand-led openings despite per-pupil funding constraints. As of October 2025, the federation administers 55 primary and across and , serving around 44,000 pupils, with sustained growth reflecting policy incentives for MAT-led school improvement over local authority control.

Governance and Leadership

Organizational Structure

The Harris Federation is structured as a and an exempt charity, with overarching responsibility for its academies vested in a central Board of Trustees, who also function as the company's directors. The board, comprising approximately 15 members and chaired by Lord Philip Harris of since the federation's founding, holds ultimate accountability for strategic direction, financial oversight, and compliance across the trust. Trustees serve terms typically lasting four years, focusing on high-level policy approval, risk management, and performance monitoring through termly key performance indicator reports. Day-to-day executive leadership is led by Sir Dan Moynihan, appointed in 2006, who directs a central executive team providing in areas such as teacher , , and centralized procurement. The board delegates operational and specialized functions via a formal scheme of delegation to standing committees, including the Finance Committee (chaired by Dorothy Deakin Elliott) for budget scrutiny and the Audit Committee (chaired by Paul Rosen) for internal controls and value-for-money assessments. At the academy level, each of the federation's 55 primary and secondary institutions operates with a dedicated Local Governing Body (LGB), typically chaired by community or sponsor-appointed members, which supports in local . LGBs recommend annual budgets, monitor site-specific progress, and ensure alignment with federation standards, while retaining in delivery and staff management to foster school-led . This federated model emphasizes decentralized execution under centralized accountability, with the trust providing training, data analytics, and policy frameworks to maintain consistency.

Key Figures and Philanthropic Role

The Harris Federation was founded by Philip Harris, Baron Harris of , a British businessman who amassed his fortune through the carpet retailing company Carpetright, which he established in 1981. Lord Harris opened the federation's first school, the Harris Academy , in 1990 as a City Technology College, marking the beginning of his commitment to sponsoring underperforming inner-city schools in . As chairman and sponsor, he maintains an active oversight role across the federation's 55 academies, providing both financial contributions and personal involvement in strategic decisions. Sir Dan Moynihan serves as the , a position he has held since 2006, following his tenure as principal of Harris City Academy . Under his leadership, the federation has expanded significantly, emphasizing rigorous performance management, teacher training, and school turnarounds, with Moynihan credited for implementing data-driven accountability systems that have improved outcomes in disadvantaged areas. His annual remuneration, reported at over £500,000 in the federation's 2023-2024 accounts, reflects the scale of operations managing over 37,000 pupils across primary and secondary levels. The philanthropic role of the underpins the federation's operations as a not-for-profit charity, with Lord Harris providing seed funding for conversions and ongoing support that supplements government grants, enabling investments in facilities, staff development, and specialized programs. This sponsorship model, initiated in the amid concerns over failing state schools, has facilitated the transformation of dozens of low-performing institutions into high-achieving academies, particularly in socio-economically challenged , without reliance on profit motives. Family involvement extends to direct financial aid for individual academies, fostering a "family of schools" ethos that prioritizes long-term over short-term fiscal constraints.

Educational Operations

School Portfolio and Types

The Harris Federation manages a portfolio of 55 academies across and , encompassing both primary and secondary institutions as of 2023. These academies serve approximately 44,000 pupils, with a focus on areas of high deprivation to drive educational improvement. The trust's schools operate as independent academies under the model, emphasizing autonomy in operations while adhering to centralized standards in , , and . Primary academies form a core component, targeting foundational education for children aged 3 to 11, often in communities with historically underperforming local authority schools. These schools prioritize phonics-based reading instruction, structured literacy programs, and early intervention for disadvantaged pupils, with many having replaced institutions previously rated inadequate by . Examples include Green and , which integrate extended school days and enrichment activities to build academic resilience from reception year onward. Secondary academies, including those with sixth forms, constitute the majority of the portfolio and cater to pupils aged 11 to 18, blending rigorous academic tracking with character development. They enforce policies, zero-tolerance systems, and a broad curriculum aligned to the , with three-quarters rated "Outstanding" by as of recent inspections. Notable examples are and Harris Girls' Academy , which offer pathways and vocational options post-GCSE. The trust also operates all-through academies that span ages 3 to 18, facilitating seamless transitions and consistent behavioral expectations across key stages. , opened in 2014, exemplifies this model by addressing local demand for integrated provision in response to population growth and prior school failures. Similarly, functions as an all-through free school, emphasizing mixed-gender entry and academy trust oversight. Alternative provision academies, such as , target and 12 students facing barriers like exclusion or disengagement, providing short-term intensive support to reintegrate into mainstream education or prepare for post-16 options. Located in , it admits small cohorts for personalized re-engagement programs, distinct from traditional PRUs by operating within the federation's academy framework rather than local authority control. This type addresses causal factors in pupil disruption, such as unmet behavioral needs, through targeted interventions without diluting academic standards.

Student Demographics and Enrollment

The Harris Federation enrolls approximately 40,000 pupils across its 54 primary and secondary academies in and surrounding areas. These academies primarily serve urban communities in South and , where pupil populations reflect high levels of socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnic diversity typical of inner-city settings. In secondary academies, which form the core of the federation's operations, 36% of pupils are classified as (eligible for funding due to free school meals in the past six years or looked-after status), exceeding the national average of 26.5% for . Additionally, 14% of secondary pupils have special educational needs (SEN), below the national figure of 17.2%, while 32% are learning English as an additional language (EAL), compared to 18.8% nationally. These figures underscore the federation's focus on supporting higher-than-average proportions of socioeconomically challenged and linguistically diverse students. Primary academies exhibit similar patterns, though aggregate data emphasizes elevated EAL rates and targeted interventions for disadvantaged cohorts.

Performance Metrics

Ofsted Inspections and Ratings

The Harris Federation's academies have achieved predominantly high ratings, with 74% of inspected schools judged Outstanding overall as of recent summaries, including 84% of primaries and 68% of secondaries—figures that substantially exceed national averages of 19% overall. This performance reflects consistent inspection outcomes across the trust's portfolio of over 50 schools, where the majority maintain Good or better status in key areas such as quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, , and . Historically, the trust experienced its first sub-Good rating in 2019 when was deemed Requires Improvement, with inspectors citing issues including entry to inappropriate qualifications; however, a subsequent in May 2022 upgraded it to Good overall, with Outstanding sixth-form provision. No academies have received below-Good ratings in recent years, underscoring improvements in oversight and school-level interventions. In 2025, the Federation underwent nine full Ofsted inspections, eight of which yielded Outstanding judgements across all categories, including at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace (April 2025), Harris Academy Peckham (February 2025, with quality of education specifically Outstanding), and Harris Science Academy East London (June 2025). Following Ofsted's policy change in September 2024 to discontinue overall effectiveness grades for state-funded schools, recent evaluations focus on graded categories, yet Harris inspections have continued to affirm strong performance, as seen in Harris Clapham Sixth Form's all-Outstanding outcome in November 2024.

Examination Results and Progress Scores

The Harris Federation's secondary academies demonstrate strong academic progress, as measured by the Department for Education's Progress 8 metric, which evaluates pupil development from to relative to national expectations. The federation's average Progress 8 score stands at 0.48, classified as above average with a of 0.43 to 0.52, outperforming the national benchmark of 0. This positions the Harris Federation as the second-highest performing large (with at least 10 secondary schools) in validated performance tables. Attainment 8 scores, which aggregate and equivalent qualifications across eight subjects, further highlight high achievement levels. For the 2024 cohort, the federation recorded an average Attainment 8 of 50, exceeding the national average of 46.3. Individual academies vary, with examples including at 0.44 Progress 8 and Harris Boys' Academy achieving an Attainment 8 of 56.09 in 2025. Disadvantaged pupils in Harris schools attain Progress 8 scores equivalent to non-disadvantaged pupils nationally, reflecting effective gap-closing interventions.
MetricHarris Federation AverageNational AverageSource Year
Progress 80.4802023
Attainment 85046.32024
Post-16 examination outcomes in Harris sixth forms show average point scores above national levels, though specific federation-wide data emphasizes secondary progress as the core metric. These results stem from standardized DfE calculations, minimizing self-reported inflation risks inherent in academy-level claims.

Attainment Gaps and Comparative Data

In secondary schools operated by the Harris Federation, attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils (those eligible for funding) and their non-disadvantaged peers are narrower than national averages, primarily due to stronger progress scores for disadvantaged students. For pupils completing in summer 2024, the federation's overall Progress 8 score was +0.48, indicating pupils achieved nearly half a grade higher per GCSE qualification than expected based on prior attainment, compared to a national average of -0.03. Disadvantaged pupils in Harris schools recorded a Progress 8 of +0.16, substantially outperforming the national disadvantaged average of -0.57 while aligning closely with national non-disadvantaged progress. Attainment 8 scores, which measure average achievement across eight subjects, further highlight reduced gaps: Harris pupils overall averaged 51.3, exceeding the national figure of 45.9, while pupils scored lower at approximately 45 but still above the national pupil average. Approximately 36% of Harris secondary pupils are , higher than the national proportion of around 32% at , yet the federation's targeted interventions yield positive progress for this group, contrasting with national trends where pupils typically lag by over half a grade in progress.
MetricHarris All PupilsHarris DisadvantagedNational All PupilsNational Disadvantaged
Progress 8 (2024)+0.48+0.16-0.03-0.57
Attainment 8 (2024)51.3~4545.9Below 45.9
Data reflect post-COVID adjustments and demonstrate Harris's relative effectiveness in mitigating socio-economic disparities, though absolute gaps persist within the federation (e.g., non-disadvantaged Progress 8 exceeding disadvantaged by 0.32). Independent analyses, such as those from the Sutton Trust, corroborate that large multi-academy trusts like Harris outperform national benchmarks for low-income students' progress.

Social Mobility Efforts

Targeted Programs for Disadvantaged Students

The Harris Federation allocates funding—additional government resources for socio-economically disadvantaged pupils eligible for free school meals or from low-income families—to targeted interventions aimed at accelerating academic progress and reducing attainment gaps. These strategies, informed by evidence-based practices across the Federation's academies, emphasize high-quality teaching, personalized support, and embedding and in curricula to address barriers faced by disadvantaged students. For instance, funding supports small-group tutoring, mentoring, and extended school-day programs to boost subject-specific skills, with academies like Harris Academy Merton using it to enhance and university access for eligible pupils. A flagship initiative is the Purple Route program, designed specifically for high-achieving disadvantaged students, including those qualifying for free school meals or 16+ bursaries. Launched by the Harris Federation, it comprises the Harris Experience for Years 9-11, offering cultural and academic enrichment such as trips to House and lectures; Harris Experience Advanced for sixth formers preparing university applications; and Purple Route Plus, a intensive preparation track for and top universities featuring mentoring, workshops, university visits, and super-curricular activities. The program targets students averaging grade 7 or higher at , providing resources to overcome economic barriers and elevate aspirations, resulting in elevated admissions to elite institutions and degree apprenticeships among participants. Financial support extends beyond school through bursary schemes, including a £180,000 fund established in collaboration with philanthropists to assist the most disadvantaged students with university-related costs like travel and equipment. This initiative, complemented by government 16-19 Bursary Funds accessed via individual academies, removes economic stressors for academically able but low-income pupils pursuing higher education. Additionally, Community Hubs in Harris academies serve as on-site resource centers offering free food, clothing, hygiene products, wellbeing advice, and family support, directly aiding disadvantaged households in overcoming immediate hardships that impact student attendance and focus. These programs collectively contribute to the Federation's reported outcomes, where disadvantaged pupils achieve progress scores equivalent to national averages for non-disadvantaged peers, as measured by Progress 8 metrics. Targeted careers guidance and aspiration-raising activities, such as individualized university application support, are integrated across academies to prioritize disadvantaged groups, ensuring equitable access to opportunities like apprenticeships and elite higher education pathways.

Empirical Outcomes and Criticisms

The Harris Federation's targeted programs for disadvantaged students, funded largely through the , have yielded empirical evidence of accelerated academic progress. According to (DfE) data, disadvantaged pupils in Harris secondary academies achieved a collective Progress 8 score significantly above national averages, with one analysis indicating they outperform expectations based on prior attainment more than in any other large . In 2019, these pupils recorded a Progress 8 of +0.23, contrasting with national figures for disadvantaged cohorts that typically lag. research identifies Harris as one of only three academy trusts where disadvantaged pupils' attainment is significantly above the mainstream average across metrics like Progress 8 and Attainment 8, bucking trends in many chains where poorer pupils underperform. Attainment gaps have narrowed notably within Harris schools. Disadvantaged students achieved progress equivalent to non-disadvantaged pupils nationally, with a 2016 Progress 8 of +0.41 versus the national disadvantaged average of -0.38. In GCSE results, 60% of Harris disadvantaged pupils met the benchmark of 5+ grades including English and maths in 2017, exceeding the national disadvantaged rate of 39%. Primary academies similarly show Year 6 disadvantaged pupils exceeding age-related expectations, despite comprising nearly 40% of the cohort. These outcomes correlate with interventions like extended school days and cultural capital programs (e.g., Harris Experience), which aim to build academic and social skills. Criticisms of these efforts center less on outcomes and more on and amid fiscal pressures. While academic metrics are strong, long-term indicators—such as alumni earnings or university persistence—remain under-documented specifically for Harris cohorts, limiting causal claims about breaking intergenerational cycles. Broader academy chain analyses note that even high-performing trusts like Harris face scrutiny over spending efficiency, with some arguing that central overheads (e.g., executive roles) could divert funds from direct interventions, though Harris-specific audits show targeted use in and initiatives. Recent redundancies linked to falling rolls and unfunded pay rises have raised concerns that program intensity may wane, potentially eroding gains for groups. Independent evaluations praise Harris for outperforming peers but caution that chain-wide success masks school-level variations, urging ongoing DfE oversight to ensure equity.

Staff Policies and Support

Recruitment Practices and Remuneration

The Harris Federation's recruitment process for teaching and other staff positions begins with online applications submitted through its dedicated careers portal, where candidates must align their skills and experience with the and person specification. Shortlisting occurs within 72 hours of application closure, with notifications sent via to selected candidates. The process emphasizes academy visits for prospective applicants to assess fit, and references are typically requested prior to interviews. Interviews are conducted on a designated day, often including practical tasks, presentations, or demonstrations tailored to the role, alongside discussions on and self-declaration forms for criminal convictions. Successful candidates receive a verbal conditional offer within 48 hours, followed by a written confirmation subject to pre-employment checks, including references, verification, DBS clearance, and qualification validation. involves induction training, with full contracts issued post-checks. The federation has adopted innovative approaches, such as AI-driven tools from to target diverse candidate pools and build a contingent talent pool for flexible roles. Remuneration for teachers adheres to national pay scales, augmented by a Harris Allowance of £2,000 annually for academies and £1,500 for , as advertised in job postings. This results in average teacher salaries around £44,624, approximately 29% above the UK national average, with additional performance and loyalty bonuses ranging from £50 (one year of service) to £250 (five or more years), paid in . Teachers participate in the Teachers' Pension Scheme with employer contributions, and financial perks include interest-free loans up to £2,000 for ICT equipment and £3,500 for season tickets. Higher roles, such as assistant principals, average £73,421. The federation actively recruits overseas-trained teachers, particularly from , but has faced scrutiny over initial placement on unqualified teacher scales (up to £37,362 maximum, irrespective of prior experience) while pursuing () in . This practice, criticized by the for creating pay disparities compared to UK-trained or fast-track eligible (e.g., EU/) counterparts, ended in early 2025, with a shift to top-up payments during QTS assessment periods. QTS for non-fast-track nationalities requires evidence of qualifications and experience, often delaying equivalence recognition beyond the two-year international qualification assessment timeline.

Teacher Housing Initiatives

The Harris Federation initiated efforts to address teacher retention challenges posed by London's high housing costs, which were pricing educators out of the city and complicating recruitment. In 2017, the trust announced plans to develop up to 100 affordable homes for staff on surplus land it owned, partnering with housing associations and engaging LocatED, the Department for Education's . These units were intended to offer rents of £800 to £1,100 per month for two-bedroom properties, with proceeds reinvested into maintenance on a non-profit basis, aiming to foster staff proximity and community for improved retention. As an early step, the Federation invested £200,000 to convert a former caretaker's house at its academy into accommodation for three new teachers, demonstrating immediate action to mitigate commuting burdens and support early-career staff. Chief executive Sir Daniel Moynihan emphasized the urgency, stating that "teachers are so important" and that innovative housing solutions were essential amid difficulties. The trust identified six or seven potential sites for further development and lobbied Secretary to relax planning rules, proposing that free school land be used for key worker housing via LocatED to prevent broader public sector exodus from . However, by April 2018, the broader ambition faced setbacks due to restrictions on multi-academy trusts, which prohibited using funds for non-educational assets like staff and limited borrowing for such projects. Despite interest from one and ongoing discussions with local authorities, no large-scale construction commenced within the initial 18-month timeline projected in , and subsequent updates indicate the plans stalled under regulatory constraints. Moynihan highlighted the housing crisis's role in staff hardship, noting a decline in on-site accommodation options that once aided retention.

Security and Operational Challenges

2021 Ransomware Attack

In March 2021, the Harris Federation, a operating approximately 50 schools primarily in and surrounding areas, experienced a attack that disrupted its . The incident, which occurred over the weekend of March 27-28, targeted email servers and devices, rendering them inaccessible and forcing the temporary shutdown of systems across the network. The attack impacted an estimated 37,000 to 40,000 pupils and 5,000 staff members, preventing access to emails, laptops, and other digital resources essential for remote and in-school operations during the ongoing restrictions. Federation executives described the cyber intrusion as "highly sophisticated" and "vicious," highlighting its targeted nature amid a wave of similar attacks on educational institutions. No evidence of widespread or public leaks was reported in immediate aftermath coverage, with the primary effects limited to operational rather than long-term compromise. Harris Federation responded by isolating affected systems and engaging cybersecurity experts to restore functionality, with services gradually resuming within days. In the following months, the organization bolstered its defenses through enhanced processes, dedicated response teams, and partnerships with firms like WithSecure to mitigate future risks, underscoring vulnerabilities in centralized school IT networks. The event drew attention to broader cybersecurity gaps in the UK education sector, where resource constraints often lag behind escalating threats from ransomware groups.

Controversies

Disputes with Ofsted

In September 2018, the (NEU) accused Harris Federation of "cheating" during an inspection at Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane in , alleging that the trust deployed 10 experienced advisory teachers from its central team to the school in May 2018 to replace less experienced staff, thereby inflating observed teaching quality and contributing to the school's "Good" overall rating. The claims, based on accounts from three teachers and former teachers at the school, included a pre-inspection briefing and the temporary "parachuting in" of staff to handle lessons and book marking, practices purportedly designed to game the inspection process rather than reflect routine operations. Harris Federation denied any impropriety, asserting that the deployed staff were regular teaching consultants familiar to pupils and school personnel, providing year-round support consistent with the trust's model, and that the "Good" rating was merited by the school's performance. The allegations expanded in early 2019 to suggest "systemic cheating" across multiple Harris primaries, including , , , and , where central team members—drawn from a pool of approximately 60 trust-wide specialists—allegedly taught lessons or retrospectively marked work during inspection windows to enhance evidence of progress and effectiveness. Sources for these claims included current and former s, a , and representatives, who argued the practice undermined 's ability to assess authentic school standards and favored large multi-academy trusts with centralized resources. One additional claim involved fabricated records at , which Harris explicitly rejected. In response, Harris Federation rejected the accusations as originating from "anti-academy campaigners and a small number of disgruntled staff," emphasizing that central support was integral to their improvement strategy and not inspection-specific manipulation, with no violation of guidelines. Ofsted expressed confidence in the validity of the Philip Lane and did not invalidate any ratings stemming from the alleged practices, though the regulator noted limitations in its authority to directly inspect multi-academy trusts as entities. No formal Ofsted investigation into the manipulation claims was publicly confirmed, and the federation continued to receive predominantly high outcomes across its schools. Related scrutiny arose from separate incidents, such as the annulment of SATs results at Philip Lane and another Harris primary in 2018 for "over-aiding" pupils, which linked to broader patterns of test and gaming, though Harris maintained these were isolated errors. The called for government intervention to probe trust-wide practices, but no such inquiry materialized, leaving the dispute centered on conflicting interpretations of legitimate central support versus deceptive augmentation.

Executive Compensation Debates

Sir Dan Moynihan, chief executive of the Harris Federation since 2006, has received among the highest salaries in the English academy sector, sparking ongoing debates over executive remuneration in publicly funded multi-academy trusts (MATs). For the 2023-24 financial year, Moynihan's salary ranged from £515,000 to £520,000, marking a £25,000 increase from the prior year and making him the first academy CEO to exceed £500,000. This figure, derived from the trust's published accounts filed with and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), contrasts sharply with average teacher salaries and has drawn scrutiny amid broader concerns about pay disparities within the trust. Critics, including the National Education Union (NEU), have labeled such executive pay "scandalous" and advocated for salary caps, arguing it diverts resources from frontline education at a time of budget pressures and teacher redundancies. In May 2025, as the Harris Federation announced plans for up to 45 redundancies across 20 academies—attributed to "unfunded" national pay rises for teachers—the NEU highlighted that senior executives remained unaffected, fueling accusations of inequity. Union representatives described the executive compensation structure as emblematic of an "unaccountable elite" in academy leadership, particularly given that seven Harris executives earned at least £100,000 in 2022-23 while some recruited overseas teachers received starting salaries below £30,000. Moynihan has defended his compensation by emphasizing the trust's financial performance and his role in , claiming he generates millions in additional revenue annually to support operations. In a May 2025 statement, he asserted his salary was justified by delivering value equivalent to or exceeding private-sector equivalents, citing the federation's expansion to 54 academies and consistent high outcomes. Earlier, in 2019, Moynihan himself called for greater scrutiny of academy leader pay, acknowledging public concerns while noting the complexities of large-scale . efforts to address "outlier" pay, including ESFA reviews, have flagged high earners like Moynihan but exempted larger trusts from stricter caps due to their scale and performance metrics. The debate reflects wider tensions in England's academy system, where executive pay has risen faster than teacher awards—doubling the number of leaders earning over £150,000 in five years—amid stagnant school budgets and below-inflation staff rises. Proponents of high argue it attracts talent capable of sustaining improvements in disadvantaged areas, as evidenced by Harris's sponsorship of underperforming schools, while detractors question given reliance on taxpayer funds exceeding £500 million annually for the trust. No formal regulatory cap exists for MAT CEOs, with pay determined by trust boards and benchmarked against commercial sectors, though calls for reform persist from unions and some policymakers.

Governance and Accountability Issues

The Harris Federation's governance is structured as a with a central Board of Trustees holding ultimate responsibility for strategic oversight, , and compliance across its 55 academies, while local governing bodies are delegated limited powers, such as recommending budgets, monitoring educational performance, and supporting principals on site-specific matters. This model centralizes key at the trust level, including staffing and resource allocation, which critics contend reduces to parents and local communities by diminishing the autonomy of individual school governing bodies. Financial accountability concerns emerged in 2021 when the wrote off £5.8 million in sponsor contributions pledged by the Harris Federation, part of pre-2010 academy agreements that remained uncollected after over a decade of efforts. The described the write-off as "outrageous," arguing it exposed flaws in the government's mechanisms for enforcing sponsor commitments and highlighted broader risks in relying on private pledges for public education funding. In 2025, teaching unions raised questions during the Federation's consultations, which targeted over 40 frontline roles across approximately 20 schools without federation-wide union input or a detailed justifying the cuts. Critics noted the process's lack of transparency, including exemptions for centrally based despite their high , and inclusions of vulnerable staff such as those on maternity leave, prompting accusations of inadequate oversight and procedural fairness in trust-level decisions. These episodes underscore ongoing debates about whether large multi-academy trusts like Harris align with regulatory ideals for balanced , potentially operating with limited external scrutiny akin to private entities.

Specific Academy Incidents

In 2018, an inquiry by the Standards and Testing Agency found that Year 6 pupils at Harris Academy Philip Lane in had received excessive assistance during their English reading and maths reasoning SATs tests, including prompting on answers and reading questions aloud beyond permitted guidelines. The investigation, prompted by whistleblower concerns, led to the school's results being voided and contributed to broader allegations of irregularities across Harris primaries. Subsequently, three staff members, including the headteacher, departed from Harris academies amid suspicions of test tampering at multiple sites, though the federation maintained that isolated errors were addressed without systemic intent. At Harris Primary Academy Coleraine Park in , video footage emerged in 2014 showing staff physically restraining pupils, raising concerns about the in classroom management. The incident, captured on mobile phones and shared publicly, depicted multiple children being held down, prompting local scrutiny over whether restraints complied with guidelines on positive handling. The academy defended the actions as necessary for in a challenging environment but committed to reviewing training protocols following parental complaints. Harris Academy Tottenham faced accusations of institutional in April 2021, centered on claims by staff and pupils of discriminatory practices, including biased exclusions and cultural insensitivity under executive principal Kenny Frederick. A with over 1,000 signatures demanded Frederick's removal, alleging favoritism toward certain ethnic groups and inadequate response to complaints; the school rejected the claims as unfounded and highlighted its diverse and academic progress. The controversy escalated when PE teacher AduSei encouraged pupils to sign the , leading to his dismissal; in 2025, a teaching regulator banned AduSei from classrooms for professional misconduct, citing his exploitation of students in the dispute. Police investigated death threats against Frederick posted online, including on the petition platform, resulting in no charges against protesters but heightened security at the academy. In 2017-2018, recorded 16 permanent exclusions, exceeding half of Westminster's total, amid criticism for high suspension rates linked to a strict . The academy attributed the figures to efforts to maintain a safe learning environment for the majority, noting that exclusions targeted persistent disruptors and were reviewed independently, while overall attainment remained above local averages.

Recent Employment Disputes

In early 2025, the National Education Union (NEU) conducted a formal strike ballot among over 700 members across 18 Harris Federation schools, following an indicative ballot in December 2024 where 92% supported action amid grievances over excessive workloads, stalled pay progression, and disparities affecting overseas-trained teachers (OTTs), who reportedly earned around £10,000 less than UK-trained counterparts. The ballot, running from 20 January to 28 February 2025, sought endorsement for sustained or discontinuous strikes, building on a campaign launched in 2023 that highlighted unrelenting directed time without adequate planning, preparation, and assessment (PPA) periods, contributing to staff burnout. Negotiations facilitated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) led to a resolution in February 2025, with members voting to accept the Federation's improved offer on pay, workloads, and OTT conditions, averting strikes and marking a union-described "landmark victory." In May 2025, the Harris Federation initiated consultations for up to 45 redundancies across 14 secondary schools and sixth forms, citing unfunded teacher pay awards, increased contributions, and declining pupil numbers in as drivers of a projected £10-15 million deficit. Unions, including the and , condemned the process as rushed and opaque, lacking a federation-wide and allegedly targeting pregnant staff, those on maternity leave, OTTs, and union representatives while sparing central management roles; they demanded a halt and fuller transparency. By June 2025, following further union ballots, the Federation scaled back proposed cuts in 20 schools, though some redundancies proceeded amid ongoing criticism that reserves exceeding £20 million could have offset pressures without frontline losses. Strikes erupted at specific academies in July 2025, including Harris Academy Beckenham, where members walked out protesting workloads exceeding 95 hours weekly, aggressive management, and perceived targeting of Jamaican-recruited staff via excessive scrutiny, , and pay shortfalls of up to £10,000 tied to visa dependencies. The rejected claims of or unequal treatment, attributing restructurings to cost pressures from pay and hikes, and affirmed the school would operate fully during action. Similar disputes prompted three-day strikes at Harris Girls' Academy over redundancy threats, with unions citing a 2023 analysis of finances showing substantial surpluses incompatible with compulsory cuts. These incidents reflected broader tensions post-academisation at sites like South Kenton Primary, where ballots addressed deteriorated conditions including intensified oversight.

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