Introduction from the Principal

I am delighted to welcome you to Harris Academy, Purley, and honoured to be the new Principal.  The Academy is extremely proud to carry the Harris name, a name synonymous with quality, excellence and enterprise.

HAPU is an outstanding, vibrant, mixed school for students aged 11- 19 with specialisms in enterprise and sport.  We are ambitious to build on the outstanding success of the Academy thus far, already a well-established centre of academic, artistic, sporting and technological excellence.  We teach students from diverse backgrounds, cultures and abilities and enable them to make exceptional progress both academically and in their wider personal development.

Our passion and expectation is that each and every student who joins Harris Academy, Purley achieves and exceeds their ‘potential’.  We want our students to be inspired and engaged in their learning, developing strong ambition and resilience to succeed.  In all aspects of school life we emphasise the traditional values of respect, integrity and self-discipline.  These underpin our entire philosophy.  

Our students join us for a seven year journey, with the expectation that they will continue their education into our Sixth Form, run in partnership with the highly successful Harris Federation Sixth Form.  We believe students across the school benefit from these excellent role models.

This prospectus aims to give you an insight into our character, ethos, and ambitions for this outstanding school and for the community of learners we serve.

However to fully appreciate all that our academy has to offer, we warmly invite you to come and see for yourself.

I very much look forward to welcoming you to one of our many Open Events and to working with you in the months and years ahead.

Yours sincerely

Phillip Wheatley, Principal