Harris Primary Academy in Croydon rated ‘Outstanding’

Children and teachers at the Harris Primary Academy in Croydon are celebrating being awarded the highest possible grade by Ofsted, writes Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter.

The school, in Propeller Crescent, Purley Way, opened in 2016 and was inspected in July where it was judged Outstanding in each category.

It currently has 109 pupils in two reception, one Year 1 and one Year 2 classes. In a report, inspectors praised the academy for its strong leadership and management, high achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching.

The inspector found that pupils at the school were able to read quickly and fluently, which means they were able to take on a ‘wide body of knowledge’.

Behaviour at the school is also good, with children understanding the rules, and teachers ensure they are resilient to peer pressure.

The report added: “As a result, pupils are confident to make their own decisions. This prepares pupils to be aware of the potential risks outside school, such as gangs.”

Inspectors noted just one aspect the school needed to improve further. This was to “make the most of opportunities to develop pupils’ vocabulary and strengthen their understanding of the meanings of words”.

But overall the inspection found that teaching is high quality across the school.