Harris Academy Chafford Hundred

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Harris Academy Chafford Hundred provides an outstanding education for all its students. The very strong leadership of the executive headteacher and the senior leaders is ensuring that exceptionally well thought-out strategies for improvement are having a very positive impact on provision and, in turn, on outcomes for students.

The academy has a very strong ethos and culture of high achievement and of care for all its students. The outstanding curriculum and care, guidance and support ensure that the needs of every student are met exceptionally well. Improvements in the quality of teaching, which is now outstanding, is engaging students so that their behaviour, attitudes to learning and progress are ou...tstanding.

As a result attainment has improved significantly since 2009 and results for 2011 are well above average. Almost all students are working at levels consistently well above national averages, and are significantly exceeding national expectations. This is evident from lessons seen and the academy's accurate tracking data.

Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities including those with statements of educational need, work consistently at above average standards, demonstrating outstanding progress. This is also the case for a very small number of students who are supported through the externally funded provision for students with autism. Other outcomes for students have improved because of the academy's ethos of developing the whole student as an individual.

As a result they demonstrate outstanding personal skills which underpin their ability to contribute to their learning. They also make significant contributions to the life of the academy and the wider community. The academy has outstanding capacity not only to sustain levels of performance, but also to improve even further.

It has significantly improved provision, which has contributed to the rapid improvement in results over the past two years. The academy has outstanding monitoring and evaluation strategies, which ensure that all staff are held to account for their performance. Staff understand fully what the academy is wanting to achieve and are enthusiastically committed to working towards accomplishing these goals.

The academy's self-evaluation system ensures that all staff continue their drive for on-going improvement. This is evident in the accurate evaluation of what the academy needs to do to improve even further. Leaders correctly identify that while teaching is overall excellent, the proportion of lessons that are outstanding is not yet high enough to ensure that all students are gaining passes at the highest grades.

Information about the school

Harris Academy Chafford Hundred is an average sized secondary school, with a very recently opened sixth form. The proportion of boys is higher than that of girls throughout the academy, though the number of girls is increasing in the lower year groups. The number of students eligible for free school meals is below average.

The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. However, the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. The academy has specialisms in business and enterprise, applied learning and gifted and talented.

In 2009 it was awarded high performance specialist status. The Academy manages a specially resourced provision for special educational needs. This provides for students with autism, and supports four students from each year group.

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