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04/09/24

It's the first day of the new academic year! Following on from our great exam results, we're really excited to meet our new Y7 students and, of course, welcome back Y12 students. All year groups will be in tomorrow and we are looking forward to a fantastic year. pic.twitter.com/fJ5cEYYDD4

22/08/24

Just two years after opening, HSAEL is celebrating a set of results likely to place it among the most improved schools in England, with a quarter of GCSEs awarded a top grade 8 or 9 – twice the national rate.aWell done to our amazing students and staff!https://t.co/RH96OPVYwT pic.twitter.com/AKsgidKdPt

15/08/24

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to HSAEL and the entire staff at Harris Academy for the support and guidance that has contributed to my daughter’s academic success. Thank you again for playing a significant role in her educational journey.

15/08/24

This is a phenomenal achievement, positioning the Academy as one of the most improved in the country for second year running.100% of Philosophy students secured A*-B gradesPass rate improved to 97% which is above nat average.The percentage of A*-B grades was up 5% on last year pic.twitter.com/DrD2zGHuD8

15/08/24

(1/2) Year 13 students and staff at HSAEL are celebrating the results of the Academy transformation today, with the average grade secured by each student up by more than a grade in each subject...https://t.co/wIkkACAFwX pic.twitter.com/taMgF3ZZ67

15/08/24

🌟Today's the day. A-Level Results Day 2024. 🌟Good luck and congratulations to all our students receiving their exam results today. Whatever your next step, you have bright futures ahead!#ResultsDay2024 pic.twitter.com/PBVP9VBJuI

31/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEptHf pic.twitter.com/wbCHrzTyIA

26/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEptHf pic.twitter.com/5DDdF7Fcyj

24/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEptHf pic.twitter.com/FVL4N9P8En

17/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEptHf pic.twitter.com/rzO1Afrjkr

15/07/24

Our latest Weekly Community Bulletin is now available on our website. Please follow the link below. https://t.co/woOCqp7lU7 pic.twitter.com/xaRajtPcW3

12/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEoVRH pic.twitter.com/p0iRFOaRxp

10/07/24

We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Sir Jack Petchey CBE. His has done so much to over the years support young people in education in London and Essex, including so many of our own students. Long may his good work continue. https://t.co/MR3hPuk7az

10/07/24

Great to see HSAEL Site Team Manager Adel Gomez helping out with such good work. https://t.co/SwSHtmYREL

10/07/24

Starting to get ready for the new school year?If your teen is staying in education or training, you’ll need to extend your Child Benefit claim.Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 next year - let us know online or on the HMRC app today.Go to https://t.co/B28yjEoVRH pic.twitter.com/4lkxEynIjK

08/07/24

Couldn’t agree more with on radical long-term planning and the importance of the ‘golden thread’. Inspiring me to be more ant, less grasshopper this summer term 🐜 👏👏👏 https://t.co/fJiqRzoLQ4

08/07/24

In our latest Teaching & Learning Blog, Assistant Principal Emma Connolly takes a look at the rationale behind our approach and philosophy for the 2024-2025 HSAEL curriculum https://t.co/1i8xkmTAdC pic.twitter.com/6ypY4dd9tt

03/07/24

"Great leadership is key" Our wonderful Parent Champions talk about what they and their children like most about HSAEL.https://t.co/DLmcGjHfMa

02/07/24

From Ethics and Drama to Art and Chess, HSAEL organises "amazing lunchtime clubs."Our Parent Champions talk about what they and their children love about HSAEL.https://t.co/wIC4CCYocU

27/06/24

"What's key about HSAEL is that the teachers are invested in *your* child."In the second of our series of shorts, our wonderful Parent Champions speak about what they and their children love about HSAEL.https://t.co/hJAFhpqIAF

Harris Academies
All Academies in our Federation aim to transform the lives of the students they serve by bringing about rapid improvement in examination results, personal development and aspiration.

Central Office

Bexley

Bromley

Clapham

Croydon

Greenwich

Haringey

Havering

Merton

Newham

Southwark

Stratford

Sutton

Thurrock

Wandsworth

Westminster

Willesden

Curriculum overview

Curriculum Intent:

The HSAEL curriculum aims to enact our mission that every student will be a leader in their chosen field, with many choosing to be leaders of STEM. It is through our well taught, academic curriculum that we will ensure that every student will leave HSAEL with the academic currency to gain entry to elite universities and professional careers.

We offer and rigorous and traditional curriculum, rooted in academia and building education.

The intent of the HSAEL curriculum is to embody our values:

  • Encouraging growth – ensuring students receive feedback regularly and building resilience.
  • Instilling a sense of responsibility – through independence and making decisions that will improve their own academic experience.
  • Promoting ambition – rigorous curriculum that enables students to achieve the highest grades and access to leadership opportunities and elite careers and universities.
  • Fostering compassion – placing knowledge in the context of the wider world and creating an understanding of different perspectives.
  • Cultivating excellence – creating consistent habits in gaining knowledge and a pursuit of the mastery of every subject.

Context:

  • Situated in Newham, one of the most deprived boroughs in London, the school serves some of the most deprived postcodes in both Newham and Tower Hamlets, according to the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation. It is through our well-taught and academic curriculum, that we will work to bring our students ever possible advantage, so that they can gain entry to any elite career or university of their choosing.

KS3 Curriculum Allocation

Subject KS3 lessons per
fortnight (60 minutes)
English Language and Literature 8
Mathematics 8
MFL 4
Classics 2
History 3
Geography 3
RS/Philosophy 2
Art/Photography 2
Computer Science 2
Music 2
DT 2
Physical Education 4

KS4 Curriculum Allocation + EBacc

At HSAEL, students start their GCSE in Year 10. This curriculum is ambitious, rigorous, and broad and balanced. Students will take between 8 and 10 GCSEs, which is higher than the national average of 8. There are two categories of GCSE: core and optional. Around 90% of our cohort each year are entered for the academically rigorous EBacc qualification.

Core Subjects

Subject Lessons per fortnight GCSEs Gained
English Language and English Literature 9 2
Maths 8 1
Science 08-Sep 02-Mar
Physical Education 2 0
Tutorial 2 0

KS4 Options

Subject Lessons per fortnight GCSEs Gained
French  5 1
Latin 5 1
Computer Science 5 1
History 5 1
Geography 5 1
Classical Civilisation 5 1
Religious Studies 5 1
Citizenship 10 1
GCSE Physical Education 6 1
Art, Crafts and Design 5 1
Music 5 1

Curriculum Planning

  • Every department is passionate about their subject and wants to create leaders in their subject areas. With this in mind, when planning the curriculum, Subject Leads begin with an understanding of the knowledge that students will be required to have in order to access the most elite universities in the U.K. regardless of their starting point. It is the greatest honour to have students choose your subject at university level and become a leader in that area.
  • Departments complete medium-term plans so that every student has access to the exact same rigorous lessons and curriculum.
  • Our lesson structure ensures students become independent and confident in their own learning. Every lesson is made up of:
     
    • The Read Now: Knowledge in context, with the big idea of the lesson considered; or perhaps a worked example or model, so students know what they need to do to achieve.
    • Daily Review – Questions that rely on knowledge recall and prior learning. This will connect their current lesson to previous lessons. This also serves to support embedding knowledge in their long-term memory.
    • Exposition – Metacognitive steps which are planned by the teacher, using their expertise to ensure everyone can move on to the deliberate practice.
    • Deliberate practice – time spent applying student’s prior knowledge as well as new knowledge form the exposition into their work.

Adapting the curriculum for students with additional needs:

At HSAEL, we adapt our curriculum to ensure that there is no discrimination against pupils because of their sex, race, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation as is outlined by the Equality Act 2010. It is our firm belief that every student has the right to an education that is supportive of all needs, and we ensure our provision meets the needs and regulations outlines in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Regulations 2014. 

  • Our mission is for every child to become a leader in their chosen field, with many choosing to be leaders in STEM. This means that every child will access the same curriculum, and every child will meet the same high expectations. This means that we do not narrow our curriculum, nor do we lower expectations; whilst some students will need more support than others, but the HSAEL maintains their ambitions for every student.
  • Students with additional needs are not withdrawn from subjects to receive learning support, but are given support from the SEND department, as well as teachers in each subject.
  • Classes with high numbers of students with additional needs are taught by experienced teachers, and these classes are often smaller in size.
  • Seating plans ensure that students who need more support are sat closest to the teacher, thus are able to receive assistance first in class.
  • Home learning provides students with the opportunities to revise and recall important subject content, which will enable students to know and remember more.
  • Targeted interventions support students to close gaps and access the full curriculum.

Stretching our more able students through the curriculum:

  • As part of the Harris Federation, our most able students are placed in the ‘Harris Experience’ programme which ‘aims to broaden the cultural and academic experiences of some of our most able secondary students in the Harris Federation, to give them outstanding preparation for some of the country’s top university destinations, including Oxford and Cambridge.’ Students in this programme are given numerous opportunities ranging from auctioneering at Christie’s to lectures at Oxford University.
  • Core knowledge acquisition through independent learning means students can reach beyond the base knowledge and directly apply further knowledge within their lessons.
  • Students have the option to take Triple Science as part of their GCSE curriculum.
  • Enrichment opportunities that allow for independent and critical thinking: student leadership, debating, robotics.  

HSAEL approach to setting:

At the beginning of each new term, changes may be made to class groupings to reflect the progress that students have made and considering other factors.

At the heart of our model for independent practice, is the pathway model which allows for differentiated learning. Students will be placed on a pathway using their KS2 data, baseline tests and their progress over time. Students will be allocated to either Alpha, Beta or Gamma pathway. Student progress across key stages may result in moving up a pathway.

When researching strict setting, the evidence is clear: the majority of students do not perform better when they are in a group set by ability; however, some form of streaming does allow for rapid progress. At HSAEL, we strike a balance in our setting to allow for broadly mixed ability, withing a small range. This means that there are levels of challenge, as well as support, suitable for each specific class. A change of group does not define their progress per se, but that their teachers may find a change of surroundings more fruitful for the student’s success.

Research underpinning the HSAEL approach to curriculum

Research

Impact on the curriculum

D Lemov, Teach Like a Champion, 2021

Teachers should insist on 100% cognitive engagement by 100% of students.

Classrooms are characterised by a strong culture of growth and feedback, where no student opts out.

The format of lessons are standardised to reduce extraneous cognitive load.

Routines and systems help to accelerate learning.

Joyful routines create a climate where students enjoy learning.

DI Willingham, Why don’t students like school?, 2009

Knowledge sits at the root of critical thinking.

Recall as the route to retention.

D Christodolou, Making Good Progress: The future of assessment for learning, 2016

R Coe, C Aloisi, S Higgins, L Major, What makes great teaching: review of the underpinning research, 2014

 

The curriculum as a model for progression.

Formative assessment as a tool to improve the quality of instruction in the classroom. 

Pedagogical knowledge (specification mastery) is as important as general subject knowledge in accelerating scholar progress.

B Rosenshine, Principles of Instruction, 2021

Daily review of important prior learning.

Exposition broken into clear, metacognitive steps.

Deliberate practice as the most direct route to mastery.

R Ashbee, Curriculum: Theory, Culture and Subject Specialism, 2021

Mapping knowledge across subject specialisms to create a well-sequenced progression map.

Codifying the curriculum and specific documents for curriculum thinking and execution.

Provide cognitive foundations for curriculum thinking, such as knowledge, sequencing, interleaving, and retrieval.

P Kirschner & C Hendrick, How Learning Happens: seminal works in educational psychology and what they mean in practice, 2020.

Novice learners are not the same as experts, and so should not be taught as such. 

Tasks should be practised in small parts, before being built up to more complex tasks. 

Prior knowledge is a key indicator of future learning.

Intelligence is not fixed, but thinking you are intelligent makes you so.  

 

Study of high performing schools in similar contexts

High quality explanations where students participate lead to rapid progress.

Clearly sequenced curriculum programmes, with frequent opportunities for knowledge recall and application of knowledge in controlled practice are those that lead to the highest outcomes.

Policies

HSAEL Teaching and Learning Policy

HSAEL Literacy Policy

HSAEL Oracy policy

HSAEL Numeracy Policy

HSAEL Home Academy Commitment