Harris Academy Purley

About Harris Academy Purley

Working at Harris Academy Purley, you will make a real difference in the lives of young people and their families in South London who value the learning and school environment we offer. Our school is oversubscribed; we have families, from a number of boroughs, who choose us for the high standard of education we provide, and staff come from across London as well as Sussex and Surrey to come and work with us. 

Striving for excellence

Our recent "Good" Ofsted report praised our "high aspirations for pupils" and our commitment to helping them achieve success both in their education and in their future lives. We are now pushing onwards towards Outstanding and beyond. By joining us, you will have the opportunity to shape the school's ethos and DNA. Our philosophy is one of putting things into action, and we are committed to making things happen for the wellbeing of our staff and students. 

Our motto: To Learn, To Think, To Act

Our motto reflects our focus on providing an ambitious curriculum and academy experience for all our students and staff. We want our staff to be lifelong learners, and we invest in them regardless of their stage of career. Teachers are seen as the next middle leaders, middle leaders as the next senior leaders, and senior leaders as Principals and beyond.

Our teachers are experts in their areas, and departments take the lead in ensuring that subject and content knowledge are matched to effective pedagogical practice. We have an enthusiastic leadership team that encourages excellence whilst ensuring a clear focus on staff wellbeing and work-life balance.

Opportunities for development

We provide ample opportunities for staff development and internal promotion. As part of the Harris Federation teaching school, we offer a range of NPQ courses and funding for external courses, including Masters degrees. There are also opportunities to further your experiences in extra-curricular activities and events. Whist recruitment from within the Federation is strong, we are always looking for talented individuals from a broad range of backgrounds. 

Professional development is embedded in the culture of the Academy and is driven by committed and well-supported middle leaders. Our philosophy is to develop you as a teacher and as a subject specialist. We work closely with the Federation subject consultants, and there are opportunities to train and meet subject staff from across the whole Federation. Our CPD is tailored for different levels of experience and delivered in a range of formats.

A fully mapped development plan for training is in place that addresses individual needs and has a strong focus on subject-centred professional development, as we realize that great pedagogy is closely linked to but also differentiated along subject-specific lines.

Collaborative working

We emphasise working collaboratively, both within departments and across the wider school, so that we all participate in the implementation of our shared vision. 

As a valued member of staff, you will belong to the faculty system, which ensures that there is excellent leadership and support for subjects while providing thorough pastoral support for students. At Harris Academy Purley you will play a pivotal role in the wider lives of individual students and will work closely with families from across the area.