An exceptional education for local children
Your child’s education
We are a Junior Academy for local children aged 7 – 11. Our belief is that children thrive when they are happy and feel valued.
At Harris Junior Academy Carshalton (HJAC) we believe in a simple and fundamental philosophy. We want our school to be a calm and caring learning community in which everyone feels safe, happy and valued.
We give each child all the time and attention that they need to develop their reading, writing and maths skills. We then build on this by providing the children with creative and vibrant learning experiences through which they will develop a love of learning, an ability to think independently and a desire to be the best they can be.
We want our children to leave HJAC as confident and successful learners, who understand themselves and are responsible in the way they conduct themselves. We want them to possess the skills and attitudes to make the most of future opportunities and contribute to their local community and beyond.
We recognise the importance of developing a strong partnership with parents, carers and the local community so that we can all provide the children with strong support and clear guidelines for success.
Georgina Barnes Head of Academy
Happy in the classroom
There are more than 300 lively young minds at Harris Junior Academy Carshalton. Our staff build on the children’s learning from infant school to support each child to be the best they can. This section of our prospectus describes the type of education your child will receive at our school.
Every lesson is creative
The aim of our teachers is always to deliver lessons that children enjoy and feel motivated by. We believe that all lessons should be creative, not just arts subjects.
We want all of our pupils to be confident readers, writers and mathematicians. Our teachers make sure these areas, as well as the rest of the National Curriculum, are taught in ways that engage the natural sense of curiosity that children have.
Consequently, children become eager, confident pupils who understand the joy of learning and are well prepared for academic success.
High standards in every classroom
With each week, term and year being so significant in a child’s life, consistency is particularly important in their Primary education.
As part of the Harris Federation, which has its own training school for teachers, our staff receive outstanding professional development to make sure that standards are consistently high in every classroom.
Children treated as individuals
Each child is taught in the way that suits them best and we step in quickly if a change is needed. For some children, this might involve one-to-one support if they are finding something difficult. For others, it could mean they are given a greater level of challenge in order to stretch them academically.
As a parent, you are always welcome to discuss your son or daughter with us at any time. Pupil progress reports are sent home at the end of each year in addition to parents evening.
We welcome children of all abilities and want them to enjoy school and thrive. For children with special educational needs, one of our first steps is to work with their parents and other specialists to create a plan for supporting them.
All such plans are reviewed, and amended where applicable.
Our English specialism
We chose English as our specialism because we believe that effective reading, writing and communication underpin all learning.
An emphasis on developing reading and writing fluency is our focus in Years 3 and 4. For those children who need help with their reading, bespoke phonics teaching – both individual and in groups – is available to accelerate their progress.
By Years 5 and 6 the teaching emphasis is on high-level comprehension skills so that children can access more complex texts across the curriculum.
All children are encouraged to read for pleasure and take books home.
Happy outside the classroom
There is always time at our school for children to think, to play, to discover and wonder. This section of our prospectus describes our approach to helping our pupils to become well-rounded, resilient and confident.
Hobbies, skills and experiences
Our teachers and other staff seek to discover and nurture at least one special talent within each child. Music, dance, art and sport all feature within our extra-curricular activities.
Trips and visitors to school help make the curriculum relevant for children. Theme weeks, focussing on subject areas, such as the arts or writing, give the children more time to engage in particular subject areas. Residential trips provide the children with new and memorable experiences.
Every pupil has a friend
We want the Academy to feel friendly and welcoming and we always make sure that every pupil has at least one friend. Our children are taught to respect each other and their teachers.
There is a zero tolerance approach to any type of bullying.
Traditional standards of behaviour
Our Academy is relaxed and comfortable but pupils know that good behaviour is expected of them. Children are frequently praised and rewarded for trying their best and for making the right choices.
Healthy and tasty meals
Our school lunches and other snacks and meals are healthy as well as tasty. Pupils may bring in packed lunches if they prefer.
Wrap-around care
At Harris Carshalton we are able to provide Breakfast Club and After School club on site. Both clubs are well organised and fun.
Part of the successful Harris Federation Admissions
The Harris Federation is a not-for-profit charity with 56 academies in London and Essex. The founder and Chairman of the Harris Federation is Lord Harris of Peckham. His vision of delivering happy and successful education is brought to life by an excellent team of teachers and leaders.
In addition to the teachers and leaders at Harris primary academies, the Federation employs a team of senior primary professionals with the expertise to support our schools from the centre.
Our vision for all Harris primary academies is that every child is safe, happy and respected. The Harris Federation regularly tops academic studies and national league tables measuring performance. The majority of Harris primary academies are judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. There are around four applications from parents for every place available.
In addition to running schools, the Harris Federation provides high quality training and professional development for teachers throughout this part of England.
You can follow the Harris Federation on @HarrisFed.
Each academic year, we have 90 places available in Year 3.
If we are oversubscribed, children with an educational health and care plan (EHC Plan) will be admitted before all other children, followed by Looked After and Former Looked After Children.
Children who already have older brothers or sisters here followed by those who live closest to the Academy will be prioritised next.
