CAREERS PROSPECTUS THINK TEACHING. THINK HARRIS.
ABOUT WE
Our young people and
communities
are at the heart of everything we do.
OUR VALUES
Every Harris academy has its own culture and way of doing things –but as a Federation we have four values that are common to us all:
Are agents for social mobility and equality
Work at pace and are creative and decisive in achieving rapid change
Collaborate purposefully for continuous improvement
Provide high challenge and high support for excellence
“I would recommend working at Harris to anyone who is keen to progress. There are so many more opportunities because we are a large network of academies, enabling you to follow your passion in whatever direction you choose.”
Jordan, Head of Academy
US
We established our first academy more than 30 years ago, and now have 55 schools, educating over 40,000 young people across London and Essex. We employ 5,000 staff across our academies and head office, all committed to making a difference for our young people and communities.
Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to a high-quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.
We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that is why we need determined and tenacious people in our academies to help us tackle those inequalities.
We are the leading large multi-academy trust in the country.
WHAT SETS US APART
WE ARE LONDON
Education can transform a child’s life chances, breaking the link between their economic background and the opportunities and careers they can access.
In London, there are 700,000 children living in poverty, with its local authorities accounting for 11 of the worst 25 for child poverty. 1 in 6 young people are eligible for free school meals, and there are 15,000 looked-after children.
Our work focuses on social mobility as we change the lives of young people and their communities across London.
CENTRALISED SUPPORT
From the start, our aim has been to provide the structure and services needed for our academies to amount to more than the sum of their parts. We want our teachers and leaders to focus on the most important thing: the outstanding education of all our students.
Having a central team takes away much of the administrative burden from our academy colleagues, and thanks to economies of scale, saves our academies millions of pounds a year, all of which goes back into the education of our young people.
Harris academies are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted
We educate children in London 1 in 38 70% ALL 265
Harris academies are rated Outstanding (compared to 17% nationally)
We also have 80+ subject specialist, highly skilled teachers, known as our ‘Consultant Team’. Their job is to create curriculum excellence in every subject. Our academies are able to access their full support to ensure the most effective curriculum intent, implementation, and impact. students to Oxbridge in the last 6 years
“I feel continuously inspired by the incredible individuals I get to work with on a daily basis across head office and in our academies.”
Rachel, Alumni Manager
55 academies
Educating students across 16 boroughs employing 5,000 staff
42,000
PRIMARY
We ensure that everyone in our primary academies is Safe, Happy, and Respected. This means that every child will achieve their potential.
WORKING IN OUR PRIMARY ACADEMIES
Our cluster system is designed to promote collaboration and support among our children and staff. By dividing our academies into smaller clusters, we create strong networks where schools can facilitate the sharing of expertise and resources. You are never alone or expected to work in isolation.
SUPPORT AND WELLBEING
Working in primary schools can be challenging but we make a significant effort to offer you a strong work-life balance. Each of our Principals/Heads of Academy has prioritised their commitment to wellbeing with their whole team.
Every academy is a little different in how they address this, but some examples of the decisions we have made are: not routinely staying open later than 6pm, operating a no-email policy outside the hours of 7am-7pm, not scheduling meetings on a Friday, ensuring that there are no more than 90 minutes of meetings a week, and timetabling so that deep marking days don’t coincide with staff meeting days.
All of our schools have preprinted books for foundation subjects which greatly cuts down on the time spent on administration for teachers.
PRIMARY
Our regular anonymous staff surveys are always overwhelmingly positive – staff appreciate the thought and consideration they get from their SLT and the wider Federation team.
Wellbeing Wednesday is celebrated in all of our academies. Exploring creative endeavours and playing fun games, it has become a core part of working in one of our primary academies. There has even started to be some friendly competition between our schools to see who can organise the best Wellbeing Wednesday activities.
“Being a teacher at the Harris Federation is a great opportunity because Harris offers so much. You are surrounded by outstanding teaching and learning consultants, expert teachers, you have a curriculum which is tailored and focused for every single subject. You get a lot of support to help you teach that curriculum.”
Sam, Year 6 Teacher
Unlock the potential of every student and make a difference where it matters most, all whilst building a fulfilling and exciting career.
SECONDARY
WORKING IN OUR SECONDARY ACADEMIES
Our Principals enjoy autonomy in the leadership of their respective academies, enabling them to maintain a culture that aligns with the needs of the students, staff, and communities they work with, and to address the distinct challenges and opportunities at a local level.
However, collaboration is a core component of our success, and no academy works in isolation. We are committed to sharing best practices and ideas, so successful approaches in one academy can inspire and benefit others. By fostering an environment of openness and shared learning, we continuously improve the quality of education offered to all our students.
“It is a privilege to be part of an organisation that puts the needs of children first and believes passionately in the importance of social mobility.”
Gizle, Principal
“If you want to make a difference, I think this is a great place to be because if you come with your heart in the right place, you are given everything you need to help make that difference.”
Francisco, Music Teacher
SECONDARY
LEAD THE WAY IN EDUCATION
Education is a powerful tool for social change. We are dedicated to breaking barriers, developing new approaches, and continuing to transform lives through education.
We are committed to being at the forefront of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and are driven by research that informs our practice and ensures that we develop equality across the curriculum. This research-led approach pushes us to remain as objective as possible, and we have been excited by our recent findings that could have large-scale impact on future EDI implementation in education.
CAREER PROGRESSION AND DEVELOPMENT
We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities for our staff, no matter what their role.
“Harris is doing so much to invest in staff and ensure they get the development they need.”
Wira, Apprenticeship Manager
In addition to structured qualifications, working at Harris means you will have access to support, coaching and mentoring from senior members of staff across the Federation.
TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
We will give you excellent development to progress your career in a way that works for you, whether that be into leadership, or specialising in areas such as SEND or pastoral positions.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING
We are one of the four founding trusts of the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT).
We evolve teacher and leader development by using cutting-edge research on best practice to inform the design and delivery of our high-quality professional development programmes.
By supporting development opportunities for teachers at all levels, we enable our staff to be the best that they can be and provide endless routes to progress their careers.
NPQ s
Through Harris Institute, we offer the entire golden thread of CPD, from Initial Teaching Training onwards, including the full suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).
Our delivery model is grounded in tried-and-tested evidence of effective school improvement. The programmes are underpinned by theory, mapped for progression across all qualification levels, and application of learning is prioritised to facilitate successful implementation.
Support is a central component to our NPQ facilitator-led programmes, with 1-1 mentorship and coaching available on all courses.
NPQ in Leading Teaching
NPQ in Leading Teacher Development
NPQ in Leading Literacy
NPQ in Leading Behaviour and Culture
NPQ in Leading Primary Maths
NPQ in Early Years Leadership
NPQ in Senior Leadership
NPQ in Headship
NPQ in Executive Leadership
APPRENTICESHIPS
Our apprenticeship programmes will help you to gain the skills and qualifications to progress your career. We support a wide range of programmes across career paths, including HR, IT, Administration, and Project Management. These programmes are a great opportunity to receive high-quality training and personal development, including senior leadership programmes from Level 5 leadership and management, MSc and MBA qualifications via the apprenticeship route.
Harris Federation is a main training provider of apprenticeships. We currently offer the Team Leader/Supervisor Level 3 and Coaching Professional Level 5 apprenticeship programmes.
In 2024, we were excited to receive a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted for our apprenticeship provision. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams, and of course, our fantastic learners on both programmes.
You have chosen a career that is unique, where you will get to change lives in a way that few of us ever get the chance to do.
TEACHING
“I’ve been supported by a really strong mentor and a strong department. All the staff are really helpful, everyone has been very forthcoming with helping me when I need it.”
Jason, Art and Photography Teacher
TEACHING CAREERS
We believe that educational excellence comes from teachers who have the freedom to teach brilliantly with multiple opportunities to progress their careers.
At Harris, our teaching staff are central to everything we aim to achieve. As a teacher at Harris, you will give our young people life chances, new ambitions, and an excitement for the possibilities that await them when they leave us.
You will be joining a network of likeminded education professionals and have opportunities to learn from colleagues who are some of the best teachers and school leaders in the country.
Being a teacher at Harris, you will have endless opportunities to develop and progress your career with us.
You will also feel the benefits of what it is like to work for a Federation, where you will be encouraged to collaborate, and able to share best practice and resources. You will also get support from our central team of subject-specialist consultants who ensure you have the support you need to deliver curriculum excellence.
“By working here, you’ll have an amazing time, meet a lot of like-minded people, and it’s a great opportunity which I would say to definitely take if given the chance.”
Nicola, Class Teacher
TRAIN TO TEACH AND EARLY CAREER TEACHERS
We are committed to supporting teachers to develop at the very beginning of their careers.
TEACH
INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING
The NIoT’s Initial Teaching Training is a fully immersive school-centred programme – as an aspiring teacher, you will be in the classroom from the very start.
But full immersion does not mean that you will be thrown in the deep end: our trainees are mentored and have central training once a week. And you will have the confidence of knowing that you are participating in a programme that was designed by some of the most experienced and successful teachers and leaders in the country.
This innovative programme offers different pathways, including fee-paying, salaried, and the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship, accommodating various learning styles and commitments, fostering a rich and inclusive environment.
EARLY CAREER FRAMEWORK
Our Early Career Framework ensures that teachers who train with us are given the expert support they need to become confident, capable classroom practitioners. The Early Career Teachers programme delivers flexible training and relevant support, to help teachers succeed right from the start.
Being part of our network of over 50 academies will provide you with a strong support system of colleagues to share ideas, experiences, and best practice. All our academies are based across London and Essex so regular in person collaboration with colleagues across the Federation is possible and encouraged.
As well as strong mentorship and support from your academy colleagues and ECT peers, you will also receive subject and age phase specialist training from our central team of consultants and outstanding practitioners. These bespoke sessions are an opportunity to develop specific skills in areas you may want to progress into, and to develop networks with colleagues across the Federation.
“I enjoy liaising with teaching professionals to further inform my professional practice. It’s been great to work in a dynamic environment, imparting new concepts of knowledge that pupils link to their own prior knowledge.”
Rebecca, English Early Career Teacher
We have proven success both in the classroom, and in developing exceptional leadership.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP CAREERS
“I can say without any reservations that coming to work for Harris was the best decision I made in my professional life. I joined as Vice Principal; since then, I have been supported, coached, and nurtured to not only excel as a Vice Principal but also to prepare me for my current role – Head of Academy. The continued support and excellent CPD opportunities at every stage of your career is unmatched. I cannot imagine working for any other school or trust now, except Harris.” Zainab, Head of Academy
Our senior leaders continue to drive our ambition to transform education, and we enable them to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of our students.
By joining us in a senior leadership role, you will role model our vision and values, and will be crucial in developing, implementing, and maintaining strategic and operational decisions.
We need people with extensive experience working in education who are ready to put those skills to great use by leading one or more of our academies.
You will be joining a network of likeminded leaders in education and will have opportunities to learn from colleagues who are some of the best school leaders in the country. We highly value and encourage all our staff to develop and reach their full potential, and you will have endless opportunities to develop and progress your career with us.
Being a leader at Harris, you will be given the autonomy to evolve your academy’s vision, values, performance, and culture, but you will never be alone. Everything you do will be wrapped in support and encouragement from the wider Federation.
“Everyone here is highly talented, and everyone really cares. Everyone is really authentically motivated; no one is doing it for anything but the right reasons.”
Emily, Head of Fundraising and Partnerships
SUPPORT
STAFF CAREERS
Our academies wouldn’t be what they are without our fantastic support staff.
They work tirelessly to ensure that students have access to a safe, clean, and positive learning environment.
Whether you are based in our head office or in one of our 55 academies, you will be playing a critical role in delivering outstanding outcomes for our young people.
ACADEMY SUPPORT ROLES
Every Harris academy has dedicated support staff who work with our teachers and leaders to deliver the highest standards of education. Their dedication helps to foster a positive school culture that enables students to succeed academically and personally.
Some of our support teams in academies include Student Welfare, Administration, Mental Health, Special Educational Needs (SEN), Learning Support, and Premises. Some of our larger academies also have dedicated HR and Finance specialists.
HEAD OFFICE
In the heart of East Croydon is our Harris Federation head office. Staff based at head office operationally support all our academies.
By working as part of our central team, you will be joining teams of experts in their specialised areas, all committed to ensuring our schools succeed.
Whether you are supporting our growing workforce, protecting the Federation, or bringing in innovative approaches, you will have an invaluable part to play in our ongoing success.
Departments within head office include Finance, HR, Talent Acquisition, IT, Internal Audit, Estates Management, Procurement, Fundraising, Governor Services, Data Management, and MIS.
“Having great managers around me has given me the confidence to work hard and to be able to work on my own terms. My team is great, and everyone is so helpful and supportive.” Bilal, IT Technician
BENEFITS
We are on a mission to transform education across London. We know our success is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our teams.
No matter what your role, by joining the Harris Federation, you will be making a difference to young people across London and in recognition of this, you will be able to enjoy the tangible and intangible benefits of working at Harris.
HARRIS WELLBEING CASH PLAN
Our wellbeing scheme includes a range of benefits designed to support your overall health and wellbeing. The scheme provides cover for routine healthcare such as optician check-ups, dental treatment, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and specialist consultations. In addition, the scheme also covers any of your children up to the age of 18 years old. You can also upgrade your level of cover or add a partner at an additional cost.
PERFORMANCE AND LOYALTY BONUS
You will be rewarded in recognition of your hard work over the last academic year with a bonus in your December salary:
£50 – 1 year of service
£100 – 2 years of service
£150 – 3 years of service
£200 – 4 years of service
£250 – 5+ years of service
BENEFITS
HARRIS ALLOWANCE FOR TEACHING STAFF
If you’re a Teacher, we offer a Harris allowance in addition to your salary. This is usually £2,000 for Inner London academies, and £1,500 for Outer London academies, but please check job advert details when applying.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
We have partnered with Health Assured to offer free and confidential to advice to our staff. This is available 24 hours, 7 days per week for you and your immediate family. Some of the services include support with family, financial information, legal advice, stress and anxiety, and bereavement. You will also have access to structured counselling sessions.
for Inner London academies
+£2,000 for Outer London academies +£1,500
PENSION SCHEME
Both our pension schemes (Local Government Pension Scheme for support staff and Teachers’ Pension Scheme for Teachers) include generous employer contributions and 3x life assurance cover whilst you remain working at Harris. You are entitled to opt-out of the scheme should you wish to do so.
EXCLUSIVE EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT AT TAPI CARPETS
As an employee at Harris, you will also be entitled to an exclusive 20% discount on carpet and flooring merchandise (exclusive of fitting) at Tapi Carpets, courtesy of our Sponsor and Chairman, Lord Harris of Peckham.
ICT AND SEASON TICKET LOANS
We have an interest-free ICT loan that is available for all staff to purchase ICT equipment for personal use up to the value of £2,000, with repayments flexible over 12 or 24 months. You will also be able to access an interest-free loan up to the value of £3,500 to cover a season ticket to support with annual commuting costs.
We are committed to investing in our staff and are continually improving the employee benefits we offer to reward their hard work and dedication.
PRIMARY OUR ACADEMIES
20 Harris Primary Academy South Kenton RED CLUSTER
1 Harris Primary Academy Beckenham
2 Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green
5 Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred
13 Harris Primary Academy Mayflower
15 Harris Primary Academy Orpington 19 Harris Primary Academy Shortlands
10
11
12
14
18
3
PRIMARY ACADEMIES
SECONDARY OUR ACADEMIES
SECONDARY ACADEMIES
CENTRAL
SECONDARY
Girls’ Academy East Dulwich
THAMES
Academy Chobham (AT)
Garrard Academy (AT)
EAST
“My skills have been put to use and I’ve grown both personally and professionally in ways that I didn’t expect. The role has given chances to build productive relationships and be an active part of strategic conversations, all from a unique position.”
Sam, Governor
GOVERNORS
Outstanding local governance is vital to the success of our academies.
Being a governor can be a highly rewarding experience and an opportunity to gain an insight into how an academy works and play a part in improving outcomes for young people. It is an invaluable chance to make an important contribution to the local community, as well as to gain and develop your skills.
People from all walks of life have been governors of Harris academies. We believe our workforce and governance should reflect the communities we are a part of. If you want to become a governor and if you share our aspirations for our young people, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The role is important in ensuring the school leadership team are challenged. We are critical friends of the school, providing thoughts and suggestions on presented plans and policies.”
Clifton, Governor
GOVERNORS CEO FROM THE
We see Harris as a system disrupter –whose purpose is to make life fairer for children in and around London.
Our focus is to take on the most challenging schools and turn them into exceptional places of learning where everyone – staff and students – thrives.
The secret of our success is that every Harris academy is different; every academy has its own culture and ethos nurtured by its leadership team to suit the local community and context.
However, all Harris academies are united by a determination to constantly improve and to quickly identify and share what works to ensure that every pupil is successful regardless of their background.
If you would like to learn more about what a career at Harris can offer you, or you would like to tour one of our academies, we warmly welcome you to get in touch.
Sir Dan Moynihan, Chief Executive