View our posts

09/03/26

Happy International Women's Day for yesterday!   

06/03/26

Read our recent Spring 1 Newsletter via this link:  harrisclapham.org.uk/2299/ne…

05/03/26

Can you guess what characters your teachers are dressed as?     

05/03/26

Hear from some familiar faces about what they used to read when they were your age!      Video  

05/03/26

Happy Wold Book Day!     

04/03/26

Every Tuesday morning, Volleyball kick starts the day for some of our students!     

03/03/26

We are so excited for our offer holders to see everything our school has to offer!         

02/03/26

Happy National Careers Week!      Video  

02/03/26

We would like to extend our congratulations to the Year 6 students who have secured a place with us for September 2026!       

26/02/26

Sign up to our alumni network: Harris Futures! Signing up with allow you to hear about brilliant career development opportunities through our partners, offers you the opportunity to come along to events to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

25/02/26

Check out some of our cool student artwork!       

23/02/26

All Year 9 girls took part in an engaging and empowering series of workshops delivered by Action Breaks Silence. Students took part in active demonstrations, practising defensive stances, strikes, and safe disengagement techniques.       

19/02/26

Here are some tips for how to stay safe when using AI!       

18/02/26

8 high achieving Year 10 students were taken to the Royal Opera House to watch La Travaita the opera. It was great for the students to watch this is most of them had never watched a opera.         

16/02/26

Hear from Kirk about why he chose Harris Academy Clapham      Video  

11/02/26

Year 10 students invited to the Head of Academy breakfast with their Assistant Principal, Ms Adewale. Such a lovely way to kick start the week - with students who go above and beyond at the academy.       

03/02/26

School Council Hitting the Ground Running in 2026!     

30/01/26

We held an event yesterday to mark Year 10 results ahead of their Parents' Evening. Lots of very happy students who did incredibly well in their first set of GCSE style exams.

29/01/26

TBT to our trip to the British Museum.       

29/01/26

Meet Leo and Romi      Video  

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

Brent

Bromley

Clapham

Croydon

Greenwich

Haringey

Havering

Merton

Newham

Southwark

Stratford

Sutton

Thurrock

Wandsworth

Westminster

 

Academy Life

3 February 2026@HarrisClaphamSchool Council Hitting the Ground Running in 2026!  #StudentVoices  #SchoolCouncil  #HACL
30 January 2026@HarrisClaphamWe held an event yesterday to mark Year 10 results ahead of their Parents' Evening. Lots of very happy students who did incredibly well in their first set of GCSE style exams.
29 January 2026@HarrisClaphamTBT to our trip to the British Museum.  #TBT  #Museum  #SchoolTrip  #HACL
29 January 2026@HarrisClaphamMeet Leo and Romi  #HACL  #StudentVoices  #WhyHACL Video  
27 January 2026@HarrisClaphamShout out to the students who stayed behind to meet mentors from 'the Girls network'!  #HACL  #mentors  #thegirlsnetwork  #nextgeneration
23 January 2026@HarrisClaphamHear what some of our brilliant Year 7 students have to say about Harris Academy Clapham!  #StudentVoices  #HACL  #secondaryschool  #harrisclapham Video  
22 January 2026@HarrisClaphamTBT to our visit to The British Racing School in Newmarket!  #TBT  #HACL  #opportunity  #horseriding  #schooltrip
20 January 2026@HarrisClaphamApplications are now open for Harris Clapham Sixth Form! They have lots of A-Level and Vocational courses available. Visit their website via @harrisclapham6thform to find out more.  #HACL  #HACL6  #Post16
12 January 2026@HarrisClaphamHear what Afnan and Millie Rae have to say about HACL!  #StudentVoices  #HACL  #WhatMakesUsSpecial Video  
12 October 2025Open Evening at Harris Academy ClaphamAn exciting insight into the student experience and what makes us unique. The Harris Academy Clapham Open Evening was full of music and academic talent, to really showcase what our students are about. Prospective Year 7 students and their families experienced our school band and two solo performers dotted around the school, creating a vibrant atmosphere! Following the performances, current students and staff conducted intimate group tours. This provided a great opportunity to hear different perspectives about Harris Academy Clapham, from the people who know it best. Our brilliant students from each department were ready to exhibit their skills and other work that their peers have worked on throughout the year. For example, our talented chefs were cooking up all kinds of delicious food in the Food Tech Department, whilst our student athletes were showing off their skills in the Sports Hall. A highlight of the tour was found in the Chinese Department, where the impressive students demonstrated their Mandarin character calligraphy skills. We also cannot fail to mention the variety of science experiments on show, showing how individualistic each discipline is. To round off the tour, prospective students and their families were welcomed into a talk from the Executive Principal, David Astin, who highlighted the school values and what Harris Academy Clapham life will look like. David spoke about the importance of each individual student and how it is our top priority to know and care for them, so that they can leave us equipped to change the world! We look forward to welcoming you to Harris Academy Clapham!
17 September 2025Our Year 7s Have Arrived!A warm welcome to all our new students here at Harris Academy Clapham. Harris Academy Clapham are excited to have welcomed all the new Year 7s to the school. It has been a busy, yet successful, start to the term helping all the students transition from primary to secondary school. Following the taster day that Year 7 had during the summer, we offer an additional transition day at the start of term to ease students in before the rest of the school join. The transition day had the main goal of easing any anxieties or worries the students had about the changes of a new school environment. We divided the students into their allotted tutor groups, which is the group they remained with for the rest of the day. This provided the best opportunity to build a strong relationship with their tutor and peers in the group. ‘Commitment, Ambition, Resilience, and Empathy’ The tutors took this opportunity to outline the core values of Harris Academy Clapham and outlined the academic and behaviour expectations of all the students within our school community. ‘Commitment, Ambition, Resilience, and Empathy’ are the values at the heart of our academy, and we work hard to ensure that every student can implement them into their academic and personal lives. Friendship building was also a focus on our transition day, as many students join only knowing a handful of people in the year! The tutors conducted fun and engaging teambuilding activities and communicative games to break the ice between students and encourage conversation. In addition to this, Harris Academy Clapham worked together with the students on the logistical aspects of secondary school. This involved touring the school in groups and going through the required uniform policy and equipment checklist. Enrichment clubs Over the past couple of weeks, we still helped with the transitional period. Harris Academy Clapham understand that the little things make a huge difference, such as taking Year 7 to break and lunch earlier, allowing them more time to learn the new system. We also provide a separate play area for Year 7, to further ease any worries they may face. Now that they are settled, our Enrichment Clubs are starting. We offer a range of clubs, from Athletics to Crochet to Debate. There is something on offer for every student and we strongly encourage our Year 7’s to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. The Enrichment activities available throughout the year are a great way to learn a new skill whilst meeting new people. With so many exciting things ahead this academic year for you Year 7 students, we look forward to joining them for this adventure!
4 September 2025HACL Students Experience the Rich Culture of ChinaThis July, 40 eager students from Years 9 to 11 embarked on an unforgettable ten-day cultural and educational summer camp to the vibrant coastal city of Xiamen, China. The trip was a fantastic opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in Chinese language, history, and traditions, fostering global citizenship and creating lifelong memories. The adventure began on Tuesday, 15th July, as the group arrived at Xiamen airport, full of anticipation. After settling into their hotel, the students had their first taste of Chinese daily life by visiting the local supermarket. The formal programme commenced on Wednesday with an opening ceremony and ice-breaking activities, designed to build camaraderie. This was followed by a specialised Chinese language lesson focused on the theme "Hello, Xiamen!", providing essential cultural and linguistic context for their stay. The day's activities concluded with a fascinating hands-on workshop on Bassé Falang – the intricate art of enamelling on copper for which Xiamen is famous. A major highlight of the trip was the excursion to the picturesque island of Gulangyu on Thursday. Students explored its car-free streets, admired the colonial architecture, and visited the beautiful Shuzhuang Garden and its captivating Piano Museum. Later, they experienced the bustling energy of Zhongshan Road pedestrian street, where they enjoyed a dinner of delicious local street food. The cultural immersion continued on Friday with a visit to the Xianyue Academy, a traditional Confucian 书院 (shÅ«yuàn - academy). Here, students participated in a traditional Chinese cultural fair, gaining deep insights into the nation's philosophical and artistic heritage. On Saturday, the group took a day trip to the historic city of Quanzhou. They explored its ancient streets, visited a museum dedicated to Intangible Cultural Heritage, and took part in immersive workshops to experience these traditional crafts firsthand. A core objective of the trip was to build international connections. This was beautifully realised on Sunday during a joint event with local high school students. Our students participated in friendship-building activities and were presented with certificates to commemorate their successful completion of the day. The spirit of international cooperation continued on Monday with a visit to the campus of Chinese Language and Culture College of Huaqiao University and a tour of the impressive Xiamen Metro system. The day's most exhilarating activity was a dragon boat racing experience on the university's lake, where our students teamed up for a fun and energetic competition. The final excursion was a breathtaking journey on Tuesday to the Yongding Tulou, the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage listed Hakka Earth Buildings in Zhangzhou. Students explored the stunning Yunshuiyao ancient pathway and the magnificent Huaiyuan Lou building, marveling at these unique communal living structures. The day culminated in a splendid farewell buffet dinner. On their last morning, the students had one final cultural experience: a traditional dragon dance workshop. After this energetic send-off, they packed their bags and souvenirs, heading to the airport with new friends, new skills, and a profoundly broader understanding of Chinese culture. Student voices: reflections on the trip The true measure of the trip's success lies in the students' experiences. Here’s what some of them had to say: "From the stunning places we visited to the rich culture we explored, every part of the journey felt magical. Thank you for creating so many memories that I know we’ll carry with us for many years to come." "Beyond the sightseeing and cultural immersion, this trip helped me solidify what I want to pursue in the future, and where. It’s given me a clear goal and real motivation to keep pushing forward with my Chinese studies, and I’m sure many of my classmates feel the same way." "I thought the earth buildings in Zhangzhou would just be a history lesson, but they were alive. Seeing families still living there, playing mahjong in the courtyard, made it feel so real. It was incredible to walk through the same doors people have used for hundreds of years." "The dragon boat racing was the best part for me. We were all terrible at first, completely out of sync! But working together with our team to finally get it right was an amazing feeling." "I was nervous about the food, but the hotpot dinner was so much fun. Choosing what to cook and sharing the meal with everyone felt really social. And the street food in Zhongshan Road was a delicious adventure, I tried things I never would have at home!" "The enamelling workshop was much harder than it looked! It gave me a real appreciation for the skill of the local artists. It’s one thing to see a souvenir in a shop, but another to understand the patience and precision required to make it." The trip was a resounding success, perfectly blending education, cultural exchange, and adventure. The students represented our school with immense enthusiasm, curiosity, and excellent behaviour throughout. We are incredibly proud of them and look forward to offering more such transformative experiences in the future.