Welcome from the Principal and Executive Principal

A warm welcome to Harris Academy Ockendon.

This is a very special time for our academy. In September 2019 we joined the Harris Federation which runs nearly 50 successful primary and secondary academies in London and Essex. The vast majority of Harris academies inspected by Ofsted have been rated ‘outstanding’.

We always tell our students to ‘enjoy being the best you can be’. At Harris Academy Ockendon, ‘being the best’ is neither a destination nor a moment in time, but it is a journey towards a consistent pattern of behaviour and attitudes which result in constant progress and achievement. We approach each day with determination and are relentless in our pursuit of excellence for our students and staff. We believe we have the power to transform our students’ lives regardless of their ability, background, social status and life opportunities.

We have huge ambition and aspiration for every student, and our commitment to their success is combined with exceptional support. We strive to develop resilience in our students and the ability to be tenacious in their quest to ‘Enjoy being the best they can be’. We draw out their individual talents and celebrate their personal achievements at every opportunity. We enable our students to explore interests beyond the classroom, develop a social conscience and create opportunities to allow them to have a broad understanding of the world.

Our values are deeply rooted in a belief that all students can succeed. To achieve this, learning and teaching, is at the heart of everything we do. Our staff are experts and focus on how students can be challenged and supported to achieve the very best they can academically, and to help them develop the transferable skills needed to build successful futures.

When you visit Harris Academy Ockendon you will notice that it is a welcoming, ambitious and creative place to learn, where students feel secure and happy. Harris Academy Ockendon is a place of high expectations. We create a culture and ethos that facilitates success. We aim for excellence and expect our students and their families to do the same.

I hope this website gives you a sense of the opportunities on offer at Harris Academy Ockendon and the ambition we have for our students. We truly believe that our community deserves a brilliant academy and we are determined to provide this.

Ms Jo Rainey                      Mr George McMillan
Principal                              Executive Principal