Harris Academy Wimbledon Review 2026: Oversubscribed comprehensive with a strong enrichment spine

Ambition is clearly the organising principle here, not just in exam outcomes but in how the week is structured. Students finish at 3pm on most days and 4pm on Tuesdays, with extra curricular activity running until 4.15pm and participation expected as part of the routine.

The 10 and 11 January 2023 Ofsted inspection rated the school Outstanding across all graded areas, with safeguarding judged effective.

Leadership is stable for a relatively new school. The principal is Ms Joanne Larizadeh, as listed on Get Information About Schools and the school website, and she was in post by January 2019.

This is a young school with a deliberately structured feel. The culture is built around clarity, routines, and consistent expectations, which matters in a setting still establishing its long-term identity. Behaviour is described as calm in lessons and orderly in social times, with students managing transitions well.

The physical environment reinforces the same message. The main building was designed around a constrained site, using an elevated layout to create additional sheltered external social space underneath, and a central “heart space” concept to anchor the day. Library and dining are positioned as a ground-floor learning hub, with sports zoned for community use.

A distinctive feature is how personal development is treated as planned curriculum rather than add-on. Year 7 to Year 9 have enrichment woven into the week, and all Year 9 students complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Bronze through enrichment sessions, including practical preparation such as first aid, navigation, and campcraft.

The school’s stated motto, Make a difference, is used as a framing idea rather than a slogan. It links directly to character priorities, including independence, integrity, and resilience, with explicit emphasis on high expectations for students of all starting points.

On the FindMySchool GCSE outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school ranks 930th in England and 6th in Merton. This places it above England average, within the top 25% of schools in England for GCSE performance.

Headline GCSE indicators also point to strong progress and attainment. Attainment 8 is 50.9, and Progress 8 is +0.62, indicating students make well above average progress from their starting points. Average EBacc APS is 4.98, and 35.4% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across EBacc subjects.

A-level performance data is not available for this school, and the A-level ranking is not currently listed. The sixth form itself is still comparatively new, so families should treat early sixth form outcomes as an area to explore directly through published results and open events.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view the GCSE ranking and key measures side-by-side against nearby schools in Merton.

The curriculum is framed as broad and academically demanding, with explicit attention to sequencing and building knowledge over time. In practice, this shows up in subject planning that revisits concepts in more complex contexts as pupils move through the years.

The academic offer includes both core academic and creative subjects. Ofsted’s deep dives covered English, mathematics, science, geography, and music, and the wider curriculum listed in the inspection includes Latin and Spanish alongside art, drama, dance, design and technology, food technology, and physical education.

Support and stretch are structured rather than informal. The school describes streaming by ability while keeping classes mixed by gender, with additional tutoring and small-group sessions for those who need extra support. Students identified with SEND study the same subject content, broken into carefully planned small steps. Targeted reading support is also described as a defined programme for those who struggle with reading.

For sixth formers, the curriculum model is academically conventional and demanding: either three A-levels plus the Extended Project Qualification, or four A-levels. The published list of subjects offered from September 2025 includes Maths and Further Maths, Computer Science, sciences, humanities, Psychology, Sociology, Politics, and creative subjects including Music and Drama.

Where Students Go Next

Because the dataset does not include destination or Oxbridge figures for this school, it is not appropriate to quote progression rates. What can be evidenced is the design of the careers and next-steps programme. From Year 7 onwards, careers information is delivered through a planned programme, and the school notes compliance with the Baker Clause requirements, including information about technical education and apprenticeships.

At sixth form level, the structure is built around university and career readiness. Tuesday afternoons include a Learning Above and Beyond (LAB) programme of lectures and talks, alongside enrichment intended to broaden horizons beyond subject content.

The sixth form also highlights partnership working, including a sixth form partnership with King’s College School, and participation in Harris Federation initiatives such as Harris Experience, aimed at preparing academically promising students for highly selective university entry.

Year 7 entry is via local authority coordinated admissions using the Common Application Form. The London Borough of Merton sets the key timetable for September 2026 entry: applications open 1 September 2025, close 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day is 2 March 2026. Late applications for a “good reason” can be accepted up to 8 December 2025 with evidence.

Open events for September 2026 entry followed a September and early October pattern. The school advertised an open evening on 16 September 2025 and open mornings on 18 and 30 September and 2 October 2025, with entry by ticket.

Oversubscription is addressed through published criteria and a distinctive distance approach. After priority groups, the school allocates places by distance from three “nodal points”: Colliers Wood Station, the main academy entrance, and Haydon’s Road Station.

For context, the school publishes the furthest distance offered at the first round of offers for each nodal point in prior years, expressed in metres rather than miles. These figures vary year to year and should be treated as indicative rather than predictive.

Music is a meaningful admissions feature. The school states that up to 10% of places within the published admission number are allocated to children who demonstrate an aptitude for music, and the school describes a music specialism more broadly across school life.

Sixth form admissions are managed directly through the school’s sixth form route. For September 2026 entry, the sixth form advertised an open evening on 7 October 2025 and open afternoons on 5 and 12 November 2025, with ticketing.

Families assessing realistic prospects should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check distance scenarios, and to understand how a move of even a small amount could change priority in an oversubscribed year.

The school makes pastoral and safety education explicit through curriculum. Students learn about bullying, mutual respect, and staying safe through the Human and Life Skills course, supported by assemblies and clear signposting to trusted adults.

Safeguarding culture is described as systematic, with staff training and strong links to external agencies to ensure families receive appropriate support when needed. Recruitment checks are also described as thorough and compliant with statutory expectations.

A practical implication for families is that wellbeing is treated as part of the weekly routine rather than a reactive service. This tends to suit students who benefit from predictable structures and clear boundaries, and it can be reassuring for parents who prioritise consistency.

This is an enrichment-heavy model, and it is not left to chance. Students are expected to participate in at least one after-school activity, and the published timings show enrichment operating within the working week rather than sitting entirely outside it.

The club offer is unusually detailed for a state comprehensive, with a published timetable naming specific societies, academic extension activities, and creative and sporting options. Examples include the Judit Polgar Society (chess and board games), the Archimedes Maths Circle (invite only), Science Crest Award, Eco Society, Debate Society, and a range of creative options such as Gospel Choir, Steel Pans, and Backstage Society.

Sport runs alongside that academic and creative spine rather than replacing it. The school lists football, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, and tennis as core opportunities, and the timetable also includes athletics, basketball, and softball or rounders.

Music is a visible pillar. In addition to in-school ensembles, the school runs HAWI Rock School, a Saturday provision for young musicians from Year 5 to Year 10 in Merton, with sessions running 10am to 1pm and culminating in a concert.

The implication is that musical interest can be developed over time, including for students who do not arrive as advanced performers.

The school day begins with a warning bell at 8.25am and registration at 8.30am. Students typically finish lessons at 3pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 4pm on Tuesdays; extra-curricular activities run until 4.15pm, with participation required.

For transport, admissions materials reference Colliers Wood Station and Haydon’s Road Station as two of the nodal points used for distance allocation, which gives a good indication of the public transport anchors families commonly use.

Wraparound care is not generally a feature of secondary schools, and this site does not present a breakfast or after-school care model in the way primaries do. Families should plan around the longer Tuesday finish and the enrichment expectation that can extend the day to 4.15pm.

• Admissions complexity: Distance is assessed from three nodal points (including Colliers Wood Station and Haydon’s Road Station), which is more complex than a single “distance from the gate” model. Families should read the admissions policy carefully and treat historic distances as indicative only.

• Time commitment: Tuesday finishes later, and enrichment is not optional. This suits many students, but it can be a constraint for families managing travel time, caring responsibilities, or external clubs.

• Academic grouping: Streaming by ability is explicit, and the school also describes targeted tutoring and small-group sessions. Students who are motivated by academic pace often like this; others may need careful transition support to maintain confidence.

• Music aptitude places: Up to 10% of places are allocated for music aptitude, which is a genuine opportunity for musical applicants, but it also adds another decision point for families weighing how to apply.

A high-expectation comprehensive that backs up its ambitions with visible structures: a carefully planned curriculum, an unusually explicit enrichment model, and a sixth form building its identity around academic routes and wider development. Best suited to students who respond well to routine, enjoy being busy, and want a school where clubs, leadership, and personal development are integrated into the week rather than squeezed into the margins. The primary hurdle is admission in an oversubscribed setting, so families should approach the process with careful attention to deadlines and criteria.