Harris Church of England Academy Review 2026: Values-led 11 to 16 education in Rugby

A school that takes its Church of England identity seriously, but keeps the welcome broad, Harris Church of England Academy has built much of its recent story around improvement, belonging, and clear expectations. The headteacher, Mrs Roberta Harrison, has been in post since June 2019, providing leadership continuity through a period of reform and stabilisation.

The most recent full inspection (17 to 18 May 2022) judged the school Good across the usual areas, with safeguarding confirmed as effective. That headline matters, but so does the detail. Formal reporting describes a calmer, more orderly day than in the past, with staff addressing poor behaviour quickly and bullying described as rare.

Families should also note the school’s structure. This is an 11 to 16 setting with no sixth form, so post 16 progression is an explicit part of the journey rather than an automatic next step. In the FindMySchool ranking for GCSE outcomes, the school sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which signals a school performing at a broadly typical national level, with room for ambition and improvement.

The strongest single thread running through the school’s public materials is the language of relationships and responsibility. The school frames itself as a “family”, a deliberate choice of wording that points to pastoral closeness rather than institutional distance. In practical terms, this is presented as an expectation that adults and students look out for one another, and that individual circumstances are taken seriously rather than treated as excuses.

The values vocabulary is unusually specific. External reporting from 2022 lists six named values, harmonious, aspirational, responsible, respectful, inspirational, and sociable, and notes that pupils refer to these values when talking about school life. Where this becomes meaningful for parents is in the implied behaviour model. A school that teaches shared language for conduct and belonging often finds it easier to be consistent across classrooms and corridors, because expectations are not left to individual staff style.

The Church school identity is not presented as a bolt on. A statutory church school inspection in January 2024 describes the Christian vision as central, with relationships and a culture of safety and wellbeing highlighted as strengths. For families, the key question is fit. Harris describes itself as welcoming pupils from all faiths or none, but it clearly expects students to participate respectfully in collective worship rhythms and the wider moral framing that comes with a Church of England setting.

There is also a clear small school instinct, even if the roll is not small. The school’s published capacity is 780, yet the most recent Ofsted provider page lists 874 pupils, suggesting a busy, full environment. In schools of this size, the difference between “managed bustle” and “frayed edges” tends to come down to routines, visible staff presence, and how quickly issues are handled. The most recent inspection evidence points to a calmer and more orderly day overall, alongside a recognition that a small minority still struggle to meet behaviour expectations consistently.

Finally, the school has a genuine sense of history, and not in a vague marketing way. The Academy page records the school’s origins as Harris Church of England Secondary School, opening on 7 September 1954, and explains the local Harris connection behind the name, including the laying of a foundation stone in July 1953. That matters because it signals a long standing place in the community, rather than a newly created institution still searching for identity.

This review separates two ideas that parents often conflate, attainment level and trajectory. Harris Church of England Academy’s recent public narrative is strongly about trajectory, and the data points help anchor expectations.

GCSE ranking context (FindMySchool)

Ranked 2691st in England and 6th in Rugby for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). This is neither a high performing outlier nor a school at the bottom end of the national distribution, and it helps set realistic expectations for outcomes.

Headline measures (latest available dataset)

• Attainment 8: 44.2

• Progress 8: 0.16 (a positive score indicates students make above average progress from their starting points)

• EBacc grade 5 or above: 5.7%

• EBacc average point score: 3.67 (England average shown: 4.08)

The mix of these measures tells a particular story. A positive Progress 8 score suggests that, on average, students are making slightly stronger progress than their prior attainment would predict. That can be especially meaningful for families whose child needs a school that does the basics well, tracks learning carefully, and avoids letting students drift.

The EBacc picture is more nuanced. The low proportion reaching grade 5 or above in the EBacc is partly explained by curriculum entry patterns, not simply performance, because EBacc outcomes depend on which students are entered for the suite. Inspection commentary from 2022 notes that French was effective in Years 7 and 8, that more pupils were taking French at key stage 4 than previously, but that the number was still small. It also records leaders’ plans to broaden language offer with Spanish and German. For parents, the practical implication is simple: if languages matter for your child’s future pathway, ask direct questions about current language uptake and the key stage 4 options model.

A final academic detail worth noting is the school’s past use of an early GCSE entry policy in an option subject at the end of Year 9, with leaders planning to phase this out and extend full key stage 3 to the end of Year 9. Early entry can suit some students, but it can also narrow subject breadth earlier than many families expect. The right question at open events is whether early entry is still used, for which subjects, and what safeguards exist to avoid narrowing the curriculum too soon.

The most useful way to understand teaching at Harris is through three linked features described in formal reporting: curriculum review, structured teaching, and deliberate revisiting of prior learning.

External evidence from 2022 describes teaching as better organised than previously, with learning building effectively from year to year and pupils making good progress. It singles out mathematics and English as well established, and notes that in science and history students enjoyed the approach being implemented at the time. The immediate implication is that the school leans toward planned sequences, careful checking of understanding, and regular assessment points rather than leaving progress to chance.

The school’s own subject pages reinforce a knowledge and literacy emphasis, particularly in English, where the department frames its work around reading, writing, and communication across Years 10 and 11, culminating in English Language and English Literature GCSEs. Families do not need to agree with every piece of educational language to take something useful from it. The important point is that the school positions literacy as a whole curriculum priority, which tends to benefit students who need structured routines and consistent vocabulary across subjects.

For students with SEND, inspection reporting states that staff have precise information about pupils’ needs and use this to support pupils with SEND across school life. A statutory church school inspection in 2024 goes further, describing the school’s commitment to pupils with SEND and those who are vulnerable as exceptional, and notes work toward developing on site alternative provision. The significance for parents is that SEND support is framed as integral to the school’s ethos, not treated as a separate track.

With no sixth form, the post 16 plan is a decisive part of the Harris journey. The best outcomes for families come when this is treated as a structured transition rather than a last minute scramble in Year 11.

Formal reporting notes that pupils receive careers advice about a wide range of pathways, including vocational routes and apprenticeships, and that the personal, social, health and economic programme is designed to prepare pupils for future life. That matters because it suggests the school does not frame “success” as one narrow destination, and it aligns with the broader Church school emphasis on service, community and practical responsibility.

For families, the most sensible planning approach is to treat Year 9 and Year 10 as the period to map post 16 options, and Year 11 as the year to execute applications. In Rugby and the wider Warwickshire area, this typically means comparing sixth form provision in schools, sixth form colleges, and specialist providers offering technical courses. Students leaning toward apprenticeships benefit from early attention to employability habits, attendance, punctuality, and communication. Schools that explicitly normalise apprenticeships as a prestigious route can help reduce the stigma that sometimes surrounds vocational choices, and Harris’ published careers framing suggests this is part of its approach.

Because destination statistics are not published for this school, families should use open events and careers evenings to ask for the school’s most current picture of post 16 progression, including the balance between school sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeships, and training, and how the school supports students who are not yet sure.

Admissions work in two connected layers, the local authority application process and the school’s own admissions arrangements. For most families looking at Year 7 entry, the key is to get the timing right, then understand what priority categories apply.

For Warwickshire secondary entry, the application process opens 1 September 2025 and the deadline is 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry. National Offer Day is stated as 2 March 2026 on Warwickshire guidance. Applying on time matters, because late applications are processed after offers, when popular schools may already be full.

Harris is part of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust, which is relevant because multi academy trusts often standardise policies, staff development, and school improvement support. The 2022 inspection evidence also attributes a meaningful part of the school’s improvement to trust support, which is useful context for parents weighing stability and capacity to improve over time.

Open events are an important part of admissions decision making, especially for families assessing fit. The school maintains a Virtual Open Evening resource, and families should expect open events to be concentrated in the early autumn period in most years, with exact dates confirmed by the school.

A practical tip for shortlisting is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand journey time and realistic local alternatives, then use the Saved Schools feature to track deadlines and open events as you narrow your list.

Harris positions wellbeing and safety not as soft extras, but as prerequisites for learning. This is not simply a rhetorical point. Formal reporting describes pupils feeling safe, relying on staff for help and support, and experiencing a calm and orderly environment overall.

The school’s own safeguarding statement is direct about expectations, that pupils have a right to learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment, including protection from all types of abuse. The practical implication for parents is to ask about operational details rather than general assurances, for example, who the designated safeguarding leads are, how concerns are recorded, and what the school does when patterns of low level issues emerge. The school publishes a safeguarding structure and contact roles, which signals a preference for clarity and accountability.

Behaviour is treated with a balanced realism. The 2022 inspection narrative describes clear improvement over time, higher expectations, and staff responding quickly to poor behaviour, while also recognising a small number of pupils who do not behave consistently well. For families, that is often the reality of a comprehensive intake. The question is whether the school holds the line on standards while still keeping vulnerable students engaged. A statutory church school inspection in 2024 explicitly frames inclusion, hospitality and belonging as central, including an intention to avoid cutting pupils off from the “good” of the community, which suggests a bias toward repair rather than disposal.

The most persuasive evidence of enrichment is specificity, and Harris offers plenty of it.

STEM

The clearest flagship is the school’s Big Bang Fair, described as bringing a wide set of STEM and STEAM experiences into school life. Published examples include an onsite planetarium, coding workshops, robots, and hands on science demonstrations such as a Van de Graaff generator, plus engagement with named organisations and employers. The implication for students is exposure. For children who have not yet imagined themselves in engineering, computing, health, or technical fields, this kind of event can convert abstract “careers talk” into something tangible.

It also supports curriculum motivation. A student who has handled robotics equipment or attended a live science show will often approach classroom learning with more curiosity, because they can see where knowledge leads. For families, the most useful question is whether these experiences are reserved for a subset of students or woven into the mainstream entitlement. The published framing suggests a whole school approach rather than a selective programme.

Creative and interest based clubs

The lunchtime programme includes a mix of social, creative and structured options. Named examples include Minecraft club, Manga Club, Film club, Music club, Drama production rehearsals, Knitting and Crochet, and an LGBTQ+ Club, plus “Quiet Time” spaces for students who need a calmer lunch.

The inclusion of Quiet Time is a small but meaningful signal. It suggests the school recognises that unstructured social time can be challenging for some students, and that wellbeing is supported through practical choices rather than only through policy statements.

Sport and physical development

Sport options are presented with a clear timetable structure, combining lunchtime and after school activities. Published examples include basketball in the sports hall, netball for Year 7, badminton, fitness sessions, and trampolining using the old gym, with separate sessions by year group and week pattern. This is not an elite academy model. It is a participation model that still creates routine and regular training opportunities, which tends to suit a wide range of students, including those who benefit from structured physical activity as part of emotional regulation.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a strong indicator of breadth and character education because it combines volunteering, skills, physical activity, and expedition training. Harris publishes that Bronze is offered to Year 9 and Silver to Year 10, and provides specific expedition and training dates across the 2025 to 26 cycle, including practice and qualifying expeditions in locations such as the Peak District, Long Mynd, and Burbage. The implication is that students who opt in get a demanding but confidence building experience, and families get a structured programme rather than an informal club.

Houses and belonging

The school operates a house system, with published house names including Durham, Winchester, York, and Canterbury, and house competitions forming part of student experience. A well run house model can matter a great deal in larger schools, because it creates smaller identity units and increases the chance that students feel known.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school day is clearly structured. Lessons begin at 8:55am and the day finishes at 3:25pm, with reception staffed from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Term dates are published for the academic year 2025 to 26, and families planning around holidays should check the latest calendar each year for any updates.

For transport and access, the school advises drop off and collection via Saunton Road and Mellish Road to reduce congestion on Overslade Lane. That kind of guidance is usually a marker of a school that has had to manage high traffic volumes and wants routines that keep students safe at the start and end of the day.

• No sixth form. Education ends at Year 11 here, so post 16 planning needs to start early. Families should ask how the school supports applications to sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeships, and training providers.

• Curriculum breadth in lower years. Formal reporting in 2022 noted early GCSE entry in an option subject at the end of Year 9 and described leaders’ plans to change this. Ask whether early entry still operates, and how the school protects a broad key stage 3 experience.

• Languages take up at GCSE. The 2022 inspection record describes effective French provision in Years 7 and 8, but low uptake at GCSE at that time, alongside plans to introduce Spanish and German. Families for whom languages matter should ask how modern languages are structured today and what typical key stage 4 pathways look like.

• Behaviour consistency for a small minority. Evidence points to a calm and orderly school overall, with clear improvement over time, but it also recognises that a small number of pupils still struggle to meet behaviour expectations consistently. Parents should explore the behaviour system, escalation steps, and support for students who need help readjusting to routines.

Harris Church of England Academy presents as a values led secondary where relationships, safety, and inclusion are treated as the foundation for academic progress. The most recent inspection evidence supports a picture of improved organisation, calmer routines, and a school that has raised expectations while keeping a strong pastoral identity.

Best suited to families seeking an 11 to 16 comprehensive in Rugby with a clear Church of England ethos, a structured school day, and a strong emphasis on belonging. The main consideration is planning for what comes after Year 11, because the school does not offer sixth form provision.