Academy Admissions
Welcome to the Harris Garrard Academy admissions information page, where you can find out more information about how to apply for a place at our school. Our full admissions policy, with details of our admissions criteria, can be downloaded from the bottom of the page.
You can find useful information about school admissions in Bexley on the following website https://www.bexley.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/school-admissions.
The Common Application Form is available at https://www.eadmissions.org.uk/eAdmissions/app.
For primary admissions, please see the primary admissions page of the Bexley website.
If you do not live in Bexley, please contact your home Local Authority to find out how to apply. You can still apply for Bexley schools, but you need to apply on the form supplied by your home Local Authority.
Academy admissions contact details
Telephone: 020 8320 4800
Email: admissions@harrisgarrard.org.uk
Address: Yarnton Way, Thamesmead, Erith, Kent DA18 4DW
Admissions officer: Emma Summers
Reception & Early Years Open Events
We have five open mornings for Reception intake in September 2025. All events start at 9.30am. You’ll be offered a tour of the school, the chance to see classes in action and time with the headteacher – Mr Sheppard. No booking required, just come along.
- Wednesday 6 November 2024
- Wednesday 13 November 2024
- Wednesday 20 November 2024
- Wednesday 11 December 2024
- Thursday 9 January 2025
We look forward to meeting you soon! No booking needed. Find out more about our primary school.
Reception and Year 7 admissions
We have 180 places in Year 7 and 90 reception places. We welcome students of all abilities and from all backgrounds. Applications for places will be made in accordance with local authority admission arrangements and will be made on the Common Application Form provided and administered by the local authority. The academy will work to the common admissions timetable agreed by Bexley Council. Admissions must be made via Bexley Council only and not directly to Harris Garrard Academy (see links at top of the page).
HGA’s official Published Admission Number for entry into Year 7 is 180 students. However all Year 6 students at our primary school must be offered a place.
|
Year Group |
Official PAN (Published Admission Number) |
|
7 |
180 – this must include our Year 6 students. We reserve 90 spaces for our Year 6s. Any spaces not allocated to our HGA primary students are given to external students. |
|
8 |
180 |
|
9 |
180 |
|
10 |
180 |
|
11 |
180 |
|
12 |
15 external students in addition to internal |
|
13 |
15 external students in addition to internal |
Admissions test - secondary phase
Where parents/carers name Harris Garrard Academy on the Common Application Form, their child/ward will be invited to sit our admissions test. We will write to all parents/carers with the exact time approximately one week before the testing day. If you have named more than one Harris Academy on the Common Application Form your child/ward will only need to sit the test ONCE and will be notified as to which academy will be contacting you with details of your child's/ward's appointment.
Supplementary information form
If you require a concession in the admission test (for example for SEN or medical needs), you must complete the supplementary information form which can be downloaded from the bottom of the page and return it directly to the academy along with medical or professional evidence and proof of residence by the agreed date (to be confirmed). Please note that completion of a supplementary information form for Harris Garrard Academy does not constitute an application to the academy. You must complete the Local Authority Common Application Form as well.
Admissions booklet
The Admissions Booklet can be downloaded from the bottom of the page. The booklet is to be completed at the induction evening. Dates and times for the evening will be confirmed in the letter sent to parents/carers following the offer of a place at the academy.
Key dates
Year 7 admissions
|
31st October 2024 |
Common Application Forms returned to local authority |
|
13th December 2024 |
Harris Academy Banding Test day |
|
3rd March 2025 |
Local authority informs parents/carers of allocated school |
|
31st March 2025 (4pm) |
Deadline for appeals to be made in writing to the academy |
|
May/June 2025 |
Appeals heard |
|
1st September 2025 |
Waiting list closed and replaced by casual admissions waiting lists. Parents/carers will need to re-apply as casual admission, if still waiting. |
Primary admissions
|
15th January 2025 |
Common Application Forms returned to local authority |
|
16th April 2025 |
If you apply online, you will receive the outcome by email on the evening of 16 April. Offers to paper applicants will be made by letter, posted on national offer day by first class mail. |
|
2nd May 2025 |
Last date for accepting and declining offers of places |
|
June 2025 |
Appeals should be made in writing to the Academy/Appeals to be heard |
|
1st September 2025 |
Waiting list closed and replaced by casual admissions waiting lists. Parents/carers will need to re-apply as casual admission, if still waiting. |
Transition from primary school
The transition from primary to Key Stage 3 in secondary school is a big step and we do everything we can to make this as smooth as possible. In addition to transition meetings for individual students who may require additional help with the transfer process, we have a clear plan both for parents and students to ensure support at every step. The support we offer includes:
- Presentations at primary schools prior to your applications
- Parents’ evening for prospective parents
- Morning drop-in sessions to see the academy during curriculum time
- Year 6 taster sessions
Once students have joined Harris Garrard Academy and have started their first year with us, we also:
- Review information from the primary school for each student to ensure we have a full picture of their prior experience.
- Have a day just for Year 7 at the start of the autumn term, to enable them to become comfortable in their new environment
- Have extended break and lunch for Year 7 students in the first week
- Carry out baseline testing to ensure the correct support is given to every student relative to their learning needs
- Introduce students early on to hub leaders, including Assistant Principal, Directors and Behaviour for Learning Leaders
- Offer extra-curricular clubs to support individual students who may be finding the transition process unsettling
- Offer a Parental Support Evening covering topics such as Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and Welfare
Appeals
Parent(s) wishing to appeal against the academy’s decision should complete an appeal form stating the reason for the appeal based on the published admissions criteria. The appeal form and guidance notes for appeals can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
Completed forms should be sent to: The Clerk to the Governors, Harris Garrard Academy, Yarnton Way, Thamesmead, Erith, Kent, DA18 4DW. For September 2025 intake the deadline for appeals is 4pm on 31st March 2025 and appeals to be heard in May/June 2025. Appeals for ‘in-year admissions’ will be reviewed throughout the year.
The appeals will be heard in private by an Independent Appeal Panel. Appeals may be made in English or the parents’/carers’ first language. Only one appeal per application is allowed. Appeals are conducted in person, and you may bring a friend.
In-year applications
Please download our in-year application form from the bottom of the page. The academy coordinates in-year admissions for students wishing to join the academy mid-year. Parents/guardians should apply directly to the academy.
On receiving your application form, your child will be invited for an assessment test. This test is used solely for the purpose of assessing their current level of ability in order to be able to best place the vacant position like for like. If there are no vacant positions available, your child will be placed on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria found in the admissions policy. Please refer to the notes on the application form before completing.
Please note, giving false or deliberately misleading information on this form and/or supporting information may render the application invalid, or lead to any offer made being withdrawn.
Parents/Carers will have the right of appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel if they are dissatisfied with an admission decision of the academy. The Appeal Panel will be independent of the academy. The arrangements for Appeals will be in line with the Code on School Admission Appeals published by the Department for Education. The determination of the appeal panel will be made in accordance with the Code on School Admission Appeals and is binding on all parties. The academy will prepare guidance for parents/carers about how the appeals process will work and provide parents/carers with a named contact who can answer any enquiries parents/carers may have about the process.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Will my child be added to your waiting list if he/she is not immediately successful?
A. Yes, if your application is not immediately successful, your child will be placed on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria found in the admissions policy.
Q. Will I be able to find out where my child is on the waiting list?
A. We would not be able to give the exact position or number of your child if it is Primary to Secondary Transfer until after the start of the September term.
Q. Will I be informed about my child’s test results?
A. Test results are not given out as it is not a pass or fail test, it is a test to place applicants into the correct ability band. Applicants are chosen from every ability band, but each selection will be made from the ability band that has become available in the academy.
Sixth Form admissions
Admissions are co-ordinated by the Harris Federation. For further details, including how to apply, visit www.harrissixthform.org.uk. Sixth Form entry requirements will also shortly be downloadable below.
