English Graduate Teaching Assistant

Headteacher's Message

I am extremely honoured to be the Headteacher at Harborne Academy. Having been here as the Deputy Headteacher since 2017 and now as the Headteacher I have been part of an amazing team of staff, students, parents and governors who all work tirelessly to ensure that Harborne Academy is a positive, welcoming and successful place for students and staff.

Harborne Academy students have access to brilliant teaching and a wealth of fantastic extracurricular experiences from the moment they start in Year 7 to when they leave us in Year 11, ready to start the next chapter of their education. We are enormously proud of our past students many of whom come back and share their new lives with us.

It is my belief that as educators we have the best job in the world and we have a responsibility to ensure that the students in our care are not only safe, happy and learning at school, but are equipped to leave here and face the challenges of the modern world. To be proud of where they come from, to be able to voice their opinions, while listening and accepting that others may be different, to be respectful, courteous and curious.

We place literacy and a love of reading at the heart of our curriculum and have a fantastic library and cosy reading room to support our students to read in a comfortable environment. We make sure that students are nurtured to reach their full academic potential with support for those who need it and we offer an ambitious and challenging curriculum to stretch our students and ensure high aspirations. We are lucky to have the University of Birmingham on our doorstep and we take full advantage of the opportunities they can offer our students through mentoring and lectures to stretch our most able students.

The academy values the arts and invests within these faculties through their facilities, equipment and staffing. One of our investments is in the Hippodrome Education Network (HEN) which allows us to provide our students exposure to professional workshops, as well as live action shows at the theatre, and a cultural capital that can rival any other. As a result, the Performing Arts faculty is going from strength to strength and students’ talents are showcased in a variety of performances throughout the year, including a musical extravaganza in the summer term. The Creative Arts faculty is not left behind with our new kiln allowing us to offer our very popular pottery lessons. Students can also now enjoy 3D Design in the curriculum and have access to a laser cutter and 3D printer within the Design Technology department.

Alongside all of this, there are state-of-the-art facilities available including a gym, sports hall, 3G pitch, which are regularly used by all students for lessons and enrichment sessions.

Enrichment forms the fabric of academy life and is well-embedded within our calendar with events including ‘Arts Week’, ‘STEM Fortnight’, and our Humanities Department celebrates a variety of events across the year. Our programme of careers education is embedded from Year 7. You can keep up to speed with all of our activities by following our social media accounts.

We have very high expectations at Harborne Academy and it is my aim to ensure that we work in partnership with our parents and carers to ensure the very best possible outcomes for every child. If there is anything that we can do to support, please do not hesitate to contact us.