The Harris Group

James Handscombe has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list. Mr Handscombe, who first joined the Harris Federation a decade ago as the founding Principal of Harris Westminster Sixth Form, has been given the award in recognition of his significant contribution to education.

When Mr Handscombe first established the Harris Westminster Sixth Form, it was rare for even the brightest students from disadvantaged backgrounds to be able to access the top university places merited by their abilities. At the time, a state school student was as likely to go to a leading university as a privately educated student with two grades lower at A Level.

With Harris Westminster deliberately prioritising students from disadvantaged backgrounds with the desire and ability to succeed there (rather than accepting those with the highest prior grades, which would favour those who had been to the best schools), it has helped over 200 students to secure places at Oxbridge and a further 1,000 at other Russell Group universities.  

Congratulating Mr Handscombe on this honour, Sir Dan Moynihan, Chief Executive of the Harris Federation said:

“James’s exceptional leadership of Harris Westminster – the first major collaboration between a multi-academy trust and an independent school – has changed the lives of many of its students, who have secured top grades and university places. But more than that, as a Federation we have seen alumni not just wanting to give back to Harris Westminster, but using the education they have had there to do good in the world through an array of amazing careers.  This award will be welcomed by the students who have benefited from James’s leadership of their school, and also by the many colleagues who have worked with him.”