Donors support our academies, where the need is greatest

Poor children are likely to become poor adults. At Harris, we believe that a child's life chances should not be defined by their family background. 

As such, we are motivated to do all we can to offer opportunities and enhanced life chances to the students in our care.

“The fact is, if you are from a poor family, if you are Black or you are white working class, it is your background - not your ability - that too often heavily influences how far you can go in life. So our purpose, the reason Harris exists, is to ensure that the types of children who far too often get a raw deal can achieve their potential."

Sir Dan Moynihan, Senior Executive Principal & CEO

What disadvantage looks like in practice

Disadvantaged children rely on their schools: they might not have books to read at home, they might not have gardens to play in; they might not have a quiet place to work; they might be coming to school hungry and going home to burdens that many adults would find difficult to bear.

Donor support allows us to provide opportunities that many of our students would not receive otherwise. This includes horizon-broadening experiences for students to attend residential trips or visits to Russel Group Universities; life-changing mental health support; academic tutoring, to counteract the disadvantage we know they face and so much more.

Every area of a student’s life at Harris is enhanced by our supporters and partners – but we know there is so much more we can do. 

To find out more about supporting Harris, please click here.

Our Challenge

We spend far more on the education we provide than the funding we receive from the Government. Our Founder, Lord Harris, established our schools to be funded on the same basis as all other state schools. Our efficiencies allow savings of ~£5mper year, all of which goes back into the education of students. However, to offer the kind of education we believe in, to all children, costs far more.

More than two-thirds of our academies were previously failing in areas where families have historically experienced a poor education experience for their children. Although they improve rapidly once in the Harris fold, this is an additional challenge as we look to support our students to thrive. Donor support is helping us to make this possible.

100% of our academies are Ofsted-rated Good or better and 59% have been judged as Outstanding, compared to a national average of only 17%

To find out more about supporting Harris, please click here.