An East London secondary school has completely turned itself around from being placed in special measures to receiving an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating in four out of five areas.
Harris Science Academy East London was rated ‘Outstanding’ in four areas while its Sixth Form was rated ‘Good’ following an inspection on April 29 and 30, 2025.
The school, which is located on Three Mill Lane in Newham, joined the Harris Foundation in September 2022 with a new leadership team after its predecessor school, East London Science School, was rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2021.
Following its most recent inspection, the school was praised for providing “an exceptional quality of education” with a highly ambitious curriculum which students learn very well.
Inspectors said students are kind and polite and and support each other maturely in their learning in lessons. The school’s Principal, Dan MacPherson, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the Ofsted rating has given pupils “a real sense of pride”, and credited them for making the school ‘Outstanding’.
Mr MacPherson said: “For them to know that they are part of a community which is among the highest performing in the country and in the borough was just so important to us.
“We know they’ve been fantastic for ages but obviously they’ve been living under the shadow of the previous [school’s rating] that they were part of and so it’s led to a huge sense of confidence in them, that they’re part of something really special and they are really special too.”
He added: “We’ve managed to achieve a massive change in a really short period of time. I think it’s challenging to secure an Outstanding rating anyway, but to have achieved that [after being] placed into special measures is remarkable and there will only be maybe five or six other schools in the country that will have achieved that so we’re really, really proud of that.”
Inspectors said students receive career guidance and value opportunities when it comes to undertaking a leadership role, such as being a member of the student council.
Sixth Form students appreciate the work the school is doing to develop their experiences more such as offering advice about careers and leadership roles.
Inspectors praised leadership at all levels for working “extremely effectively” to transform the experiences of pupils at the school rapidly, while the trust and governing body provide strong support and guidance to the school.
There is a “high importance” placed on supporting pupils to become the leaders of tomorrow, and they learn the skills and empathy to become successful citizens in the world, the report said.
It added that character development is at the heart of the school, and pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and visits that give them opportunities they might not otherwise experience, including trips to the theatre and museums. They also get to develop important life skills such as debating and public speaking.
Mr MacPherson said the school is hosting a number of events over the next few months where residents and families are encouraged to come and visit to find out more about the school, including an open day on July 4. More information regarding the upcoming open day is available on the school’s website.
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