Harris Science Academy East London

David Perks, the founder and first principal of Harris Science Academy East London (then known as East London Science School)

East London Science School was opened on 2 September 2013[15] by its founder and first principal David Perks with the intention of providing an education of rigour to students regardless of academic aptitude.[16] Prior to its opening it faced local opposition.[17] David Perks told Spiked that students were "recruited outside schools, on the street" as funds for the school, including for a building, were withdrawn until after its admissions closed.[18] Plans for the school lacked a playground for students, leading to difficulties in gaining approval for its opening.[17] It was housed in its temporary and current site, the Clock Mill, a Grade II listed building located on Three Mills Island. This site was chosen by the London Legacy Development Corporation. Sixth form education and a permanent site were expected to be provided two years within its opening,[12] with the sixth form successfully opening by 2015.[19] The first chairman was Dennis Hayes, who was elected in January 2014.[20]

The school gained a "good" Ofsted grade in 2015.[19] During this time, a location for a permanent site was still under negotiation between the school trust and the Greater London Authority, however it was expected to neighbour West Ham. The Minister of State for School Standards, Nick Gibb, visited the school in March 2015 and suggested that it take a leading role in encouraging other neighbouring secondaries to teach computing, mathematics and science as core subjects. Principal Perks met with Gibb previously in 2014, when they evaluated old science textbooks and co-created updated textbooks in light of the new changes to the national curriculum.[21]

In July 2015, the London Legacy Development Corporation permitted the school to expand their temporary site into the building opposite of the Clock Mil, the Custom House. This was done to provide room for the increasing student population. The school's lease on the Clock Mill, which was originally scheduled to expire on 30 September 2015, was also granted an extra three years, as the school had failed to secure a permanent site before this date. It was decided that the school's permanent site be built on Stephenson Street in West Ham, as part of the Berkeley Homes Twelvetrees Park development project.[13] The new school building is expected to be complete sometime in 2022.[14]

In October 2017 Chairwoman Beth Davies was elected, serving until October 2018.[22] Her successor, Chairman Adam Atashzai, was a special adviser during the David Cameron premiership and reported directly to the Prime Minister.[23] The school's first GCSE examination results were released in 2018,[16] with grades increasing in 2019.[24] Ofsted made a brief inspection in January 2019 and reaffirmed their previous assessment of the school's "good" grade.[25]

In October 2019 the school trust was accused of mishandling funds. Investigations were made throughout 2020 by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, culminating in a report published in November 2020. The report concluded that multiple financial stipulations stated in the Academies Financial Handbook had been violated and funds were grossly misused on products such as a drone and camera, despite there being a severe deficit. Principal Perks' administrative power went unchallenged and governors were chosen based on their "connections" with him. Salaries and jobs were granted favourably for people affiliated with Perks, including a science department head who lacked the relevant qualifications for the job. Other violations included Perks keeping the school debit card outside the school premises and funds being sent to a Brexit organisation ran by The Baroness Fox of Buckley,[22] who also had links to the Revolutionary Communist Party.[26] A financial notice to improve was issued soon after,[27] forcing the trust to follow a strict quota and recommending that the school join a "strong Multi-Academy Trust".[28]

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Perks became the first English headteacher who defied government guidance on mandatory face coverings in schools.[29] Perks criticised the recommended mandatory face coverings as appeasing teaching unions and cited the herd immunity of East London Science School, produced as a result of previous cases in 2020, as a reason why they were not needed. Perks claimed that the school had not "a single positive test from a member of staff or child since December".[29] Perks did however state that if mandatory coverings were legally enforced, as opposed to recommended, he would implement the mandate.[30] Department for Education representative Sue Baldwin expressed concern over Perks' defiance and enquired the school over its face mask policy. According to Chairman Atashzai, It was decided that the school would now mandate face coverings as recommended in the government guidance, however Principal Perks refused to comment.[31]

In June 2021 an Ofsted inspection graded the school as "inadequate" and placed it into special measures.[32] Religious education was absent from the school's curriculum and its harsh testing regime was criticised for overworking teachers (exams were held each half term). Safeguarding and relationship and sex education also failed to meet set requirements.[33] Principal Perks had taken a leave of absence and his duties were fulfilled by Vice Principal Mark Taylor as interim principal, however Perks left permanently in November 2021.[34]

In February 2022 the Department for Education asked the Harris Federation to invite East London Science School into its multi-academy trust.[35] This was decided by the Regional Schools Commissioner, who recommended the motion.[36] Newham Council opposed the measure and instead wanted the school to be taken over by a local multi-academy trust.[4] Nonetheless, the transfer received approval from the commissioner's advisory board on 24 February 2022.[37] As a result, the school began the process of joining the federation and planned to have finished doing so by September 2022.[36] The financial notice to improve on the school's trust was also lifted in May 2022.[38][39]

The Department for Education confirmed the school's transfer to the Harris Federation on 24 June 2022.[40] It joined the federation on 1 September 2022 and was renamed to Harris Science Academy East London (HSAEL).[41] It retained specialist status in science and its principal Mark Taylor continued to serve under the executive headship of Lawrence Foley, who was also the executive headteacher of Harris Academy Tottenham. The federation built a new kitchen and design and technology room in one of the school's current temporary sites in response to parents' concerns around the slow progress of the new permanent site in the summer of 2022.[42][43]

Harris Science Academy East London offers a free enrichment programme that aims to emulate those seen in independent schools (private schools). A minimum of 30 school trips are held for lower school students annually, in which subjects such as the arts or sciences are focused upon. Nominally, these lower school trips take place across London each week in the afternoon. Personalised trips focusing on students' GCSE courses are offered from year nine. Every May, the curriculum is suspended for two weeks to give way to the "enrichment fortnight", a period where trips outside London are offered.[16][57] In 2021, the enrichment fortnight was replaced by an enrichment week due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was delayed to July.[58] Before the pandemic, student exchange programmes were held between East London Science School and schools in Beijing, China. These programmes are planned to be reintroduced once public health restrictions are withdrawn.[57]

Beginning in year nine, all students can compete for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The award is split into three parts; physical, skills and volunteering. Students are assessed in these areas based on photographic evidence and essays, which are submitted to the "electronic Duke of Edinburgh's System". The award's expeditionary area gives students the ability to go on a two-day camping trip where the subjects of campcraft, teamwork, navigation and cookery are taught. The award is monitored by the school's Duke of Edinburgh coordinator,[59] who as of 2018 is the only Duke of Edinburgh coordinator in East London.[60]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, personalised tuition has been offered to sixth formers with a particular focus on students who failed their GCSEs in English and mathematics or have special needs.[61]

Harris Science Academy East London has three male football teams based from the Clock Mill site, teams U12A, U14A[62] and U17. U17 has participated in the London Youth Games[63] and U12A and U14A have competed against other local schools.[64] All year seven students take rowing lessons at the Royal Docks and can opt to row in the nearby lake for two hours. Swimming lessons are provided from rented locations in Mile End, as are other sports throughout London including netball, basketball and cricket.[65] Rugby league lessons are held at the East London Rugby Club.[55]

The Physics Factory is a charity[66] and teaching network that intends to improve results in the subject area of physics. It is jointly led by Harris Science Academy East London and Sydney Russell School[67] and had a membership of 154 teachers and 4620 students in 2016[68] and 30 secondary schools in 2015.[21] The network is based in East London and includes extracurricular activities such as workshops, school trips and, for teachers, continuing professional development (CPD).[67] Former principal David Perks founded the Physics Factory[69] and currently serves as its director.[70]

London Mayor Boris Johnson allocated £443,000 to the Physics Factory in 2014.[71] He also taught a Latin lesson supporting the No campaign in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum to some of East London Science School's students in that same year.[72]