HAP involvement in Local Community

As an Academy we strive to forge links with our local community.  This includes, organisations, businesses, neighbours and schools.

Please see below some testimonials from local groups we have worked with.

If you wish to establish links with the Academy please email the Executive Principal's PA Mrs Crick h.crick@harrispeckham.org.uk    

 

Jenny Dawkins All Saints Church

I've had the pleasure of meeting some of Harris's students through the school's involvement in Peckham Citizens. I've been impressed by the real passion, imagination, thoughtfulness and commitment that the students have brought to discussions. I've enjoyed conversations of honesty, mutual respect, and fun, as we think together about our community. I'm full of hope for the future of Peckham as I see these young people develop in their gifts and character.

 

Teean Smith-Robinson, HeadStart Action Programme Manager

Year 10 students at Harris Academy Peckham took part in the HeadStart Action Southwark pilot programme making up our final cohort. It was immediately apparent that these students on a whole were tenacious and vibrant. Whilst their energy could barely be contained in the room, it presented a great opportunity for us to work with them to help hone their energy through a social action project that explored issues meaningful to them and to unlock their true potential. Being the largest cohort of 33 young people we were extremely excited to witness the group dynamics and as always our aim was to impact and retain as many students as possible. I am proud to say that 91% of participants are now HeadStart Action graduates who not only developed the skills they already possessed but achieved a great amount through their experience of performing fantastic pieces at City Hall, personal development where reflection and goal setting were explored as well as committing to upskilling themselves through employability skills training. I am very fond of these students and their accomplishments.

Throughout the journey their zest for life became infectious and showed that if us as adults lend a listening ear, champion young people and help them to tap into all that they are capable of, then they will feel empowered to excel. It also gives us the opportunity to learn from them and question our opinions and perceptions of young people, these students were a prime example of this! Many moments have stuck with me from Hani speaking so passionately at the showcase event about the perception of Muslim people in society, Hilary during a workshop activity speaking eloquently about Brexit and its impact on society, Tatiana and Mason gaining the work experience based on their enthusiasm and engaging natures as well as Leon confidently sharing his work experience journey at Lendlease, to name but a few moments. The entire cohort remained true to who they are and are a great representation of Peckham and Harris Academy.

Students discuss about their experience at Headstart

Papula:

I found the process enlightening. It really developed my communication skills and my social assets. I am usually quite shy and apprehensive around new people. By being placed into “spotlight activities” I was compelled to come out of my shell

 Mason

For me the program developed my independence. For example once gaining a week of work experience via the program, I learnt to navigate my way around London. I also developed teamwork skills, working with people with different skill sets

 Hani

Headstart made me more confident. At the beginning I wanted to become a better public speaker, something that I used to find scary. When performing our social action showcase in city hall, I had to perform a speech written by another student. I found this challenging because I had to put myself in their shoes. I grew in confidence through the program and now put my hand up more in class and speak to people I have never met before.

 Saron

Before Headstart I didn’t talk to a lot of people. I am now more sociable. I am more confident and less worried about what people think about me. I am better at working with people and more sociable.

 Stephen

It helped me become a better public speaker. I am better at working with new people. Since going on this program I have taken on more opportunities like the peaceballers program where we developed football and business skills. I did better at the peaceballers program as I developed the skill of business pitching at Headstart and was better at it during peaceballers.

Kate Whitley, Creative Director at Multi-Story Orchestra 

The Multi-Story Orchestra has worked with Harris Academy Peckham since 2015 and we are always absolutely thrilled by the commitment, energy, talent and joy Harris Peckham pupils bring to music making. It's a pleasure to return every year. The projects we do together include bringing our orchestra into school to perform, creating new arrangements and pieces of music specially for Harris Peckham pupils, and running regular in school rehearsals which culminate in public performances side by side with our professional musicians.  We base our extracurricular projects at Harris Academy Peckham over the summer and many Harris Peckham pupils have taken part in these activities, including performing live on Radio 3 as part of the BBC Proms in 2017 and performing in our children's opera Noye's Fludde at Blackheath Halls Opera in 2016. We look forward to continuing our work together in the future, including a special project in 2019-2020 for which we are supporting Harris Peckham pupils to
create their own musical. We have also been offering work experience opportunities to Harris Peckham pupils and alumni and are continuing to develop these opportunities in the future. We are proud to work with the pupils at Harris Academy Peckham!

 

Cathy Power, English Heritage

Bob Marley blue plaque event

The Peckham Poets were fabulous, everyone from Harris Academy were brilliant, they really made the unveiling very special, so please do pass on our thanks and our congratulations to Amira and Fabiola – such confident and inspiring young women.  Great thanks to their supporters, they did not let the rain dampen the spirits!