Harris Academy Merton, Mitcham

From the headteacher's welcome: "The Harris Academy Merton Sixth Form offers co-educational high quality teaching in apositive learning environment in which all students are encouraged to strive for academic excellence. We offer a broad range of academic and vocational courses delivered by subject specialists with a focus on developing the skills of collaborative and independent learning."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include tennis, basketball, dance, drama, robotics, STEM and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Harris Academy Merton averaged an Attainment 8 score of 54.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 53.6 in Merton and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 57% in Merton and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 53.7.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.67: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 51.6, against 56.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 220 families put Harris Academy Merton as their first choice and 600 named it as one of their preferences, for 236 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 29 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Harris Academy Merton are Woodmansterne School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 47.2); St Mark's Church of England Academy (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 44.9); and Norbury High School for Girls (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 46.5).

Harris Academy Merton's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Harris Academy Merton is one of 59 schools run by Harris Federation, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.5 in 2024/25.

Of the 219 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 116 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 11% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

37.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 128 pupils (9.3%) received SEN support and 28 (2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Norbury, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ivy Gardens, 30 metres away.

In 2024/25, Harris Academy Merton issued 24 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Harris Academy Merton are William Morris Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Harris Primary Academy Merton (under 0.1 miles), The Sherwood School (0.4 miles) and Norbury Manor Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.