Harris Academy Orpington, Orpington

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is with enormous pride that we introduce our incredible school and the opportunities that benefit students so much. Harris Academy Orpington is a good school with an outstanding Sixth Form and outstanding Personal Development. We are a school that goes above and beyond to make sure that every single student thrives!"

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include tennis, chess, STEM, Duke of Edinburgh and cheerleading.

In 2026, pupils at Harris Academy Orpington averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 52.8 in Bromley and 47 across England.

36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 56% in Bromley and 47% in England.

That is up from 42.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.15: pupils made 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 40.8, against 47.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 17 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and French.

For September 2026 entry, 73 families put Harris Academy Orpington as their first choice and 216 named it as one of their preferences, for 120 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Harris Academy Orpington are St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 85); Newstead Wood School (1.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 79.5); Darrick Wood School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51.3); and Kemnal Technology College (2.6 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 30.6).

Harris Academy Orpington's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Harris Academy Orpington 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 121 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 79 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 43% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 17% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

44.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 83 pupils (16.6%) received SEN support and 45 (9%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Orpington Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eldred Drive, 100 metres away.

In 2024/25, Harris Academy Orpington issued 136 suspensions, 27.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Harris Academy Orpington are Orion Blenheim (0.2 miles), Harris Primary Academy Orpington (0.3 miles), St Philomena's Primary School (0.5 miles) and St. Mary Cray Primary Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.