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Coordinates: 51°35′31″N 0°03′37″W / 51.59208°N 0.06019°W / 51.59208; -0.06019
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The petition claimed that the exclusion of the three students was racist, and the changes made by Foley to the discipline policy disproportionately affected students from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. It was also alleged that he had been harassing members of staff through a school restructuring plan. Lawrence Foley, HATO's Senior Leadership Team, and the wider Harris Federation vehemently deny all allegations, with the Federation, in an official statement, branding the claims "vexatious".
The petition claimed that the exclusion of the three students was racist, and the changes made by Foley to the discipline policy disproportionately affected students from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. It was also alleged that he had been harassing members of staff through a school restructuring plan. Lawrence Foley, HATO's Senior Leadership Team, and the wider Harris Federation vehemently deny all allegations, with the Federation, in an official statement, branding the claims "vexatious".


In the wake of the events, Dr Foley received four death threats. Additionally, a threat was made, via the comments section of the petition, towards HATO staff, threatening to "stab" them. All threats were reported to the police and the comments section below the petition was removed.
In the wake of the events, Dr Foley received four death threats. Additionally, a threat was made, via the comments section of the petition, towards HATO staff, with the perpetrator, thought to be a student at the academy, threatening to "stab" them. All threats were reported to the police and the comments section below the petition was removed.


Opinion is largely divided over the scandal, with many accepting (or corroborating) the claims laid out in the petition and speaking of a deep-seated culture of institutional racism within academies and schools like HATO, which is proving detrimental to young black students. However, several others have dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated and criticised Adusei for wrongfully subjecting the academy, and a teacher, to an infamous 'trial by social media'. They also highlight the potentially dangerous ramifications of such actions as evidenced by Dr Foley receiving death threats. <ref name="7 petitions">{{cite news |last1=Belger |first1=Tom |title=The schools facing 'trial by social media' |url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/death-threats-and-protests-the-schools-facing-trial-by-social-media/ |access-date=30 April 2021 |work=Schools Week |date=30 April 2021}}</ref>
Opinion is largely divided over the scandal, with many accepting (or corroborating) the claims laid out in the petition and speaking of a deep-seated culture of institutional racism within academies and schools like HATO, which is proving detrimental to young black students. However, several others have dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated and criticised Adusei for wrongfully subjecting the academy, and a teacher, to an infamous 'trial by social media'. They also highlight the potentially dangerous ramifications of such actions as evidenced by Dr Foley receiving death threats. <ref name="7 petitions">{{cite news |last1=Belger |first1=Tom |title=The schools facing 'trial by social media' |url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/death-threats-and-protests-the-schools-facing-trial-by-social-media/ |access-date=30 April 2021 |work=Schools Week |date=30 April 2021}}</ref>

Revision as of 01:50, 3 May 2021

Harris Academy Tottenham
Address
Map
Ashley Road

, ,
N17 9LN

England
Coordinates51°35′31″N 0°03′37″W / 51.59208°N 0.06019°W / 51.59208; -0.06019
Information
TypeFree school
OpenedSeptember 2014 (2014-09)
Local authorityHaringey London Borough Council
TrustHarris Federation
Department for Education URN140935 Tables
OfstedReports
PrincipalDr Lawrence Foley
GenderMixed
Age range4-19
Enrolment1016(2020)[1]
Capacity1570[1]
Websitewww.harristottenham.org.uk

Harris Academy Tottenham is a coeducational all-through school located in the Tottenham Hale in Greater London, England. It is part of the Harris Federation multi-academy trust; it opened to pupils in September 2014. The school had a favourable Ofsted inspection in May 2017.[2]

Description

The school is part of the Harris Federation, it opened in September 2014 and initially operated from Chobham Academy, another of the Harris Federation schools in Stratford, East London. The school relocated to its new site a year later, into pre-used buildings. The full conversion and an additional teaching block were completed for the 2017/18 academic year.[2] The school’s site has undergone complete refurbishment, and shares its facilities with the public when not in use, including use of a floodlit multi-use-games area, a sports hall, and a dance studio with mirrors.[3]

Curriculum

The academy has designed its curriculum collectively calling heavily on Dylan William's education research.[4]

Primary Education

The primary phase benefits from some specialist teaching from teachers from the secondary sector especially in year 6, where subject teaching is introduced. [5]

Key Stage 3

Virtually all maintained schools and academies follow the National Curriculum, and are inspected by Ofsted on how well they succeed in delivering a 'broad and balanced curriculum'.[6] Schools endeavour to get all students to achieve the English Baccalaureate(EBACC) qualification- this must include core subjects a modern or ancient foreign language, and either History or Geography.

Harris Academy Tottenham operates a three-year, Key Stage 3 where all the core National Curriculum subjects are taught.

Key Stage 4

In Key Stage 4, all students do the EBacc core subjects (with Maths and Science at different levels judged by ability), and certain options: Classics, Performing Arts, Music, Art, Design Technology, Food Tech, Exam PE and Computer Science.[7]

Key Stage 5

Entry to the sixth-form is dependent on 7 GCSE passes, and the intention to achieve 3 or more 'A' levels. [8]

Compliance

The academy publishes all the statutory information on its website .[9]

Controversy

In September 2020, Dr Lawrence Foley became Executive Principal of the Academy. He subsequently implemented a "zero-tolerance" approach to discipline, which saw three black students permanently excluded within the first month of Foley's tenure. This triggered backlash from the wider school community.[10]

A petition on change.org, which called for Foley's immediate resignation and accused him of discriminating against black students, was raised by PE teacher, Joshua Adusei. For his actions, Adusei was dismissed from his position. However, thanks to the power of social media, the petition gained widespread attention and amassed nearly 6,000 signatures within a week.

The petition claimed that the exclusion of the three students was racist, and the changes made by Foley to the discipline policy disproportionately affected students from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. It was also alleged that he had been harassing members of staff through a school restructuring plan. Lawrence Foley, HATO's Senior Leadership Team, and the wider Harris Federation vehemently deny all allegations, with the Federation, in an official statement, branding the claims "vexatious".

In the wake of the events, Dr Foley received four death threats. Additionally, a threat was made, via the comments section of the petition, towards HATO staff, with the perpetrator, thought to be a student at the academy, threatening to "stab" them. All threats were reported to the police and the comments section below the petition was removed.

Opinion is largely divided over the scandal, with many accepting (or corroborating) the claims laid out in the petition and speaking of a deep-seated culture of institutional racism within academies and schools like HATO, which is proving detrimental to young black students. However, several others have dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated and criticised Adusei for wrongfully subjecting the academy, and a teacher, to an infamous 'trial by social media'. They also highlight the potentially dangerous ramifications of such actions as evidenced by Dr Foley receiving death threats. [11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Harris Academy Tottenham". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Ofsted Report 2017". ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2020. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright
  3. ^ "Harris Academy Tottenham". School Space. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  4. ^ Wiliam, Dylan (October 2013). Chambers, Peter (ed.). "Principled curriculum design" (PDF). Redesigning Schooling (3). SSAT. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Primary:Quality teaching and learning". www.harristottenham.org.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. ^ Roberts, Nerys. "The school curriculum in England Parliamentary Briefing Paper" (PDF). parliament.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Curriculum Maps - Harris Academy Tottenham". www.harristottenham.org.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Sixth-form curriculum". www.harristottenham.org.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  9. ^ "What academies, free schools and colleges should publish online". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  10. ^ Parveen, Nazia (30 April 2021). "Police examine threats against staff at London school accused of racism". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  11. ^ Belger, Tom (30 April 2021). "The schools facing 'trial by social media'". Schools Week. Retrieved 30 April 2021.