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27/03/24

🌟 Our amazing pupils showcased incredible 'Character (to)day' diving into a variety of topics & activities! 🚀 Year 7s showed immense Courageous Advocacy, delving into Bee habitats and acing the Big School litter pick! 🐝🗑️ pic.twitter.com/zt2ebNR4ea

27/03/24

Ahoy there! ⚓️ The Year 9 crew from HGA set sail today for the Maritime Museum in Greenwich. 🌊 Anchors aweigh for a character-filled adventure on the high seas! ⛵️🌟 pic.twitter.com/yTfUrlmJjh

26/03/24

🏐🎉 Incredible news! Our year 8 netball team has smashed their way to the Harris Cup semi-finals! 🌟👏 Big shoutout to our amazing players, especially the year 7 stars shining bright! 🌟✨ Let's cheer them on as they face ! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/E4mK2T0cAT

20/03/24

🚀 Kicking off Creative Careers 2024! 🎨 Students are diving into a world of possibilities, exploring diverse pathways in the creative industry. 📸#CreativeCareers2024 pic.twitter.com/otVpl4Ua0K

19/03/24

🌟 Thrilled to share moments from the Speak Out Regional Final! 🎤 Megan Farr and May Mbabazi shone brightly, representing Harris Garrard Academy with their powerful voices. A celebration of young talent and the magic of expression. ✨ pic.twitter.com/yI8GICW9uF

15/03/24

Off to the we go, with Year 8 in tow, to witness love's timeless tale in a contemporary glow. Thanks to ’s generous sponsorship, Shakespeare's words will leap and dip. 🎭💔 pic.twitter.com/ezNpvHdema

08/03/24

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07/03/24

📚✨ The halls of HGA have transformed into a literary wonderland as our secondary staff channel their inner bookworms, dressing up as their favorite book characters! From the whimsical to the wicked, can you guess the characters? 📸🎭 pic.twitter.com/y8azMifcNq

06/03/24

The yr5/6 Netball final took place between today.Both teams have done exceptionally well to reach the final & were undefeated in their league so we knew we were in for a close game

05/03/24

The yr5/6 Netball final took place between today.Both teams have done exceptionally well to reach the final & were undefeated in their league so we knew we were in for a close game

01/03/24

Just wrapped up another fantastic week at HGA, proving that even when the skies open up, we find our pot of gold in the learning of our students. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/jKjPQHPkQ2

01/03/24

HGA Sixth Formers' visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau was a powerful reminder of history's darkest chapters. Their solemn reflections will echo in our hearts and history classes. pic.twitter.com/k1CaBME2Ns

29/02/24

Excited to kick off day 1 of the Y12 Biology Residential! 🌿 Stay tuned for updates, insights, and all the fascinating discoveries we'll make together! pic.twitter.com/6nqWUWrZBE

27/02/24

We're looking forward to National Careers Week, 4th-9th March 2024. We will be using the many resources available, such as a virtual careers fair, films, talks and booklets to inspire our students about their future options and pathways. https://t.co/kTXTWlyLix pic.twitter.com/RyYS0u3HQR

20/02/24

🎉 What an inspiring afternoon at our Careers Fair! Students explored a world of opportunities with leading employers, colleges, and universities. Their futures look bright! 🌟 Check out the highlights 📸 pic.twitter.com/D5uRNqGvDW

09/02/24

Congratulations to everyone you have done yourselves, your school and your Borough proud https://t.co/AxU7Tsxvjc

09/02/24

Congratulations to everyone you have done yourselves, your school and your Borough proud https://t.co/AxU7Tsxvjc

09/02/24

We are officially through to the Sports hall finals. We finished inside the top 3 of todays qualifier and now will be one of 12 schools in the grand finals on the 19th March! This is the first time in the 3 years we have achieved this! pic.twitter.com/hw1DbJxEo1

09/02/24

We have officially arrived at for the indoor sports athletics London finals representing to team Let’s go Garrard!! pic.twitter.com/op0BNKu50R

09/02/24

Look what arrived in the post! These adorable handmade worry monsters were ordered from over a year ago. Big thanks to the talented knitters - they will bring comfort to many. Therapeutic tools for little ones. pic.twitter.com/r6GhmtALKl

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Latest News

Posted on April 29th 2019

'Walk and Talk' Masterclass for GCSE English Exam

The English Language GCSE is one that requires a great deal of independence and skill from our students. It may seem simple in principle, but it is anything but.

Students are expected to read some very challenging unseen texts, and then give a detailed and thorough analysis, all under exam conditions and with limited time. They must then switch gears for the latter part of the examination and write creatively and professionally – using a topic or stimulus that they are unlikely to have ever written about before.

With all these different elements it is no wonder that students nationally underperform on their English Language in comparison to their English Literature. The English Department at the Harris Garrard Academy are determined to ensure our students buck this trend and have been working with our students to ensure they feel ready to take on this challenge in the summer.

English1


Advice, tips and insights

Our most recent initiative involved a four hour 'Walking Talking Mock' for the whole of Year 11 (pictured above), and on the first day back after a two week holiday, just to add insult to injury!

The students, along with their English teachers, went through each question and examined a range of example texts as part of the lecture-style session.

With an experienced staff team, which includes a number of AQA examiners, we were able to share advice, tips and to provide an insight into the common mistakes that students tend to make. The students behaved impeccably in what was undoubtedly a gruelling day; their maturity and work ethic made us all very proud.

This qualification develops students' ability to communicate, decode and infer with confidence. Employers and universities will often look at a student's English Language grade as it demonstrates their transferrable skills and the potential they have to learn in all fields. We want to give our students access to every opportunity that they could wish to explore and feel confident that the work they are doing in these areas will have a transformative effect on their futures.

Ailish Langan, Director of Learning for English


English2