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Posted on November 12th 2025
HCACP - 35 Years of Excellence and a Fourth “Outstanding” Ofsted
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace has just celebrated its 35th anniversary, along with the incredible achievement of receiving a fourth consecutive “Outstanding” judgment from Ofsted.
To mark the occasion, students and staff hosted a special event, welcoming back alumni and special guests, including Lord Harris and former Prime Minister The Rt Hon Sir John Major, who officially opened the school back in 1990. His return 35 years later made the celebration even more meaningful.
The Academy first opened in 1990 as Harris City Technology College, replacing Sylvan High School, which was struggling at the time. With the support of Lord Harris of Peckham, the school quickly turned things around and became one of the first independent state schools in England. In 2007 it officially became an Academy, and helped pave the way for the Harris Federation.
Former Prime Minister The Rt Hon Sir John Major, returned to HCACP 35 years after opening the school in 1990.
Transforming the lives of students
Since then, HCACP has transformed the lives of thousands of students from Croydon and beyond. With consistently strong results at GCSE and A Level, students have gone on to top universities and high-level apprenticeships, often overcoming significant challenges to get there.
As part of the event, three major awards were presented. The Sir John Major Award was given to Oscar Ocieczek, who achieved an incredible 4 A*s this summer, and has now started a competitive apprenticeship at Microsoft as a Solution Engineer for Cloud and AI.
The Valentine Douglas Award was awarded to Tahseen Miah and Cherise Aboagye-Mensah for their commitment to learning. Each received £15,000 per year to support them during their university studies.
The Charlie Harris Award, which celebrates sporting success, went to Ignacy Zakrzewski-Obem for his achievements in basketball. This same award was previously won by Sadia Kabeya, now a professional rugby player for England’s Red Roses.
Strong results have transformed the lives of thousands of students from Croydon and beyond.
Celebration, reflection and inspiration
Guests were given a tour of the school, enjoyed student performances, and joined a speed-networking event where former students shared their career experiences with Sixth Formers.
It was an absolute privilege to hear from both Sir John Major and Lord Harris, who continue to inspire our students 35 years on. This was a day of celebration, reflection and inspiration, marking outstanding education and the students who continue to make the Harris City Academy Crystal Palace proud.
John Major, left, pictured with Lord Harris of Peckham, at the event to celebrate 35 years of outstanding education.
John Major meets students during a day of celebration, reflection and inspiration to mark our 35th anniversary.
