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I’m pleased to share that Harrow Way has joined a new local initiative — the Angela Higgs Andover Dyslexia Alliance — set up to strengthen how schools across our area support students with dyslexia or dyslexic traits.

This partnership brings together secondary schools in and around Andover, working collaboratively with the Hampshire Dyslexia Association and with support from a generous grant in memory of Angela Higgs, a long-standing champion of inclusive education. The aim is simple: to improve outcomes for students with dyslexia by ensuring they are fully supported in the classroom and across school life.

 

Through this alliance, our staff will benefit from expert training, opportunities to work with colleagues across other schools, and access to new resources. This means more consistent, informed, and effective support for students who experience dyslexia as a barrier to learning.

We’re proud to be part of this work — not just because it brings practical benefits for our school, but because it reflects our wider commitment to ensuring every student gets the support they need to succeed.

The partnership will run initially for three years, with regular reviews to measure its impact. As parents, you may start to see some of these changes. We look forward to sharing our progress.

 

I’m also thrilled to be able to celebrate a truly special moment with you: just before half term, one of our incredible Year 7 students, Leah Gibney, rang the bell to mark the end of her cancer treatment and to declare that she is officially cancer free.

Her journey has been long and incredibly tough, beginning during her time at primary school. Throughout it all, she has shown extraordinary strength, facing every challenge with a smile, a kind word, and a quiet determination that has inspired everyone around her.

At Harrow Way, we talk a lot about our school values — and when it came to choosing a student to represent Resilience on our values corridor display, the decision was unanimous. Her courage, cheerfulness, and refusal to let illness define her have left a lasting impression on us, and we are so proud to celebrate this joyful moment with her and her family.

We know that students and staff have followed her journey with love and support, and I’m sure you’ll join us in sending her our warmest congratulations and admiration. She is a shining example of what it means to be resilient.

As we look ahead to the next seven weeks, I’m sure this will inspire us all to face challenges with strength and determination.

I wish you all a restful weekend,
Mrs Dawn German

All key dates for 2024-25 are also available on the website.

Change of Date

Please can parents note the change of date to the Teenage Immunisation Mop Up Session, is now on Tuesday 17th June 2025 not 4th June.

Assemblies This Week

This week, our Environment Senior Prefect Team have been leading assemblies across the school on the topic of fast fashion and its environmental impact. They’ve been raising awareness about how the fashion industry contributes to pollution, waste, and climate change, while also encouraging students to make more sustainable choices. The assembly forms part of our wider commitment to developing responsible global citizens who are informed about the challenges facing our planet and empowered to take positive action.

Harrow Way's Got Talent! - Get your ticket!

On Thursday 12th June at 6pm, 15 acts will be showing the world that Harrow Way's Got Talent! This year's incarnation of our annual talent competition will feature magic, ballet, music and comedy as our brave, talented students battle it out to win the coveted 'Golden Microphone' and the right to jump to the front of any school food queue... for life!

 

Tickets for this entertainment extravaganza cost just £1 and are available from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/harrowway     Seats are limited so grab yours now!

PTA News - 2025 Challenge Update
We are delighted to inform you that our wonderful students raised £1887 in total during the course of the 2025 Challenge. Harrow Way PTA would like to take this opportunity to thank the pupils and everyone that supported them in their challenges. 

As an incentive to take part, students were told that the year group that raised the most money would be awarded a dress down day. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that Year 7 are the worthy winners, having raised £926.50!

Peripatetic Music Lessons at Harrow Way:

Strings, Brass, Woodwind, Piano, Drums. Guitar and Voice.

There are spaces coming up if your child(ren) would like to learn to play an instrument or have vocal lessons, each week during the school day. Please complete the Expression of Interest Form via the link on the Music page of our website or send an email to: heather.munroe@harrowway.hants.sch.uk

The fees are subsidised by the school, and the costs are currently being reviewed. Please contact us as soon as possible, if your child would like to make the most of this opportunity. 

Ways Forward - our weekly newsletter for Careers, Apprenticeship, College, Work and Work Experience.

This week in Ways Forward, we highlight several new local apprenticeship vacancies for year 11 students including one with Stannah and one with Clee Hill Plant.  Year 10 and Year 11 students might be interested in going along to Basingstoke College of Technology's next Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair on 16th June to meet local employers searching for apprentices.

Those considering a degree apprenticeship for the future might like to attend a webinar taking place on 10th June.

Find out the latest local LMI (labour market information) in an overview from the Education Development Trust, as well as careers in gaming (see Do I look like a Gamer?) and sound design.

Parents and carers might be interested in a webinar about apprenticeships and technical education, and the latest edition of Choices magazine

June is Pride Month - there are dozens of books in the LRC Library and 130+ on SORA (the 24/7 online platform with books, audio books, comics and magazines - free app available).

Later this month we will be marking Empathy Day, Refugee Day, World Music Day and International Women in Engineering Day.

Elaine Escritt Crowned Ladies Club Champion at Upavon Golf Club – A performance to inspire and a reminder that champions never forget how to win.

Harrow Way School PE Department alumnus Elaine Escritt proved that class is permanent as she triumphed in testing conditions to win the Ladies Club Championship at Upavon Golf Club, 20 years after her last appearance in the event.

Elaine, who retired from teaching earlier this year, returned to the two-day tournament after a two-decade absence, having last competed (and won) at age 40. After a lengthy absence from this competition, she was persuaded to enter once again and produced a masterclass in course management to lift the trophy once more.

“It was bloody tough out there,” Escritt said with a trademark grin. “Windy as hell, rock hard fairways, and the rough was like a jungle! Some poor guy lost seven balls and he's off single figures. Brutal conditions.”

Despite the testing conditions, Escritt stayed calm under pressure. With back-to-back rounds of 88 and 89, she admitted the scoring wasn’t spectacular, but added wryly “it was better than everyone else”.

Her strategy? Classic course management. “I only used my driver four times in two days — just tried to keep it in play and avoid the carnage. Very grown-up golf,” she laughed. “I got around both days with the same ball, so I’ll call that a win in itself.”

It’s a remarkable bookend to a long absence from the club's premier competition, and a testament to the kind of quiet excellence Elaine has brought to her sport and in her teaching career. 

Retirement clearly suits her, and it seems being a winner still does too.

Check out the latest news, fundraising initiatives and upcoming events from the PTA here - harrowwaypta.charityhive.co.uk

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Harrow Way Community School,
Harrow Way,
Andover,
Hampshire.
SP10 3RH