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On Wednesday this week, we spoke to students about our protective security measures during a Tutor Standstill. Tutors outlined the protocols for evacuation, lockdown and invacuation procedures we hope we’ll never need, but which are important for everyone to understand. As part of this session, we also held a fire drill. I was impressed by the calm, purposeful way in which a thousand students exited the building. They clearly recognised the seriousness of the practice and responded brilliantly. I was very proud. Our next step will be to practise a lockdown, so that students know exactly what to do in the (very unlikely) event it wherever required.

We’ve also continued to welcome prospective parents to the school this week. Visitors consistently comment on the calm learning environment and the excellent relationships between staff and students. I have been especially pleased to receive emails from parents who not only praised our school, but also singled out our student guides. They have been outstanding ambassadors, speaking with genuine passion about our school and all it offers. A strong sense of belonging is something that visitors often notice, and that means a great deal to me.

One of the ways we cultivate that sense of belonging is by giving our students a voice. I am very proud of our established processes. Year Councils have now been selected, with two representatives chosen by their peers in each tutor group to share their views at meetings with their Head of Year. In addition, students who wish to join the whole-school Student Council write letters of application. It’s a hard-won privilege, and rightly so.

Our new Student Council for 2025–26 met for the first time this week. After congratulating them on their appointments, I spent a lively few minutes fielding their questions—of which there were plenty! They certainly held me to account, as they should. This is their school, and their voices matter. The minutes from that meeting show several thoughtful discussion points. Our Head Boy is particularly keen to ensure the Council reflects the views of the wider student body. With that in mind, the Head Prefects and I have turned some of those discussion points into a Student Survey, which will go out later this month so that every student has the opportunity to contribute.

I’ve also had my fair share of meetings this week. One of the most important involved hosting a representative from HCC Property Services and two contractors to finalise plans for much-needed upgrades to our student bathrooms. (They happened to be walking the site with me when the fire alarm went off and were most impressed with the calm and orderly conduct of our students!) Work is scheduled to begin on the girls’ bathroom in B Block and the boys’ bathroom in A Block over half term, continuing through to at least the end of November. In the meantime, the local authority will provide two “festival-style” flushing toilet blocks, ensuring students have adequate facilities. Once the work is complete, the upgrades (new cubicles and replacement of the current fittings) will make a real and lasting improvement for our students.

I wish you all a restful weekend,
Mrs Dawn German

All key dates for 2025-26 are also available on the website.

Assemblies This Week - House Happenings

While Kestrels and Buzzards used their first House assemblies of the year to celebrate last term's various cup successes, Sparrowhawks and Kites started plotting their comebacks. There are a whole host of competitions and events on the horizon with hundreds of House points up for grabs so the race for the House Cup is about to begin!

To take part in all the fun, students need to join their House Google Classroom. Here are the codes:

Some deadlines for your diary:

The LRC is also offering up House points galore through a wide range of competitions including the '7 for 7 Challenge' and the 'Stars in Jars' competition that rewards students for showing kindness and manners. In addition to this there are all the usual routes to points such as taking out (and returning!) books, attending clubs, making book recommendations and taking part in the great activities our wonderful librarian, Ms Burningham, runs every week.

Year 9 Visit from Ecologist, Sally Hayns
On Thursday, in collaboration with Speakers for Schools, we were delighted to welcome Ecologist, Sally Hayns, CEO of Cieem (Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) to talk to Year 9, Environment prefects and some lucky Year 7s.

Sally talked about her career path and the vital role the ecology and environmental management profession plays in addressing the environmental challenges we all face. She also explored the various career paths and jobs available in this exciting and important sector for the future of our planet.

Flu Vaccinations – Tuesday 7th October  
Flu vaccinations are coming up on Tuesday 7th October! This is a live vaccination, and we ask that all consent forms are completed and returned, click on the link below. Even if you do NOT want your child to have the vaccine, please still return the form so we have a record.

The Key to Success in English Language
As parents will know, all students must obtain a Grade 4 or better in English Language GCSE. If they do not achieve this, they have to resit the examination. The English Department is offering a guided walkthrough of the EDUQAS English Language examinations on Tuesday 14th October at school starting at 18.00.

This session is designed to help Year 11 parents understand the structure and question types on both English Language examination papers. It will provide practical advice on revision, exam technique, and what examiners are looking for, so you can support your son or daughter.

Please complete this form to let us know if you would like to attend so we can provide enough resources and book a suitable room in school.

Embedding good revision habits in Science
Science is a key subject, worth two GCSEs—or three for students taking Triple Science—and is assessed across six papers, making it one of the most extensively examined subjects. Strong knowledge and understanding are essential for success.

This week, Mr Hopwood wrote to parents about a new initiative to help Year 11 students develop positive revision habits in Science. Students are encouraged to use a free online platform to create a page of revision notes, which will be entered into a weekly raffle as a fun incentive.

For students who prefer to revise at school, dedicated spaces are available in the LRC or E005 during break, lunch, and after school.

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

This week, in Ways Forward you can find out more about careers as an esports coach, early years and childcare careers, offstage roles in theatre with TheatreCraft, music and the creative industries with Sony Industries, and medical careers.  

Webinars coming up soon include a guide to apprenticeships for parents and carers, and there are exciting opportunities with the Dyson Institute of Engineering + Technology's virtual Engineering Club.  If anyone is looking for something to do during half-term, why not check out Futures For All's amazing virtual work experience opportunities including 'Spooky Screens: hidden TV & film jobs with Into Film.'

Here is a link to a poster design competition run by the team at the official European Day of Languages website. We marked the event day last week.

This week we marked National Poetry Day with books, readings and online quiz.
The Autumn Reading Promotions - Leaf Through a Good Book and Fall Into a Good Book are up along with lots of new stock.

Some loans remain unreturned from last school year - once the 3 month deadline is met, these will be charged for or replacements requested.  Our reimbursement policy can be read here. Thanks for your support in returning stock.

Year 10 Football: Harrow Way 4-2 Wellington
The opening fixture for our Year 10’s took place on Wednesday. The squad of boys were in good spirits and went into the game with confidence. The game stayed at 0-0 for most of the first half, before a good bit of play from Wellington’s midfield found the feet of their striker, who netted past Arthur in goal to give the visitors the lead. Harrow Way responded well and didn’t let this dampen their spirits.

With the last kick of the first half, Piotr Osuch cut inside from the left, and bent the ball sweetly into the top corner from outside the box, giving the hosts the equaliser they were after. It was some goal, and the boys were absolutely buzzing about it during the half time break. Piotr, however, was as humble as ever. ‘It’s just what I do’ apparently…

Into the second half and Piotr was able to double his goal tally for the game, with a tidy finish after a lovely through ball played by Alan Elzanowski down the left hand side. Harrow Way continued to dominate the ball, but completely against the run of play, Wellington’s forward hit a speculative shot from about 25 yards out, which managed to beat Arthur and find the roof of the net to make it 2-2. With a 15 man squad on the day, changes were made to keep the legs fresh, and immediately after coming off from the bench, Vineet More put the hosts back in front, after a free kick into the box fell at his feet, and he tucked it home from 6 yards out. The game became very stretched, and Harrow Way had chances to increase their advantage, but just couldn’t manage to hit the target. This was until Piotr Osuch again drove into the box with the ball from the left, and was cleaned out by the Wellington goalkeeper to win a penalty for the home side. Ed Hood, on his debut for the team was pushed into the penalty box and given the responsibility to seal the win for Harrow Way. Up he stepped, and he confidently tucked the ball home into the top left corner to secure all three points. Well played to the boys, and a special mention to both Ed and Marley Jones for their debuts. We play our next fixture ‘under the lights’ at Testbourne in a few weeks.

Year 11 Football: Wellington 1 - 11 Harrow Way
On Wednesday evening, the Year 11 team travelled to Wellington Academy for their second league match and delivered an outstanding performance.

The game started brightly with an early strike from Alfie Richards, quickly followed by a stunning long-range effort from Stanley Anoma to make it 2–0. Soon after, Emre Yoruk showcased brilliant footwork in the box, weaving past defenders before calmly slotting home.

Stanley added another, before goals from Charlie Overland and Henry Jennings extended the lead. A superb header saw Stanley complete his hat-trick, and then, in a surprise attacking move, Harley Burt chased down a through ball to make it 8–0.

George Harris soon joined the scoresheet, powering through several challenges on a solo run before finishing confidently. Wellington pulled one back after a handball in the box, but Harrow Way’s dominance was already sealed, finishing the match with a commanding 10–1 victory.

Man of the Match went to Bray Jones for his leadership and composure at the back, while special credit goes to Miguel Monterio, who stepped in as goalkeeper and delivered an excellent performance.

Netball - Harrow Way 9A  24 - 5 Danebury. 

The 9A team started their season with a resounding win against Danebury on Wednesday. Ruby C and Ruby S as shooters created excellent space for each other in the Goal Circle and scored freely, with the defense having very little to do over the first half of the game.

Laila, Ivy, Lexi, and Ruby N worked really hard in the centre court, so the extra player gave them all the opportunity to have a well-earned quarter rest.

The second half was much like the first. After a bit of coaching, Danebury stepped up their game, giving Nicole and Skyla a bit more to do. However our strength and quality across the court shone with the girls romping home to a 24-5 victory.

Player of the Match - Laila & Skyla. Coach’s Player - Ruby C & Ruby S.

Harrow Way 9B  5 - 14 John Hanson C
On Wednesday Harrow Way faced a tough match against John Hanson, ultimately falling 14–5. Despite the result, the team worked hard throughout and showed determination against strong opposition. They started off well in the first quarter, finding their feet and making some great interceptions. However, John Hanson came out strong in quarters 2 and 3, which the girls were not prepared for. After a pep talk they stepped it up again for the last quarter, unfortunately they had too much to do and were not able to claw it back. 
A special mention goes to Isabelle, who stepped up from the year below to play. She showed real confidence and made a positive impact on the game, demonstrating skill and commitment beyond her years. She was awarded Player of the Match and Coaches Player.
Although the scoreline didn’t go Harrow Way’s way, there were plenty of encouraging moments to build on for future fixtures. Better luck next time girls!

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