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As we reach the end of term, I’d like to reflect on what a wonderful final week it has been — one filled with excitement, celebration and a real sense of togetherness across our school community.

Our Year 7 students were delighted to attend the pantomime at the theatre in Basingstoke. While we have made valiant efforts over the past two years to recreate this experience in school, nothing quite compares to visiting a theatre and watching a “professional” cast — actors who really know what they are doing!

Over 150 students were able to attend, and it was a memorable experience that sparked laughter, wonder and plenty of conversation on the journey home.

This week’s assemblies focused on celebrating student success, which are always a highlight for me. Not only is it wonderful to see the pride and satisfaction of those receiving awards, but it is equally special to witness the genuine joy of their peers. During the Year 7 assembly on Monday, one young man quite literally jumped for joy when his friend won a prize. Seeing students celebrate each other’s achievements is truly magical — it speaks volumes about the kindness, connection and inspiration that make our school such a special place.

Across three days this week, we also hosted our Christmas lunches. This has long been a cherished tradition, particularly for our Year 7 and 8 students. A group of staff transformed the hall into a festive delight, complete with traditional paper tablecloths, crackers and confetti, and students were served their lunch and drinks by members of staff. As they ate, the hall was filled with music, thanks to wonderful performances from our talented Year 10 students and, of course, our very own musical experts, Mr and Mrs Massiah and the staff band. A great time was had by all. It is also a real testament to the quality of our new catering team that so many students chose to take part, including over 200 students from Years 9, 10 and 11.

Another fantastic tradition has now firmly established itself at our school — Scottish dancing! Thanks to our marvellous Head of PE, Mr Briggs, a very proud Scot, students have been learning a range of traditional dances before enjoying a lively ceilidh. The occasion was made even more special by the sight of one very confident Year 8 student proudly wearing full traditional kilt attire, closely matched by our PE staff, who embraced the spirit of the event with equal enthusiasm. Not content with stopping there, Mr Briggs even organised an evening for staff to join in too. It was enormous fun and a wonderful way to round off the term.

When you pause to reflect, it is remarkable how much we have achieved in such a short term. I have asked our Year Leaders to share reflections on their year group’s highlights, along with plenty of photos, so that we can all enjoy looking back on these special moments.

On everyone’s behalf I’d like to thank my super staff for all that they do for the school and the wider community, so often going ‘above and beyond’ for others throughout the year. We return to school on Monday 5th January 2026. Do please ensure that any issues with uniform are remedied, ready to make a strong start in the New Year.

It just remains for me to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas, a safe and restful break, and all good wishes for 2026. I am very much looking forward to seeing what the new year will bring.
Mrs Dawn German

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

Assembly - Year Leaders
Year 7 - It was an absolute pleasure to reward the students in their first award assembly at Harrow Way. There were over 130 students who were in with a chance of winning the prize for zero behaviour points this term! This is a testament to what an incredible start the students have made to year 7 and what an amazing group of students they are. We also awarded students for being tutee of the term (these are basically heroes who do everything right everyday), individual students who have demonstrated our school values and also those students who have made a conscious decision to improve something that wasn't going quite right. A massive shout out to 7MVH who won the attendance challenge (but it was very tight). Well done year 7, you have totally smashed the first term!

Year 8 - This week we celebrated the students who always get it right.  We gave out awards for those who had demonstrated great literacy across the curriculum, and tutors nominated their stand out tutees.  We also celebrated students who demonstrated the Harrow Way Values.

Year 9 - The Year 9 Celebration Assembly was a positive and uplifting event that recognised the hard work and achievements of students across a range of areas. Students were proudly awarded Literacy Awards for their commitment to reading, writing and communication skills, while those who achieved 0 behaviour points were celebrated for consistently demonstrating excellent conduct. The assembly also recognised students with 100% attendance, highlighting their dedication and reliability throughout the term. The Tutee of the Term award acknowledged individuals who had shown outstanding effort, attitude and progress within their tutor groups. Finally, the School Values Reward celebrated students who consistently embodied the school’s core values, setting a strong example for others and contributing positively to the Year 9 community.

Year 10 - We ended the Year 10 term with a celebration assembly this morning, recognising tutees nominated by their tutors, students who embody our Harrow Way values, those with 100% attendance, and students with zero or positive behaviour points. It’s always a highlight of the term, and fills me with pride, to applaud our exceptional students who are consistently present, respectful and always their best. This time though, we also recognised students who have made significant improvements in attendance and behaviour - it takes real grit and a shift in mindset so we celebrated these individuals too. An opportunity was also given to students to win raffle prizes for 100% weekly attendance, and huge congratulations to 10HPB for winning the tutor group attendance award. Who will be our winners at Easter?

Year 11 - The Year 11 Celebration Assembly this week was a fantastic opportunity to get together and recognise our fantastic cohort! It is especially lovely to have an opportunity to reward students who are model Harrow Way students and always get it right and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

In Remembrance
This Sunday marks one year since the tragic accident that took the life of Ryan Marshall, one of our Year 11 students. As a school community, we will be holding him in our thoughts and remembering him with great care and affection. Above all, our hearts are with his family, for whom this time will be especially difficult.

As we look ahead to the Christmas break, we ask everyone to take care and stay safe.

Year 7 - Year 8 - Year 9 - Year 10 - Year 11

Wow! What a first term Year 7 have had. The whole Year 7 team are so proud of the absolutely incredible start you have all made to Harrow Way. 

It all started on our transition day when you blew everyone away with your impeccable manners, kindness to one another and your positive attitude towards the activities that were on that day. The highlight was the scavenger hunt around the school that helped you all to learn where everything was. All these activities also allowed you all to demonstrate our Harrow Way values. 

The Picnic
It feels like such a long time ago that we all went to Charlton together for a morning of games and a chance to further enhance our bonds with our new friends (just look at that sunshine). Yet again, we were all so impressed with your behaviour, positive attitude and willingness to get involved. Mayana was particularly impressive with her giant picnic hamper that she brought with her and shared with her friends.

Halloween Disco
A highlight for everyone is always a disco and this year was no different. It was great to see so many amazing costumes (as well as some scary dance moves, but that was mainly the teachers!). This disco was a reward for all students with great attendance and low behaviour points, and it is a testament to our year group that so many students had the chance to attend this event! Of course, everyone was keen to win the costume competition and the Year 7 winners had to be the Teletubbies - what a fantastic effort (and a photo we will be sure to keep for our future Year 11 Yearbook!).

Stand Out Stars
As I have said, we are proud of each and everyone of the year group and how they have started Harrow Way, but there are some students who have gone that extra mile and really demonstrated our Harrow Way values. Firstly, Noah Regan for his incredible performances at the Kick Boxing World Championships where he achieved a clean sweep of medals with a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal. The amount of resilience Noah demonstrates week in, week out to dedicate himself to his sport is amazing. Then we have Georgie Treasurer, who off her own back, wrote a poem for remembrance day and was kind enough to share it with us at our remembrance day service. Our two student council members also deserve a mention as they have represented our year group so well and even had the courage to stand in front of their whole year group and deliver an assembly on the issues that they are helping to change in the school. So a massive thank you to Luna Poore and Jasmine Speed.

The Rudolph Run
We were blessed with a gorgeous sunny day for our charity run and the students did not let us down. Their enthusiasm (not only for the run but also to sing Christmas songs whilst running was top notch) and resilience to keep going was just great to see. Running isn’t for everyone and whether they were running because they hope to be selected for the district cross country team or just wanted to complete the course, they all did it with a smile on their face.

We have achieved so much in just one term but there is so much to look forward to: we have the pantomime and Jumpin Fun trips just before we break up for the Christmas holidays. And in the Spring term, we have a Valentine’s disco, a trip to Marwell Zoo, a residential to the Isle of Wight and a trip to Chessington World of Adventures! Bring on 2026.
Mrs Roberts, Year Leader for Year 7

The first exciting thing of this year for me was coming back from Maternity Leave and rejoining the year group. I actually cannot believe that it has only been a term, however; we’ve done so much already!

We started the year by remembering the importance of getting involved in school life, and the whole year group attended our Enrichment Fair, an opportunity to speak to different clubs and hopefully sign up to some extra curricular activities. Year 8 also gets a unique opportunity to get involved in the running of the school by taking it in turn to be a Student Receptionist.  It’s been lovely to see how helpful, polite, and smart our students have been.

At the end of September, we finally got to go on our Year 7 picnic!  Mr Reed had originally planned for us to do this back at the start of Year 7, but the weather prevented us from going.  We spent two hours at Charlton Lakes, building friendships, being outside and physically active: all of the things that are so good for our wellbeing.

Our Hallowe’en disco is becoming a highlight of the year.  The costumes once again did not fail to impress.  Some of the dancing did not… But I genuinely do enjoy how the students come together to have fun, and how supportive a community they are becoming for each other.

We’ve also had some great trips already this year.  A number of Year 8s went on the PGL Netball Tour. About half of the year group visited Cadbury’s World in November, which apparently was actually educational and not just about eating chocolate!

90 of us also were able to go on our first residential trip, all the way to France.  For some of us, this was the first time away from our families, and I was really proud of how well we all coped. We visited a chocolate factory, took part in team games, visited the war graves, a hypermarket, and spent the day at Disney Land. The fireworks and laser show over the castle was a personal highlight of this year.

I was really proud to see how many Year 8s have got involved in the House competitions, and in particular the bake off.  They were also so involved with the Christmas Fair, showing their commitment, enterprise, and festive spirit.

Our celebration Assembly gave us the chance to say well done to some of our wonderful year group, so many of whom do the right thing every day.  In particular, we celebrated those who demonstrate our Harrow Way Values:

We finish this term in truly festive spirit, having all come together to eat, sing and be merry at the Christmas lunch. There was such a lovely sense of community, and I hope that the students came home buzzing from this chance to come together as a full year group in such a positive way.

We will be seeing the year out with our celebration trip to Jumpin Fun on Thursday. Well done to all our students who have turned up, worked hard, engaged with us, and been polite and positive.  Here’s to 2026!

Mrs Ford, Year Leader for Year 8

Year 9 and the Run-Up to the Christmas Holidays
As the Christmas holidays approach, Year 9 is an important time to pause and reflect on how far you’ve come this year. You’re now well into your secondary school journey, and this stage is all about growth, independence, and preparing for what comes next. I would say that we are very close to the halfway point of Harrow Way Community School and I couldn’t be prouder to be representing you as a Year group. I know it is cliche but time has flown, and it is a sign of how much you have grown as individuals.

Taking More Responsibility
In Year 9, you’re expected to take greater responsibility for your learning. This means organising your time, completing homework independently, and starting to think more carefully about your progress in different subjects. These skills might feel challenging at times, but they’re essential as you move closer to GCSE study.

Thank you to the majority of the year group for consistently making the right decisions, showing integrity, kindness and a general positive attitude to school. Your effort, behaviour, and commitment have not gone unnoticed.

Looking After Your Wellbeing
This time of year can feel busy and tiring. Shorter days, school pressures, and social changes can all affect how you feel. Make sure you talk to someone if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed—whether that’s a teacher, friend, or family member. Taking care of your mental and emotional wellbeing is just as important as keeping up with your work.

Finding the Right Balance
While it’s important to stay on top of schoolwork, it’s also important to make time to relax. Doing things you enjoy, spending time with family and friends, and getting enough rest will help you recharge. The Christmas holidays are a chance to step back, reflect on your achievements, and return to school in the new year feeling refreshed.

Looking Ahead
Year 9 is about building strong foundations. The habits you develop now—resilience, organisation, and a positive attitude—will support you throughout the rest of your school journey. Stay focused, believe in yourself, and be proud of the progress you’ve made so far.

Enjoy the lead-up to Christmas and make the most of a well-earned break.

Highlights
Our recent fun activity at Riverside Bowl in Andover was an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone involved. Students had the chance to relax, have fun, and bond with friends outside of the classroom while taking part in friendly bowling competitions. The atmosphere was lively and positive, with lots of laughter, encouragement, and teamwork as students cheered each other on. The trip provided a great opportunity to reward effort and positive behaviour, while also helping to strengthen friendships and create lasting memories.

I absolutely love working with you all as a year group and I couldn’t be prouder of the culture we have established. I wish you a lovely Christmas and New Year when it comes.

Mr Massiah, Year Leader for Year 9.

Since September, Year 10 have made an excellent start in their chosen subjects. This term has been one of adjustment, ambition and achievement, with students showing maturity and commitment as they rise to the increased expectations of GCSE study. Along with Mr Mann and Mrs Branston-Jones, it has been wonderful to see the progress Year 10 have already made, both academically and personally.

Beyond the classroom, Year 10 students have represented the school superbly. Those who volunteered as helpers during Open Evening were a true credit to the school, welcoming prospective students and families with confidence, enthusiasm and professionalism. Their positive attitude and conduct did not go unnoticed and reflected our school values exceptionally well. 

The same can also be said for our School Councillors, who presented confidently in a recent assembly and for our NEW peer mentors, who have undergone their training this term - their commitment and engagement filled me with pride. They will be exceptional in supporting some of Year 7s and 8s and strong candidates in the future when we look to recruit Prefects. There will be some fierce competition.

The Arts, Maths & Humanities
We have also been fortunate to offer a wide range of enriching experiences this term. Lainston House kindly visited the school to deliver workshops, giving our Hospitality and Catering students the opportunity to develop their practical cookery skills to a professional standard. In the Arts, some Year 10 students had the exciting opportunity to watch Hamilton in London’s West End, an unforgettable experience that showcased the power of musical theatre. 

Meanwhile, another group of students visited Bletchley Park, where they took part in a day focused on mathematical coding, ciphers and encryption linked to World War II. This visit offered a fascinating blend of history, mathematics and problem-solving, and students engaged enthusiastically throughout the day.

We also marked Remembrance Day with a small service at the front of the school. Several of our Year 10 students, who are members of uniformed services, attended in uniform and represented the year group with dignity and respect as we paid tribute to those who fought for our freedom.

Sporting Events
Sport has also played a big part for Year 10. Students have represented the school in a variety of sporting events, including rugby and handball, demonstrating excellent teamwork, determination and sportsmanship. Our Year 10 girls also attended a trip to PGL Liddington, where they took part in two days of netball and team-building activities. 

The girls showcased resilience, unity and competitive spirit throughout the trip which led them to win their tournament! We are hugely proud of our Year 10 athletes.

Special Mentions
This term has also seen some outstanding individual achievements, which deserve the spotlight. Hollie Levens has been selected to join the England Golf, South West Regional Under-16 Girls Squad, securing one of only six available places - a truly phenomenal achievement. Jas Joliffe received a Head Teacher’s Commendation after being nominated for the Pride of Andover Awards in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Girl Guiding - winning a trophy, she was highly commended in the Education category. A Head Teacher’s Commendation was also rewarded to Yolanda Cobbinah and Nariyah Baffour - both demonstrated exceptional bravery and quick thinking during an incident before school, exhibiting our Harrow Way values in abundance. 

Christmas Spirit
December also brought an exciting incentive to Year 10: the chance to win a £40 Riverside Activity Zone voucher for maintaining attendance above 96% throughout the month. This fantastic opportunity was made possible thanks to the generous support of Mrs Bain and the PTA, whose continued efforts greatly enhance the experiences available to our students.

The term wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the unforgettable Scottish dancing lessons, enthusiastically led by Mr Briggs for Year 10. We are then going to finish the term with a magical reward trip to Reading’s Winter Wonderland. This well-earned afternoon of merriment promises not only plenty of festive fun but it’s also a celebration of around 90 students who have over 93% attendance and fewer than -20 behaviour points. I look forward to further reward trips next year.

For now, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! See you all in 2026, Year 10. 

Mrs Everett, Year Leader for Year 10.

You have officially had your last ever Autumn term at school - how crazy is that?! I can honestly say how incredibly proud I am of you all. You have shown maturity, determination and real character throughout a very busy few months. Both Mrs Meighan, Mr Mann and I have loved seeing you rise to every challenge thrown your way.

Looking Ahead: A Focus on the Future
We began the year with our Year 11 Information Evening, which was buzzing with post-16 careers stalls and conversations. It was a fantastic opportunity to speak with parents and students about what Year 11 will bring, top tips for success, and the huge range of opportunities that lie ahead.

Since then, we’ve welcomed colleges, sixth forms and training providers into assemblies every single week. You have been incredibly fortunate to hear from so many experts, all eager to help you shape your future. This was strengthened even further by our trip to the Andover Area Careers Fair, where the positive atmosphere and enthusiastic conversations said everything about your ambitions.

To round this off, we held our Year 11 Post-16 Applications Day—an invaluable chance for students to complete their applications with on-hand support from staff and visiting providers. The engagement and maturity shown were brilliant. All of this can seem so daunting - having to think about your future as well as your pending exams but I, personally, can’t wait to see what great things you all go on to do and know you’ll all thrive in this next chapter.

Hard Work in the Spotlight
A huge well done to our Dance and Drama students who have now completed their performance exams. The talent, hard work and dedication on display were incredible—every one of you should be proud of what you achieved.

This term also saw Year 11 tackle their core PPEs. These exams are intense, but they are crucial for preparing you for the real thing, and I could not be prouder of how you conducted yourselves. Your behaviour, focus and effort in the exam hall were outstanding. You absolutely rose to the challenge.

Alongside this, I was very proud of Nela and SJ from our Executive Prefect Team who showed immense respect and remarkable maturity at Remembrance Sunday as they represented Harrow Way. It’s an honour to witness how much they give back to our local community. Our Head Prefect, Callum Bell, had an even more exciting opportunity as he travelled all the way to France, Achiet-Le-Grand to be a part of a prestigious Remembrance ceremony - we are so extremely proud of him.

A Festive Finish
To celebrate such a productive and forward-thinking term, we’re ending the year with a well-deserved reward trip to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. Hopefully, as you’re reading this, we’re all enjoying a festive atmosphere, sipping hot chocolate, taking in the sights, and having a brilliant time together.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our fantastic tutor team. They have supported you every single morning with commitment, encouragement and guidance, and they are an invaluable resource for all of you. Please make the most of them as we head into what will be our final full term.

Have a wonderful Christmas break, rest well, and recharge - 2025 is around the corner, and the final stretch awaits us. I couldn’t wish for a better group to take over the finish line.

Mrs Woodhead, Year Leader for Year 11

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

You might have heard in the news this week that the Government plans to launch 50,000 new apprenticeships for young people; find out more about that and see whether one might suit your child, either straight after school or in the future.

Also, parents/carers might be interested in attending a virtual webinar to find out more about careers in the British Army, and the 'Days of Wrk' website tells you more about what different careers are actually like in reality.

There are several new virtual work experience placements available during February half-term (but you need to apply well before this).

Year 7 Rudolph Run
We were proud to present the Countess of Brecknock Hospice with a cheque for over £800 during our Year 7 Christmas lunch. Thank you for your amazing donations.

A Lively End to Term: Scottish Country Dancing in Lessons
The Sports Hall has been full of energy, music and laughter this week as students took part in Scottish Country Dancing during their lessons. It was a high-spirited experience from start to finish, with plenty of movement and smiles all round.

Students learned a range of traditional dances, including the Flying Scotsman, Dashing White Sergeant and Military Two Step, before finishing on a real high with an Orcadian Strip the Willow. The pace was fast, the footwork impressive, and the enthusiasm infectious!
A huge thank you also goes to the staff who attended the staff session — it was a great laugh and wonderful to see everyone getting involved and embracing something a little different.

It’s certainly a unique way to finish off the term, but one that the students have absolutely loved. A brilliant reminder that learning can be active, joyful and full of fun!

The Best Job in the World
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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