It has been lovely to welcome everyone back to school this week following a much-needed half-term break. I hope that students enjoyed the additional time at home, particularly with the benefit of our three INSET days. The second half of the autumn term is always a long one, made that little bit more challenging by the clocks changing and the arrival of shorter, colder and often rather damp days. Thankfully, our new covered outdoor area is almost ready and its arrival could not be better timed! It will provide a welcome seating area for students at break and lunchtime, as well as some much-needed shelter when the weather is less kind.
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On Wednesday, we hosted our inaugural Fireworks Event, made possible by our fantastic PTFA. This was a significant undertaking, and I cannot overstate the time, organisation and effort required to make the evening such a success. We were thrilled to welcome so many families and members of our local community, creating exactly the sort of event I had hoped we could establish. The atmosphere was wonderful, with live music from a fantastic local band, while our Year 11 students organised activities in the Sports Hall to help raise funds for their prom. As the well-known supermarket slogan reminds us, every little helps! Personally, I thought the firework display was quite spectacular. The range, colour and scale of the fireworks made it one of the best displays I have seen in years.
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What has stayed with me most however is the generosity of the people who made the evening possible. Our PTFA, supported by so many of our staff, gave up their time to create a special event for our community. I was very happy to do my bit in the BBQ tent, although I quickly discovered that my talents perhaps lie elsewhere! Managing the catering orders proved a little beyond me, despite the endless patience and good humour of the customers. My particular apologies go to the Year 8 student who ordered a hotdog and received an empty bun. Fortunately, he took it in good spirits! I won’t be giving up the day job. Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously: I am enormously grateful.
It has also been a week of considerable success for Harrow Way. Over half term, the Department for Education published provisional GCSE outcomes for schools across England for 2026. As I have shared previously, we were absolutely delighted with our strongest GCSE outcomes ever this summer. However, it was particularly exciting to see that, for the first time, our Attainment 8 score was above the national average. This places us among the most improved schools in Hampshire for outcomes. Most importantly, our students achieved the highest overall attainment, in other words the best outcomes, of any secondary school in Andover. I could not be prouder.
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These outcomes are no accident. They reflect the sustained work of our staff over the last few years to continually refine and strengthen our teaching, raise aspirations and ensure that students develop the secure foundational knowledge they need throughout Key Stage 3 to flourish at Key Stage 4.
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It is incredibly rewarding to see this investment in our curriculum, our teaching and, above all, our young people translating into such positive outcomes. A huge thank you to everyone who has played their part.
Our attention now turns to our current Year 11 students, who begin their first set of mock examinations next week. Preparations have been well underway, with French and Spanish speaking examinations taking place since Tuesday. I have been really impressed by the commitment and positive attitude students have shown so far. They have an important week ahead, and I hope they approach their examinations with confidence, determination and the resilience that will serve them so well. From what I have seen, this is a year group with every opportunity to shine.
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I wish you all a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Dawn German
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| w/c 9th November 2026 |
Yr 11 Core PPE’s |
| Wednesday 11th November 2026 |
Year 10 STEAM Event - Andover College |
| Monday 16th November 2026 |
Year 9/10 - Kew Gardens Art Trip |
| Thursday 19th November 2026 |
KS4 Presentation Evening |
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Assembly this week - Remembrance Day
This week's assemblies have been on the theme of Remembrance, with students considering how service has changed over time. This was linked to one of the schools core characteristics, resilience and how people who served in different conflicts showed their resilience in different ways. This ranged from enduring conditions in the trenches of the western front, to coping with bombing raids in blitz ridden London to experiencing catastrophic injury in Afghanistan. Students were encouraged to take part in the upcoming festivals of remembrance this weekend and were asked to reflect on the sacrifice of those who fought and died for this country. Mrs Swanton.
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Flu Vaccinations
The NHS immunisation service will be in school on Tuesday 24th November to give students their annual flu vaccination and would like your consent to vaccinate your child.
It's important to inform if you do or do not consent to your child having the vaccination. Please respond using the link below, it should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete:
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You need to respond by 9am Friday 20th November. Please enter the year group that your child is currently in. If you cannot use the online form, you can call: 02382 318318 or email: hiowh.nwimms@nhs.net
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CELEBRATING OUR YEAR 7 STUDENTS
On Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of attending Portway primary school's Awards Evening, where I was delighted to present a number of prizes.
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It was wonderful to see some of our current Year 7 students, who were recognised for their hard work, dedication, contributions to their community and achievements across the arts, sport and academic subjects. I was absolutely bursting with pride to see them looking so smart in their Harrow Way uniform and representing our school so brilliantly. They were wonderful ambassadors for Harrow Way, and their achievements are a real credit to them, their families and their former primary school. It was also a lovely opportunity to see the foundations being laid for what I am sure will be a very successful and rewarding journey with us over the next five years.
Wonderful Donations
Parents may have noticed on Wednesday evening that our contractors have now completed the external works for our Resourced Provision, and the Heras fencing in front of the Sports Hall has finally been removed! Alongside creating a quiet outdoor space for students to the side of the RP, we have introduced three raised beds, planted with attractive shrubs and trees, to soften and enhance what was previously a rather bare area between the English Block and the Sports Hall. We will also be adding benches around the beds to create a welcoming space for students to enjoy.
We have also been incredibly fortunate to receive two generous donations this week. Le Creuset has made a substantial contribution towards equipping our Life Skills room, providing equipment such as beautiful plates, mugs, casserole dishes and frying pans. Meanwhile, Hillier Gardens has generously donated a range of horticultural supplies to help us feed and maintain our new garden spaces.
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We are very grateful to both organisations. Their generosity will make a tangible difference to our young people, helping us to create welcoming, practical and inspiring spaces in which they can learn, develop and thrive.
Celebrating Sporting Success – Hollie’s Golfing Triumph!
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding golfing success of Hollie Levens in Year 11, who was crowned Hampshire Schools Golf Association Girls Champion at the championship held at Hockley Golf Club, near Winchester, on 19th October.
Hollie secured 1st place in the Girls’ Gross competition, achieving the lowest overall score, and an impressive 3rd place in the Girls’ Nett competition, which takes handicap into account. A fantastic double achievement!
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Hollie is a wonderful ambassador for our school values of Aspiration and Resilience. Success of this calibre takes considerable dedication, commitment and perseverance, and we are incredibly proud to see her hard work rewarded.
A special thank you also goes to Mr Briggs, our Head of PE for supporting her golfing journey. We look forward to following her continued success and have no doubt that she has a very exciting future ahead of her.
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Year 8 Students STEM Experience- The Royal Signals Museum
On Wednesday 21st October, 50 Year 8 pupils visited The Royal Signals Museum at Blandford Army Camp for an exciting day exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Hosted by veterans of the Royal Corps of Signals, pupils took part in a range of hands-on workshops. They programmed robots, explored coding, tried traditional Morse code and telegraphy, and tackled codebreaking challenges using techniques linked to the famous Enigma machine.
Students also had time to explore the museum's collections and discover how military communications technology has developed over the years. The pupils were a credit to Harrow Way, demonstrating excellent behaviour, enthusiasm and curiosity throughout the visit. A fantastic day that inspired students to explore the world of technology and communications!
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Year 11 - Prom Passport Letter
Please click HERE to read a letter from Mrs Everett, Head of Year 11.
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A Reminder About Coats
With the colder, wetter weather, please ensure your child brings a suitable coat to school every day. Students will need their coats for outdoor activities and when travelling between lessons. Students who get soaked in the rain and do not have a coat will not be routinely sent home to change, so please make sure they come to school prepared for the weather.
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Hampshire SEND Youth Forum
Survey for young people with SEND
The Hampshire SEND Youth Forum has created a survey for young people aged 14-25 living in Hampshire. They want to hear about the things that matter most to young people with SEND, including their experiences, priorities and ideas for the future. The survey has been created by young people, for young people. Please take a few minutes to share your views by using this link: SEND Forum Survey
Your feedback will help ensure young people's voices are heard and can help shape future improvements across Hampshire.
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Food Habits Survey for Parents & Carers
Hampshire County Council, in partnership with the Hampshire Food Alliance, are looking for people to complete their survey on food and cooking habits. The results of this survey will be used to inform their work around access to food and sustainability. It should take about 10 minutes to complete and will close on Monday the 30th November at 11:59pm.
Link to complete the survey.
Smart Living is Hampshire County Council's waste prevention initiative, engaging and enabling residents in ways to save money while helping the environment. They provide information and tools which are freely available to residents to help manage their food in the home. To find out more, please follow this link.
School Transport Consultation for Parents/Carers
Hampshire County Council has launched two consultations on its current School Transport Policy and its Post-16 Transport Policy for 2027-28. The consultations run until Thursday 10 December 2026 and invite feedback on a number of proposed updates designed to make the policies clearer, more transparent and easier to understand. The proposals do not include changes to the services themselves or to the existing eligibility criteria.
Visit the below webpages for more information about each consultation and details of how to submit your feedback:
School Transport Policy consultation
Post-16 Transport Policy consultation
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Trips and Educational Visits
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Educational Trips and Visits – Weekly Update
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Kew Gardens – Monday 16 November 2026
All places have now been allocated for this trip.
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Ski Trip – February 2028
All places have now been allocated. Payment schedules will be sent to parents and carers this week.
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Dance Live 2027 – Payment Reminder
Payment is now live on Scopay. Only a small number of parents and carers have paid so far. Please log in and make payment to secure your child’s place.
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Harold Hillier Christmas Light Trail – Thursday 10 December 2026
There are just 5 places remaining on this Year 9 trip. Please pay via Scopay to secure your child’s place. |
Super League Basketball at The O2 – Sunday 16 May 2027
There are 9 places remaining. Please pay via Scopay to secure your child’s place. |
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Zanzibar Trip - July 2027
If anyone would like to contribute to the GoFundMe page we have set up to help us raise money to take important items out there to help our partner school get some essential supplies, please click on this LINK, every penny is appreciated!
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Ways Forward - our weekly newsletter for Careers, Apprenticeship, College, Work and Work Experience.
In this week's edition: find out more about degree/higher apprenticeships, careers in engineering and as a train conductor, green careers and medicine/dentistry.
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Opportunities for Year 11 Students
For Year 11s that are passionate about football and looking for an alternative post-16 pathway Andover Academy is a new football and education programme launching in September 2027, offering students aged 16+ the opportunity to combine their love of football with further education - see inside for details.
Opportunities for Year 10 Students
Archaeology and Council Work Experience Placements Available
This week we're highlighting two work experience opportunities for Year 10 students with Cotswold Archaeology and Test Valley Borough Council ... hurry - these opportunities will be popular!
Free STEM day (Wednesday 18th November)
The Army Flying Museum has invited Harrow Way to bring a group of Year 10 students to attend a free STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) Careers Day at the museum on Wednesday 18th November. Lots of companies will be attending the event and there will be activities for students. We will be at the museum for the entire school day.
Year 10 students have been emailed to complete a form if they are interested in attending.
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LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE UPDATE
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Next week, we will be launching two new reading promotions to encourage reading engagement. 13 before turning 13 and 16 before turning 16. The latter will be available to years 9, 10 and 11 only. Students have helped pick the total of 29 titles and these loans will be incentivised with either 13 or 16 house points as applicable and extra stamps when they have been read and a short review has been uploaded to Reading Cloud. There is no need to read them all.
The School Library Service at Hampshire County Council are encouraging years 9,10 and 11 to be Teen Book Reviewers. Readers can review any style and format of reading including Graphic Novels and Manga and the items do not have to be from the school Library. More information on the posters in the English department or from the Library.
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Year 9 Football - John Hanson 1-2 Harrow WayOn the last day of the half term, our Year 9’s travelled across town to John Hanson, on what was a cold and blustery afternoon. The boys arrived with mixed levels of confidence and enthusiasm, after what has been a difficult time for them as a team in terms of results. However, once the game began, Harrow Way sprung into life, and went punch for punch with their opposition. The football on show was great to watch, and they were rewarded just before half time, when Zach Watt converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-0 to the visitors. The boys went into the break with the lead, but it was now a time for cool heads and a chance to reset and go again.
Straight after the break, another loose tackle in the box from a John Hanson defender led to a second penalty for the visitors, and once again, Zach Watt slotted it home to double the lead. The boys continued to press on and dominate the ball, and had chances to add to their lead, but the John Hanson keeper kept them in the game. With about ten minutes to go, a third penalty was awarded, but this time it went to the hosts, who halved the deficit and made it a nervy last ten minutes for the boys. However, they kept calm and continued to play their football, and were able to see out the result and get their first ever win as a team. It has been a tough couple of years for these boys, but now under new management, they are absolutely thriving, and will be looking to build on this win going forwards. So proud of the lads, the first of many I hope!
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Year 10 Football
Testbourne 0-4 Harrow Way
Our Year 10 football team started their league season this week, with an away trip to Testbourne. The boys started the game well, producing some nice football, but struggled in the final third to make the impact.
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This was until midway through the first half, when Arthur Faye was awarded a penalty for Harrow Way, by taking a boot to the face. Arthur stepped up for the penalty, and managed to squeeze it in past the keeper to make it 1-0. The score remained until the half way break, with both sides still well in the game.
After the break, Harrow Way turned it up a notch, and really put some pressure on the Testbourne defence. The lead was soon doubled, when Ollie Dawe struck a free kick, which was palmed out by the Testbourne keeper into the path of Lucas Selvey who tucked the ball home. It soon became 3-0, when Arthur Faye went on a solo run down the left hand side, taking on a couple of defenders and putting the ball into the box. His cross found the shin of a Testbourne defender, and it deflected into the far corner to put the game beyond doubt. The final strike of the game came from Romayne King, who hit a volley from the edge of the box into the top corner to round off a dominant display from Harrow Way. Three points on the board, and looking to go again in the next one.
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Year 10 Netball
On Wednesday our Year 10 team played a challenging netball match against John Hanson B and unfortunately came away with a 26–11 defeat. Despite the result, everyone showed great effort, determination and teamwork throughout the game.
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There were some excellent moments of play, with some strong passing, good movement around the court and some great defensive work. The team continued to encourage one another and never gave up, even when the opposition began to pull ahead.
Although the score wasn't what we had hoped for, there were plenty of positives to take away from the match. We will learn from this experience, keep working hard in training and come back stronger for our next game. Well done to everyone who played!
Opposition Player of the Match - Ruby C. Coach Player of the Match - Ivy.
Year 7 Rugby Enjoy First Taste of Harrow Way Rugby
Thursday saw our Year 7 rugby team take to the field for their first fixture proudly wearing the Harrow Way badge, as we hosted John Hanson and Testbourne in an exciting triangular rugby festival.
Our opening match against John Hanson was a closely fought contest. With a mixture of experienced club players and pupils making their rugby debuts, it was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to put their training into practice, learn the laws of the game and showcase their developing skills. The boys showed real promise and battled hard throughout, narrowly losing 2–1.
After a quick coaching session focusing on the offside laws, Testbourne took on John Hanson, securing a 2–1 victory.
The final fixture saw Harrow Way face Testbourne in a thrilling encounter. The boys demonstrated great improvement in their understanding of the game, showing better awareness and reducing the number of offside infringements. In a dramatic finish, Testbourne scored a last-minute try to bring the match to a 2–2 draw.
It was an excellent evening of rugby, full of enthusiasm, determination and plenty of progress. It was fantastic to see so many of our Year 7 boys representing Harrow Way, particularly those experiencing competitive rugby for the first time.
Well done to all involved – a brilliant start to your Harrow Way rugby journey!
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Changes in Family Circumstances
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We understand that family circumstances can change and that even temporary changes at home can sometimes have an impact on a young person. If there is a significant change in your family circumstances — for example, a parent having an operation, illness, bereavement, separation or another change at home — please consider letting your child’s tutor know. You do not need to share more information than you are comfortable with, but making us aware allows staff to discreetly check in with your child, offer additional support where needed and better understand any changes we may notice in their behaviour, emotions or engagement at school.
Keeping Us Updated
If you are going away and your child will be staying at home or being cared for by another family member or trusted adult, please let the school know. We ask that you provide the name and contact details of the adult responsible for your child while you are away. This ensures that, should an emergency arise, we have the correct information and can quickly contact the appropriate person. Thank you for helping us keep our records up to date and our students safe.
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Important Reminder: Reporting Absences and School Attendance
We understand that children can become unwell and that genuine illness may occasionally prevent them from attending school. We ask parents and carers to ensure that all absences are reported accurately and in line with the school's absence reporting procedures.
Please be aware that the school may make further enquiries where there are concerns about the reason given for an absence.
If we have reasonable grounds to doubt that an absence is due to genuine illness, or information comes to light suggesting that a child may be taking an unauthorised holiday or spending time away from school, we may request further information or supporting evidence.
Where the school is not satisfied that an absence is due to an unavoidable or authorised reason, the absence may be recorded as unauthorised.
Unauthorised absences can result in a referral for a Penalty Notice. Under the national attendance regulations, 10 unauthorised sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10-school-week period may meet the threshold for a Penalty Notice to be considered.
We would like to remind all parents and carers that regular school attendance is essential to children's education, progress and wellbeing.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child attends school regularly and punctually.
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External Clubs and Events
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For local community events and information, please click the button below:
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SCHOOL OF ROCK – THE MUSICAL
AMTC Starlights Youth Theatre is bringing School of Rock to Harrow Way School from 23–25 October 2026!
Featuring a talented local young cast, a brilliant live show and all the energy, humour and fantastic music of School of Rock, it promises to be a great night out for the whole family.
Tickets are just £12 plus booking fee.
You can book tickets here : https://www.andovermusicaltheatre.co.uk/school-of-rock.html
(4 shows in total, including 2 matinees)
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Copyright © 2026, Harrow Way Community School, All rights reserved.
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Harrow Way Community School,
Harrow Way,
Andover,
Hampshire.
SP10 3RH
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