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Friday 19th January 2018

I have said many times before that one of the privileges of being Headteacher is that I get to see outstanding teaching and learning right across the curriculum each day. This week my senior team and I have undertaken learning walks with a particular focus on questioning. I have been really impressed with the engagement of students in lessons and the climate for learning. I am very fortunate to have a teaching staff that is littered with great teachers and teaching.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Year 11 Shakespeare show 'Shakespeare's Women'. Students have been rehearsing over the last few months in readiness for the performance. I was so proud of them all. Next week is the turn of the Dance Department This Year's Dance Production is based on C S Lewis's land of Narnia will have its public performances on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th January starting at 7.00 pm. The Music department also had some good news this week. We have been nominated for and are now awarded the Music Mark Award. We were recognised for the value that we place on music. Congratulations to Mr Pollard and the Music department.

Thank you from Partner West Africa
I have received a thank you letter from the Trustees of Partner West Africa for the donation we made following our fundraising during December. They have asked me to pass on their thanks to all those who made a contribution and that this will make a significant difference to the lives of the children Partner West Africa work with in Ghana.

Assemblies
As part of our school's focus on literacy, this week's assemblies focused on oracy, communication and presentation. During the assembly, students were asked to consider how effective they are as communicators and the value of a broad vocabulary. Our guest speaker was Barack Obama who demonstrated how to successfully present a talk on the importance of education.

PiXL (Partners in Excellence)
On Thursday I joined 1,900 school leaders at the PIXL Main Meeting in Central London. PiXL (Partners in Excellence) is a not-for-profit partnership of over 1,700 secondary schools, 600 sixth forms, 500 primary schools, and 75 providers of alternative education. PIXL schools work together we share best practice to raise standards and to give students a better future and brighter hope. Founded by Sir John Rowling, PiXL emerged in 2008 from the school improvement programme, the London Challenge. When government funding for the initiative ceased, the 50 member schools at that time decided voluntarily to continue with its model of collaboration around leadership and shared resources. PiXL has since grown to become the largest network of schools in England and Wales.

With a focus on Key Stages 4 each of PiXL's tailored programmes provides a wealth of classroom strategies and resources and brings school leaders and specialists together at regular conferences to share ideas and support.

At these regular meetings, workshops led by subject specialists offer up to date guidance and insight. Departmental leaders at all levels also have access to other high-quality training and development opportunities.

It's not just academic excellence that PiXL supports. This year PiXL have launched the Them and Us project to develop cultures in school and society centred around understanding, kindness and respect. Harrow Way is going to get involved in this very exciting initiative. Watch this space!

Year 11 Mocks
These will run from Friday 26th January for two weeks. This link to the timetable will help you and your child plan their revision work.

Year 10 Work Experience
A reminder that the deadline for Placement Year 10 parents is Friday 13th February. Parents have been sent an e-mail with a link to an explanatory letter giving dates and details of next Summer's Work Experience Week for Year 10 students.

Dance
The Year 11 Dance Production which this year is based on C S Lewis's land of Narnia will have its public performances on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th January starting at 7.00 pm. Ticket prices £4 and £2, advance tickets only. Available from L6 at lunch time from Monday 15th January. All of the cast have been given letters to explain the purchasing process.

Author Visit
The author and Patron of Reading Joffre White visited the school on Tuesday and entertained Year 7 and 8 with an amusing yet important presentation about the power of words, chasing dreams and the value of reading. In the afternoon he worked with 21 students on a creative writing task and has offered to publish the best one/s on his Writing Ambassadors website. If your child attended this session and would like to submit their work they should contact Ms Burningham in the Learning Resource Centre. I actively encourage them all to take advantage of this opportunity.

Joffre can provide signed copies of his Earthland novel for £8.00 payable by cash or cheque to Harrow Way School. This should be organised through Ms Burningham.

These visits for 2017/18 have currently been agreed by the Headteacher. Others will be added throughout the year. There is no guarantee that they will all go ahead as this depends on student uptake. Further details on each visit will be given out to the year group/classes involved by the member of staff organising the visit.

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