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Friday 2nd November 2018

I trust you've all had a pleasant half term with your children. I do like the dry but chilly autumn mornings we've been enjoying this week. We were delighted to find out that early indications are that we will be significantly oversubscribed again next September and I would like to acknowledge the trust that the families of Andover are placing in us. This is great news for Harrow Way.

I am delighted to announce that Mrs Pearce, Deputy Headteacher has been appointed Headteacher of the Vyne School in Basingstoke. Mrs Pearce will start her new role in January. Over the last 5 years her undoubted commitment and expertise has been a significant factor in Harrow Way's success and I could not ask for a more dedicated and committed Deputy Headteacher and colleague. ​I am sure you will join me in wishing her all the very best her new role. We will continue to work closely together now as Headteacher Colleagues.

'Buy the little extras they need'
Many of you will have seen the budget announcements this week. While, with my Headteacher colleagues we welcome any increased investment in schools, the £400m 'bonus' announced today hardly scratches the surface of what is needed. The Chancellor's comment that this money will help schools to 'buy the little extras they need' shows a complete misunderstanding of the prevailing funding pressures in many schools. Many schools don't have enough money to provide a full curriculum or individual support to students, let alone provide 'little extras'. What they desperately need is improved core funding. It is a sign of the government's priorities that it is spending more on fixing potholes than on fixing the school funding crisis. Sorry for the rant, I needed to get that off my chest!

Year 11 Mock Exam Time
Year 11 are rapidly approaching their mock exam time. You can link to all the Mock Exams being taken this term here. This is on the Year 11 Parent page on the website. A challenging few months ahead for them where they begin to experience 'terminal' exam pressure for the first time as a reality.

At this time of year with Year 11's we are continuing to teach knowledge and subject specific information, develop key skills and beginning to comprehensively prepare them for the routine of 'terminal' exams. We are working towards taking away or at least more realistically reducing the stress, anxiety or indeed fear that is associated with written exams for some individuals. We are striving to help them to completely understand the exam papers – the terminology; the mark allocations; the requirements from the exam board; the tips for time management, how to get the information stored in their brains logically out onto paper…We are working hard to get them in to such a routine of exams that their actual 'real' final exams form the 'icing on the cake' at the end of their comprehensive preparation and that they have the confidence and resilience to perform at their best within them.

As a school we continue to increase the sharpness of our focus on attainment and progress. We need to constantly review our curriculum, the qualifications we offer, the time we allocate to each qualification, the quality of teaching and learning, the requirements from exam boards with new specifications and the individual and group progress data to ensure we are preparing all our pupils in the best way possible to maximise their progress and attainment.

WW1 Battlefields Visit
The two students that were given the opportunity to visit the World War 1 Battlefields will be supporting Remembrance assemblies next week to talk about their experiences.

They Shall Not Grow Old
All schools have been given a copy of this remarkable film, directed by Peter Jackson. We are offering Year 9, 10, and 11 students the opportunity to watch it in its entirety next Thursday starting at 3.15 pm. The film is 100 minutes long. Any students under the age of 15 will need written permission from a parent (a note in the student diary will suffice).

Uniform
I continue to receive many favourable comments about the smart appearance of our students throughout the school. It might be worth reminding parents, particularly at this time of year when students need to wear additional clothing, that they are not allowed to wear hoodies or hoodie type garments.

We of course have a school jumper – this can be ordered online from the School (while stocks last) and also at Stitch a Logo. For information, the full school uniform list is available on our website as well as on relevant school literature. Please remember that students are required to wear full school uniform on the way to and from school as well as throughout the day.

Anti-Bullying Assemblies
Assemblies this week focussed on Anti-Bullying Week and the theme of Choose Respect. Mrs Carter shared the results of the student survey and ask students to consider how we can involve parents in our work around Anti- Bullying. Students watched the following video which is from the view-point of a bully.

Year 10 Work Experience
Year 10 parents have already received an e-mail reminder that the Launch Meeting for Year Work Experience is being held on Tuesday 6th November in the School Auditorium from 6.30 - 7.15 pm. We look forward to welcoming as many parents as possible.

Sporting Fixtures
Our Year 7 boys football team scored an impressive victory over Rookwood this week, going into double figures, winning 11-1. Four goals were scored by Ashton Durrans - well done to you and all the team! The Year 9 team fought a close game, but unfortunately edged out losers at 4-5.

The Year 9 and 10 Netball teams were also winners in their matches against Test Valley; the scores were 9-5 and 17-5 respectively.

House Competitions

The House 5 a side Football competition has started this week, with some exciting action. So far: Year 7 Hawks 2 - Buzzards 0 and Year 8 Hawks 3 - Buzzards 3. Next Monday is Year 7's Kestrel V Buzzards.

The annual Bake-Off competition is also gearing up. The date for the Showstopper round is Friday 23rd November. It's always a pleasure to judge this event!

Local Group in Aviva Vote Need Our Support!
Andover Trees are hoping to be successful in being awarded a grant from the Aviva vote which would guarantee that they can install the renewable energy system needed to power The Cabin. The Cabin is a resource available for our students and community at Harmony Woods.

Your support would not just buy the equipment and skilled labour required to provide power to The Cabin, or just make the wood into the woodland teaching and community space we have worked for 7 years to create, it would give Andover Trees tireless volunteers the acknowledgement they deserve for their commitment to the Trees United vision.

Many of our students currently or previously have been involved in the work at Harmony Woods, please take a moment to vote (please feel free to use all 10 votes) for Andover Trees. View more information on the project and vote here.

Speakers at National Tree Conference
We are very proud of our students Megan Nikolic and Nicola Marshall both in year 8 who spoke at The National Tree conference and were amazing. Please visit this website to read the article detailing their achievements.

When paying online for visits, many now have an opportunity for parents to give consent as well as payment. If you have given your consent and paid on-line, there is no need for you to return the slip to school.

These visits for 2018/19 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.

Harrow Way Community School (All Parents) Mailing List

Please contact the Admin Office, including your e-mail address and child's name (if applicable) to update your contact details or unsubscribe. Contact the school here.