Dear Parents
Mr Serridge, the Headteacher of Harrow Way Community School, has started a new blog which will be published fortnightly, time permitting of course. You can also follow Harrow Way on twitter @harrowway
The summer term has been an enormously busy time for the school. We have had a wide range of activities taking place this term, including the excellent County Cup Football Final, in which our Year 7 boys were runners up, 26 of our athletes getting into the District Athletics Team, success in our junior Maths Challenge, achieving 8 Silver and 16 Bronze, the Year 8 trip to the Hawk Conservancy, Year 8 Calshot trip and a Year 7 History trip as well as a year 9/10 Catering trip to the Taste Festival in London. There were also Gifted and Talented trips for our able mathematicians. I’m sure parents will keep up to date with all the events/ school trips on the school website.
Since Easter we have entered into a lengthy consultation process with all stakeholders to determine what our priorities for the next academic year should be. Responses have come from the school council, all staff, Governors, the Parent Focus Group as well as 160 parents who completed the online survey. I would like to thank all those who contributed. We are currently looking at how we can turn these priorities into a School Improvement Plan for the next academic year. This will build on the work we have undertaken in 2012/13.
Last week we have said goodbye to the Year 11 students, apart from attending for their exams and revision/preparation lessons. I can’t believe that two and a half terms have gone by already since I took up post in September. We are looking forward to the Prom on Friday evening.
Our Year 11 students have been a credit to their families and the school. I have come to know some of them over the year. They have helped out at events, looked after visitors, done a duty at break and lunchtime and generally been good role models for our younger students. From a very competitive field we have appointed Abby Pearson and Mark Todd to the posts of Head Girl and Head Boy respectively with Elle Campbell and Ben Cox as their deputies.
It is always a privilege for me to be able to make these decisions. I know how much the students, parents and staff value these positions in the school. It is a tough job representing the student body at this level and working with me, the Headteacher, to promote the school and represent all our students to the visitors we welcome.
Mr Goatley is undertaken a review of the house system. We now have in post 3 HOH (Heads of House) who will drive forward the next phase of the house system. Names of houses were voted by the students and we have Birds of prey (Hawks, Kesterals and Buzzards) The first house assemblies took place in June. Future involvement with the Hawk Conservancy is planned. These are the new logos…
All in all a very busy term so far but a hugely exciting and beneficial one.
M J Serridge, Headteacher