History of Harlands

1964 - Harlands Primary School opens its doors to its first pupils on 8th September
1965 – Harlands officially opens - 10th February. Parent-Teacher Association and annual school fair established in June.
1968 - Awarded 'Best Junior School Garden' in East Sussex. First residential visit - five days in Battle. Swimming pool built.
1971 - Harlands selected as the foremost school in the Country for out-of-school activities.
1974 - School’s 10th Birthday celebrations. Mr Peter Eastland retires as headmaster as is replaced by Mr Bill Rimington
1977 - Queen's Silver Jubilee, May – Harlands hold a Pageant with displays of gymnastics, country and Maypole dancing
1979 - First video recorder bought
1984 - Mr Bill Rimington retires and is succeeded by Mr John Hilton. The Log Book records that there were three computers in the School.
1987 - Hurricane damages school with the roof suffering 70% damage. 15th October
1988 - PTA renamed to 'Friends of Harlands'
1990 - Harlands' Silver Jubilee celebrations
1996 - An orchestra was founded in the School and the Grounds Project was launched.
1997 - Mr John Hilton retires and is replaced by Mrs Helen Thorne.
1999 - County Council closes all school kitchens.
2000 - The School Council was established
2001 - Millennium Garden officially opened. The school wins an 'Eco-Schools Award' and is presented with the European Eco-School Green Flag.
2002 - Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrated with a Garden Party. Mrs Diana Ross, who had taught in Harlands for 25 years, retires.
2004 - Harlands celebrates its 40th birthday.
2006 - Mr Glyn Turner retires after more year's at Harlands than anyone can remember - but soon returns to take PE for year 5 on Wednesday afternoons!
2007 - At last, all classes are in one building, and  the "temporary" huts have been demolished.  The "new building" was officially opened by Mrs Margaret Johnson, Chair of WSCC, on Tuesday 20 November 2007.
2008 - Spring, and the area where the huts used to be is gradually turning green.  The school regains its ECO Schools Award.  Mrs Helen Thorne retires at the end of the year and is replaced by Mrs Jane Goodlace
2009 - For the first time in Harland's history, the school has to close unexpectedly on the last day of the Autumn term because of snow!  The school has to close again in early January for three days because of more bad weather.
2010 - Mrs Jennie Adams joins the school as its new Deputy Head in April.  The Infant children have a big surprise when they return in September as a massive climbing frame has been installed in their playground.   And everyone gets caught out in early December when the school has to close for another three days because of snow.
2011 - The school becomes very ECO friendly as letters to parents are now sent home via ParentMail.  Later in the year, donations for school events also start to be made electronically.