|
|
Annwyl pawb
We have now reached the end of a short but intensely busy term for everyone, and I am sure everyone is looking forward to the Easter break after putting in excellent effort over the past weeks. Students with public examinations coming up in the summer term will no doubt have a thorough revision schedule, but this should be balanced with getting enough rest and downtime so that they feel revitalised and recuperated for the endeavours that are to come.
The traffic chaos in Monmouth continues to beset us all, with the landslip restrictions (now apparently ‘upgraded’ to a rockfall) adding to the difficulties caused by Welsh Water major works and other roadworks. Our petitioning of relevant authorities to help all of us by making adjustments to works seems to have been ignored so far, but we will continue to try. I am particularly concerned about the impact on students when we get to the examination season, when they will be more heightened and anxious about arriving at school in good time for the start of examinations in the morning sessions. Thank you to the numerous people who are also raising these concerns throughout the community.
I wish you all a very happy Easter - Pasg hapus!
Cofion cynnes,
Hugo Hutchison
Prifathro/Headteacher
|
|
Reception arrangements: meeting your child at the end of the day
|
|
A reminder to all parents and carers that if you are picking up your child at the end of the day, you are requested to wait outside the school building. This is required in order to maintain our safeguarding processes.
Parents and carers should only come into the building if they have an appointment booked with a member of staff or if they need to communicate with reception staff. In these instances, please sign in immediately at reception on entering.
Many thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
|
|
|
The school officially opens at 7.45am and we kindly ask that students do not arrive before this time. Upon arrival, to ensure that they have suitable supervision, students should remain on the ground floor using the Atrium, Dining Hall and Learning Resource Centre. At 8.30 they are able to move to their Form rooms in good time for a prompt start to their school day.
At the end of the school day, many students attend after-school clubs or may wish to continue to work in School. This is to be encouraged but only if they are supervised at all times by their teachers. We encourage all students to leave the building by 5pm, at the latest. Any students that need to wait in School for a later collection by parents must do so on the ground floor in the Main Atrium area.
We appreciate your support in ensuring that students do not arrive at school early and then make a prompt exit at the end of the day.
|
|
|
Congratulations to William McDonald (8AR) who was awarded the Under 12, Wales Mounted Games Association Rider of the Year Award for 2023.
William has made a winning start to the season with both his ponies, despite moving up an age category to Under 15s.
|
|
Congratulations to Y11 student Nia Rose for her amazing achievements at Crufts recently.
She and her labrador Farlie won the age 12-17 Pairs Agility, came 4th in Jumping Cup, and 6th in the Agility Dog of the Year semi-final.
Nia also competed with Topic, a duck tolling retriever, who came 5th in Pairs and won the Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year Semifinal, earning them a place in the final which took place in the Main Arena.
|
|
 Following a successful County season 2023/2024, Ava Powell received Player of the Year for the South East Wales County A Squad.
In the words of her coach, "Ava has played outstanding netball this season and can play both ends of the courts. She has been amazing and this is very well deserved."
Well done, Ava.
|
|
Florence Hill - MGT winner
|
|
You will have read, in one of our recent newsletters, about our clean sweep at this year's Monmouth's Got Talent competition. Phoebe Hodgson, a member of our Student Leadership Team, caught up with winner Florence Hill.
How did you feel about your MGT win?
I felt extremely proud and happy when I won MGT! For me, performing is my passion and what I want to pursue in life. When I won, I felt like I had been noticed for my voice and musicianship, within the local community.
What was your favourite thing about performing at MGT?
My favourite thing about performing at MGT was getting to meet lots of new people who enjoy performing music from around the local schools and the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience. Through this, I have gained even more confidence in performing as myself through the process.
What other things are you involved with at school or outside of school linked to music and singing?
Recently, in school, I took part in the upper school show Les Miserables and got the chance to take on the dream role of Eponine! I thoroughly enjoyed the show experience and all my fellow cast members I made friends with along the way. In my free time I enjoy playing my guitar and the piano as accompaniment to my singing and tackling new cover songs and writing my own songs also.
What are your plans for the future with music/singing/ performing?
I am a passionate lover of music, singing and songwriting. I have been offered a place at BIMM university, unconditionally, to do a degree level course in songwriting. I hope to become a singer- songwriter and share my own music with the world.
|
|
|
|
MCSFA Curry and Quiz night
|
|
MCS Friends Curry & Quiz night - Friday 26th April
More details to follow for this fun-filled - and competitive - evening.
|
|
Schools Snow Sports Events
|
|
Rufus Hiscox (Y8) will be racing in the Pontypool Regional Race on Saturday 27th April. He is currently the only child from Monmouth Comprehensive School racing but if there are any keen skiers or ski racers who would like to enter, MCS could potentially put together a team.
Snowsports Wales runs yearly regional school races. Please find all information for students and parents here:
Schools Snow Sport Events | Snowsport Cymru Wales (snowsportwales.com)
Torfaen Leisure Club is running ‘getting ready to race’ sessions on Saturday afternoons at Pontypool Ski Slope. We’ve been asked to share this information with our students to encourage any children interested in having a go: https://torfaenleisuretrust.co.uk/portfolio/snowsport-torfaen/
For anyone looking for regular competitive ski race training, the well established https://www.pontypoolskiracing.co.uk/ train throughout the year.
|
|
|
Just a reminder that the closing date to order a Yearbook is Thursday 18th April.
This will ensure the order is placed for your child. Please note that once the deadline is reached and the Yearbooks ordered, we cannot increase the number so it is vital you discuss with your child if they want a copy and then place your order. It can be very disappointing when a student is told, on the day they are handed out, that there is not a book for them, especially when they are convinced one has been ordered!
The yearbook costs £21 and is available to purchase through Parentpay. If it is not listed as an item, it means you will have already purchased it.
|
|
Welcome Support from Local Company
|
|
 Thank you to Janet Jefferies, Branch Manager, and Shaun from Robert Price Builders Merchants Ltd Abergavenny, for delivering the generous donation of building materials and equipment to MCS, for Mr Nicolaides and the GCSE Built Environment students.
Once again, support from a leading company like Robert Price is greatly appreciated by MCS, and invaluable for forging links for students with industry. Each year, many of the students move onto college and apprenticeships in the Built Environment, becoming our future professionals.
Y10 Built Environment students are shown below taking delivery of the materials and equipment.
|
|
|
On Monday,18th March, Hattie Ryder & Rufus Hawthornthwaite, members of Gwent Wildlife’s Stand For Nature Wales group, along with other members of the group, and protesters supporting the Gwent Wildlife Trust petition to Welsh Government met on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff.
Gwent Wildlife Trust is asking Welsh Government to look at stopping destructive development on the Gwent Levels, which is a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), designated for the rare species and habitats in that area.
Hattie and Rufus spoke to Welsh Ministers, led chants on the steps of the Senedd and went in to observe the discussion in the Petitions Committee about Gwent Wildlife’s petition.
They were a credit to both Gwent Wildlife Trust and Monmouth Comprehensive School.
If you are interested in finding out more, Hattie & Rufus will be at Gwent Wildlife’s stand at the Schools Earth Day on the Thursday after the Easter holidays (11th April).
|
|
|
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the bake sale last Friday, either as a cake supplier or purchaser - we raised a wonderful £270.55!
|
|
|
 We were delighted, once again, to spend the day at the Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden in the company of our wonderful Year 11 GCSE Religious Studies students. They study Hinduism as one of their core faiths and the opportunity to visit the centre of a thriving London Hindu community gave students a valuable opportunity to engage with devotees in an authentic way.
The mandir, or Hindu temple, is a structure which inspires awe and wonder in its visitors both from within and outside. The marble mandir is the largest Swaminarayan Mandir outside of India. Our students viewed a video of its construction; learning that the marble blocks themselves were transported from Bulgaria and Italy to the craftsmen in India as 28,000 blocks. 1,400 craftsmen painstakingly carved the segments and these handcrafted sculptures and columns were then shipped to London, where thousand of volunteers constructed the giant jigsaw to create the temple we see today.
We were able to freely visit the marble mandir, viewing Hindus engaged in personal puja (worship); and giving our students pause to identify some of the many gods and goddesses they have studied over their RS courses. Our guide generously led us in a varied Q & A session, with our GCSE learners asking questions about caste, ahimsa and karma with confidence and respect, developing their understanding of a lived faith. Our visit to the mandir ended with our group taking part in a congregational puja known as arti – a form of worship led by the priest, using a 5-wicked lamp and a bell to offer devotion and light to the murtis or forms of God. A quick visit to the gift shop swelled the coffers of the mandir I’m sure, with our students purchasing gifts such as diva lamps, incense sticks, henna paste, murtis, jewellery etc.
 Despite our teenagers taking full advantage of our comfort stops on our journeys, to take sustenance with their Burger Kings and KFCs, they still enjoyed the rare opportunity to have lunch at an authentic Indian sattvic restaurant at Neasden, the Shayona Restaurant. All food was vegetarian and our students enjoyed an all-you-can-eat Thali buffet, including a variety of traditional dishes such as dhal, chana masala, Bombay potatoes, and paneer curry. They were surprised to learn that Hindu curries do not contain any garlic or onion, since these pollute the breath – the same breath used to utter mantras to God.
Our students were delightful and a pleasure to spend the day with. We look forward to visiting again next year with our current Year 10s.
Mrs Perry-Phillips, Miss Rees, Ms Kelly, Mr Phillips
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Website: www.monmouthcomprehensive.org.uk | Twitter: @LearnWithMCS
|
|
