News from MCS

The bloom of spring really has arrived now, and I hope you are getting a moment to enjoy the sunny weather. The rosemary bushes in the front and back of the school grounds are in full flower, and they really are glorious.

Years 10-13 have been sitting their mock exams this week, and we have been tremendously impressed with their focus and diligence in revising as well as the way in which they have taken on the necessary exam routines. After several years of disruption to exams, it is vitally important that we coach students in how to develop effective exam routines as a matter of unconscious habit, so that their conscious focus can be on meeting their potential in the summer exam series. As well as the subject-specific tutorial support, which will carry on until the exams, we will circulate an updated revision booklet to all Year 10 and Year 11 students, as well as make it available to families so that they can provide appropriate support at home. This will include generic study advice as well as subject guidance.

We are also looking at how we support student wellbeing during this period; as well as the members of the Wellbeing Team and other staff being available and providing structured support, individual guidance and encouragement, we are open to other ideas. The latest request was for a regular extra-curricular student yoga class, which we are delighted to provide. Details will follow to students as soon as possible.

This has all taken place in the context of rapidly rising Covid cases in the county, which has had a significant impact on our school. Despite a record number of staff being required to isolate at the moment after positive tests, we have kept fully open. I am tremendously grateful to all teaching and support staff for going over and above even that which they normally do in order to ensure we are able to stay open. We will be looking very carefully next week at any timetable and class alterations that are required to keep us operating through this current spike in cases. We are absolutely determined not to have to close to any year groups.

Regarding Covid regulations at school: we will continue to operate to the end of term under current regulations and risk assessments, as directed by Welsh Government. This includes a request for all students and staff to continue twice-weekly testing until the end of this term, as well as requirement for students and staff to continue with the current isolation rules after a positive test. We are awaiting further updates from Welsh Government regarding any changes for the summer term. I expect to be able to update everyone by the end of next week, if I receive timely updates from Welsh Government.

A final note: in amongst all of this we have been continuing to develop our new Curriculum for Wales, in line with the National Mission. Colleagues here have made fantastic progress in its planning, and we have confirmed to Welsh Government that we are ready to implement the first iteration for Year 7 in September of this year – a year before statutory implementation. This is a very exciting project for the school, and one that will have a very significant positive impact on our long term ambitions for the whole school community.

Kind regards

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Mr Nicolaides (D&T) has donated a garden bench to the school, which Y11 Constructing the Built Environment students have renovated and repaired.

The bench is being raffled for the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Tickets cost £2 each and may be purchased via ParentPay.

The draw will take place on the morning of Friday 8^th April 2022, with the lucky winner receiving the garden bench ready for the Summer. Mr Jenkins has kindly offered free local delivery for the lucky winner.

Let’s make a difference and raise as much money as we can!  Thank you.

Students from the KS5 SRB have been helping out regularly at The British Heart Foundation. This work experience has been wonderful for developing confidence and for learning new skills. The students work closely with Gareth, the Manager, and Leslie, his assistant, as well as a variety of volunteers.

Tasks include sorting through the donations of clothes, toys, books, CDs, DVDs and bric-a-brac. The students have learned how to steam clothes and price items and are fantastic at arranging items in the shop ready to be sold. Our work experience visits to the BHF are a highlight of the week. A good amount of work is matched by an equal amount of fun and laughter!  Thank you BHF!

Every Tuesday, a group of students from the KS5 SRB class head through town to Growing Spaces. Here, under the supervision of Rachel, they have been developing a variety of gardening skills appropriate to the seasons. So far, we have been pruning, weeding, raking leaves, building compost bins, making raised beds, planting seeds and bulbs, making insect houses and creating a ‘dead hedge’, to name but a few skills! It is a lovely opportunity to be out in nature and to appreciate, over time, the fruit of our labours.

It is a pleasure to see how each student has become confident in the tasks that they do, and how well they are working together to achieve the morning’s goal. Regardless of the weather, it’s an activity that everyone enjoys.

Well done to Year 8 student Ryan Price who has been selected to play for the Wales U13 Team this summer.

Ryan plays his club cricket for Usk and enjoyed his first season at senior level last summer, including being voted Player's Player of the Season for the 3rd team.

He has represented Gwent and East Wales since the age of nine and is looking forward to representing Wales this summer. 

Right now, more people can vote in Wales than ever before. 16 and 17 year olds can vote in Senedd and local council elections. It doesn’t matter where they were born or what their nationality is, as long as they are a resident of Wales.

The Electoral Commission want to provide young people with the knowledge and understanding they need to create change in their communities. They want to give them confidence to vote, and to understand that their vote matters.

They want to show young people that politics and democracy impacts everything around them. From how long they stay in education to the rules of renting, from 5G availability to how often bins are collected.

Discussing these topics, and encouraging young people to think about how they can make their voices heard, can help them to become engaged voters and citizens for years to come.

For more information on The Electoral Commission/Voting please use this link:

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/welcome-your-vote

The deadline for students to register to vote is 14 April.  Students may register at:

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Congratulations to Y13 student Sam Berry, who played in the U18 England v Wales rugby match at Taunton on 20 March.

Although England took the match 36-20, eight of the Welsh points came from Sam. 

On Tuesday, 50 Year 11 students went through a mock interview process with our governors. This was to support students who might be moving on to college or those who have opted to take an apprenticeship or employment route.  

Students used the opportunity to discuss what their strengths and areas for development are and how their skills and qualities set them apart from others.

The students involved found the process beneficial and it is something that we will continue to run for Year 11 students in future years.

Well done and thank you to all of the students and governors involved.

21 March 2022 was a historic moment for children and their rights in Wales. From this day on, physically punishing children is illegal in Wales. WG want to help protect children and their rights, to give them the best start in life. As a parent, here’s what you need to know about the change in law.

WG Factsheet

Congratulations to Jack Orchard-Hague and Louis Mclennan, part of the U14 North Bristol Team that beat Cleve in the Final of the Bristol Junior Combination Cup on Sunday. North Bristol won 20-12 against Cleve who have been unbeaten in three years. 

Over the past 12 months, we have been very lucky to have David Hyner visit our school and work with a number of our students.  He most recently worked with a group of Year 9 students on self motivation and goal setting.

David is a unique motivational speaker and facilitator on goal-setting and purpose. He has carried out 250+ interviews with top achievers and takes inspiration from this research to see how this learning, behaviour and wisdom can be applied to get better results for people. David has presented to over 1 million people in the last 22 years.

David has been supporting our young people to challenge themselves and has been showing them how to structure their revision so that they can retrieve information easier, when in an examination environment.

RISK ASSESSMENT

UNWELL PROTOCOL

STUDENT PROTOCOL

VISITOR PROTOCOL