News from MCS

Dear all

As always it has been a busy week here, and one of the highlights has been to see how well Year 11 have been preparing for their oral examinations this week. Well done to all of them for the hard work that has gone into preparing for these. I also particularly enjoyed speaking to groups of students this week as part of Student Voice activities - Year 9 on a range of issues from GCSE and BTEC Pathways to their reflections on our new Ready To Learn routines, and Year 7 on the induction process and how their first year at MCS has started.

Our Wellbeing lessons in the new curriculum have started this term for all year groups. We are already gathering feedback from students, and we will canvas your opinions later this term as well as we scrutinise the first iteration of this major new project for us. Your feedback in the last survey was an invaluable part of our planning, so many thanks for taking the time.

We are very relieved to be able to say that our email system is finally back up and running. I am sorry for the sustained issues, which affected many schools across the region and had to be escalated all the way to Microsoft for resolution. We are reviewing our existing email systems here to see if longer-term changes need to be made.

Please click here for a short video message from me regarding Student Voice and School Council - we are really looking forward to the next stage of this project.

All the best for the weekend to you all.

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Philosophising through Artwork in Religion, Values and Ethics
 

Students in Year 9 have been examining the Problem of Evil and how this challenges religious belief in God. In response, they have explored some religious ‘theodicies’ or defences of God in the light of suffering. They have created artwork to demonstrate aspects of their investigations.

A variety of foci were selected by individuals, including moral and natural evil, specific and historical events such as 9/11 or the Holocaust, and their own interpretations of evil. Different types of media were used by students, including oil on canvas, ink sketches, modelling from recycling materials, and collages. This has provided a creative focus on the topic before students attempt a formal assessment piece answering the philosophical question ‘Why do we suffer?’

RVE teachers are thoroughly impressed with their conceptual understanding and their artistic talents!

Dean Yhnell, aka BEAT TECHNIQUE, visited the school recently to run an "Emotional Wellbeing" course for some students.

The two sessions explored their emotional states through the various sounds and techniques of BEATBOX and finished with the completion of their own track. Students were also encouraged to develop their literacy skills by forming their own lyrics.

Looking for a great evening out?  Then look no further than the latest Mayhem Youth Theatre production 27 - 29 October at Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls.  Our House is a musical with music and lyrics by Madness. Through the music of Madness, writer Tim Firth explores the themes of love, family values, growing up, responsibility and dealing with losing the people that shape us. 

Our students Maya Thomas, Lyra Pilkington, Jehan Rodgers, Lizzie Mchugh, Delilah Copley, Connie Wigg, Alice Gardner-Roberts, Sam Fairman-Foster, Erin Crossley, Archie Cowton, TJ Friend, Anya Duberley, Lucy Edmunds and Skye Chandler are performing, joined by our Head of PEA, Mrs Amy Ritter, in the band. 

Year 13 students Milo Kent and Stefani Dimitrovi are stage managers.