News from MCS

Dear all

We are around halfway through our marathon summer exam schedule, and we are so proud of all of our exam students for stepping up to the challenge and doing their very best. I am grateful also to our staff, who have done everything they possibly can to support students in their endeavours.

Sadly after half-term we will be pausing our free breakfast offer due to funding - we simply cannot sustain the level of cost. However, we are in the process of agreeing a new catering contract, and an accessible breakfast provision with an emphasis on low cost is an important strand of this. As you know, our student council members have taken a key role in this process, and we will let you know an update as soon as we can.

The final half-term of the year brings so much - the final exams, Year 9 reaching 'Year Nen', the lower school production, summer learning and trips, school awards, Year 6 induction... we can't wait! I hope that you enjoy a sunny and restful half-term week.

Best wishes,

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Positive behaviour is the foundation for making academic progress and learning. We regularly refer to our school values within teaching and learning, as well as behavioural contexts and situations with students. There are tens of thousands of interactions that happen between staff and students, students and students and staff to staff throughout each school day; in the vast majority, these are positive.

Where interactions and choices go wrong, school also employs a graduated response to behavioural issues based upon our Relationships and Behaviour Policy. A polite reminder that where a student is responsible for making a poor behavioural choice, we will follow process in gathering information from those involved, and they may then be identified as receiving a consequence. In line with policy (and the Home School Agreement), students are expected to complete the required consequence. Where they refuse or do not complete this, in line with policy, this will escalate, and you will be communicated with to explain the context.

We anticipate your ongoing support in ensuring your child/ren meets the school expectations around behaviour, school values and punctuality both coming travelling to school, within school and returning home. So many students exemplify this brilliantly, and we are proud of how student behaviour reflects the positivity and values. If you have examples of how students exemplify this with success in performing arts, sports, acts of kindness, volunteering etc. please share these with staff so that we can affirm and celebrate success with the school community. Key staff who can pass on success are your child’s Form Tutor (see website for contact details) and the wellbeing team as below:

Dog Agility

Congratulations to Y10 student Nia Rose, who, with her dog Farlie, represented Wales at the World Agility Open in the Netherlands last week.

They competed against some of the best agility handlers in the world on some very challenging courses, coming 5th in the Junior competition for Farlie's height category. A fantastic achievement! 

Nia and Farlie have also been selected for team GB for the Junior Open Agility World Championships taking place later this year. Good luck both!

Exciting times for Ella

Congratulations to Ella Lloyd-Bradley 9MC on being cast as a SA (Supporting Artist) in a new Welsh drama called ‘The Way’ directed by Michael Sheen and currently being filmed in Monmouth.

Ella was cast as a Welsh refugee and shared one of her scenes with well-known Welsh actor Luke Evans. What a fantastic and memorable experience!

Further skating success

Ella achieved overall 1st place in the ‘Elementary’ category, at the recent GBSA Roller Cup Competition Round 1. She also received Silver for her team event. Training continues for her next competition.

Wishing Ella the very best of luck!
 

A superb day in the sun for the MCS Seniors who were crowned Gwent Cup Champions 2023. MCS Seniors were outstanding, winning 5-0 against a resilient Bassaleg team

Goals: Ryan Hall Hat-trick hero, Joel Morse and an own goal after a superb George Gouldingay cross.

Our senior side has been captained brilliantly this season by Callum Uttley Year 13 who has led maturely both on and off the field and has been a role model for all other Year groups.

Callum, along with eight other Year 13 students below, played their final game for MCS in the Final with seven students representing MCS for seven years. We thank them for their dedication and efforts representing MCS Football.

Squad:

Year 11 Students – Theo Bowen, Jayden Mackondora, George Gouldingay.

Year 12 Students – Kian Mills, Oscar Elias, Oliver Edwards.

Year 13 Students – Callum Uttley, Dan Jones, Joel Morse, Joe Barratt, Arran Oakley, Rylee Wilkins, Ryan Hall, Lewis Hull and Julius Rajpaul.

We'd like to thank Michael Hall for taking the photos at the Cup Final.

Staff donated jeans, ties and shirts, whose condition meant they were unsuitable for a charity shop, so that our Year 10 textile group could upcycle them into reusable items.  This links into the sustainability and designer's responsibility part of the syllabus.
 

Students had to include a display board to highlight what they have learnt including the 6 'Rs' (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, Rethink, Repair), the lifecycle of a produce and the designer's responsibility.
 

Massive congratulations to the Science Club students that took part in the first ever KS3 Science Fair. Staff and parents were blown away by the quality of the entries and the judges definitely struggled to choose the winners!

We look forward to seeing how our budding scientist continue to grow and develop during their time at MCS.

Winners were:                                                 

Tegan and Evie – Best Overall project           
Tom – Most unique project
 

Maddie – Most well researched

Dan and Henry – Best presented project

Just a reminder that as we have reached the stage when Year 11 and Year 13 students only come in for Exams, could we please ask that, if students use a locker at school, they ensure the lock is removed and the locker is clear and clean before leaving on their last day.  Year 13 should also return their access cards to Mrs Jones, Sixth Form Office, before leaving.

If, after their last day, any lockers still have locks on them, they will be removed and the contents disposed of in preparation for the new Academic year. This ensures all lockers can be cleaned before students start the September term.

Uniform

As you are aware, MCS Friends have run a second hand uniform service for several years now, gratefully receiving uniform donations throughout the year from parents.

As we come to the end of another school year, and particularly for students leaving MCS from Year 11 and Year 13, if you have any uniform that you would like to donate (including PE kit), we would be pleased to receive it.  Could you please drop off any donations at Reception where it can be stored in the uniform pods until it can be passed to us to be checked and sold at the Bridges shop in Monnow Street.  This raises funds for the school and ensures parents can access uniform items for their child/children at a discounted price.

Thank you in advance for all your support.  

The Movement for Good Awards

Please nominate Monmouth Comprehensive School Friends Association to win £1000 donation in the Movement for Good Awards.

The Movement for Good Awards, in its fifth year, is the annual programme of giving run by the Benefact Group, the 3^rd largest corporate donor in the UK, and this year they will be giving over £1million to charities and good causes – with your help. 3 draws are held in June, September and December and 420 randomly selected nominated charities in total will win a £1000 donation.

Full details, including links, have been emailed home today - thank you for your support for the school.

MCS Friends

for the 2023 Sixth Form Prom.  The theme for the evening was 'Hollywood Glamour' with a series of 'Oscars' being presented after dinner.

The link for the photographs may be found in the email sent home to Sixth Form parents.  These photographs may be downloaded at no charge.