News from MCS

Annwyl pawb/Dear all

As we reach the end of an unusually long half-term, I know that students and staff alike are looking forward to the break after their redoubtable efforts so far this academic year.

We often talk about the ability to develop resilience as being a cornerstone for success at school. I was reading something this week which really made me think about how we use this word. Sometimes, the idea of resilience is only used to describe someone keeping going at the same level of performance, no matter what the circumstances or issues that arise – I know I have usually had this definition in my mind in the past. However, this is an incomplete interpretation – resilience is also the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; a toughness or ‘bouncebackability’. The ability to do this depends on quite a range of things, including support networks at school and at home, and the person’s own determination and drive to succeed. So, performance or progress may be affected when difficult circumstances arise – and part of our role in educating the young people in our care is to develop this key attribute of resilience in them. I continue to be impressed with the energy with which our students apply themselves to their learning, even when things are tough, and bounce back after setbacks. This makes me very optimistic about their future success and happiness.

I wish you all a pleasant and restful half-term.

Cofion cynnes/Kind regards,

Hugo Hutchison
Prifathro/Headteacher

International football success for Lydia

Lydia Lannen, Year 10, represented the Hereford Lions County U15s girls football squad, as the team played the English leg of an international tournament / 'Internationaal Jeugdtoernooi' against v. v. Brederodes from south of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

The Lions won their home battle 3 - 0, and, over the next few months, selection will take place to head to Holland. 

Lydia's family are immensely proud of her and rightly so.

Great effort Lydia! 

(Lydia, white shirt on the front row, 6th from the left) 
 

Netball

Congratulations to Anastasia Morgan who  has been selected for the SE Wales Netball Squad for the coming season.

Well done, Anastasia.

Exciting news - the Welsh Faculty are running a trip to the Urdd Centre in Llangrannog in the Summer Term, Wednesday 17^th July - Friday 19^th July.

Students will have an opportunity to do a number of outdoor activities through the medium of Welsh, including: go-karting, quad biking, skiing, high ropes, climbing and many more.

There are 40 places for Year 7 and Year 8 students and places are on a first come, first served basis. The price is £177, to be paid in instalments, which includes all activities, travel by bus, accommodation and 3 meals a day.

The trip launches officially at 4pm on Friday 10^th November on payment of a £52 deposit on Parentpay.  Mrs Aggleton will talk to students about the trip in assembly after half term.

We have had some absolutely wonderful new books sent to us from the Books Council of Wales and the Welsh government, through their Schools Love Reading project. Last year, students were able to pick their own free book through this scheme, and they are continuing their efforts to improve reading for pleasure by sending us this free collection to add to our library.

With a focus on Welsh authors and enrichment, titles include:

*When Stars are Scattered - Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson*
A graphic novel based on the story of a boy in a refugee camp and his hopes but describes his down days too.

*Faster Than The Swords - Myrddin ap Dafydd*
It’s summer 1843 - the time of the Rebecca Riots - and feelings are running high in the Twyi valley. The teenage twins of Tafarn y Wawr in Llangadog find themselves caught up in the struggle, but they need to learn from the gypsy Mari Lee how to run faster than the swords…

*The Voyage of Van Rouge - Heather Summers*
Take a back seat with Pumpkin and Sweet P on their hilarious road trip from deepest West Wales to the remote Greek Island of Lesvos.
Follow their journey as they chase their dream in a vintage campervan they like to call Van Rouge.

Please encourage your child to visit Miss Barnes in the library to see the whole collection and borrow anything that catches their eye.  Loans are for two weeks but can be extended if needed.

As a part of our Wellbeing Curriculum this term, we have been learning about diversity, including Black History Month. During our first half-term, we learnt about Nelson Mandela and apartheid in South Africa and, more broadly, about how we are all equal and should not be discriminated against.

We decided that creating a poster based on standing against racism and discrimination would be a good idea to celebrate all the different types of diversity from ethnicity and nationality to hair colour.

Our theme was ‘Show Racism the Red Card’, and every student in the year group created one poster in their own unique way. We felt like this would help develop and promote Monmouth Comprehensive School’s culture of kindness and acceptance.

Tomos Bisson
Year 8 School Council Representative

Congratulations to our new Pupil Language Ambassadors for 2023-2024 !

We are pleased to welcome a new team of PLAs for this year. Our new Pupil Language Ambassadors are a group of students ranging from Year 7 -Year 12, with an enthusiasm for languages and culture. The PLAs are supported by a project initiated by Routes into Languages. They are model ambassadors for languages andwill  support in language events across the school. They help the school to:

• Increase the awareness of pupils of the importance of studying languages
• Increase the profile of the Languages Faculty in the school 
• Increase the number of students choosing to study languages 

We look forward to working with this enthusiastic team.

On Thursday 26^th October, 13 year 7 students (10 from MCS and 3 from Haberdashers) took the short journey to County Hall in Usk, to give a presentation for the future of Monmouthshire and, perhaps, the world.  We were presenting about a project launched at Osbaston CIW school and we have continued into secondary school, gathering momentum with each new connection that we have made across the south of Wales and into Herefordshire.  Our goal: building a deforestation-free world. 

Accompanied by Mr Phillips from MCS, and Nicky James from Size of Wales, we found it really exciting to see old friends from primary school.  This excitement grew on arrival as we got to see the Council Chambers as well as use and investigate the swish microphones and camera system, before settling down for a final run through to make sure that we knew our lines. 

Before the meeting started, we shared with them our sustainable, deforestation-free chickpea korma.  They were amazed at how delicious it was, not to mention how nutritious for us and healthy for both the environment and the bank balance of the school canteen!  Ticking all the boxes, they didn’t just want to see it on the canteen menus, they wanted the recipe!

It was quite daunting when we entered the room, even though we knew they were excited to see our presentation, but we were ready for it because we had already shared our presentation recently in the Savoy Theatre at the ACE Climate Festival.  In spite of some last-minute changes to the seating arrangements, we got on with it and prepared to share our learning journey. At the end they were so impressed with how much we have learnt and how much we had inspired them to become the first deforestation free county. 

Chief Executive, Paul Matthews, exclaimed that he had never seen anything like the standing ovation we received in his time at Monmouthshire County Council.  Calling us ‘future-makers’, he praised how well we were meeting the ‘audacious challenge’ we had set ourselves and had achieved so much at our young age. Mr Phillips and Nicky were equally proud of us and said that they had never seen anything like it either.  There may have been some dust in the eye! 

What’s next?  We have secured the backing of so many vital people in Wales and we want to continue to show how we can all work together to make vital changes for the future of our planet – our future.

Aled (Year 7)

Since 1976 the Rotary Youth World Affairs Seminar has provided a unique forum where nearly 40,000 future leaders from 30 different countries have debated some of the most complex global problems in the stimulating environment of Carroll University, Wisconsin.

The Rotary Club has an opportunity to help shape the world by nominating or sponsoring a 16–18-year-old student to attend face to face at the 2023 Rotary World Affairs seminar with fellow students from around the globe.  Two MCS students have been sponsored for this event in the past - they found it to be an amazing experience.

2024 -  after living through nearly two years of one of the strangest times in Global History, students will get to debate the complexities of: -

Democracy and Governance:

Evolving Global Perspectives

Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13 students are invited to apply - please click HERE for further details.

On Thursday 2^nd November, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Powys Teaching Health Board and Monmouthshire Council are hosting a Community Wellbeing & Information Event between 3.30pm – 7pm at Gilwern Community Centre.

This event is being held as a result of the closure of Belmont Branch Surgery to make the local community aware about local resources and services that can support their health and wellbeing. This is a free event and they encourage members of the community to come along.