World Book Day
Yesterday we had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day.! Our staff dressed up as book characters once again and all students participated in an assembly which explained this year’s theme, “Go all in: if you’re into it, read it,” with departments promoting books linked to their subject areas. Below are some of the titles that our teachers have promoted.
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, please continue to support your child with their reading:
We would also be very grateful if we could hear your feedback about reading for pleasure so we can continue to develop our strategy.
Belonging, high standards and working together
Everything we do in school is rooted in two commitments: MEA Central is for everyone, and the main thing is the main thing (this is teaching and learning - every child deserves a calm classroom where learning is protected).
Our behaviour and culture systems are designed to support both.
Looking at our data at the same point this year compared to last year, it is wonderful to see that our collective work is making a difference!
Where we need your help
Attendance and punctuality remain an ongoing focus for us. Being in the right place at the right time matters. It protects learning not just for the individual student, but for everyone.
If you can continue to support:
Then together we will continue to strengthen the calm, purposeful environment that allows every child to thrive.
Belonging is not about lowering standards. It is about holding high standards consistently and kindly. When the adults align, students flourish.
Tackling bullying and serious incidents
This half term, we want to update you on how we continue to tackle bullying and discrimination, and how we are working to ensure that MEA Central is for everyone.
Every child has the right to feel safe, respected and valued. Bullying, particularly when it targets aspects of a young person’s identity such as race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, is not tolerated.
A proactive approach
Our focus is not only on responding to incidents but on preventing them. Through our Community of Belonging work, students lead work that challenges racism and LGBT+phobia, promotes positive and inclusive understanding, and encourages thoughtful, respectful language.
We also celebrate diversity throughout the year, including Black History Month, LGBT History Month, South Asian History Month, Disability Awareness Week and our interfaith community Iftar. These events are part of our wider commitment to ensuring all students feel seen, represented and respected.
In CAP lessons and across the curriculum, students are explicitly taught about identity, healthy relationships, prejudice-based bullying and responsible online behaviour. We are clear about the difference between conflict and bullying, and about the harm caused by discriminatory language.
Reporting concerns
Students are regularly reminded how to report bullying. They can speak to any trusted adult in school or continue to use the worry form on our website, which many students already use confidently. We encourage students to report concerns for themselves or for others.
What happens next?
When a concern is raised, we investigate thoroughly, speak to all students involved and log the incident so that patterns can be monitored. The student who has been targeted is supported, and appropriate consequences are applied in line with our behaviour policy. Where suitable, restorative conversations are used to repair harm. Prejudice-based incidents are treated with particular seriousness.
All staff receive training to ensure responses are consistent, immediate and fair.
Working together
We will contact parents and carers where appropriate. Tackling bullying is most effective when school and home work in partnership.
If your child raises a concern, please encourage them to report it or contact us directly (contact information can be found on the school website or in last weeks parent newsletter). We would always rather know and be able to act.
Year 10 Work Experience
As you will be aware our Year 10s will be going on Work Experience on the week beginning 23rd March, which is a fantastic opportunity to develop life skills, gain confidence, and gain some crucial experience for their CV and college applications. As always, we strongly encourage full attendance throughout, however if your child is sick, please follow normal absence procedures. We will be completing calls and visits to all work experiences to see how our scholars are engaging with their placement. We look forward to seeing students make the most of this amazing opportunity.
Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day
Women’s History Month was launched at MEA Central last Monday at the beginning of March with an assembly introducing this year’s theme: Women’s Voices: Power, Courage and Change. Students reflected on the question: If women had stayed silent, what would we have lost? and began exploring which women’s voices are shaping the future. Throughout the month, this theme will continue to be explored through form time, lessons and special events, linking directly to oracy, leadership and the responsible use of voice. During the month, some Year 9 and Year 10 students will also take part in our Her Career, Her Voice event, meeting inspirational women from a range of professions. Students will also have the opportunity to learn and perform a speech for our House Speech Competition on 27th March, and the History department is running a Women in History scavenger hunt.
International Women’s Day falls on 8th March this year and will be celebrated at MEA Central on Monday 9th March, when we encourage all members of the school community to wear a purple item to show their commitment to equality and raising the voices of everyone. Students may replace one item of their uniform with a purple item for the day.
Enrichment
Our Enrichment programme is a key part of our wider co‑curriculum. It plays an important role in helping students develop confidence, character, and supports positive wellbeing. Enrichment gives students the chance to explore new interests, build friendships, and discover hidden talents they may not have realised they had. Every subject area and every member of staff contributes to our rich and varied programme, ensuring there is something for everyone.
We strongly encourage every child to attend at least two enrichment clubs each week, as this helps them make the most of everything MEA Central has to offer.
You can find a full list of the exciting enrichment running this term on our website. You can sign your child up easily through Arbor. https://www.meacentral.org.uk/beyond-the-classroom/enrichment
Project Central
We are really proud of the excellent Project Central homework tasks produced over the February half-term holidays. Our aim is to enrich our students curriculum experience with a creative task which links to something they have learnt about during the half-term. CAPs have been awarded on Arbor for all those who submitted their Project Central and prizes awarded for those that have shown incredible quality.
Homework
At MEA Central, homework is an important part of how we support your child’s learning. Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive, and designed to build strong knowledge over time. Research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) shows that effective homework can boost progress for 11–16-year-olds by up to five months.
When homework is planned carefully and linked to what students are learning in class, it reinforces high expectations, builds good scholarly habits, and supports skills such as organisation, reflection and independent learning. These are skills that will support students not only now, but also as they move on to college, apprenticeships or university.
Throughout their five years at MEA Central, students are taught how to study effectively, using retrieval practice from knowledge organisers. This helps them remember key information and build confidence over time. Teachers then use this knowledge in lessons to check understanding and plan the next stages of learning. By Year 11, our goal is for every student to feel confident, capable and ready to study independently. An overview of how our homework system works is below.
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
Year 11 |
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Retrieval Practice Look, Cover, Write, Check
Sparx Maths, Science and Reader |
Retrieval Practice Flashcards
Sparx Maths, Science and Reader |
Retrieval Practice Cornell Note-taking
Sparx Maths, Science and Reader |
Retrieval Practice Concept mapping Flashcards (Leitner Method)
Sparx Maths and Science GCSE Pod Subject-specific homework |
Retrieval Practice All methods Sparx Maths and Science GCSE Pod Subject-specific homework |
Skyline
If your child has additional needs or is accessing an intervention in school, they are supported by the Skyline Team. For more information, please read our SEN Information Report, which is in the Key Information section of our website: SEND-Information-Report-2025-26.pdf
Our team attends all key parent events, so please come and say hello!
Please contact the Skyline team directly if you have any questions, or would like to book a meeting with Ms. Earle, the SENCo: skylineadmin@meacentral.org.uk
If you require help and support for your child, please access Manchester’s Local Offer website: Manchester Local Offer
The website features a ‘Family Friend booklet’ which is a free resource providing vital local support, activities, and advice for families, covering things like childcare, school uniform help, health tips, food vouchers, crisis support, and free school meals/transport: Family Friend booklet | Manchester City Council
Manchester Parent Carer Forum and the Social Communication Pathway are offering a course for families with children who have social communication needs:
https://manchesterparentcarerforum.org.uk/event/understanding-and-working-with-the-education-system-may-26/The Social Communication Pathway also have a padlet with a wealth of information and resources available to families who are awaiting assessment for autism or ADHD: The Social Communication Pathway - Scroll to the right to find out more!
Year 9 Weekly update
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Update from the Year 9 team What an excellent week for all of our Year 9 scholars!
Everyone has now chosen their Key Stage 4 options, which means we have started the process to create timetables; a big ‘thank you’ to all parents and carers for completing the forms within the deadlines.
We started the week with a Theatre Assembly on International Women’s Day, where we spoke about the incredible things women have done around the world for society and reflected on the importance of women in our lives.
We will be celebrating International Women’s Day in school next Monday; all scholars are welcome to wear a purple accessory on the day. |
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Form attendance leaderboard (wc 23/02/26) We had excellent attendance last week and wanted to share this wonderful achievement with all of you. 9Armitage - 93.2% 9Duffy - 90.7% 9Eliot - 93.2% 9Heaney - 92.17% 9Morrison - 95.5% 9Naidu - 93.5% 9Rumi - 90.8% 9Sissay - 93.5%
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Key messages Mrs. Adson led an Assembly on the importance of school attendance and shared some interesting stats and celebrations. Here are some amazing stats we shared with the cohort during the assembly that we believe you would love to hear about:
During the assembly, we also spoke about the journey ahead for your child and what this will look like. As of today, there are: 89 weeks left before your child completes their GCSEs 80 days left before your child finishes Year 9 Thank you all for your support ensuring your child attends school daily and on time do get in touch with the Year 9 team if you would like to speak about your child’s attendance.
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Good news!
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CAP leaderboard (wc 06/03/26) Millie 11 CAPs Sameena 10 CAPs Zainab A.M. 9 CAPs Etta 8 CAPs Hassan I. 8 CAPs Sana N. 8 CAPs Lucia 8 CAPs Aurea 8CAPs
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Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Ms. S Bryan I want to take a moment to celebrate the fantastic commitment our students have shown to attending school every day. Over recent weeks we have seen a real improvement in attendance, and I am incredibly proud of the resilience many students have demonstrated by coming to school even when they are not feeling 100%. This determination to show up, learn, and be part of our community makes a huge difference. Regular attendance has a powerful impact on academic success, but it also strengthens students’ sense of belonging, helping them build friendships, confidence, and positive routines that will support them throughout their school journey. This week we also enjoyed celebrating World Book Day in school with the theme “If you’re into it, read it.” The message behind this was simple: reading should be enjoyable and personal, and every student deserves to find a book they genuinely love. Whether that’s fantasy, sport, graphic novels, mystery, or non-fiction, there truly is something for everyone. To support this, all Year 7 students will receive a voucher for a book, and we hope this encourages them to explore new stories and develop a lifelong love of reading. Looking ahead to next week, we will be marking International Women’s Day. Students are invited to wear a purple accessory on Monday 9th Marach, as a small but meaningful way to show support and recognition for the achievements and contributions of women around the world. We are also looking forward to hosting our second Community Iftar next Wednesday evening. This is always a special opportunity for our school community to come together, and we warmly invite all parents and families to join us. We hope to see many of you there as we share this important moment of reflection and community. |
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Year 8 – Ms. C Gates This week we have been really encouraging the students to participate across all areas of the school. It has been wonderful to see students engaging so positively in lessons and working hard as the curriculum progresses. All students have now been signed up to their selected clubs, and these are visible on Arbor ready to begin next week. We have also had lots of co‑curricular opportunities this week, including gathering student voice about racism in school and celebrating World Book Day on Thursday! A reminder that a reading book is part of our equipment that should be in bags everyday. Attendance continues to be a key priority for Year 8. Being in school every day ensures that students can fully access the curriculum, make strong progress and feel confident in their learning. Please continue to support us by encouraging excellent punctuality to school and to each lesson. Let’s aim to keep attendance above 98% so that every scholar has the best chance of securing their fantastic future. Ms Gates and Mr Chowdhury |
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Year 10 – Mr C Blackburn Good morning. It has been wonderful to welcome Year 10 back for Spring 2. The year group have returned with great energy, and we are already seeing strong focus as they continue their journey through KS4. This week, students have received their first set of Progress Exam results, following the assessments sat before half term. For many, this is the first time they are seeing grades 1–9 on their reports. This is an important milestone, and we are incredibly proud of the maturity students have shown when opening and discussing their results. Feedback is a Gift A key message for students this week has been understanding that feedback is a gift. This is something we want all Year 10 pupils to embrace. Feedback is not criticism, it is guidance, support, and an opportunity to grow. The most successful students are those who listen carefully, reflect honestly, and act on the advice they are given. We ask that students use their results to identify strengths, highlight areas for improvement, and make small, meaningful changes to their study habits. As Mrs Gibson emphasised in her sessions, creating bespoke targets is essential for maximising progress. Please encourage your child to revisit these sessions and build their own personalised goals for Spring 2. Scholarly Habits From now until the end of their school career, students should be aiming to improve their scholarly habits, with a Grade 1 being what every scholar should strive for. Strong scholarly habits not only increase confidence but give students the best chance of achieving excellence and securing a fantastic future. Belonging and Involvement MEA Central is a school for everyone. We want every child to feel a sense of belonging. Getting involved in clubs, house competitions and wider school life helps students feel connected, valued, and proud of their school community. Organisation and Retrieval Organisation remains essential in Year 10. Please ensure your child continues to bring all necessary equipment each day. Scholars should also be completing five pages of retrieval practice in their red books weekly, showing pride, independence, and commitment to improvement. Thank you for your continued support. Working together gives our Year 10 students the very best chance of success. Best wishes, |
Year 11 – Mr J Roper
We wanted to take a moment at the start of the weekly newsletter entry to express our sincere gratitude for the fantastic attendance, attitude and overall commitment shown throughout the recent Progress Exams. Since returning to school after the half‑term break, attendance has been exceptional and it has been wonderful to see students so focused and engaged in their learning.
The teaching staff of Y11 are now hard at work marking all the Progress Exam papers. Students will receive their grades during a special Results Session, where we will celebrate their efforts and reflect on the progress they have made so far this year. We would also like to highlight the remarkable maturity demonstrated by our year group over the past fortnight. Students have balanced revision, exams and P6 sessions with real dedication. This is especially commendable given that many of our young people are currently observing Ramadan. Their discipline, respect and resilience have been exemplary.
We are pleased to announce that the Y11 Prom will take place on July 2nd, this will be a great celebration of the year and conclude the students educational journey with us. We will be launching this with the students next week - but wanted to share the date with parents and carers.
Thank you for your continued support at home—it makes a tremendous difference. We look forward to building on this positive momentum in the weeks ahead.
Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw