What a wonderful Spring Term it has been so far. We have truly lived our value of Achievement, and it has been a pleasure to see our scholars flourishing in so many ways.
Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating today.
As we move into the final stretch of this half term, we are looking forward to a week filled with celebration, connection and positive experiences for our students.
We also know that this point in the term can feel demanding for young people. After several busy weeks of learning, combined with assessments, social commitments and, for many families, important celebrations such as Eid, students can naturally feel more tired than usual. Research shows that fatigue can make it harder for young people to concentrate, manage their emotions and sustain motivation.
With this in mind, we are placing a strong emphasis on helping every student to finish the half term feeling successful, supported and proud of what they have achieved.
We have a range of opportunities for students to enjoy!
These events are designed to build a strong sense of community, belonging and enjoyment as we move towards the end of term. Alongside this, staff will continue to support students to maintain high standards, strong routines and positive relationships in lessons and around school.
Your support makes a significant difference, particularly at this time of term. You can help by:
For families celebrating Eid, we wish you a joyful and meaningful time. We recognise that this can be a busy and special period, and we appreciate your support in helping students balance celebration with readiness for school.
Year 10 Work Experience
Year 10 students will complete their work experience next week from 23rd March – 27th March, it is vital students take this opportunity to experience what a week within the workplace can look like. Copies of the student’s Job Descriptions have been given to students and sent in the post home; please ensure you spend some time this weekend going over this with your child to ensure they are prepared for Monday.
Important things to check include:
Attendance to your placement is mandatory and any illness should be reported to the school via the normal absence policy, and you must also tell your employer. The year team will be carrying out attendance phone calls and visits to work placements to check in with students throughout the week.
If you have any questions, please contact the school reception and it will be directed to the Career’s Team.
Thank you and Good Luck!
Health Update: Meningitis B Awareness
We are sharing a brief health update with families following recent national guidance regarding Meningitis B. A small, localised outbreak of Meningitis B has been reported in Kent, and this information is being shared nationally as a precaution.
As always, we take a proactive approach to health and safety. In line with guidance, we are:
Meningitis symptoms can develop quickly and may initially resemble flu. Key signs to be aware of include:
While the risk remains very low, early recognition and prompt action are important. If you are concerned about your child, please seek medical advice by contacting your GP, NHS 111, or dialling 999 in an emergency.
Student Wellbeing Padlet
A reminder that our Student Wellbeing Padlet is available as a dedicated online space designed to support the emotional health and wellbeing of all our students. This resource brings together a range of helpful information, practical strategies, and signposts to trusted support services in one easy-to-access place.
The Padlet includes guidance on managing stress and anxiety, building positive routines, and supporting mental health at home. It also provides links to external organisations, advice for parents and carers, and resources that students can explore independently.
We encourage you to explore the Padlet with your child and use it as a starting point for conversations about wellbeing. You can access the Student Wellbeing Padlet on our website here: MEA Central Mental Health Resources for Parents, Carers and Students
If you have any questions or would like further support, please do not hesitate to contact the wellbeing team at: wellbeing@meacentral.org.uk
Year 9 Weekly update
We are very happy to say, once again, that it has been a wonderful week for all of Year 9 scholars. We would also like to wish to all those of you celebrating, Eid Mubarak from everyone in the Year 9 team
This week we have continued to work on our Art House Competition, with scholars in Year 9 doing some mindful colouring during form times. Because we have so many talented artists in Year 9, we have decided to dedicate an additional section of the Exhibition to the wonderful work our scholars have been creating in their Art lessons this term. We are really excited to share the names of the artists selected by the Year team in the upcoming weeks and show their creations to all of you.
Moving onto our Work Experience: your child will receive two letters next week which clearly explain what the next steps are. One of these letters is for you, the parent/carer, and the other one is for the employer. All we need you to do for now is to have a conversation with your child about potential work placements and to go and have conversations with the employers, where possible.
The main aims of our Work Experience day are for our scholars to get a feel for the world of work, enabling them to understand what a job or career is, understand the roles and responsibilities involved while building confidence, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses and improve their employability skills.
Please be aware that your child may have work experience on the 1st of May with someone your family knows, and it does not necessarily have to be a blood relative. If you have any further questions about this, please let us know.
Next week we officially start Revision Week, as we ask all of our scholars to start revising for their next (and last) Big Tests in Year 9. These tests are crucial for us to ensure we have a clear understanding of what your child needs to build the strong foundations needed before making the move onto Key Stage 4.
Here’s a schedule for next week’s event – loads of exciting things coming up!
Monday-Wednesday: Lunchtime Karaoke!
Tuesday morning: Theatre Assembly: Work Experience, What’s Next and Why it Matters with Mx Umpierrez
Thursday lunchtime: House Spelling Bee competition
Wednesday morning: Online Assembly with Mrs Kilty – Revision Week Focus
Friday all day: Wear your own clothes to school and Period 5 Eid Party
Good news and celebrations:
Attendance by Form
We are still very proud of how strong our attendance has been this half term. It’s been amazing to see how our scholars are taking coming into school more seriously than ever before as they officially get ready to be in Key Stage 4.
As usual, thanks for your continued support with this.
9Armitage – 94.2%
9Duffy - 90.7%
9Eliot – 92.1%
9Heaney – 93.4%
9Morrison - 96.7%
9Naidu - 94.6%
9Rumi – 90.6%
9Sissay – 93.2%
Last week’s CAP leaderboard:
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Abdul R. (9D) |
8 |
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Cesar |
8 |
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Jalen |
8 |
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Torin |
7 |
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Blaise |
7 |
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Ayaan (9S) |
7 |
|
Ayaan (9A) |
6 |
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Isabella (9D) |
6 |
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Mati |
6 |
|
Moid |
6 |
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Ameyah |
6 |
|
Owais |
6 |
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Kenan |
5 |
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Charana |
5 |
|
Safwahn |
5 |
A huge well done to all of these students for showing Citizenship, Achievement and Participation last week.
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Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Ms. S Bryan Firstly, I would like to wish all families celebrating Eid a beautiful and joyful time with your loved ones. This special occasion marks the end of a meaningful journey, and we hope it brings happiness, reflection, and celebration to all who observe it. We are also looking forward to celebrating with our pupils next Friday during our Eid Party. As we move towards the summer months, we are excited to share that our enrichment offer will be adapting slightly to reflect the season. Pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a new range of activities, including summer sports and other engaging opportunities. We strongly encourage all students to participate in these fantastic activities, and we look forward to welcoming your children to these sessions. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We really appreciate your efforts in ensuring that your child arrives at school fully equipped and ready to learn each day. As a reminder, full uniform expectations remain in place:
Your support in maintaining these high standards is invaluable and helps ensure a positive learning environment for all. Thank you once again for your ongoing partnership. |
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Year 8 – Ms. C Gates
Firstly, I want to start by saying Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating today or this weekend and thank you for all your support during Ramadan. It has been wonderful to see so many students show such resilience throughout the month. As we move into the final weeks of the term, we want to focus our attention on how we finish strong. Please help us by checking that students have all of their equipment each day so they are fully prepared to learn.
We also have several exciting opportunities coming up for Year 8. House Art is well underway, and students should continue working on their individual entries to earn extra points for their form. Next week, we also have Canteen Karaoke, which is always great fun, and the House Spelling Bee, where we hope to see lots of participation from Year 8 scholars. These events are brilliant ways for students to show the value of participation and get involved in our wider school community.
Finally, we are having a big push on attendance to help us finish the term strong. Keeping attendance as close to 98% as possible ensures every scholar can access the full curriculum and make excellent progress. A huge shoutout to 8Rumi, who achieved an impressive 96.7% attendance last week and placed in the top 10 forms in the entire school. Let’s keep this momentum going!
Ms Gates and Mr Chowdhury |
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Year 10 – Mr C Blackburn We hope all families who celebrated Eid had a joyful and peaceful time together. Year 10 have made a strong start to Spring 2, and we continue to be proud of their positive attitude towards learning and their growing maturity. Last week, students received their first set of Progress Exam results. As always, we have reminded them that feedback is a gift, something that helps them learn, grow, and improve. Our focus now is on strengthening scholarly habits, with all students aiming for Grade 1 habits to give themselves the best chance of success. Work Experience - Starting 23rd March Work Experience begins on 23rd March, and this is an incredibly valuable opportunity for Year 10. It is essential that students prepare properly and show professionalism throughout the week. Please support your child by reminding them of the following expectations:
Work experience is a key moment in Year 10, it develops independence, strengthens applications for college, and helps students understand what the world of work is really like. Attendance Matters A reminder that every single day in school makes a huge difference. Good attendance is linked to stronger grades, and colleges expect students to be at 95% or above. Please support your child in attending every day so they remain on track for success. Thank you, as always, for your support. Best wishes, |
Year 11 – Mr J Roper
To begin, I’d like to wish Eid Mubarak to all students and families who are celebrating. We hope you enjoy a joyful and peaceful time with loved ones.On Monday, students will take part in a Results Afternoon (this will take place during the Option Period 6 session), where they will receive the outcomes of their most recent Progress Exams. This event is designed to mirror the experience of collecting their actual GCSE results in the summer, helping them understand the process and reflect meaningfully on their current progress. These results will not only showcase the hard work they have already put in but will also highlight the key areas for improvement as we move into the final stages of preparation. Teaching staff of Y11 have been using this week in school to review progress of the students and will be planning bespoke interventions to targeted students to further enhance grades.
When looking at these key areas for improvement, a reminder that Period 6 remains an essential component of the support offered to the year group. These sessions provide targeted, high‑impact preparation and consistent attendance is vital for ensuring students stay on track to achieve their potential. We remain committed in supporting the students with their ongoing College applications and if they are invited to interview on a Wednesday or Thursday then please ensure this is communicated to the year team.
As we approach the Easter holidays, I also want to draw attention to the upcoming Easter Study School. Further details will be shared soon, but this programme is once again a key opportunity for students to consolidate their learning and work towards securing their target grades. We strongly encourage the students to take advantage of this support when planning their time over the break.
Many thanks,
Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw