Principal’s Message for Week A, wb 30th March 2026

It has been an excellent week at MEA Central, with students continuing to live out our values of Citizenship, Achievement and Participation in so many meaningful ways.

Year 10 students have spent the week out on Work Experience. This is a key part of their development, giving them the opportunity to step into professional environments, build confidence and begin to understand the expectations of the workplace. We are grateful to the many employers who have supported this, and we look forward to hearing from students about what they have learned and how this will shape their ambitions for the future

Some of students took part in a brilliant House Spelling Bee, demonstrating both their growing confidence and commitment to ‘doing things that are difficult’. It was particularly pleasing to see the pride students took in preparing, participating and supporting one another.

Across the school, students have also been working hard on their House Art projects. These pieces reflect both creativity and collaboration, and we look forward to welcoming students to view the finished work next week. It is always powerful to see our school environment shaped by students’ ideas and expression.

We were also proud to host our Class of 2025 Certificate Evening at Manchester Metropolitan University. This was a wonderful celebration of all that this year group has accomplished. It was a privilege to formally welcome them into our growing community of alumni and to hear from our Senior Prefects, who spoke with such clarity and pride about their journey at MEA Central.

Moments like these remind us of what can be achieved through hard work, high expectations and a strong sense of belonging!

Free School Meal Vouchers – Easter Holidays 2026

 

If your child is eligible for Free School Meals, you will receive an Asda voucher worth £30.00 (£15.00 per week, per eligible child) directly to your email inbox on Friday 27th March 2026.

 

Please ensure we have your most up‑to‑date email address and telephone number. You can update your details using the Parent Portal/Arbor app or alternatively contact the school reception on 0161 499 2736.
 

If you experience any issues accessing your voucher, please use the links below:

 

• Check voucher balance: https://cards.asda.com/
• Other queries or support: https://cards.asda.com/contactus

 

Careers

We will be having our Careers’ Day on the 1^st of May this year which is amazing opportunity for all our students to experience various careers.

Calling Y9s – for 1^st of May will be an insight to work day, meaning all students will be out at different places of employment.  Letters have been handed out, and one must be completed by a parent/carer and the other is to be completed by the employer.  This is to be completed online using the QR code provided no later than Friday 17^th April.  Please get in touch if you have any queries or require any further support.

Below are some updates on the Greater Manchester (GM) Labour Market Information (LMI), highlighting employment trends and opportunities around the city.

 

 

 

        

 

The Middle East and International Travel

We are aware that some of our families may be affected by the ongoing war in the Middle East, and we are here to support to everyone impacted. If your family has been affected in any way, please do let us know so that we can provide appropriate support for your child in school.

We are also aware that some families may have travel plans during the Easter holiday that could be disrupted. If you are travelling, we strongly encourage you to check regularly with your airline, tour operator, and the UK Foreign Office for the latest guidance to ensure your journey is safe and well planned.

At MEA Central, we place great importance on strong participation, excellent attendance, and punctuality, as these are key to every student’s success. We ask that families take all possible steps to ensure students can return on time for the start of summer term on Monday 20^th April. Please contact school as soon as possible if you have any concerns or if your circumstances or travel arrangements change during the holidays, so we can support your child and ensure minimal disruption to their return to school.

Please note that students in Year 10 and Year 11 are currently working on coursework or preparing for exams. These assessments cannot be rearranged, and students who are absent due to travel or related disruption risk receiving a score of 0 for any missed component. Parents and students should carefully consider the potential impact of travel on academic progress before booking trips. Similarly, students in Year 7, 8 and 9 have upcoming national benchmark tests which are critical for us understanding the progress they are making in their journey within the MEA Central Curriculum, extended holidays or absence can impact this progress.

 

We understand that this is a challenging and uncertain situation, and we appreciate your proactive planning and communication. This helps us to support students effectively and ensures they can continue to fully engage in their learning.

We remain hopeful for a swift resolution to the conflict and thank you for your continued support.

 

Attendance, Participation and Appointments

We have high expectations for student attendance and work in close partnership with parents and carers to support every child in attending school as regularly as possible. Strong attendance is key to achieving the best possible outcomes, and our core value of participation reflects the importance of being present, on time, and fully engaged in learning.

We recognise that some students may face barriers to attendance, including medical or health needs. If your child has a longstanding or ongoing health condition, please contact the school so we can work together to understand their needs and put appropriate support in place.

Punctuality

Late arrivals add up over time. If a child is 10 minutes late each day, this adds up to two weeks (50 lessons) of lost learning time over the whole school year. When your child is late to school, they will miss important messages and form time activities.

Schools are required to record all late arrivals. If your child arrives after 8.40am it will be recorded as a late mark. If your child arrives after the register closes at 9am, then their morning mark will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Occasional Absence

Missing occasional days from school may seem minor at the time; however, this can have a significant impact on your child in the long term:

% of attendance in a school year	Number of days absent	Lessons missed
98%	4	20 lessons
95%	9	45 lessons
90%	19	95 lessons
85%	28	142 lessons

 

A child with 85% attendance is missing almost half a term of learning time each school year.

Regular absences lead to poorer outcomes over time. Research shows that students with around 90% attendance, have only a 35% chance of achieving five or more Grade 4+ GCSEs, compared to 73% of those with 95% attendance.

Term Time Holidays

We recognise that family holidays during the school holidays can be expensive and that booking a cheaper term-time holiday might be tempting. However, leave during term time can only be authorised if there are exceptional circumstances, even if your child has an excellent attendance record.

If there are exceptional circumstances, then a request can be made in writing to the Principal in advance. Please do not make any plans until you have been told the outcome of your request. Holidays taken in term time without prior approval may result in a fine from the Local Authority.

Appointments
Wherever possible, appointments should be arranged outside of school hours. If this is not possible, students should attend school before the appointment or return promptly afterwards.

If the number or frequency of appointments begins to impact a student’s education, we may need to review how these absences are managed.

Please inform the school at least one day in advance of any appointment. For safeguarding reasons, we ask that you do not arrive to collect your child without prior notice. Please be aware that appointments during the school day will affect your child’s overall attendance.

Absence Procedures
We ask that parents and carers continue to work in partnership with us to ensure that absence from school is kept to a minimum and only occurs when necessary.

If your child is unable to attend school, please contact us before 8:30am on the day of absence. This can be done by calling 0161 499 2736 and selecting option 1 to leave a voicemail, or by sending an email.

If we do not receive notification, a member of our pastoral team may carry out a home visit to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the student.

Manchester City Council has launched an ambitious new programme that puts physical activity at the heart of the city’s drive to reduce health inequalities – opening up more opportunities for residents to get active, improve their wellbeing, and enjoy inclusive, community‑focused sport and movement, all while ensuring those facing the greatest barriers are supported through targeted interventions to help create a healthier, fairer, and more connected Manchester.

The programme includes the provision of a free junior membership for all Manchester residents at secondary school aged 11-16, going live from May half term.

The new membership builds on the existing citywide Free Swim for Under 16s offer and will be extended to include both free junior gym and free fitness classes.

This means that from late May 2026, all Manchester resident secondary school children between the ages of 11 to 16 will be able to access a free funded membership at the following council operated leisure centres across the city. Parents / guardians of eligible children can complete the pre-registration form below and will be contacted directly with further details.

PARTICIPATING LEISURE CENTRES

• Arcadia Leisure Centre
• Abraham Moss Leisure Centre
• Belle Vue Sports Village (no swim)
• Broadway Baths
• East Manchester Leisure Centre
• Hough End Leisure Centre
• Manchester Aquatics Centre
• Moss Side Leisure Centre
• North City Family & Fitness Centre
• Whalley Range Sports Centre (no swim)
• Wythenshawe Forum

The form to sign up is on the website. Free Junior Gym - MCRactive - Get active in Manchester

 

Year 9 Weekly update

The penultimate week of Spring 2 has been a strong week for all Year 9 scholars. It’s been wonderful to see everyone enjoying the lunchtime activities, especially the Karaoke sessions, and to see all scholars in their forms celebrating the Eid parties at the end of the week.

We have now provided all scholars in Year 9 with their Work Experience letters. A reminder that one is for the employer and the other one for the you, the parent/carer. We had a theatre Assembly about this on Tuesday and wanted to reiterate some of the key messages shared with your child from us and Our Futures, the company organising the Work Experience Day:

Purpose of the day: shadow a professional at their place of work for the day and get inspired by future career options.

Skills: learn skills and knowledge that will help you in school and life. Remind your child not to worry about how this will link to their career as an adult – every job matters and will teach them something valuable.

School values: follow the MEA Central school values of Citizenship (Being Kind), Achievement (Working Hard) and Participation (Taking Part) on the day. Remind your child these values apply to not only school, but also real life!

Be proactive: we have advised your child to try and secure the placements as soon as possible and to make the most of the two weeks off coming up for our Easter Break to do this and fill in the forms provided in the letters.

The next round of Big Tests are just around the corner, taking place between 20^th-30^th April. We will give more advice next week on how to be ready for the tests, but for now, all we are asking you is to ensure that your child comes to school ready to learn every day by bringing:

 

• Planners, as they will be making notes of when tests will take place and of revision reminders.
• Knowledge organiser folders, as they will be given revision materials they will have to store and take home safely every day.
• Pens and stationery, as they will be needing these to complete work in all their lessons.
• Red books, as we will be checking for how much retrieval has been completed over the course of next week.

If you have any worries or questions about our next Big Tests, please do get in touch with the Year 9 team.

 

Good news and celebrations:

• The last three winners of our Spring 2 Prize Draw (£10 Amazon Vouchers) are: Owais Z., Raha, Sham: Well done for your consistent efforts over the last two weeks and for meeting the Prize Draw Targets of:

Being in school, on time, every day.

Receiving 3 or more CAPs during the week.

Having less than 3 behaviour incidents logged in the week.

 

• Yusuf (9A) and Dipsan: Thanks for always living by our value of Citizenship in every interaction you have with all staff. We are so lucky to have you both in our school! Keep up the good work – we cannot wait to see what KS4 brings to you! - Mx Umpierrez

Attendance by Form

Amazing attendance statistics to share with all of you this week!

9Armitage – 95.9%

9Duffy – 91.4%

9Eliot – 92.9%

9Heaney – 91.9%

9Morrison – 97.7%

9Naidu – 91.8%

9Rumi – 91.1%

9Sissay – 92.1%

We will reveal who has had the best attendance this half term in next week’s Newsletter update.

A huge well done to these students for showing Citizenship, Achievement and Participation last week.

We will announce the Spring 2 CAP Champions for Year 9 next week!

 

Head of Year Messages

Year 7 – Ms. S Bryan I would like to take this opportunity to share an important update with families, celebrate a fantastic achievement, and outline some exciting plans for the months ahead.   Firstly, I want to address a recent concern regarding attendance. We have seen a noticeable decline in attendance across Year 7 last week. While we fully understand that there are times when students are genuinely unwell, we are increasingly seeing absences due to minor illnesses that could often be managed within the school day. These occasional days off may seem insignificant, but they quickly add up and result in considerable lost learning. It is vital that our Year 7 students develop positive habits now, so that regular attendance becomes the norm and they are well-prepared for the years ahead.   On a more positive note, I am delighted to share that Mohid has received a Community Impact Award this week from the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr Carmine Grimshaw. This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the positive contribution he makes beyond the classroom. We are incredibly proud of him.   As we approach the end of the spring term and look ahead to summer, I am excited to share our vision for Year 7 enrichment, which supports our core value of participation. Next week, I will be launching our Enrichment Challenge, ready to begin in Summer 1. Students will be strongly encouraged to take part in at least two enrichment sessions each week, either at lunchtime or after school.   We will also be introducing an updated enrichment offer, featuring both popular favourites and new activities for students to try. Enrichment is a vital part of school life; it builds confidence, encourages new interests, and strengthens a sense of belonging. Our Year 7 students deserve to feel connected, involved, and proud to be part of our community.   Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Year 8 – Ms. C Gates   This week we have been focused on finishing strong. Uniform and equipment are looking incredible and walking around form time I have seen scholars participating and being prepared to learn. A particular shoutout to 8Heaney and 8Sissay, who were completing their Know‑It‑All Quiz in complete silence with all equipment on their desks. This is an excellent example of the high expectations we want to see right until the end of term. Keeping these standards consistently high will help us prepare for a strong start in Summer 1.   As we head into the Easter break, this is a fantastic opportunity for students to spend some time revising and preparing for the upcoming Big Tests. We will be aiming for all students to make progress from their previous results, and even small amounts of regular revision can make a huge difference. Please encourage your child to use their knowledge organiser, retrieval practice, and any feedback from recent work to reflect on what they can improve. Students can also complete SPARX Reader, Science and Maths to revise. A strong start after Easter begins with thoughtful preparation now. Ms Gates and Mr Chowdhury   Thanks, Charis

Year 10 – Mr C Blackburn This week we have been celebrating the outstanding success of Year 10’s Work Experience, and we could not be prouder of our scholars. Year 10 have gone above and beyond in securing their placements, communicating professionally with employers, and completing their week of work with maturity and enthusiasm. As Head of Year, it has been a pleasure to conduct visits and speak directly with placements. The feedback I have received has been exceptional. Employers have highlighted the professionalism, independence, positive attitudes and strong work ethic shown by our students. They have truly lived our school values, and it has been inspiring to see them shine in real‑world environments. We hope this experience has given students a genuine insight into the world of work and helped them understand the skills, attitudes and resilience needed for future success. Work experience is extremely valuable, not only for college applications, but also for building confidence and preparing for life beyond school. At MEA Central, we believe in finishing strong, and as we approach the end of term on 2nd April, it is vital that students continue to build on the skills they developed during their placement. The resilience, discipline and independence they have shown this week should carry into their learning as we finish the Spring term. Our key focus now is on maintaining excellent attendance and punctuality. Students know these are two of the most important factors in securing a fantastic future, and every day in school counts. Well done once again to all of Year 10, you have been a credit to yourselves, your families, and MEA Central. Best wishes, Mr Blackburn and Miss Kreszentia

Year 11 – Mr J Roper  

 

This week we were delighted to host a fantastic Mock Results Evening, where it was wonderful to see and engage with so many pupils as they reflected on their most recent set of results. The atmosphere throughout the event was incredibly positive, with pupils showing real maturity, curiosity and ambition as they discussed their progress. It was great to have many subject teachers in attendance, all fully engaged in meaningful, subject‑specific conversations with pupils. These discussions focused on personalised next steps, targeted revision strategies and clear plans for improvement as we move toward the final stages of the academic year. The commitment shown by staff and pupils alike created a supportive and aspirational environment that reflects the very best of our school community.

It is important to highlight that the strong results—and the clear potential for further improvement—are a real testament to the year group’s excellent attitude toward their learning. Their consistent attendance and enthusiastic engagement in Period 6 sessions have played a significant role in building confidence, deepening understanding and driving measurable progress.

Alongside the Mock Results Evening, pupils have also taken part in their ‘Reflect’ Week. This structured process includes a series of assemblies and guided reflection sessions where students analyse their grades, identify strengths and recognise key areas for development. As part of this reflective journey, pupils have been engaging in subject‑specific feedback lessons designed to address misconceptions identified in their exam performance. Teachers have been working closely with students to clarify misunderstandings, reinforce core knowledge and ensure every pupil is equipped with a clear plan to move forward confidently.

As we approach the Easter holidays I wanted to also remind both parents and students that we will be running 'Easter Study School' on the following dates; Thursday 9^th April, Friday 10^th, Monday 13^th , Tuesday 14^th & Friday 15^th April between 9.45AM and 2.30PM.

Finally, if your son/daughter is still awaiting conformation or details of an interview from a college it is essential that they regularly check the email inbox of the address used in their application. Some students have unfortunately missed interviews by not regularly checking/updating their inbox.

Have a great weekend,

Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw