Principal’s Message for Week B, wb 7th September 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to our first newsletter of the new academic year.
It has been a pleasure to welcome our scholars back to school and to see them return with such focus, enthusiasm and positivity. We recognise that returning after the summer break can be a significant change for some young people. Our year teams are working closely with students and families to resolve any initial concerns and help everyone settle successfully into the routines of the new term. Please do contact your child’s year team if there is anything with which they can support.
We have an especially exciting academic year ahead. In 2027, MEA Central will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its opening. Throughout the year, there will be many opportunities to celebrate how far we have come, recognise the people who have shaped our school and take a few trips down memory lane. Our theme for this important year is:
‘Ten Years Stronger. Shaping the Future Together.’
We will also be encouraging every scholar to “Take charge of your own story.” Research into self-efficacy- the belief that our choices and actions can make a difference -shows that young people are more likely to persevere, respond positively to challenges and achieve ambitious goals when they see themselves as active authors of their future. We want every scholar to understand that, while they cannot control every circumstance, the decisions they make, the opportunities they embrace and the effort they invest will help shape what happens next.
This newsletter outlines some of the many opportunities available to our scholars during the year. I have also attached an additional newsletter which captures the joyful and wonderfully varied range of co-curricular activities and events that took place during the summer term. I hope you enjoy reading it and seeing just how much our scholars experienced, contributed and achieved.
We await our Ofsted report and will share this with parents are soon as it is published.
Some key dates for the autumn term are included on the next page.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We look forward to working in partnership with you throughout what promises to be another exciting and memorable year at MEA Central.
Mrs Reynard
Executive Principal
Autumn 1: Key Dates and Events
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Date |
Events |
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31 August |
Bank Holiday |
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1–2 September |
INSET Day -school closed to students |
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3 September |
Orientation Day Year 7 photographs |
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4 September |
Timetabled lessons begin |
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W/C 31 August |
Orientation Week Year 11 Reflect Week |
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W/C 7 September |
Enrichment begins Year 11 Period 6 begins |
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7 September |
School marketing video filming |
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11 September |
Year 11A Art trip to Manchester City Centre |
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W/C 14 September |
Year 7 Benchmark Assessments Year 10 Reading Assessments |
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14 September |
Year 9 Fashion Illustration Workshop |
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15 September |
Year 7 Welcome Evening - 3.15–4.30pm |
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17 September |
Year 11B Art trip- Manchester |
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W/C 21 September |
Year 9 Revision Week Year 11 Preparation Week Languages Week Year 10 PASS surveys |
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21 September |
Year 10B market research visit to Levenshulme |
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24 September |
Year 11A Photography trip to Victoria Baths |
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W/C 28 September |
Year 9 Big Test 1 Year 11 Revision Month begins Year 8 PASS surveys |
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30 September |
Year 10A market research visit to Levenshulme |
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1 October |
National Poetry Day Year 11B Photography trip to Victoria Baths |
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2 October |
Year 10 Geography field trip to Formby Beach KS3 trip Manchester Central Library |
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Throughout October |
Black History Month |
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W/C 5 October |
Praise Week Year 9 PASS surveys |
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6 October |
Year 10 GCSE Success: Understanding Your Targets Online 4.15–4.45pm |
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W/C 12 October |
Belonging Week Year 7 PASS surveys House Art viewing week |
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13 October |
Drop Everything and Read- Period 5 |
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15 October |
Year 11B Textiles Workshop Parent Coffee Morning - 9.15–10.00am Open Evening 3.30–7.00pm |
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16 October |
Year 11A Textiles Workshop KS4 Hallé concert |
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W/C 19 October |
Gratitude Week Year 9 Reflect Week Celebration Assemblies for all year groups |
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21 October |
Black History Month Showcase-3.15–4.15pm |
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23 October |
Final day of half term - school finishes at 3.00pm |
The Art of Belonging - House Art
This year, we are excited to launch a whole-school House Art competition entitled The Art of Belonging.
The project celebrates the diversity, individuality and creativity of our students through the creation of self-portraits inspired by the work of internationally recognised artists who explore themes of identity and representation. Each House will take inspiration from a different artist, including Kehinde Wiley, Frida Kahlo and Shepard Fairey.
Students will be encouraged to reflect on what makes them unique and to create a self-portrait that expresses their personality, interests, culture, experiences and sense of belonging within our school community. Through a variety of artistic styles and techniques, students will explore the important message that our differences are what make our community stronger.
Entries from across the school will be displayed as part of a large collaborative exhibition celebrating the many identities, talents and stories that make up our school. House points will be awarded for creativity, artistic skill and thoughtful interpretation of the theme.
We encourage families to support students by discussing the people, places, interests and experiences that are important to them and inspire their artwork.
"Belonging starts with being yourself." We look forward to seeing the creativity, individuality and imagination of our students brought to life through this exciting project.
Enrichment
We believe that some of the most memorable and formative experiences of school happen beyond the classroom. Enrichment gives our scholars the opportunity to discover new interests, develop talents, build confidence, make new friendships and experience the joy of being part of something.
This year, one of the messages we will be returning to with our scholars is the importance of taking control of their own story. Enrichment is a brilliant opportunity to do exactly that.
School should be a place where young people can discover more about who they are and who they might become. Sometimes that means pursuing something they already love; sometimes it means having the confidence to try something completely new. Every new experience adds another possibility to their story.
This year, we are continuing to develop our enrichment curriculum so that every scholar has access to a broad and exciting range of opportunities. Our programme includes creative and performing arts, sport and fitness, outdoor education, leadership and community action, academic challenge, games and social activities, alongside opportunities to read, debate, create, compete, perform and learn new skills.
Our ambition is for enrichment to be more than simply attending a club. Across the year, scholars will have opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills, confidence and independence, working towards meaningful experiences such as performances, competitions, fixtures, exhibitions, projects and community action.
There really is something for everyone. A scholar might represent the school in a sports team, learn to skateboard, join an orchestra, debate, create digital art, take part in Minecraft challenges, develop their outdoor skills, contribute to their community – or discover something they never knew they were good at.
How to get involved
Enrichment begins on Monday 7th September. Scholars can sign up for enrichment activities through Arbor. During the first two weeks, they are also very welcome to drop in and try an activity before deciding whether it is right for them.
We would encourage every family to look through the opportunities together and have a conversation about what your child might like to try. Perhaps encourage them to choose something they already enjoy – and something that takes them slightly outside their comfort zone.
Ultimately, we want every scholar to leave us with more than qualifications. We want them to leave having found things they love, developed skills they didn't know they had, contributed to something bigger than themselves and built experiences and memories they are proud of.
Behaviour and routines: key reminders for September
As we begin the new school year, we'd like to thank families for their continued support in helping us create a calm, safe and purposeful environment where every scholar can thrive. Our Behaviour Policy reflects our commitment to high expectations, explicit teaching of positive habits and strong partnerships with home.
Mobile phone-free school
We remain a mobile phone-free school throughout the entire school day. Phones and air pods (and similar devices) should be switched off and kept out of sight from the moment scholars enter the school site until they leave at the end of the day. This supports concentration, wellbeing and positive relationships across our school community. A reminder that if a phone is seen or heard, it will be confiscated for 1-week.
Overtimes: a small change we're trialling
We will be trialling a revised overtime system during the first half term:
30-minute overtime for lower-level classroom concerns
45-minute Head of Year overtime
90-minute Senior Leadership Team overtime
We will review the impact of this trial at the end of the first half term before deciding whether to adopt it permanently.
Student Leadership
This year we are creating more opportunities for scholars in every year group to take an active role in school life. Leadership is an important part of our theme of taking control of your own story – developing confidence, finding your voice, representing others and discovering the difference you can make.
There are two leadership pathways available:
House Leadership
Year 7: House Apprentices
Year 8: House Representatives
Year 9: House Co-ordinators
Year 10: House Vice-Captains
Year 11: House Captains
Deadline: Friday 11 September – applications can be collected from form tutors and be given directly to their Head of House or to form tutors.
Wider Student Leadership
Year 7: Welcome Ambassadors – appointments Tuesday 20 October
Year 8: Year Ambassadors – appointments Tuesday 15 September
Year 9: School Ambassadors – appointments Tuesday 15 September
Year 10: Enrichment Prefects and Form Representatives – appointments Tuesday 15 September
Year 11: Form Representatives – appointments Wednesday 23 September
Year 11 Head Boy and Head Girl elections: Tuesday 13 October
Scholars interested in becoming their form's Ambassador or Representative should prepare a two-minute speech explaining why they should be elected.
We would encourage families to talk about these opportunities at home – particularly with scholars who might not immediately see themselves as leaders. Leadership lies everywhere, and putting yourself forward could be the first step in discovering what you are capable of.
MEA Central Skyline Team
If your child has additional needs, they will be supported by the Skyline team. We attend all parent events so please come and say hello. If you have a concern about your child, you can email us on the address above or call main reception and ask to speak to someone in Skyline.
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Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Mr Guest
Year 7 have had a wonderful start to their journey at MEA Central. Our scholars were introduced to our core values at MEA Central today and they offered fantastic insight into how they can demonstrate these values at school.
Citizenship: Our key focus for citizenship has been on using kind words and having positive interactions with our peers during the school. Year 7 demonstrated this fantastically on their first day and some great friendships have been made.
Achievement: Year 7 have attended several sessions this week, including poetry, a maths challenge and many more. In all these sessions they demonstrated a clear desire to work hard and achieve great things during their time at school.
Participation: Year 7 took great pride in their uniform this week, and participated excellently in everything they were involved in. They are prepared to learn and get the most out of their time here.
Our key focuses this half term will be on organisation, punctuality, and uniform. At this early stage, it is the best time to embed these core routines of:
Key Dates for September;
Overall, Year 7 have made a fantastic start to their time at MEA Central, and we look forward to the future and seeing what they can achieve!
Mr Guest and Mx Eastwood
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Year 8 – Ms Park As we come to the end of another successful week, we would like to take this opportunity to thank both students and families for the fantastic start they have made to the new academic year. It has been wonderful to welcome our Year 8 students back into our school community and see how positively they have returned to learning. Throughout their first week, students have looked amazing and have demonstrated excellent behaviour, enthusiasm and maturity. This reflects the time, preparation and support you have provided in helping them get ready for learning, and we are incredibly grateful for your efforts. We have been particularly impressed with how quickly students have settled back into routines, reconnected with their peers and teachers, and approached each day with confidence and determination. They should all be very proud of the start they have made. This half term, we will be focusing on our core values of Citizenship. Citizenship is about living meaningful lives through connection to something greater than ourselves. We value our shared identity and contribute to our communities and wider society as informed, critical and responsible citizens. We encourage students to demonstrate kindness, respect and responsibility in their everyday actions. Looking ahead to next week, we are excited to continue building on this success as students embrace new ACADEMIC CHALLENGES and strive for excellence in all areas of school life. This year's message to all students is simple: Take Charge of Your Own Story We encourage every student to take ownership of their choices, their learning and their ambitions. Every lesson, challenge and opportunity is a chance to write the next chapter of their story. By demonstrating our values of Achievement, Participation and Citizenship, we know that Year 8 will make this year one filled with success, growth and memorable experiences. Thank you once again for your ongoing support, and we look forward to another fantastic week ahead Mrs K. Park, Mrs Costello, Mr Chowdhury
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Year 9 – Mr Roper
We are really excited to be working with the Year 9 cohort this year as they begin an important stage of their secondary school journey. I will be leading the year group as Head of Year, with Ms Renshaw working alongside as Pastoral Manager. Together, we are looking forward to supporting every student to achieve their very best, both academically and personally. We have been extremely impressed with the way pupils have returned to school. These expectations link closely to the theme of our first assembly, "Are You Ready?" Throughout Year 9, we will be challenging students to think carefully about how prepared they are for the next stage of their education. This year provides a crucial bridge into Key Stage 4, and we will encourage pupils to make the most of every opportunity so that they are fully ready for the transition to GCSE study. We are really excited about the year ahead and look forward to working in partnership with students and families to make Year 9 a successful and rewarding experience for all. If you need to contact either of us, please see below our email addresses and extension numbers: Mr Roper: jroper@meacentral.org.uk - telephone extension is 8349 Ms Renshaw: srenshaw@meacentral.org.uk - telephone extension is 8344 Mr Roper and Ms Renshaw
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Year 10 – Ms Bradbury As we begin our Key Stage 4 journey in Year 10, I would like to say how proud I am of the way Year 10 have conducted themselves during their first week back at MEA Central. They have been exceptional and have stepped into Key Stage 4 with maturity, determination and a positive attitude towards their learning. It has been fantastic to see students embracing the increased responsibilities that come with this important stage of their education, demonstrating resilience, focus and a commitment to achieving their very best. The start of Year 10 marks an exciting step towards their GCSE qualifications, and the dedication shown this week gives us great confidence for the year ahead. I encourage all students to continue building on this positive start by attending regularly, engaging fully in lessons and taking pride in their work. I look forward to celebrating their successes and supporting them throughout what promises to be a rewarding and successful year. Looking ahead to next week, our focus will be on ensuring that all Year 10 students are fully settled into the routines and expectations of Key Stage 4. As we begin our first full week, we will be encouraging students to be prepared for each day by arriving on time, bringing the correct equipment and being ready to engage in their learning from the moment they enter the classroom. We also want students to explore the wide range of enrichment opportunities available at MEA Central. Whether through sport, the arts, STEM or leadership activities, enrichment provides a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills, discover new interests and make the most of school life beyond the classroom. In our assembly this week, we spoke about what success looks like at MEA Central and how it can be demonstrated every single day through the choices we make. Whether that is being ready to learn, showing kindness to others, contributing in lessons or stepping outside of our comfort zone to try something new, every positive action counts. I have been incredibly impressed with the start Year 10 have made, and I look forward to seeing them continue to demonstrate these success habits in the weeks ahead as they embrace the opportunities and challenges that Key Stage 4 will bring. Ms Bradbury and Mx Umpierrez
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Year 11 – Mr Blackburn
Dear Parents and Carers, Welcome back to the start of Year 11. We hope that you have all had a restful and enjoyable summer and have returned feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for an exciting year ahead. Year 11 is a hugely important year, but it is also a year full of opportunity. Every lesson, every decision and every habit matters. Our message to students this year is simple: be intrinsically motivated, take ownership of your journey, and write your own story. Success comes from the choices made each day, and we want every student to recognise the power they have to shape their future. To ensure a successful year, we are focusing on five key areas:
As Head of Year, I am extremely excited and optimistic about what lies ahead. In just the first week, I have already sensed a real focus, determination and maturity from the year group. We have a fantastic foundation to build upon from Year 10, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming months. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. By working together, we can ensure every student is equipped to achieve their very best and create a future they can be proud of. Best wishes, |
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