Please note that the INSET day originally scheduled for Friday, 28th March 2025, has been rescheduled to Monday, 31st March 2025. This change has been made to accommodate students and families celebrating Eid, as the expected start date has shifted since the calendar was initially planned last year. By moving the INSET day, students can celebrate without needing to miss school. Attendance is expected for all students throughout the rest of the week.
Spring 1 has been packed full of learning opportunities for students in all year groups and we have been happy to see students start to use their student planners more this half term to record homework and key events. A reminder that teachers will also use planners to award a CAP at the end of each lesson and to write in praise when a student has worked particularly hard.
After their successful first round of Big Tests, this half-term Year 7 have been exploring how to solve maths problems which involve multiplying and dividing, finding fractions of an amount and calculating with negative numbers. In Drama they have been developing their performance skills by using their voice and body language in the context of fantasy, myths and legends.
Year 8 have been studying Shakespeare's The Tempest in English through which they have explored the concepts such as identity and power as well as learning about a writer's methods including the conventions of a play and the use of characterisation and metaphor. In Geography they have been learning about hot deserts including why hot deserts exist, how plants and animals have adapted to live in a hot desert and the impact on humans.
In Year 9 students in History have been studying the concepts of causation and change in the context of the Industrial Revolution. They have examined Elizabeth Gaskell’s description of Manchester to build an understanding of the provenance of sources. In Year 9 students' study the three technology subjects on rotation. Those students that have studied Food Technology this half term have had the opportunity to explore the impact of the food industry on the environment including looking at food waste and seasonal eating. They have had the opportunity to cook pasta bake, loaded wedges, pizza and aloo chana. Those students that have studied Design Technology have investigated the design industry, automation and working standards. They have created desk lamp bases. Those students that have studied Textiles have learnt about designing products and environmental protection strategies including reduce, reuse, repair, rethink, reduce and refuse. Students have learnt how to use a sewing machine to fuse two fabrics together.
In Year 10 students studying for the Combined Science GCSE have been learning about matter and how radiation transfers energy. Our Triple Scientists have studied matter and radiation in Physics, DNA in Biology and energy changes in Chemistry. In English they have been learning how to compare poems through studying the poems ‘Poppies’, ‘War Photographer’, ‘The Prelude’ and ‘Kamikaze’.
Year 11 have been working hard in the run up to their final set of progress exams which begin on 3rd March. In Maths students who are sitting the Foundation GCSE paper have been studying topics which require multiplicative reasoning such as speed, distance time calculations, percentages and conversions. Those sitting the Higher GCSE paper have been developing their advance algebra skills learning how to calculate with algebraic fractions and use function notation. In English they have covered the final half of A Christmas Carol so that they understand the plot, characterisation and context.
Electronic versions of the Knowledge Organisers that students will need to complete their daily retrieval practice homework in the Spring 2 term can be found here: Homework - MEA Central
Thank you to all Year 11 parents for your continued support. As the Class of 2025 approach their GCSE exam season (just 13 weeks to go!) we shared some key messages around the exams and revision at the GCSE Preparation Evening on Thursday 6th February. If you were unable to attend the event, please find the presentation here: Y11 Exam Preparation Event 2025.pdf .
The key messages are:
MEA Central gets excellent academic results, and we are already very proud of how hard Year 11 are working.
The JCQ rules around exams are strict and must be adhered to. We have prepared students for this throughout KS4.
To maximise success students must be in school, in all lessons and on time.
Students should complete the revision tasks set by their teachers first. The Revision for the next Progress Exams is saved here: Year 11 Spring
Parents can contact class teachers if they have any questions about the revision that their child should be completing.
The library continues to inspire our students to participate in reading and literacy activities. Beth Hartley Wilson has been rewarded by the library for reading a phenomenal 34 books over the course of the term!
In addition, our ‘Spoken Word’ club students have been busy writing their own poetry with our professional poet David Scott. David has supported them to enter the Young Writer’s ‘Poetry Escape’ competition where they wrote poems about what they feel trapped by in society. The entries are outstanding again and we hope to get some more published writers!
Our school is currently in the top 12% of schools nationally for attendance, and a shout out for Year 10 who are currently in the top 1%, and Year 8 who are in the top 8%!
Attendance and punctuality both continue to be vital in a young person's development academically and socially; student with the best attendance always outperform their peers in examinations.
To further highlight the importance of attendance, we reached out to Xaverian College to ask them to summarise their views on attendance; their response is as follows:
Xaverian is a very oversubscribed College and every year there are disappointed students who we are not able to offer a place to. When making decisions we look at a few different factors including predicted grades, whether students qualify for the courses they are applying for, and the reference from the school. The reference includes information on attendance and punctuality for the whole of Year 10 and the first term of Year 11.
It is very important to us that students who come to Xaverian understand that they are joining a community that values commitment and hard work. Attendance and punctuality are central to this and important factors that may prevent students from being offered a place, despite performing well in their GCSEs and getting good grades. We understand there are unforeseen or mitigating circumstances for some students and believe it is possible for all students to attend school regularly and therefore be successful in applying to Xaverian College.
As well as being a key factor in taking your next steps after high school, good attendance and punctuality are important life skills that are valued by education providers and employers and are skills that should be embraced by all.
We are here to support you. If you or your child need our support, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
If your child is eligible for FSM, you will have received an Asda voucher for £15.00 per eligible student via your inbox. Please check your emails. If you have any issue with accessing your vouchers, please refer to the links below:-
How to check the balance of a voucher
Please use the online balance checker https://cards.asda.com/
Other queries
https://cards.asda.com/contactus
A reminder for parents, below are some supportive services available to young people and parents, should they be struggling with their mental health:
For the half term, should you want any advice or useful resources, check out the Anna Freud website. There are over 50 different resources to explore. A screenshot below gives some examples!
Support for parents
For parents wanting to keep busy over the half term holidays, please see these links with have a variety of activities on:
Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Ms. C Gates Year 7 have had a fantastic opportunity this half term to demonstrate resilience, focus, and a commitment to showing the value of achievement. We had a wonderful celebration assembly to end our half term and give awards for demonstrating the school values. Shoutout to Saffa Jama and Reda Romi as my Head of Year awards and Juman Faisal for the Oracy award! Please make sure you have added the Parents’ Evening on Tuesday 25th February to your diaries. It is the first week back after the half term holiday. Appointments are booked in advance using Arbor. Please contact the Year 7 team if you are finding it difficult to book in. If you are unable to meet with a particular teacher, please don’t worry—our staff are always happy to provide feedback via email or a phone call if needed. To make the most of the evening: Ms Gates
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Year 8 – Ms. Bryan
As we come to the end of a fantastic Spring 1 term, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements of our Year 8 students. This half term has been filled with hard work, perseverance, and commitment to excellence, and I am proud of each and every one of you. A huge congratulations to all students for their dedication to their studies and for demonstrating excellent scholarly habits. Many of you have shown a real commitment to your learning, with a growing enthusiasm for participation in lessons, completing homework to a high standard, and taking pride in your progress. Keep up the great work! We are thrilled to see improvements in both attendance and punctuality across the year group. Consistently being present and on time plays a key role in academic success, and it is fantastic to see so many of you making the effort to ensure you are in school, ready to learn every day. Let’s aim to maintain and even improve these great habits in the next term. As we head into the break, I would like to remind all students to complete their Project Central task, which are a key part of your learning and personal development. Please ensure that these are submitted w/c 24.02.25. I hope that all students take this opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend time with family and friends. It’s important to return refreshed and ready to embrace the next half of the school year with the same energy and enthusiasm that you have shown so far. Thank you to all parents and guardians for your continued support. Your encouragement plays a vital role in your child’s success, and we appreciate your partnership in their educational journey. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable break.
S.Bryan and Mx Umpierrez |
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Year 9 – Mr Blackburn Year 9 have been superb this half term. It has been fantastic getting to know the year group and I have been so impressed by the character students have demonstrated. There have been some key milestones in which the year group have flourished in and along the way have showcased outstanding scholarly habits.
Representation of school 3 Year 9 students made an appearance in the Manchester United V Southampton programme as part of a textiles programme. Excellent effort and great participation.
Rubix cube world championships Caleb has qualified to attend the Rubik's Cube World Championships, which will take place in Seattle in 2025. This is a remarkable achievement, and we are incredibly proud of his dedication and hard work. Well done Caleb!!
Year 9 football team success The year 9 played a fantastic game against Burnage on the 11.02.2025. It was a fantastic performance which saw the boys win 4-2. It has been excellent to see all the students turn up to Wednesday morning training, a real team spirit and dedication.
Maths challenge Several students in year 9 took part in a maths challenge called UKMT in their maths lessons. 3 of our year 9 students have qualified to the next round of the challenge. This is an amazing achievement as this challenge is completed by students nationally. I will be handing out certificates to students in their maths lessons this week along with prizes. Congratulations to the following:
Max Lee Rohed Mollah Dilys Osborne
Year group successes The year group have been working as a team in order to receive postcards, form lunches and recognition. There was a reward assembly on the last Friday to celebrate success and achievement. Well done if you received a postcard home. Form with the least negative incidents - 9N - Well done. Form with the best attendance - 9A - Well done, the form received a free lunch on the last Friday.
Watch this space for more competitions next half term.
Futures Year 9's attitude and application has been fantastic this half term and there have been some amazing questions in relation to their futures. Please see the link for all the resources
A reminder that the Microsoft form to complete choices will be sent home 28th Feb. The deadline for form completion is 21st March.
Have a great half term Year 9 and we look forward to spring 2.
The Year 9 team.
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Year 10 – Mr J Roper Thank you, Year 10, for another fantastic half term - full of effort, hard work and perseverance. We have completed Progress Exam week and then been able to step straight back into lessons, keeping the standards of effort and consistency high. Over this half term we have kept out attendance and punctuality at a high level which has then helped to ensure that you are prepared for all lessons/assessments. This morning, we have celebrated the 32 pupils in the year group who remain on 100% attendance for the year to date, by delivering prizes to them in form.
Can I take this opportunity to Thank all parents/carers for all your continued support this half term and I wish you a restful and relaxing holiday. Mr. Roper and Ms. Renshaw |
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Year 11 – Mr J Rooza
This half term has absolutely flown by, and once again, Year 11 continue to make me incredibly proud. It has been a jam-packed week, filled with fantastic achievements and celebrations. On Tuesday, we came together for our celebration assembly, where we recognised the mountain of success Year 11 have achieved so far. It is always a joyous occasion, taking time to reflect on the incredible hard work, resilience, and progress of our students. Moments like these remind us all of just how far they have come – and how much more they can still achieve! Additionally, a huge congratulations to all the students involved in the school production of Bugsy Malone. Their dedication, talent, and professionalism were outstanding, and it was wonderful to see a few Year 11 students leading the way as both super scholars and performers. On Wednesday, I was equally impressed and inspired by the incredible work showcased at the Beautiful Work Exhibition. Seeing the creativity, effort, and excellence across all year groups was a true reminder of the talent we have within our school. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Mr Rooza & Mrs Costello
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