News from MCS

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We have spoken to all students today regarding reminders on school uniform (which as you may know was introduced in 2018 after being co-designed by students, families and staff). Whilst most students wear their uniform with pride and look very smart and ready to learn, we are seeing more non-uniform items such as hoodies and non-uniform jumpers being worn at school, which is not permitted. So, from Monday, items such as hoodies and non-uniform jumpers are liable to be confiscated and stored securely for the day. In the first instance, students will be able to collect the item at the end of the day from the Ready To Learn room, but repeated issues will likely lead to a longer confiscation. We hope that these reminders in advance will mean that any confiscations are minimised. Please can I also ask that you support this by having a chat with your child about this and encouraging them to leave such items at home – a coat as an extra layer is fine, and we permit students to wear these in most areas of the school when the weather is colder. The video that was shown to students today is available here, just in case you’d like to see it.

The annual Careers and Higher Education Fair (CHEF) takes place at school on Wednesday 7th February 2024, 6 - 8 pm. Further details are available further down in this newsletter. CHEF is a really significant event, and I remember being hugely impressed with the scale of it when I first attended. It is aimed at Years 9-13 but all students and families are welcome. As well as MCS students, we expect to welcome students from across the region – it is a major careers event for the county and the whole of South East Wales. I strongly encourage you and your child to come along and discover it for yourself. You will see a broad range of pathways represented, which is part of our commitment to support students to the very best next steps possible, whatever their chosen path in life is after school.

All the best for the final weekend of January – time flies! This is a much shorter term than the autumn term, and we have a huge amount to pack in, so I am grateful as ever for your support in all that we endeavour to do for the students in our care.  

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board school nursing service will be visiting the school on Thursday 8th February and Friday 9th February to offer students in Year 9 the following vaccines: 

Meningitis ACWY and 3 in 1 Teenage Booster (Polio, Diphtheria and Tetanus)?immunisations. These immunisations protect against debilitating and life-threatening diseases.  

On Wednesday, Year 9 students brought home the ABUHB information pack and consent forms to be completed and returned to school reception no later than 3.30 pm on Monday 5th February.  

Please discuss this vaccination with your child to ensure they are aware you have (or have not) given consent. 

If forms are misplaced, they may also be downloaded and printed at home from the following links:

Teenage Booster Consent Form

Meningitis ACWY Consent Form

Should you have any queries, please contact the ABUHB nurses on 01633 431685 for further support.  We ask that you do not contact the school directly regarding these vaccinations.  We are acting solely as a venue for ABUHB, so will be unable to provide any advice or further guidance.  

Mr Nicolaides and the DT Department have been working with Year 8 students to design, make and test to destruction their Built Environment straw bridge structures. 

The students had great fun working in groups testing structures until they failed, and then evaluating their failed structure against their specification.

Well done Y8 - there were some fantastic failures!

Mr Nicolaides

Our U13 team took on the best schools in the West in an English Football League competitor recently. 

The Utilita Cup is a competition between teams who have earned the right to represent their local EFL club with MCS winning through before Christmas at the Newport County FC competition.

Winning again in the area competition, the girls were unbeaten in their group before drawing with Cardiff City's team, where a penalty shoot out took them to the final, to meet Plymough Argyle.  A 2-0 win saw our team through to the next round.  Well done girls!

The annual Careers and Higher Education Fair (CHEF) takes place at MCS on Wednesday 7^th February 2024, 6 - 8 pm. 

Over 100 representatives will be present from all major occupational areas, as will all local Further Education colleges and many Universities - including Cardiff, Swansea and Bristol. 

To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week (5-9 February) we have a dedicated area in the Main Atrium where Apprenticeship Providers and Training Organisations will be situated.   Careers Wales will be delivering Apprenticeship workshops during the evening. 

The school is pleased to be able to welcome back delegates who have been supporting the Fair for many years and are looking forward to seeing many new, exciting stands from many different sectors.

CHEF is aimed at Years 9-13 but all students and families are welcome. MCS also welcomes students from across the region to what will be a major careers event.