Monmouth Comprehensive School Parent Portal - Parent Newsletter 08 03 24

Annwyl pawb

Most of the time in any school is taken up with learning in lessons – the freedom of our students to make choices from a range of high quality options when they leave school is in large part dependent on getting the strongest set of qualifications that they can. This focus on learning, subjects and acquisition of knowledge runs through our approach to Curriculum for Wales too, and we are proud of what we have achieved so far.

However, what is also of primary importance is our students developing their sense of genuine and meaningful contribution to their community, as they grow towards becoming adults. I have been immensely proud of the many examples of this that I have seen recently. For instance:

The recent Sleep Out event, organised by a local charity, was attended incredibly well by a number of our students in order to raise awareness of the persistent issue of homelessness in our community. Our students received an award from the High Sheriff of Monmouthshire for their work on this. You can read a student account of this event later in this newsletter.

Our superb School Council has met with representatives from MCC’s Chat With Flo project to address period poverty, dignity and stigma in school. The School Councillors have some great plans to support students that they will launch in the near future. This follows up on their excellent campaign work regarding school funding, and I know that they received a recent response from the First Minister after their petitioning of Welsh Government on this matter.

Other students and staff have just today taken part in a Welsh Blood Service donation event, which is a vitally important contribution to others in need. This is a cause that is particularly dear to me, as I was the recipient of donated blood a number of years ago that saved my life. I am thankful to all those who take part in this altruistic event, especially as we hope it inculcates a lifelong habit of blood donation.

These are just three recent examples that have stood out for me. I know that there are plenty more happening every week, whether they are one-off events, campaigns or simply the everyday excellence of caring for one another, being kind, checking in on someone else’s wellbeing or standing up for what is right. We ask that students Work Hard, but also remind them to Be Kind. Yes, of course learning matters. Future opportunities matter. But also, kindness, respect and consideration of others matters, too. I see that collective endeavour resonating across our school every day, and even when students get it wrong, we return in our conversations to them getting it right the next time.

Enjoy your weekend, amidst the ongoing meteorological battle between winter and spring. Spring will win… eventually.

Cofion cynnes,

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Between the 29th of February and the 1st of March, I took part in the ‘There’s No Place Like Home’ 24-hour sleep-out event, organised by the Churches in Monmouth Housing Group and Reach Out. Myself, numerous dedicated Monmouth Comprehensive students, and representatives including HM Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent spent the night exposed to the elements on Monnow Bridge, all in the name of drawing attention to pressing issues such as poverty and hidden homelessness.

During the day, a stall was set up on the bridge with music, children’s activities, and, most importantly, petitions and sign-up forms for volunteers. A few especially-committed students from MCS spent a whole 24 hours at the event, and made commendable efforts in spreading awareness of the crucial issues the event focused on.

The dates of the event, from the 29th of February to the 1st of March, represented a key piece of symbolism. The event aimed to support an ‘engagement ring’ (linked to the Leap Day) - a ‘ring’ of services with a central hub from which whoever is in need of support can access everything they require, without wasting precious time bouncing around the system. Furthermore, March 1st marks the end of meteorological winter - and equally the end of the protection of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol over rough sleepers. At midnight at the beginning of the month we gathered in the centre of the bridge and extinguished our lights, taking a minute’s silence to appreciate how our sleep-out experience is, in fact, felt daily and nightly by so many across Monmouthshire.

Numerous students, myself included, gathered sponsorships for our participation in the event. A significant sum of money was raised to be donated to various homelessness and poverty-related charitable organisations to make a real impact in tackling the problems afflicting those who often struggle to make their voices heard.

It’s so easy for us to sit in our homes and be relaxed by the patter of a shower on the window, but spending a night in gale-force wind and torrential rain is something we’ll never forget. These events are extremely beneficial in raising awareness and rallying support for the homeless or poverty-stricken, and my eyes personally were opened through my experience of a mere number of hours of the tribulations a rough sleeper has to face. I would implore everyone to reflect on the privilege of having a roof over one’s head - and I look forward to taking part in other events in the future to highlight this social divide.

Matt Keenan