News from MCS

Annwyl pawb

It's been a pleasure to spend time every day chatting to students when on duty or just around our school this week, whether that is new Year 7s, or those in older years who are returning to fresh challenges. The theme coming from many is a renewed determination, forged over the summer break, to apply themselves with even greater energy to school life. It's particularly gratifying to see students who have received additional input from the wellbeing team or other staff begin to flourish as a result of that support.

Please see information below regarding extra-curricular clubs, and also an important update about pedestrian safety around the Monmouth roadworks that continue to beset us all.

Enjoy a restful weekend, when it comes. Let's all hope it brings with it a late burst of summer weather for the Usk Show.

Cofion cynnes,

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

William McDonald, Year 9, had a successful summer competing in mounted games, including representing Wales, in France, at the European Championships.

This was a great experience for him and his teammates.

Well done William.

Jessica Kirkwood has secured a stall at the Usk tomorrow (Saturday 14 September). She has taught herself to crochet and has been busy all year making stock to sell. 

Her stall is called Bobble & Ruby and all items are made by Jess, so if you're at the show, please look out for her.

We hope you have a very busy day, Jess.

School photographs will take place next week on Tuesday 17 September and Wednesday 18th September. 

Years 7 to 10 will have their photographs taken on Tuesday with Years 11 to 13 on Wednesday.

Students who are not in on Tuesday will have the opportunity to have their photograph taken on Wednesday (12.30pm in School Hall) and anyone on Wednesday who has a pre-arranged absence, will be able to slot in on Tuesday (2.35pm in School Hall).

Sibling photographs will be taken at 3pm on Tuesday, in the School Hall.  Please use the googleform link below to request a slot for your children.  Forms should be completed and submitted by noon on Monday 16 September, to allow us to liaise with the photographer and supply a list of students.  Only students on this list will be able to have their photographs taken.  Please note that parents will be required to make arrangements for their children to get home after these photographs.

SIBLING PHOTOGRAPH BOOKING FORM

We are delighted to share with you, on the link below, the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available to students this term at Monmouth Comprehensive School. 

All activities begin from Monday 16^th September and, unless otherwise stated, take place between 3pm and 4pm in the rooms listed on the attached schedule.  Some of the activities may require students to sign up to enable our teachers to prepare effectively for their clubs.  These will be communicated in subject lessons and displayed in individual faculties.  A register will be taken at the start of each club but it remains the responsibility of parents whether or not a child is able to attend a particular session.  Clubs will run for 12 school weeks until the week beginning 9^th December.

AUTUMN CLUB SCHEDULE

The school café will be open until 4.30pm on these evenings to allow students to buy refreshments both before and after their clubs.

We are running a fundraising event for Cancer Research Wales called ‘Stripe a Pose’ on Friday 20^th September. 

Students are encouraged to participate in the event by wearing a stripy ‘flourish’ and donate £1 to the charity to go towards life-saving research, as the stripes represent the DNA sequencing gel that is used by Cancer Research Wales’ researchers to detect cancer cells.  Full uniform is required, but students may add their own flourish with, perhaps, a striped tie, bow tie, hat, scarf, hairband or something similar.

A £1 donation will be available on ParentPay, should you wish to make a donation. Hoping to see lots of stripes next Friday for this important cause.
Thank you.

If your child walks to school via the traffic lights at the top of town (Hereford Road/Dixton Road) area, could you please discuss with them the importance of taking particular care whilst using the crossings whilst the Welsh Water roadworks are ongoing.

It has been brought to our attention that during the roadworks it is taking longer for them to change to allow pedestrians to cross. Unfortunately, some students have been taking a chance and running across the road, between/during light changes. 

We would also ask that students do not get out of cars in the queue but wait for parents to reach the appropriate drop-off point at the rear of the School to alight safely.

This is what Year 7 Humanities students will be exploring this term. We are delighted to be in partnership with the Shire Hall who have curated this community-led exhibition. Part of the Museum Services ‘Dynamic Collections: Opening the Box’ exhibition, this ambitious project has developed from the transfer of Monmouth Museum into the Shire Hall and has been designed to put the community at the heart of the museum’s exhibition. Local residents were invited to ‘open the box’ to the collections and choose the objects which they felt best represented Monmouth’s history and development. The exhibition includes many personal stories alongside the exhibits, many of which have never be seen before.

The exhibition and accompanying collections box will be used as part of Year 7 lessons to develop a sense of chronology and development, place and ‘cynefin’. Students will be encouraged to think about their own personal stories of Monmouth and their local areas and to choose artefacts that they would put into a people’s collection in order to personally connect with our rich and diverse local culture and heritage. We are very excited about this opportunity to engage with our community and with hands-on learning.

It's been so heartening to see how much interest the exhibition has generated already. The exhibition is with us for a few weeks before it travels to its next destination. Its sister exhibition can be seen in the Shire Hall until March 2025. You can even take an online survey to give your views on which themes and activities would attract visitors to the museum – see the Shire Hall and MonLife websites for more details.

If you wish to integrate the school calendar on our website into your phone etc., please use the link below to our calendar where it will give you the option to subscribe and download:

SCHOOL CALENDAR

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have put together a number of 'Helping Hands' toolkits which you may find useful.  Please click on the links below to access any topic you may find of interest:

Separation Anxiety

Understanding Behaviour

Supporting your child's transitions

Supporting Siblings

Supporting Anxious Children

Promoting Sleep in Children

Friendship

Building Resilience

It is advisable to register for Open Events. 

HWGTA will have many employers attending their Open Events, looking to recruit summer 2025.  A high percentage of apprentices secure permanent positions on completion and some progress to higher level apprenticeships.