Annwyl bawb - I hope you've had a good week. 

It is a week of new beginnings for Year 9, as they move into 'Year Nen' and start their GCSE and BTEC qualifications. It's been lovely to chat with students about how they have found the first lessons this week, especially of their new options, some of which they will not have studied before such as Psychology, Business Studies, Public Services and Health & Social Care. We are really pleased with how well the students have started this next chapter in their educational journey.

It is the next step also for our Year 12 students as they return after exams to continue with their studies. With the departure of our Year 13 students, Year 12 now step up to be the senior year group. I am meeting our newly appointed Head Students soon to hear their plans for next year, and after that we will follow with formal announcements and messages from that leadership group.

Exam season continues, and I have to say that it has been a stellar year for the attitude and determination of students. Invigilators have commented to me how well-prepared and focussed students are. Well done everyone.

May I also highlight that MCS Friends had their AGM recently - you can access links further down this newsletter, and in the short item below this particular excerpt resonated: 

If everyone does a little bit then no one does a lot - and so the more people we have to help, the better! Moncompfriends@gmail.com - please get in touch to say hi.  

The Friends are a dedicated group, but few in number, and I wonder if concern around the extent of time commitments prevent many parents from getting involved. The reality is that any time at all you can offer will help - for example, staffing the refreshments stall on one evening a year at our school show makes a difference. Many of the 'extras' at our school are only possible because of the support of the Friends, and so we would be very grateful if you could get in touch with them, even just to offer an hour or two.

Many thanks indeed, and I wish you all the best for the weekend ahead.

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Will McDonald of 10ARI, recently represented England at The Royal Windsor Horse Show, where his team were successfully crowned Champions after four days of tough competition against the other four 'Home Nations.'

The team were fortunate to compete in front of, and meet, The King, The Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. It was a once-in-a-lifetime team experience, made even better by winning.

Will's team was made up of five riders who were selected following a trial process, which whittled down the final 34 nominated riders, who went to trial, to just five to make up the England team.

On the weekend prior to Windsor, Will was also a key member of the Monmouthshire team that won the English Championships, and who are co-trained by former Monmouthshire Comprehensive student Sam Hopkins. 

William's next targets are the World Individual Championships held in Germany, followed by the European team Championships and then the World Pairs which are both taking part in France.

Good luck, Will.

Kacey Batty in Year 11 has had a run of exciting and proud moments recently as she represented the Wales U16 Football team in a tournament and played superbly, assisting and scoring several goals.

Kacey has also then been presented with the ‘Chwaraeon teg ’ Award for the Welsh team which is a fantastic achievement.

Finally, Kacey has received the news that she has been offered a 2-year contract with Bristol City U21 academy. A fantastic string of events of which her family and her school are immensely proud.

Congratulations Kacey and good luck for the future.

Congratulations to Lyra Swayne for her tennis success over half-term. There was some great tennis played despite the blistering heat. 

Firstly, Lyra played in the South Wales County Champs held at Dinas Powys in the 14U singles, and after some close matches, got to the final. She battled on, but sadly couldn’t quite clinch the win, but was very proud of her achievements, as she took the 1^st seed to a tie-break.

Lyra then played in the 16U Doubles in the same tournament with her partner Scarlett and, again after some close matches, they went on to win. Lyra also played in the Avon Grade 3 14U Doubles with Meilin as her partner. They had never played together before, but they played really well, winning their first match 4-0, 4-1 but were then sadly beaten by the 2^nd seeds in the semi-final.

Overall, a great week for Lyra.

Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club Shines at National Schools Regatta

Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club proudly took part in the first day of the prestigious National Schools Regatta, sending a strong contingent of Year 9 and Year 10 athletes to compete against the best young rowers in the country. Our teams entered a range of categories, including Open and Women’s J14 Coxed Quads, as well as Open and Women’s J15 1st and 2nd Coxed Quads.

Despite challenging conditions that saw a mild headwind turn into a strong and inconsistent cross-headwind, our crews demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination throughout the day. Every athlete gave their best, and several teams achieved impressive national rankings:

• The Women’s J14 Coxed Quad finished 17th in the time trial and secured 5th place in the C Final, earning a national ranking of 17th. (Matilda Bryce, Niamh Preston, Summer Anderson, Willow Smowton, Amelia Bartlett-Smith)

• The Open J15 2nd Coxed Quad placed 20th in the time trial and took 3rd in the D Final, with a national ranking of 20th. (Ollie Skipp, Baxter Miller, Brynn Fernandez, Jacob Jayne, Zach Bayliss)

• The Women’s J15 2nd Coxed Quad achieved 13th in the time trial and finished 2nd in the C Final, ranking 14th nationally. (Connie Wigg, Emily Welsher, Elena Welsher, Darcy Bull, Zoe Arthur)

Other crews also put in strong performances, showing great promise for the future and embodying the club’s values of teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Coach Chris for his calm guidance and to all the supporters who travelled to cheer on our athletes. Their encouragement and dedication made a real difference, helping our rowers rise to the occasion and represent Monmouth Comprehensive School with pride.

Congratulations to all our competitors for their outstanding efforts and achievements. The club looks forward to building on this experience and continuing to inspire excellence in rowing.

Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club Strikes gold at Monmouth Regatta.

Monmouth, 24 May 2026 – Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club delivered an outstanding performance at this year’s Monmouth Regatta, held over the weekend of 23rd and 24th May. More than 50 club members took part, both competing on the water and volunteering behind the scenes, demonstrating exceptional team spirit and community engagement.

The club’s rowers impressed with their determination and sportsmanship, earning praise from the wider rowing community and the town club for their invaluable support in running this prestigious event.

Racing Highlights

Saturday’s events saw a series of remarkable victories:

• Charlie Grove triumphed in the Open J15 1x.

• The Mixed J14 4x+ crew, coxed by Evie Roberts and including Niamh Preston, Summer Anderson, Aled Phillips, and Dylan Howes, secured a win.

• Seb Crane took the Open J18 1x title.

• Thomas Beard and Tom Sutcliffe claimed victory in the Open J18 2x.

Sunday’s sprint races saw the club’s winning tally grow even further:

• Danny Meyrick-Laud won the Open J14 1x.

• Charlie Grove repeated Saturday’s success in the Open J15 1x.

• The Mixed J15 4x+ crew, coxed by Evie Roberts and including Jess Kirkwood, Martha Willis, Danny Meyrick-Laud, and Elis Phillips, clinched victory by just four feet in a thrilling final.

A standout moment came when the J14 girls’ coxed quad, (Cox Lucas Walker, Niamh Preston, Summer Anderson, Willow Smowton, Matilda Bryce), facing no opposition in their category, bravely chose to race the boys in the open event. After a dramatic dead heat in the final against Gloucester boys, the girls showed remarkable resilience in the rerun, overcoming a slow start to secure a memorable win.

The club’s final race was especially poignant, as Summer Anderson and Niamh Preston dominated the WJ14 2x final, marking Niamh Preston’s last race for the school before moving to Australia.

The club extends heartfelt thanks to coaches Chris and Patrick—who also celebrated a win on Saturday—and to the Friends group for their unwavering support in challenging, sweltering conditions.

Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club’s achievements at the regatta reflect the dedication of its members, coaches, and supporters, and the club looks forward to building on this success in future competitions.

The Taste Wagon will be with us again this year.  The programme for the week is:

Tuesday 12.55 - Year 7
Tuesday 1.45 - Year 9

Wednesday 12.55 - Year 8
Wednesday 1.45 - Year 10

Sixth Form students are able to access The Taste Wagon during all four lunch breaks (with a ticket).

Students will be able to purchase a ticket (£2.15) - available at breaktime only from 15 - 19 June - to use at The Taste Wagon.  Please keep it safe as students will not be able to access The Taste Wagon if they have lost their ticket.  Each Year Group will have a specific ticket colour and will hand the ticket in at The Taste Wagon, during their relevant slot.  No tickets are available to purchase on the day - they must all be purchased in advance.

Could you please ensure your child's account is topped up to allow them to make their purchase if they wish to use The Taste Wagon.

The toppings available for the fries will be pulled pork or beef chilli or a vegetarian chilli option, using Eat Curious Pea Protein.  Other toppings include grated cheese, nacho cheese sauce, onions and various sauces.

Say hello to the MCS Friends committee! We are a small, friendly bunch of parents who get together once a term to plan and put on fundraising events for the school.

Next year, we will be running two events and two raffles. If everyone does a little bit then no one does a lot - and so the more people we have to help, the better! Moncompfriends@gmail.com - please get in touch to say hi.

Please click HERE to read more about us, HERE to watch a short video about how we've supported our school, and HERE to view the latest AGM report for MCSFA.

Dear Parents and Carers

We are pleased to announce that our latest summer newsletters are now available. Careers Wales’ termly newsletters are designed to support both you and your child as you navigate key career decisions together.

These newsletters will keep you informed about the latest updates and essential information relevant to your child’s age group. We encourage you to take a moment to explore the newsletters, which can be found in the parents’ section of our website:

Newsletter – Summer 2026 Learners in mainstream schools

Newsletter – Summer 2026 Learners with additional learning needs

We are continually seeking feedback to ensure our services genuinely meet the needs of both young people and their parents and carers. Please share your thoughts by completing our short questionnaire:

Parent Voice Questionnaire

Emily Jones
Head of Services for Young People

The Food and Fun Programme is a school-based initiative run by the MonLife Play Team, aimed at promoting healthy living, positive wellbeing and improving engagement with education during the summer holidays.

• Monday 27^th July- Friday 21^st August (excluding weekends)
• 9.30am-2.30pm
• Breakfast and lunch provided

Please register using the following link:

Food and Fun

For more information, please email Play@monmouthshire.gov.uk.

We’re updating Monmouthshire’s Active Travel Network Map (ATNM) – and we want to hear from you! Whether you walk, wheel, or cycle, your feedback will help improve everyday routes across our communities.

Find out more: https://www.letstalkmonmouthshire.co.uk/atnm-2026

This consultation runs until midnight on Sunday, 30 August 2026.

What is the Active Travel Network Map?

The Active Travel Network Map (ATNM) shows existing routes and highlights future routes planned for upgrades or development over the next 15 years. It’s part of a Wales-wide effort to make local journeys healthier and more sustainable, supported by the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013.

Have your say: Let's Talk about walking, wheeling and cycling in Monmouthshire!

A true coming-of-age musical, 13 JR. is made especially for adolescents with a universal message about friendship and being true to yourself.

Evan Goldman is plucked from his fast-paced, pre-teen New York City life and dropped into a sleepy Indiana town following his parents' divorce.   Evan grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.

Tickets are available from :  www.ticketsource.com/monmouth-comprehensive-school or by using the QR code below.

 

https://www.ticketsource.com/rossiterbooks/t-yzzqany

Student tickets are £8; adult tickets £15