Shwme bawb - you can see my end of year video here. 

We have had a lovely Rewards Week this week - sports days, rewards trips, Eisteddfod, tutor group celebrations, year group assemblies, school awards and sports awards ceremonies... a busy and enjoyable end to the academic year for us all. You can read about much of this in the packed newsletter below.

Many thanks indeed for your support and collaboration during the year, and I wish you and your families an enjoyable summer. The new academic year starts on Wednesday 2nd September for Year 7 and Year 12, and Thursday 3rd September for all other year groups.

Best wishes

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

We are delighted to announce that we have not just one, but two MCS students gracing the big screens this year for Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie - Laurence Regan and Harry Thomas! Laurence (9SKE) joined the Paramount and Nickelodeon team in February 2025 as Rubble, and continues to have fantastic fun recording the ongoing Paw Patrol and Rubble and Crew series. Harry (8JSM) joined the team in December 2025 as Marshall, and has been having an incredible time as Paramount and Nickelodeon's newest voice actor on Paw Patrol!

Recently, Laurence and Harry have been busy working on the latest cinema release; they recorded Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie in the prestigious Molinare studios in London, in the same suite that the Paddington films were created!

Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie will be released in cinemas across the UK on August 7th, here's a sneak peek: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CS3_xLd2a2E&ra=m

You can watch Paw Patrol and Rubble and Crew daily on Channel 5's Milkshake or on Nick Jr.

Da iawn Laurence and Harry!

On 11th July, Bethan Parry (Y9) organised an informal netball tournament at Coleg Gwent, Usk to raise money for national charity Meningitis Now in memory of young local netball player, Meg Draper.

Despite the very high temperatures, the tournament was great fun with players of all ages, genders and abilities taking part. Together they raised £513, which it is hoped will be further increased through match funding available to one of the participants.

Bethan was supported by, and would like to thank, teammate Chloe Jenkins (Y10) and friends Alyce Wintle, Poppy Castree and Phoebe Pardington (all Y9).

Well done Bethan and the team.

Please click HERE to read the end of year school attendance letter to parents from Will McLean at MCC.

Relics Road Trip Raises Over £8,000 for Blood Cancer UK

Following a routine blood donation in December, I received an unexpected phone call advising me to book an appointment with my GP after an abnormality had been detected. On 15 January, I was given the news that I had been diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). I was then told that, if you are unfortunate enough to receive a cancer diagnosis, CLL is often one that can be managed for many years. I am pleased to say that I currently have no symptoms other than changes to my platelet levels and am on what is known as "watch and wait". Some people remain on this for decades, so I'm hoping that will be the case for me—and that students will have to put up with my awful jokes for many years to come!

It came as a huge shock. Somehow, it felt even harder knowing it was blood cancer after years of regularly donating blood. It certainly made me question whether karma was working quite as it should.  After spending a little time feeling sorry for myself, I realised I had a choice. I could allow the diagnosis to define me, or I could take a positive approach and do something worthwhile. Anyone who knows me will know there was only ever going to be one option.

As a lifelong car enthusiast—and, of course, a Top Gear fan—I decided to combine a classic Top Gear-style motoring challenge with a fundraiser for Blood Cancer UK.

The impact that cancer can have on anyone's life was brought home even more dramatically just one month before we were due to leave, when my co-driver was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery just two weeks later. Thankfully, my co-driver is making a good recovery. Not wanting him to miss out completely, we took a cardboard cut-out of him along for the journey, helping to raise awareness of prostate cancer as well as blood cancer.

At 6.30am on Friday 19 June, five cars assembled in Ross Market Place, ready to take on the challenge. The rules were simple: every car had to have been purchased for less than £650 and be capable of completing a 1,000-mile journey over four days.  In true Clarkson style, I chose a bright red Alfa Romeo, which I bought for just £350. After a few essential tweaks, the total investment came to £500. I have to say, though, the other teams played it far too safe, arriving in three grey Mercedes and, with one exception, a sporty little grey Nissan Micra. If we do this again, grey cars will definitely be banned!

From Ross, the convoy wound its way through the stunning scenery of mid-Wales before heading into Snowdonia and on to Holyhead, where we caught the ferry to Dublin. After arriving in Ireland, we continued to Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, which became our base for the remainder of the trip. By the end of day one, we had covered around 400 miles without a single breakdown.

Day two saw us taking part in the Kilbroney Classic Car Show, one of the biggest classic car shows in Europe. It's fair to say our cars looked slightly out of place among the immaculate vehicles on display—although the "Mighty Alfa", as it became affectionately known, seemed to fit in just fine. The event provided a fantastic opportunity to raise both money and awareness for Blood Cancer UK. Members of the Relics in Relics team met the show organiser, the town mayor and the local MP, and even took part in a live interview on BBC Radio Ulster.

Day three began with a navigational challenge through the beautiful Mourne Mountains before following the spectacular coastal road to Bishopscourt Racing Circuit. Here, the cars tackled a series of autotests and flying laps. Sadly, the "Mighty Alfa" wasn't quite as mighty as I'd hoped—or perhaps the driver simply wasn't!

Before long, it was time to head home. Day four was spent making the return journey, once again in glorious sunshine. Everyone agreed that saying goodbye to the breathtaking scenery and the wonderfully friendly and generous people we had met along the way was the hardest part of the trip. We are already planning to return in the not-too-distant future.

Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of the entire adventure was that none of the five bargain cars suffered a single mechanical failure—not even a puncture. It just goes to show that you don't need an expensive car or a huge budget to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime.

A huge thank you goes to all the students who helped prepare the "Mighty Alfa" before the trip and followed our progress throughout the journey. Your enthusiasm and support for what we were trying to achieve meant a great deal, and your encouragement throughout the challenge was genuinely appreciated.

Finally, thank you to everyone who donated items, gave up their time, sponsored us or made a financial contribution. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we have raised more than £8,000 for Blood Cancer UK so far—and donations are still coming in.

If you would like to support the cause, you can still donate via our JustGiving page: Relics in Relics Road Trip – Team Fundraising for Blood Cancer UK.

Thank you once again for all your support.

Mr Jenkins

A small group of A level geography students (Mark Johnston, James Townson, Noa Rosier, Maya Corfield, Oscar Hennessey, Gwen Griffiths, William Chalk and Daisy Barton) recently took part in training alongside students from Haberdashers Monmouth to become Climate Fresk Facilitators, educating other young people about climate change. Climate Fresk is an international climate workshop that uses games, creativity and discussion to build understanding about the causes and effects of climate change. Here is what the students said about their experience:

After training to be Facilitators, our journey continued to Osbaston Primary School where we used our new skills to facilitate a Fresk workshop to the Year 6 class. The goal is to raise awareness among young people about the causes and consequences of climate change whilst inviting them to share ideas on actions they can do to tackle the climate crisis.

Following on from the success at the primary school, we attended a Sustainability Conference (Monmouth Innovation Camp) which brought 120 young people from every school across the Monmouth cluster, prompting discussions with the aim to spread and educate our community on local climate issues. Here we acted as scribes and helped steer conversations amongst young people on sustainability, community resilience and local action. The workshop helped broaden our knowledge of the impacts of human activity on the planet and how we could solve the root causes with sustainable changes which enabled us to develop as geographers.

The response from the young people at Osbaston Primary and conference was empowering. Pupils felt actively engaged, well-supported and took pride in representing their ideas among their peers.

We hope opportunities like these will continue in the future, encouraging young people to raise awareness of environmental issues and contribute to finding sustainable solutions.

Don't forget that Bridges Community Shop in Monmouth are our official partners for the resale of second hand uniform. The Friends and Bridges both get 50% of the proceeds making it a win-win for each organisation.

Bridges have plenty of stock, and will do so over the summer, so get along there and grab a good quality blazer, jumper or PE kit ready to be re-loved. 

On Friday 3^rd July, 5 Year 12 students attended the inaugural Big Psychology Challenge at Cardiff University. This event saw schools from all over England and Wales compete to answer the centrally set question ‘How can understanding human minds help tackle climate change?’.

In order to prepare for the event, the students had been asked to create both an academic poster and a video abstract to illustrate their take on the question. The Monmouth team, ‘Wye Minds?’, made up of Rosie, Elspeth, Amelia, Natalie and Bronwen, were inspired by the local environment and chose to focus their work on the River Wye and its role in the community’s mental health – also referred to as the ‘Blue Mind effect’ whereby being near water has a positive impact on people’s wellbeing. Armed with this theory, the team investigated whether it was an acknowledgement of the benefits of the River Wye to people’s mental health that played a part in people’s desires to save its ecosystem.

On the day of the competition, the team were asked to present their poster to a panel of judges - which they did with such confidence and enthusiasm. One judge, from the British Psychological Society, even remarked on their excellent presentation skills during the break. Students were also given the opportunity to attend University style Psychology lectures, take part in psychological investigations and visit CUBRIC – the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre.

Despite not placing in the top three teams overall, ‘Wye Minds?’ were delighted to be awarded with a ‘Student’s Choice’ award, having been nominated by other schools for their work. The team now hope to take their project to The British Psychological conference on ‘World Mental Health Day’ in October of this year.

MCSBC celebrates nine wins at Llandaff Regatta

MCSBC delivered an outstanding performance at Llandaff Regatta on Saturday, returning from Cardiff with nine event wins and a series of impressive results across junior boys’ and girls’ crews.

The club’s rowers showed strength, depth and composure throughout the day, producing victories in singles, doubles, fours and quads. Their nine wins underlined the quality of the school’s rowing programme and the commitment shown by athletes, coaches, volunteers and families throughout the season.

The crews won the following events at Llandaff Regatta:

Open 2x —Tom Sutcliffe and  Sand Kohler -Hoon, winning easily.

Open J15 2x — Zach Bowen and Danny Meyrick-Laud, winning by two lengths.

Open J18 1x — Seb Crane, winning by three lengths.

 Open J15 1x — Sam Graefe, winning easily.

Open 4- — Lewys Baker, Barney Shaw, Charlie Grove, Evan Pardington , winning easily.

Open J15 4x+ — Baxter Miller, Sam Graefe, George Asbury, Ioan Kear, winning easily.

Open 4+ — cox Lucas Walker, Lewys Baker, Barney Shaw, Charlie Grove, Evan Pardington, winning by two lengths.

Open J16 2x — Lucas Walker, Mark Probert, winning easily.

Women’s J15 4x+ — cox Evie Roberts, Jess Kirkwood, Martha Willis, Bethan Powell, Maya Thomas, winning by four lengths.

The results reflected a broad team effort, with success spread across several age groups and boat classes. The margin of victory in many races also demonstrated the confidence and technical quality of the crews as they progressed through a busy day of racing.

Coach Chris and coach Patrick were very impressed by the club's standards on and off the water: “We are incredibly proud of every student who raced at Llandaff. To come away with nine wins is a fantastic achievement and a reward for the hard work the crews have put in on the water and in training. The results show the depth of talent across the club and the positive spirit within the squad.”

Thank you to the parents, supporters and event organisers who helped make the day such a success. The squad can take huge confidence from these performances as we look ahead to the British Junior and Senior Rowing Championships this week coming.

On Monday, Year 7 were excited to receive a visit from Claire Fayers, author of books such as The Accidental Pirates and Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins.

She spoke to the students about where she finds her inspiration for her stories and the writing process itself.

Students helped Claire to write a story in real time and enjoyed hearing the folk tales and myths that she told.

A lovely way to end this academic year’s National Year of Reading celebrations; more to come in September!

Students from across Monmouthshire's secondary schools came together at King Henry VIII 3-19 School in Abergavenny on Friday 3 July for the county's first-ever Menstrual Ambassador Conference. It was a celebration of young people driving positive change, breaking down stigma and championing period dignity in their schools and communities.

The event, attended by Y10 student Ellie Whitehead, showcased the achievements of the Menstrual Ambassador Programme, which forms part of Monmouthshire County Council's work through the Welsh Government's Period Dignity Fund.

Through ambassador training, workshops, assemblies, drop-in sessions and awareness campaigns, our students develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to support their peers, challenge misconceptions and improve access to accurate information and period products. The conference brought together student ambassadors, school staff and partners to celebrate successes, share experiences and explore how young people can continue to lead the conversation around menstrual health and wellbeing. 

Schools have reported increased wellbeing, stronger student voice and a more inclusive culture, with students from different year groups working together to challenge stigma and promote understanding. Participants have described feeling more confident in their bodies, better equipped to support friends and more comfortable seeking help when needed.

Reservoirs look calm and inviting, but they are operational sites rather than recreational swimming spots and can hide serious risks beneath the surface. These hazards include very cold water which can trigger cold water shock, sudden drops, strong or unpredictable currents and underwater machinery. Cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers, and the remote location of many reservoirs makes rescue more difficult and slower to reach. Entering the water to attempt a rescue also puts the rescuer at risk.

Welsh Water’s site rangers patrol reservoirs and surrounding land to help keep visitors safe and to discourage people from entering the water, with extra patrols planned during school holidays and periods of very hot weather.

This term, Amnesty MCS hosted a bake sale and a film screening, for Refugee Week. The screening featured three short films—Infancia Desterrada, Migrants, and Hayat. The aim was to spark conversation and help students understand the realities faced by people forced to flee their homes.

Students shared powerful reactions. Infancia Desterrada: “Refugees don’t always want to be in the country they migrate to,” one student noted, while another reflected that “some people never find a forever home.” Migrants: Viewers commented on how hard it is to hold onto culture and how migrants often have “little guidance and no one to support them, yet they are brave and manage on their own.” Hayat: Students emphasised the importance of getting to know people before judging them and recognising that refugees “deserve the exact same rights as everyone else.”

Amnesty MCS would like to thank everyone who bought treats at the bake sale or attended the film screening. We are delighted by the thoughtful engagement and hope the event inspires continued empathy and action.

Please click HERE for the Amnesty MCS Annual Report.

Shire Hall Museum is currently undergoing an exciting transformation, with two new galleries being created to showcase remarkable objects and share fascinating stories from the town’s history.

As part of this project, MCC are developing interactive touchscreen activities exploring the River Wye and the River Monnow, and we would love to hear from local children and young people.  MCC are inviting schools to take part in a short survey about the rivers and what they mean to students. The feedback will help shape the content of these new activities and ensure young people’s voices are reflected in the museum’s displays.

Survey: www.letstalkmonmouthshire.co.uk/monmouths-rivers-and-you

Thank you in advance for supporting this project. Every response will help MCC create engaging experiences that reflect what matters most to young people in Monmouth.

This project has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Please click HERE for the MCC Summer Savings page