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News from MCS

30 06 23

You may have seen our erudite and well-informed students featured on BBC Wales news programmes this week, discussing new GCSEs that are due to start from 2025 onwards. Whilst these new qualifications will only directly affect our current Year 7 students and future cohorts, it was very impressive once again to see our thoughtful and considerate students advocating for their peers and future generations. Developing expertise in discussion amongst students has also been an important focus of our Teaching and Learning Conference today, and it was great to have the news item as an example of this in our school community.

Thank you for donations for the Pride Month bake sale, which was run by our student-led group, the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance). Just over £100 was raised for charity, and the prize winners were Billy and Osian, both in Year 8.

Finally, many thanks to all staff who contributed to the organisation of the completely fabulous Year 11 prom this week. It was lovely to see our Year 11s again after their exam season finished - rejuvenated by an extended summer holiday and full of energy and excitement for the next steps in their future pathways, whether that be at MCS Sixth Form or elsewhere. All the best to them from everyone at MCS.

Best wishes

Hugo Hutchison
Headteacher

Summer Learning

As mentioned in last week's newsletter, during the last week of term (Tuesday 18th to Thursday 20th July) we are planning a range of exciting experiences across the school as part of our Summer Learning week.  These activities are designed to offer students different learning experiences to those available within their usual timetable.  The Monmouth Comprehensive School Friends Association is kindly supporting some of the costs of these events.

The Summer Learning letters have been sent home via Parentpay but are also available on our website on the following link:

SUMMER LEARNING 2023

Items are on Parentpay with a deadline for consent/payment for activities of Friday 7 July.  If you have any Parentpay queries, please contact Mrs Jenkins - jennifer.jenkins@monmouth.schoolsedu.org.uk.

Student Success

Bella Hepburn, Year 8, won the Welsh Downhill Cycling Championships recently, in her female age category.  The race was held in Llangollen, North Wales on a particularly challenging steep and fast track, with several technical features such as gap jumps, tight berms and steep drops. She is now the proud owner of a Welsh cycling jersey! 

Bella will continue to race Downhill competitions this summer in the National series. 

Well done, Bella.

MCSBC - Ironbridge

Last weekend, the club raced at Ironbridge with over 50 students. It was a great day of racing with multiple crews making finals, with six going onto win.

J14 4x+ William Morrison, Oscar Hennessey, Bartek Skrzypnik, David Casadesus-Hall, Cox –Darcey Young

Mix 2x Maddie Dickens, Tom McNally

WJ15 1X Eleanor Lawrence-Preston

J16 1X Archie Cowton

WJ18 2X Emily Probert, Lauren Tagg

Mix 4X- Boris Hale, Halle Unsworth, Kate Rogers, Tom Coates

It was the first time we had mixed sculling wins in the club's history as well. For some of our amazing Year 13s it was their last race for the club and we wish them all the best with results in the summer.  

This weekend the club will be racing its last event of the season at Llandaff Regatta, Cardiff.

Macbeth at the Globe Theatre, London

As part of our WJEC GCSE English Literature course, we will be studying Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and are therefore delighted to be able to offer our new Year 10 students (2023-2024) the fantastic opportunity to see the ‘Scottish play’ at the Globe Theatre in London on Saturday 16th September. 

Details may be found on the following link:

Globe Theatre Trip

The trip will go live on Parentpay at 4m on Tuesday 4 July.

Summer Learning - Eisteddfod auditions

As part of Summer Learning, Years 7, 8 and 9 will be taking part in an Eisteddfod.  The Welsh Faculty is inviting students to audition in the singing or dance categories or in the Open Competition, for all different talents such as: magic, gymnastics, drama. Audition dates and times are: 

MCSFA Summer Raffle - there's still time enter...

Thank you to everyone who has already purchased their tickets for our fantastic Summer 2023 raffle - there’s still time to enter, if you haven’t.  Each entry (made through Parentpay) costs £5 and we have some amazing prizes on offer.  

The raffle is live on ParentPay and entries will close at midnight on Thursday 6th July with the draw taking place at school, using a number generator, on Friday 7th July. 

Good luck everyone!

Matilda Jr

Tickets are still available (sold out on the final night) by clicking on the link below:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/monmouth-comprehensive-school

Don't miss out!

Catching up with...
Violet Holbrow-Brooksbank

Former student Violet's passion and dedication for rowing owes a great deal to the MCSBC coach, Matt Royston - from both his coaching and encouragement during her time at Monmouth - when rowing for her school and training with the squad. 

This led to Violet rowing for Wales and then her scholarship to Wycliffe for whom she now rows in the A boat. 

Violet's gold medals so far this year are wins at The Schools Head of the River, The Junior Sculling Head, The National Schools Regatta, and on Sunday the Bea Langridge Trophy for J18 quads.

Henley Royal Regatta will provide another epic challenge with super tough competition and Violet's family are keeping their fingers and toes crossed!

Active Travel Survey

I am writing on behalf of ATLAS (Active TraveL reseArch conSortium) to share our 10-minute Active Travel survey for both young people and parents

‘Active travel’ refers to travelling on foot, cycling, or by some other physically active means. Active travel can be combined with other forms of transport, such as walking to the train station, but it is usually defined as movement for a purpose, rather than going for a recreational walk or cycle. The ‘INHABIT’ project aims to understand the barriers young people experience when choosing active travel, whether the limitations are time, worries for safety or financial/physical inaccessibility. We want to give young people a voice to help us make changes. 

The project is being conducted by a team of researchers across six Welsh Universities (Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Swansea University, and the University of South Wales), and we need to know what young people and their parents have to say. 

Parents - We want to hear your views on how your child(ren) interact with the outdoors.  Participants may enter a prize draw to win three voucher prizes (£25, £15 and £10).  Please click on the link below:

Parents questionnaire- https://cardiff.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/inhabit-parent-questionnaire-2 

Students - We want to know how you interact with the outdoors.  Participants may enter a prize draw to win three voucher prizes (£25, £15 and £10).  Please click on the link below:

Young people (12-16) questionnaire- https://cardiff.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/holiadur-pobl-ifanc-inhabit-2  

To find out more about ATLAS please feel free to view our short film in either English or Welsh.

Thank you in anticipation of you cooperation,  

Dr Catherine Purcell
Reader School of Healthcare Sciences
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cardiff University

Community

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Dates to Remember

Y6 Induction Week
All Day
From 03 Jul until 07 Jul
03
July
Matilda Jr - Lower School Production
All Day
10
July
Matilda Jr - Lower School Production
All Day
11
July
Matilda Jr - Lower School Production
All Day
12
July
Matilda Jr - Lower School Production
All Day
13
July
Summer Learning
All Day
From 17 Jul until 20 Jul
17
July
Sports Awards Evening
All Day
18
July
Awards Evening
All Day
19
July
TERM ENDS
All Day
20
July

A Week in Pictures

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Website: www.monmouthcomprehensive.org.uk | Twitter: @LearnWithMCS