Principal’s Message for Week A, wb 27th April 2026

 

Passport to Possibilities Week

 

In the summer term we are encouraging all students to turn up, join in and stand out by fully participating in all parts of school life including our brilliant enrichment programme. Attending enrichment is not only fantastic for our students’ wellbeing but also gives them the edge when applying to increasingly competitive college and university courses.  The full schedule can be found on our website here: Enrichment - MEA Central

 

Next week we will be running a passport to possibilities week, where students to do not need to register on Arbor to attend enrichment. We are aiming for all students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 to try at least one new enrichment next week.

We would appreciate if you could take the time to complete our survey based on our enrichment offer. https://participate.schoolsurveys.com/t9BciioVzQhexZyt

Careers Week and Careers Day

It’s Careers Week at MEA Central, and will be plenty of references and discussions around careers and the various pathways available to students.  We are also hosting our firs ever Careers Day on Friday 1^st May, a perfect way to end the week!

 

Y7 – Trip to Aviva Studios

Y8 – Trip to Museum of Science and Industry

Y9 – Work Insight or in-school offer

Y10 –  Learn2Earn/Careers Fair/Mock Interview Apps/The Manchester College talk

Y11 – University Speaker/Careers Fair/Maths Mastery/The Manchester College talk

 

Parents/Carers Actions:

 

-If you have a child in Y7 or Y8, please provide consent for the trip on Arbor

-If you have a child in Y9 and they are completing a work placement, you and an employer must have completed the form (letter/QR code)

 

Year 11 Exam Season

Our Year 11 students will begin their formal GCSE examinations on Thursday 7th May, with the exam season running through to Friday 19th June. Exams take place at 9:00am and 1:00pm each day. These timings are set nationally by the Joint Council for Qualifications and cannot be changed. As an examination centre, we are required to follow all JCQ regulations.

From Tuesday 5th May, following the May Bank Holiday, the school day will move to an early lunch after Period 3 and there will be some slight time adjustments to the school day:

< >8.40 - 9.05am:  Form 9.05- 10.05:  Lesson 110.05 – 11.05:  Lesson 211.05-– 11.30:  Break 11.30 – 12.30:  Lesson 312.30 – 1.15: Lunch1.15 – 2.10:  P42.10- 3.00:  P5Citizenship by showing kindness and consideration towards Year 11 studentsParticipation by following school routines and expectations to maintain a calm and purposeful environmentEaster

United Kingdom Maths Trust competition

 

Congratulations to Joe and Wilfred who both achieved a certificate in the follow on rounds from the UKMT Challenge. Only a small percentage of students in the country get through to even compete in this round of the competition so getting a certificate is an incredible achievement!

 

Year 9 Weekly update

What an amazing return for our Year 9 scholars, attendance has been strong and we are really impressed with their scholarly habits during the first week of Big Tests. A personal highlight of the week was walking through the English corridor during their tests while I was on recovery and seeing full engagement, from every single scholar, for the whole hour.  We are very proud of them!

Next Friday, 1st of May, our Insight to Workday is taking place. Thanks to all of you who have filled in the forms over the Easter Break as we have managed to secure work placements for over half of the year group. Many scholars and parents/carers have been asking what the plan for those is who have not secured work placements for the day, which is why we wanted to confirm that:

On 1st of May, any scholar who has not secured a work placement is expected in school. 

Young Enterprise (Transforming futures | Young Enterprise) will be providing a Financial Education Planning course for all Year 9 scholars. 

This course aims to support the planning, teaching, and progression of financial education by setting out the key areas of financial knowledge, skills, and attitudes. 

Feedback from students who have taken part in the course in other years has always been phenomenal, as it teaches them crucial skills, they will need in the future.

Non-attendance to school on the day, unless for valid reasons, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. 

This half term we continue with our Year 9 Weekly Prize Draw, but as we focus our attention on the value of Participation, we have added a new condition to be included in the Prize Draw: 

 

Earned 3 CAPs or more in the week,.

Less than 3 behaviour logs in the week. 

Attended school, on time, daily (authorised absences will result in student included in the draw) 

Signed up to at least 1 Club on Arbor.  

We are aiming for 100% of Year 9 to attend clubs in school. A reminder that we run these both after school and at lunchtimes and that you can sign up using the Arbor App. You can find the most updated list of clubs using the following link: Enrichment - MEA Central

 

Thanks for your continued support and have a nice weekend.

Year 9 Team

Mx Umpierrez and Mx Eastwood

 

Head of Year Messages

Year 7 – Ms. S Bryan/Mrs.K Park Introducing Our New Head of Year 7 I am delighted to introduce Mrs Park as the new Head of Year 7. She is very excited to get to know the students and is keen to support them as they continue their journey through Year 7. Mrs Park will be working alongside me for the next couple of months, and together we look forward to supporting the year group and building strong relationships with students and families. It has been a real pleasure welcoming Year 7 back after the Easter break. The students have returned brilliantly, calm, focused, and ready to learn, looking every inch the scholars we know they are. I have been especially impressed with how smartly they are presented in correct uniform and how well prepared they have been each day with the right equipment. This strong start sets the tone for a successful and productive term ahead. I would also like to celebrate the fantastic Project Central entries that have been submitted. The creativity, effort, and pride shown in these projects have been exceptional, and choosing a winner has not been easy. The winning entry will be announced next week, and I encourage all students to feel proud of what they have produced. Participating in projects like these and completing independent learning tasks is incredibly important as they help students develop independence, resilience, curiosity, and a strong love of learning beyond the classroom. Today also marks the launch of our exciting new Enrichment Challenge. Every Year 7 student has received an enrichment passport, which will be stamped after each enrichment activity they take part in. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to try something new, discover new interests, and fully engage with the wide range of opportunities on offer. We strongly encourage all students to get involved and make the most of everything available to them. Well done, Year 7, for such a positive return to school. We are very proud of you.

Year 8 – Ms. C Gates   We welcome all our scholars back this half term. It has been wonderful to see Year 8 returning with perfect uniform and plenty of equipment, ready to learn. I would like to remind families that our Big Tests are coming up. Next week will be Revision Week, although please note there is one English exam taking place on Thursday. Big Test Week will then begin w/c 4th May. To prepare, students should be revising little and often using their knowledge organisers, completing retrieval practice in their red books, engaging fully with SPARX tasks, and acting on feedback from previous assessments. Preparation now will help students feel confident and ready to show their progress. As we move through this half term, it is crucial that attendance remains excellent. Being in school every day ensures students can access high-quality lessons, structured revision, and the full support they need ahead of their assessments. Please continue to encourage punctuality and full attendance so our Year 8 scholars can make the most of this important half term and continue building towards their fantastic future.   Ms Gates and Mr Chowdhury

Year 10 – Mr C Blackburn  It has been fantastic to see Year 10 return to school so calmly and positively. Students have settled straight back into routines, and their mature entry into school has set the tone for what we expect to be a focused and successful summer term. Congratulations to the entire year group for such an excellent start. As we begin this final term in Year 10, the focus now shifts firmly towards preparing for Year 11. This term is a vital opportunity for students to reset, build on the strong foundations already in place, and finish the year in the best possible position. Attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attitude will continue to be central, as all Year 10 data is shared with colleges and plays a key role in future applications. Students will have another opportunity to sit Progress Exams, and early preparation will be essential. Achieving and sustaining Grade 1 scholarly habits must now be the priority, as these habits provide the platform for academic success and confidence moving into Year 11. Following the success of Work Experience before Easter, students should continue to apply the independence, resilience and responsibility they demonstrated in the workplace to their learning in school. These skills are transferable, powerful, and highly valued by colleges and future employers. Over the course of this term, I will be communicating with students weekly via email, sharing guidance and next steps to help them get ahead for Year 11. Students are expected to check their emails regularly, read communications carefully, and respond or act when required. Developing professional communication habits now is an important part of preparing for life beyond school. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are very much looking forward to working closely with Year 10 to ensure they finish the year strong and fully prepared for the challenges and opportunities of Year 11. Best wishes, Mr Blackburn

Year 11 – Mr J Roper  

 

A Strong Return to School for Year 11

What a fantastic return to school it has been after the Easter break. At the time of writing, our Year 11 cohort are just 18 days away from their first full GCSE examination and the attitude they have shown this week has been hugely encouraging. Pupils have returned with a clear sense of purpose, a renewed commitment to achieving their best and a level of maturity that has been exceptional to see across the year group.

Their dedication was particularly evident during the Easter Study School, where 137 pupils attended and took part in a range of focused sessions designed to enhance their GCSE potential and build confidence in the final stages of preparation. This level of voluntary engagement speaks volumes about the determination of this cohort. This followed a great residential trip away to Winmarleigh Hall for a group of 50 pupils looking to increase their Maths grade - these pupils where a credit to both school and their families.

This week my  assembly focused on the theme of ‘Pacing’ – helping pupils to understand the vital balance between purposeful revision and rest. We explored how managing energy, wellbeing and workload effectively over the coming weeks will be key to sustaining performance right through the exam period.

We are incredibly proud of the way Year 11 have started the final stretch and look forward to supporting them every step of the way.

Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw