Principal’s Message for Week B, wb 18th May 2026
Gratitude
As we move into the final week of Summer 1, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and simply say thank you.
This half term has been another incredibly positive and productive one at MEA Central, and none of it happens without the partnership between school and home. Your support, encouragement and trust make a genuine difference to the experience and success of our students every day.
This week is also Gratitude Week at MEA Central – an important opportunity for us to pause and recognise the people around us who help, support and shape our journeys. Gratitude is not just about saying thank you; it is about noticing the efforts of others and recognising that success is rarely achieved alone.
In schools especially, progress is built through collective effort: students, families, staff and the wider community all playing their part.As part of this, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our families and carers. Thank you for ensuring students arrive each day ready to learn, for supporting attendance and routines, for encouraging resilience when things are difficult, and for working alongside us so positively. Schools are strongest when families and staff work together and we never take that support for granted.
I would also like to extend thanks to our wider community and partners who continue to give their time and expertise to support our students. Whether through careers events, enrichment opportunities, work experience, mentoring or sharing experiences and advice, these partnerships help open doors and expand horizons for our young people. They remind students that their future can be ambitious and full of possibility.
A particularly special well done must go to our Year 11 students, who have begun their GCSE examinations with real maturity and determination. Exam season can bring pressure and nerves, but they have approached the start of this period exceptionally well. We have been proud of their conduct, positivity and attitude in school. The way they have carried themselves reflects the preparation, resilience and character they have developed over time. We know there is still work to do and many exams still ahead, but they have made a very strong start and should be proud of themselves.
As we move into the final week of half term, our focus remains on maintaining high expectations, strong attendance and purposeful learning right through to the finish. We often remind students that success is built through small actions repeated consistently over time. Finishing strongly matters.
Thank you once again for your continued support and for being part of the MEA Central community!
South Asian heritage month at MEA Central
During June, we are proud to be celebrating South Asian Heritage Month across our school community under the theme: “More than a stereotype”
The month will celebrate the rich diversity, cultures, histories and contributions of South Asian communities while also encouraging students to reflect on identity, belonging and respect.
Throughout the month, students will experience a range of activities including:
Assemblies and tutor sessions
Cultural workshops
Music and dance activities
Themed lunches
Curriculum learning across subjects
Opportunities for student leadership and discussion
One of the most important messages we want students to take away is that people and cultures should never be reduced to stereotypes. We want all students to feel proud of who they are and to learn more about the experiences and contributions of others.
We would love your support
We are keen to involve families and the wider community in the celebration of the month. If parents, carers or family members would be willing to:
Share a family migration story or experience
Recommend traditions, recipes, music or celebrations
Contribute photographs or cultural artefacts for displays
Support a lunchtime activity or workshop
Speak to students about their experiences, career or heritage
Please complete this form: South Asian Heritage Month at MEA Central – Fill out form
We are excited to celebrate the diversity and richness of our community together throughout June.
Academic Reading
Over the May half-term Year 9 and Year 10 students are being asked to complete a piece of academic reading. The purpose of this is to stretch and challenge them as scholars.
In Year 9 students will be reading a Guardian newspaper article about how the ban on wearing a hijab when playing women’s football was overturned.
In Year 10, students will be engaging with a New York Times article that focuses on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. We recognise that this is a sensitive and emotionally charged topic, and that many families within our community will have personal connections and strong feelings.
The article we have selected is balanced and centres on the experiences of ordinary people living in the region. We have chosen it because it is both relevant and meaningful to our students, and it supports their development as thoughtful, informed and responsible young citizens. Learning to read and critically analyse news articles is an important skill within our curriculum and in living our value of Citizenship.
We are aware that this topic may prompt questions or discussions in class. Our teachers will approach these conversations with care, ensuring they are handled in a safe, respectful and academically focused way. Staff have been encouraged to read the article in advance so they feel fully prepared to support students sensitively.
If you have any questions or concerns about this reading, please feel free to contact us.
Electronic copies can be found here: Summer
Free School Meals
FSM Vouchers for May Half Term Holiday
If your child is eligible for free school meals, you will receive in your inbox an Asda voucher for £15.00 per eligible child on Monday 18th May 2026.
Please check your emails. If you have any issues with accessing your voucher, please refer to the links below:-
How to check the balance of a voucher - Please use the online balance checker https://cards.asda.com/
Other queries: https://cards.asda.com/contactus
Changes to Free School Meals Eligibility from September 2026
We are delighted to inform you that from September 2026 there will be a change to Free School Meals (FSM) eligibility. All parents and carers in receipt of Universal Credit will be eligible to apply for FSM. To access this, all families will need to complete the online FSM eligibility checker nearer to the time. Please note that even if your child is currently in receipt of FSM, you will still need to reapply under the new criteria. We will share further guidance and instructions with parents and carers closer to September to support with the application process.
Year 10 C-A-P Lessons Summer 2
Year 10 CAP Curriculum Lessons
During Summer Term 2, Year 10 CAP lessons will cover aspects of Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RHSE). The Department of Education has made the teaching of RSHE compulsory for all schools. Our students are growing up in an increasingly complex world. They have many exciting opportunities ahead of them and it is our desire to empower them to navigate these opportunities safely and successfully. The key content that will be covered is:
Managing a break-up
Abusive relationships
Forced marriage and honour-based violence
Drugs and alcohol
Sex education: Sexual health and contraception
Sex education: Online safety and the laws around sharing images online
Sex education: Fertility, pregnancy and choices
The focus in all RSHE lessons is on ensuring our young people are empowered by their knowledge to feel and act safely, responsibly and incisively. The lessons will advocate aspiration and security; emphasise that sex should only take place within appropriate, safe, committed and stable relationship; iterate the law concerning sexual activity and sexual imagery, consent and understanding of withdrawal of consent; and inform pupils of the impact risk-taking behaviour and peer pressure may have on perception, decision making and safety. All lessons will direct pupils to appropriate support and safeguarding access.
Parents and carers are welcome to access the lesson content here: Y10 CAP
According to legislation, parents have the right to withdraw their child from Sex Education content. However, we believe that the presentation of sexual images in social and other media, and the likelihood that pupils may nonetheless discuss the content of lessons second-hand, make it important that all pupils attend so that they have a place to discuss, check facts and dispel myths as part of a carefully planned opportunity. You may find, regardless of whether or not your child is withdrawn from lessons, that they may ask questions about the topic at home, and you may wish to take the opportunity to talk to your child about the topics covered before the work is covered in school.
If you would like to request to withdraw your child from Sex Education lessons, please complete the Microsoft Form below by Monday 18th May. Following this the request will be reviewed and followed up. Please note that during the CAP Curriculum time that your child has been withdrawn from they will be provided with supplementary work to complete independently whilst supervised by a member of the leadership team. They will not take part in mainstream CAP Curriculum for the duration of the Sex Education lessons.
As a school community, we are committed to working in partnership with parents and families. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Year 10 RSE Withdrawal Request – Fill in form
MEA Central Skyline Team
If your child has additional needs or is accessing an intervention in school, they are supported by the Skyline Team. For more information, please read our SEN Information Report, which is in the Key Information section of our website: SEND-Information-Report-2025-26.pdf
Our team attends all key parent events, so please come and say hello!
Please contact the Skyline team directly if you have any questions, or would like to book a meeting with Ms. Earle, the SENCo: skylineadmin@meacentral.org.uk
If you require help and support for your child, please access Manchester’s Local Offer website: Manchester Local Offer
The website features a ‘Family Friend booklet’ which is a free resource providing vital local support, activities, and advice for families, covering things like childcare, school uniform help, health tips, food vouchers, crisis support, and free school meals/transport: Family Friend booklet | Manchester City Council
Exam Access Arrangements
If you think your child requires additional support to access exams, please contact the Skyline team. JCQ guidance for parents and carers: JCQ-Parent-guidance-information-sheet-2025_26.pdf
Year 9 Weekly update
And just like that, Reflect Week comes to an end for all Year 9 scholars. It’s been wonderful to see how much progress they all have made this year, to see overall improvement across the cohort and to see all of them reflecting on their progress and deciding what the next steps will be. A huge well done to all of you for going through the last exams of Year 9 with such maturity.
We have extended our Prefect Applications until the end of this week. We have been speaking with some of our scholars about this and can see the number of applications growing every day. If your child wishes to show their interest in becoming a Prefect in KS4, all we need from them is to fill in this form: 2026-27 Enrichment Prefect Selection Round 1 – Fill out form The next step of the process is to have a meeting with the Senior Leadership Team next week, where they will learn what becoming a Prefect entails.
Next week is the last week of Summer 1, and we are getting ready for the last term of Year 9. Summer 2 is a crucial half term for all Year 9 scholars, as finishing strong, keeping standards higher than ever, sets the tone for the start of their Key Stage 4 journey. Some reminders of what this looks like, in practice:
Your child attends school, daily, and on time.
Your child makes an effort to improve their scholarly habits (i.e.: they take part in lessons, they complete the work assigned by their teachers, they do not disrupt learning, they complete homework daily).
Your child comes with the right equipment, every day: knowledge organiser folder, red book, pens, reading book and PE kit on PE days.
During Summer 2, we will also share your child’s Key Stage 4 options. We understand there are many questions from students and parents/carers about what this will look like, so please bear with us while we finalise timetables.
Any questions, or concerns, do not hesitate to contact the Year 9 Team.
Have a nice weekend.
The Year 9 Team
Mx Eastwood and Mx Umpierrez
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Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Ms. S Bryan/Mrs.K Park As we move closer to the May half-term break, I would like to take this opportunity to remind families of some important upcoming dates. The week commencing 18th May is our Revision Week, where students will be supported in lessons to review key learning. All revision materials will continue to be available on the Parent Portal to help guide independent study at home. Our Big Test Week will commence on Monday 1st June, in the first week back after half term. We encourage all students to make the most of the revision opportunities available to them. I am also pleased to share a positive update regarding enrichment. So far this year, over 160 Year 7 students have taken part in enrichment activities, which is a fantastic achievement. Enrichment plays a vital role in school life, supporting students to develop new skills, build confidence, and broaden their experiences beyond the classroom. This strongly reflects our core value of participation, and we are proud to see so many students engaging in these opportunities. Looking ahead, next week we will be launching our next Project Central. This independent learning project is a great opportunity for students to explore their interests and demonstrate creativity. We encourage all students to take part, particularly over the May break, as it is an excellent way to extend learning beyond the classroom. Thank you, as always, for your continued support |
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Year 8 – Ms. C Gates
This week we have been keeping expectations high around uniform and equipment, and it has been fantastic to see scholars arriving prepared to learn. Year 8 have also been showing the value of participation through our theme turn up, join in, stand out. We marked Mental Health Awareness Week through assemblies and form time sessions, giving students space to reflect, listen and support one another. Today also marks the launch of Project Central, giving scholars yet another exciting opportunity to get involved and show their creativity.
This week is Review Week, where students will receive feedback on their Big Tests and spend time reflecting on their progress. This is a vital part of the assessment process, as feedback helps students understand their strengths and identify clear next steps for improvement. It is really important that attendance remains high throughout this week so all scholars can fully engage with these sessions and make the most of the learning opportunities provided.
Ms Gates and Mr Chowdhury
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Year 10 – Mr C Blackburn Dear Parents and Carers, Year 10 continue to make a strong start to the summer term, and this half term is a crucial step as we prepare students for Year 11. As the soon‑to‑be oldest year group in the school, we are beginning to look to Year 10 as role models, and we are pleased with the maturity and focus they are showing. This week, students took part in a very beneficial assembly delivered by Mrs Gibson, focusing on the upcoming Progress Exams, which begin in the week commencing 15th June. Progress Exams – A Key Priority These exams are extremely important as they help to predict final GCSE grades, which are then shared with colleges. It is vital that every student takes this seriously and prepares well in advance. At MEA Central, students have been taught a range of effective revision strategies, including:
Students should now be using these methods to revise little and often in the lead‑up to exams. We are also continuing to emphasise the importance of achieving Grade 1 scholarly habits, as these provide the foundation for success. Alongside this, excellent attendance and punctuality to every lesson remain the most important factors in achieving strong outcomes. Thank you for your continued support in helping prepare your child for this important stage in their education. Best wishes,
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Year 11 – Mr J Roper
We are delighted to share what has been a fantastic start to this year’s GCSE examinations
for our Year 11 cohort. The positive momentum seen this week is no coincidence — it has
been driven by exceptional attendance, outstanding attitudes and a clear commitment
from our pupils to succeed.
In particular, we have been incredibly impressed with the engagement shown in Period 6
revision sessions, as well as the dedicated pre-exam sessions taking place both before
school and throughout the school day. Pupils have approached these opportunities with
maturity and focus, making excellent use of the additional support available to them.
A key factor in maintaining this strong start will be consistency. All pupils must follow their individual weekly timetable, which has been printed on yellow paper. This bespoke timetable is carefully designed to ensure that each student attends tailored sessions ahead of their specific exams. These sessions are vital in reinforcing knowledge, building confidence and maximising performance — please encourage your son/daughter to follow this compulsory schedule closely.
We are also pleased to report that attendance has remained outstanding this week and we thank families for their continued support in ensuring pupils arrive punctually and ready to learn each day.
In addition, we would like to highlight an important piece of information:
Please ensure that your son/daughter is regularly checking the email address they used for their college application. Several colleges have contacted us to inform us that offers are being made but not yet accepted. It is essential that pupils check their emails daily so that no important opportunities are missed.
Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to both pupils and families for their continued efforts and support during this important time. We are incredibly proud to work with such a fantastic group of young people, whose determination and positive attitude continue to shine through.
With thanks,
Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw