Dear parents and carers,

It has been a wonderful week of teamwork, celebration and reflection across our school community. There has been much to be proud of, with students supporting one another, working together and showing kindness in their everyday interactions. These moments remind us of the important part each individual plays in making our school a welcoming and caring place.

Our Diwali celebrations provided an opportunity to explore the themes of light, hope and new beginnings, and to appreciate the traditions shared by members of our community. Celebrating together helps us to deepen our understanding of one another and recognise the richness that different experiences and perspectives bring to school life.

Alongside these celebrations, we took time to pause and reflect for Remembrance Day. This was an opportunity to remember those who have served and sacrificed, and to consider the importance of peace, compassion and respect. It also encouraged us to think about our own responsibility to care for others, both within our school and in the wider world.

A particular well done goes to our Year 11 students, who have now completed their second week of progress exams. Their commitment, perseverance and mature approach deserve recognition. Managing a sustained period of examinations takes focus and determination, and they have set an excellent example for our younger students. We are proud of them as role models and hope they take time to rest and recharge following their hard work.

Thank you to our staff and families for your continued encouragement and support, and to our students for all they have contributed this week. There is much to celebrate in the way our community learns, reflects and works together.

Kind regards,

Mrs Reynard

 

Attendance and Punctuality                                  

A great week of attendance across MEA Central, with Civitas leading the House competition with an impressive 95% attendance. A special well done to Year 9, who have demonstrated excellent attendance this week.

Last week, we celebrated our best-attending forms with a surprise breakfast. We hope students and form tutors enjoyed their well-deserved pastries and fruit platters!

Year Group	Attendance this week	Best Form Attendance in Autumn 1
7	96.3%	7 Morrison
8	92%	8 Morrison
9	96.6%	9 Heaney
10	94.2%	10 Eliot
11	95.4%	11 Armitage

 

On Tuesday 17th November from 2.15pm - 3pm, we invite parents and carers to join us for coffee, cake and conversation. We'll be talking about how we can support with attendance, belonging, and support to help students catch up on missed learning. This is an opportunity to share ideas, ask questions and explore how we can work together to improve attendance and punctuality. All parents and carers are welcome. We would love to see you there!

 

Anti Bullying Week – Odd Socks Day

Monday 16th November marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week, with this year's theme, Break the Silence. To celebrate our differences and promote kindness and inclusion, we are inviting all students to wear odd socks on Monday. The brighter and more mismatched, the better. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate our school value of participation and we encourage everyone to get involved and help us celebrate what makes each of us unique!  Throughout the week, there will be a programme of activities, including Thursday Talking Tables led by our Student Leadership Team. These will encourage students to raise their voices, be the light for others and help shape our whole-school anti-bullying strategy. Photos to follow!

MEA Central's Identity Day 2026

 We are looking forward to Our Story, Our Manchester: Manchester's Past, Present and Future, our Identity Day on Friday 4 December.

Manchester is an amazing city, shaped by its people, diverse communities, creativity and determination. Through assemblies and form sessions, students will explore its history, consider what it means to be Mancunian today and imagine the future they want to help build. This is an opportunity to celebrate our connections to the city and strengthen the sense that everyone belongs.

On the day, students will be invited to wear clothing that reflects their identity, enjoy poetry and dance, and explore Manchester’s musical history. Further details will follow soon.

 

Subscribe to the MEA Central School Calendar

Want to keep up with what's happening at MEA Central? Subscribe to our school calendar and never miss an important date or event!

School Calendar - MEA Central

By subscribing, you can add our full school calendar to your personal calendar, making it easy to keep track of important dates throughout the school year.

Choose your preferred calendar platform to get started:

• How to subscribe on Outlook
• How to subscribe on Gmail/ Android
• How to subscribe on iPhone (Apple Calendar)

 

 

Head of Year Messages 

Year 7 – Mr Guest

It has been another fantastic week for Year 7, and I continue to be impressed by the positive attitude and engagement shown by our students.

This week, we have been learning about Diwali, the Festival of Light. Students have taken part in creating a beautiful rangoli display using tea lights, and it has been wonderful to see so many students getting involved respectfully and enthusiastically. Year 7 have participated brilliantly and embraced the opportunity to learn about an important celebration from another culture. Today, the school marked Remembrance Day, and I would like to praise Year 7 for the mature and respectful way they observed the two-minute silence. Students conducted themselves impeccably and reflected the values of our school community throughout the commemoration.

Looking ahead, our end-of-term reward trip to the cinema is fast approaching. We want as many students as possible to be able to attend, so please continue encouraging excellent attendance, punctuality and behaviour. Every day in school matters, and students who consistently meet our expectations will be able to enjoy this exciting reward. I have also been carrying out a number of learning walks across Year 7 lessons. It has been fantastic to see calm, focused classrooms where students are working hard and engaging positively with their learning. The high standards being demonstrated across the year group are making a real difference.

Disability History Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of people with disabilities and reflect on how we can make our school even more inclusive. Year 7 students can play an important role by showing kindness, including others in activities and conversations, respecting differences, and supporting everyone to feel welcome and valued. Through our everyday actions, we can help ensure that our school remains a place where everybody feels they belong.

Finally, Year 7 continue to lead the way when it comes to enrichment attendance. Thank you to all students and families who support our extensive enrichment programme. We want to keep this momentum going, so please continue encouraging students to take advantage of the wide range of opportunities available beyond the classroom.

Mr Guest, Mx Eastwood

---

Year 8 – Ms Park

This week, Year 8 continued to focus on our school value of Citizenship, encouraging students to demonstrate responsibility, respect and active participation within our school community. Throughout the week, pupils reflected on how their actions can positively contribute to the lives of others.

Remembrance Day and Disability History Month

Students took part in assemblies and form-time activities linked to Remembrance Day and the launch of Disability History Month. During our Remembrance Day assembly, pupils learned about this year's theme, "Untold Stories, Shared Sacrifice", which highlighted the contributions of people from across the Commonwealth and Manchester whose stories are often overlooked.

Year 8 students showed excellent maturity and respect throughout the assembly and observed the two-minute silence impeccably.

Diwali Celebration

This week, pupils had the opportunity to participate in our whole-school Diwali celebration. Students contributed to a large rangoli-inspired light display in the Library by placing LED tealights to create a beautiful symbol of light, unity and inclusion.

It was wonderful to see so many Year 8 students taking part and representing their forms positively. All participating students received a Take Part CAP in recognition of their involvement.

 

Reading for Success

In preparation for the launch of Form Time Reading, tutors checked that students had their red reading books ready for use. Thank you to families for supporting this initiative, which is designed to help develop reading fluency, vocabulary and a love of reading.

 

House Charity Competition

Students were introduced to our annual House Charity Competition, which will take place in December. Pupils began discussing fundraising ideas and learning about the charities supported by Auxilium, Civitas and Simul.

We were pleased to see enthusiasm already building ahead of the competition and look forward to seeing the creativity and teamwork shown by our students in the coming weeks.

 

Looking Ahead: Year 8 Big Tests

The countdown to the Year 8 Big Tests continued this week. Tutors encouraged students to begin revision early, organise revision timetables and develop positive study habits.

We encourage families to support students in establishing a regular revision routine at home. Even short periods of focused revision each evening can make a significant difference to confidence and achievement.

 

Celebrating Year 8

Thank you for your continued support. We are incredibly proud of the maturity, respect and enthusiasm shown by Year 8 students throughout the week, particularly during our Remembrance Day activities and Diwali celebrations.

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

Mrs Park, Mr Chowdhury, Mrs Costello

---

Year 9 – Mr Roper  

It has been another fantastic week for Year 9, with students continuing to demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning and making the most of every opportunity both inside and outside the classroom.

Throughout the week, Year 9 students have worked exceptionally hard in lessons and have shown a mature and thoughtful approach during form tutor activities centred around Remembrance Day. This culminated in a highly respectful observance of the National Two-Minute Silence at 11:00am on Wednesday 11th November, alongside communities across the country. Students listened attentively to a poignant assembly delivered by Ms Reynard, followed by an excellent rendition of The Last Post performed by Mr Dzida. The year group then observed the two-minute silence with great maturity and respect, reflecting the significance of the occasion and making us all incredibly proud.

There has also been continued success in our extra-curricular programme. The Year 9 Girls' Netball Team maintained their excellent start to the season with another impressive victory over St Paul's High School. This result means the team now boasts an outstanding record of three wins from three league matches, and we congratulate all involved on their commitment and teamwork. We now look forward to supporting the Year 9 Football Team as they begin their cup campaign against MCA.

Finally, I would like to remind parents and carers about the importance of supporting young people to stay safe online. As a school, we are continually working to educate students about the potential risks associated with social media and to minimise the negative impact it can have on wellbeing, relationships and learning. Alongside our work in school, we encourage families to engage with the guidance published by the NSPCC (listed below), which provides practical advice to help children navigate the online world safely and responsibly. Working together, we can help ensure that our young people develop healthy digital habits and use technology in a safe, positive and successful way.

• Manage privacy and settings: Set accounts to private, disable location sharing, restrict direct messages and comments, and use reporting tools or app time limits.
• Verify age limits and features: Check platform age ratings (typically 13+) and review communication or live-streaming functions before letting children use them.
• Maintain open communication: Regularly discuss the games, apps, and people your child interacts with, ensuring they know they can turn to you if distressed.
• Promote thoughtful sharing: Teach kids to evaluate posts before sharing and strictly avoid revealing personal details like phone numbers, schools, or addresses.
• Foster a balanced digital outlook: Help children critically assess online content, build positive body image and separate self-worth from social media metrics like likes

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We look forward to another productive week ahead for Year 9.

Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw

 

---

Year 10 – Ms Bradbury

It has been another positive week for Year 10, and I continue to be impressed by the commitment students are showing to their studies and wider school life. As we move further into Key Stage 4, students are continuing to develop the habits and routines that will support their success throughout their GCSE journey.

A key reminder this week is regarding Work Experience placements. The deadline for students to secure a placement remains 27th November 2026, and we strongly encourage all students to be actively searching for opportunities and approaching potential employers. Securing a placement can take time, so it is important that students do not leave this until the last minute. Work experience provides a valuable opportunity to gain an insight into the workplace, develop employability skills and explore future career interests.

To further support students with this process, we are pleased to offer Year 10 Work Experience Drop-In Sessions on 16th November and 17th November from 3:00pm to 4:00pm after school. These sessions will be led by Mx Umpierrez and are designed to provide additional support for students who may be struggling to find a placement, need help approaching employers or would like guidance with the process. Parents and carers can sign their child up via Arbor under the club "Y10 WEX Drop In". We would encourage any student who has not yet secured a placement to take advantage of this opportunity.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. By working together, we can help ensure that every Year 10 student secures a meaningful placement and makes the most of this exciting opportunity as they continue their journey through Key Stage 4.

Miss Bradbury, Mx Umpierrez

 

---

Year 11 – Mr Blackburn

Dear Parents and Carers,

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Year 11 on what has been an amazing Autumn exam season. The way students have approached the examinations has been a real credit to themselves, their families and the school. Throughout the exam period, I have been extremely proud of the maturity, resilience and determination shown by the year group.

 

What Went Well (WWW)

Year 11 should be particularly proud of:

• Their calmness and maturity throughout the examination period.
• Their excellent conduct in the Sports Hall.
• Their positive attitude around school.
• Their growing ambition and determination to succeed.
• Being a fantastic year group who have represented MEA Central brilliantly throughout the term.

 

Even Better If (EBI)

As we move forward, there are a few areas that will help students become even more successful:

• Use revision and exam timetables more effectively to plan time outside of school.
• Regularly check and use candidate timetables (blue timetables) to ensure a calm and organised entrance into the Sports Hall.
• Arrive to school and form on time every day. Students who arrive late to real GCSE examinations may not be permitted to sit the exam, so developing these habits now is essential.

 

College Applications

Now that Progress Exams have finished, our focus shifts firmly towards college applications. Students should continue completing applications and attending open events where possible.

A reminder of the upcoming priority deadlines:

• Connell College priority deadline: 16th November
• Aquinas College applications close: 30th November

Please encourage your child to keep the momentum going and ensure applications are completed to a high standard. These applications are an important step towards securing their future pathways.

 

On the Horizon

There is still plenty to look forward to this term:

• P6 intervention sessions continue, with pizza provided.
• Doughnuts for students following examinations.
• College applications remain a key focus.
• Winmarleigh Residential.
• Identity Day celebrations.
• Year 11 Celebration Assembly.
• Rewards Trip to the Trafford Centre.

Thank you for your continued support throughout what has been a hugely successful half term. We are incredibly proud of Year 11 and look forward to helping them achieve even more in the months ahead.

 

Best wishes,
Mr Blackburn and Mrs Shahbaz