Principal’s Message for Week A, wb 6th January 2025
End of Autumn Term Reflection
This week was action packed with our celebration assemblies, Christmas dinner day and whole school trip day! Now, as the autumn term draws to a close, it’s the perfect moment to look back and celebrate the energy, hard work, and achievements that have defined the last few months at MEA Central. From the buzz of house competitions to meaningful moments of kindness and community, this term has truly showcased the best of what our school stands for.
Citizenship
This term, our commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility has been evident in so many ways. From our ongoing work towards the Rainbow Flag and Diana Anti-Bullying Awards to our Inclusion Chartermark initiatives, we have prioritised creating a school environment where every pupil feels seen and valued. Highlights include our Social and Cultural Capital Day, where pupils shared their stories and celebrated the diversity of our community, and Gratitude Week, which reminded us of the importance of kindness and recognition. A strong example of this is George, one of our Y10 students who had his hair shaved off as part of our house charity competition and has raised lots of money for Maggie’s. He is pictured here putting his dedication on the tree at their recent event where he was thanked for his support – well done George!
Achievement
Our pupils have continued to excel both in and out of the classroom. This term, we celebrated outstanding academic progress, creative talents in the house poetry competition, and successes in sports, drama, and music. These achievements reflect the hard work of our pupils and the unwavering support of our dedicated staff and families. We are also incredibly proud to have been recognised nationally for our strategy for disadvantaged pupils.
Participation
Scholarly participation has been a hallmark of this term, with high levels of involvement in extracurricular activities, student leadership roles, and community projects. Whether it’s our students joining clubs, demonstrating respect on trips and visits or taking the lead in school events, their enthusiasm and commitment have been inspiring. Each contribution, no matter how small, builds the vibrant and inclusive culture we are so proud of at this school.
I thought I’d share this lovely gratitude card sent to Charlie our school therapy dog from one of our pupils who has benefitted from participating in this intervention:
As we look ahead to the spring term, I encourage all members of our school community to continue embracing opportunities to grow, connect, and make a difference. Together, we are shaping a school that embodies excellence, equity, and the core values we hold dear.
Finally, please see below an important notice from me on social media usage.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and I wish you a restful and joyful holiday season.
Inset Day Monday 6th January 2025 *School Closed*
Please be reminded that students return to MEA Central Tuesday 7th January 2025.
Social Media
I write today about challenges we have been dealing with within school concerning social media. As you know, MEA Central does not allow mobile phones on the school site because of the distractions to high quality learning they bring, and because of the proven harmful effects of prolonged phone use.
We are aware of some inappropriate posts and accounts about MEA Central and its students and staff on the social media platforms Tik Tok and YouTube. These posts are offensive, and some can be considered in breach of the Malicious Communications Act 1988. There are also sadly comments from students, who are easily identifiable, on TikTok, encouraging the continued post of content. We have been monitoring these posts and comments, reported these to Tik Tok and will be informing our school engagement Police Officer.
Students found to be making offensive posts or offensive comments will be found to be in breach of the MEA Central behaviour policy and will receive appropriate sanctions.
Please note that supervision of mobile phone use is not the school's responsibility. I would like to ask you to support a reduction in online issues by:
establishing healthy boundaries – spending significant amounts of time on devices is unhealthy. Ask your child to leave their device with you when they are sleeping so that they are not tempted to use it during the night. Some children are telling us they are on their phone until 2 and 3am.
sitting with your child and asking to see what is on their phone regularly. Ask your child to talk to you about the sites they visit and accounts they have, and to show you any social media apps that they use. Ask them to show you their camera roll for pictures that they send/receive.
deleting and removing posts or comments that have been made on these accounts.
If all the above are standard routines for you at home, thank you for supporting healthy habits.
Please remember all apps and social media sites have their own terms and conditions, and many have age restrictions, usually of 13 years and above. O2 and NSPCC have produced an excellent parent support website which is useful to refer to. https://www.net-aware.org.uk/.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s Head of Year or Pastoral Manager.
MEA Central Library
Our library has continued to be an incredible resource for supporting our students’ reading and scholarly habits. Nearly 700 books have been loaned since September!
Whilst many books have been loaned, some have not yet been returned to the library. Please can we ask that you check at home for any school library books and return to the library as soon as possible. Mrs Smith, the librarian, will also be contacting home for outstanding loans – please check your emails.
Whilst we are closed for the holidays, you can continue to support your child with reading on two electronic platforms:
1. Sparx Reader: all key stage three students have a log in and homework set via their English teacher. Please encourage your child to complete this
2. The E-Platform: this is our electronic library. Please see below for log on details: · Go to https://www.eplatform.co.gb
· Check country on toolbar, across the top, is set to United Kingdom
· Click on Find library
· Type in MEA Central
· Click on Visit Library
· Start browsing!
Project Central and Academic Reading
We are looking forward to seeing the wonderful work that students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 complete for their Project Central or Academic Reading. This compulsory piece of homework is due to be handed in to form tutors on Tuesday 7th January.
All students that submit their Project Central or Academic Reading will receive a Take Part CAP. There will be prizes for the best submissions. Students have been given paper copies, however, the electronic versions are saved here: Winter
Know-It-All Quiz
We were blown away by the incredible knowledge of students when they took part in the Know-It-All quiz. They were quizzed on parts of their knowledge organisers. Students are set weekly homework where they use their knowledge organisers to complete retrieval practice in their red homework books. Well done to the students below who got the highest scores in their year groups. They will each will receive a skip the lunch queue pass for the first week of the Spring term.
Year 7 Saim (7N)
Year 8 Umamah (8H) and Sameena (8M)
Year 9 Aleeza (9S)
Year 10 Aroosh (10E)
Year 11 Eesa (11A)
More information about homework and links to the knowledge organisers can be found here: https://www.meacentral.org.uk/curriculum/homework-1
Autumn 2 Learning Summary
The Autumn 2 term has been eight weeks long meaning that students have covered a lot of curriculum content this half-term. Please find below a short overview of just some of the learning experiences that each year groups have had.
Year 7 have been learning, in their Science lessons, to identify the different forces that act on an object, to draw and interpret force diagrams and calculate resultant forces. In History they have been studying the Normans, developing their understanding of the historical concepts of change, continuity and chronology through examining the 1066 Succession crises, the Battle of Hastings and the Feudal System. We are looking forward to seeing all they have learnt in their first set of Big Tests which begin on Monday 13th January.
Year 8 have been studying the chemical reactions of respiration and photosynthesis in Science. In Drama they have been studying the Commedia Dell’Arte Style and developing their understanding of how
audiences participate in different types of production. Year 8 completed their first Big Test this half-term and in January will reflect on their progress and next steps.
Year 9 have been developing and practicing their algebraic skills in Maths learning how to solve equations, expand and factorise expressions and substitute into formulae. In Music they have been practicing and performing piano pieces working on playing with accuracy, expression and understanding.
Year 10 have continued to be very engaged in their KS4 courses. In English they have examined the theme of social inequality through their study of the play An Inspector Calls. In Geography they have been exploring the natural hazards such as tropical storms and learning about the response to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. In Technology students have been learning about how ecological, environmental and social issues affect the design and manufacturing of products.
Year 11 have been revising and developing their understanding of power, conflict, nature and time through the revision of An Inspector Calls and through A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In Art students have explored the urban landscape in Manchester including historical buildings such as the John Rylands Library and modern buildings such as Beetham Tower whilst developing their creativity and independence as artists.
More information about our curriculum can be found here: https://www.meacentral.org.uk/curriculum/curriculum-purpose
MEA Central Student Authors
Congratulations to the following student whose work is due to be published in an upcoming anthology, "The Beautiful Truth - Twist My Words"
Chris A
Parsa G
Azan A
Maria A
Tala O
Lucia N
Clubs
The Spring extra-curricular club programme can now be found on our website here:
https://www.meacentral.org.uk/beyond-the-classroom/extra-curricular
You can also see all the clubs that your child is eligible to sign up for on the Arbor app/parent portal.
Most after-school clubs run until 4pm and all begin WC 6th January. Please note that clubs do not run in the final week of each half-term. The majority of clubs are run by MEA Central teachers, however some are run by external organisations such as tutors from Debate Mate and coaches from Projekts Skateboarding.
Club membership will not roll over from the Autumn term, so please review the club schedule with your child and book them onto any clubs they would like to attend as soon as possible. Spaces are limited and some clubs are very popular. If a child does not attend a club and have been present at school, they will be removed from the club membership and you will receive a notification email.
Booking for all Spring clubs will open on Friday 20th December at 4pm.
Year 11 students will have Period 6, 3pm-4pm, on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Spring term. They will receive a timetable with their classes on at the start of the term. This is a key opportunity for Year 11 to have additional exam practice before their final GCSE examinations which begin in May.
Message from the PE department
This is a reminder that the school PE Kit is:
Black and amber long-sleeved polo shirt with school logo
Black and amber shorts or tracksuit bottoms with school logo
Black and amber ¼ zip top with school logo
Students are permitted to wear plain black T-shirts, plain black zip up jacket and plain black shorts for PE (without the school logo). Students should not wear coats, football boots or school shoes for PE. They should wear trainers for each lesson. The school PE kit supplier is below:
MCS Stores
220 Fog Lane
Didsbury - Manchester
M20 6EL
Tel: 0161 445 7740
Pastoral Team Information 2024/25
A reminder for parents, below are some supportive services available to young people and parents, should they be struggling with their mental health:
Support for Young People
CHRISTMAS SUPPORT
Please see below some supportive websites for young people over the Christmas holidays.
Support for Parents
The Teenage Brain Webinar - a webinar for parents and carers
The Manchester Healthy Schools team are hosting a webinar for Manchester parents and carers on 24th January. Click here for further information and to book your place: The Teenage Brain Webinar
Please see below some websites where parents can access support during the Christmas half term holidays:
Websites for half term activities for families
Safeguarding reminders
Safeguarding support services can also be found on our website
https://www.meacentral.org.uk/safeguarding/introduction-and-support
If you have a concern regarding the safety of a young person, you can contact Children’s Services (AGS) for advice and guidance on the numbers below:
Manchester:
Contact us to report abuse or neglect of a child or an adult with care and support needs. Even if you're unsure, report it to us so that we can check. You can report your concerns anonymously if you want.
Tel: 0161 234 5001
email: mcsreply@manchester.gov.uk
|
Head of Year Messages |
|
Year 7 – Ms. Charis Gates This term has been an exciting beginning for our Year 7 scholars as they’ve settled into life at MEA Central. From making new friends to joining clubs and participating in house competitions, their enthusiasm and energy have been truly inspiring. Highlights of the term include the incredible creativity displayed in the house poetry competition and the enthusiasm Year 7 pupils brought to event such as the House Spelling Bee and Social and Cultural Capital Day. It’s been wonderful to see them embracing the opportunities available and contributing positively to our school community! As we look ahead, we encourage Year 7 to continue exploring, learning, and getting involved in everything MEA Central has to offer. Their journey is just beginning, and we are so proud of the foundation they’ve already built. Ms Gates and Ms Thompson |
|
Year 8 – Ms. Bryan
Year 8 have had a fun filled final week of 2024. We have continued the celebrations through to gratitude week, where pupils have shared what/who they are thankful for. The year group have also taken part in festive activities, including Christmas dinner on Wednesday and the Winter Rewards Trip on Thursday. It was wonderful seeing so many pupils appreciate and enjoy themselves this week! As we say goodbye to 2024 and the first term as “Team Year 8”, we reflect on all the lessons learned and positives we can bring into 2025. Year 8 continue to fill us with pride, and we are very thankful for the support of our parents/carers S.Bryan and Mx Umpierrez |
|
Year 9– Mr J Anatsui
This term has been a significant one for our Year 9 pupils, as they’ve started to stake steps towards their KS4 experience and think about their future pathways.
Their growing maturity, curiosity, and ambition have shone through in so many areas, from the classroom to extracurricular activities.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all families for your support during my time at MEA Central, I have learned a lot here that I will take with me to my next role. The year group will be well looked after by Mr Blackburn who starts with the school in January. - Mr Anatsui
Mr Anatsui and Mr Roberts |
|
Year 10 – Mr J Roper I would like to start this week's entry with a huge THANK YOU to both the pupils and parents/guardians for making this term such a successful one. All the pupils have really approached these first few months of Year 10 in the way we hoped they would. They have all worked so hard to ensure excellent progress is being made in all subjects and many have also added additional skills through taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh (Bronze) scheme, House Charity (including the fantastic George Hamilton in 10 Duffy who raised hundreds of pounds through having his head shaved), representing the school as a Prefect and many other extra-curricular opportunities. To celebrate the end of the year we have completed the year groups celebration assembly - during which the pupils showed great pride in receiving their awards in front of their peers. Then, to complete the end of term celebrations Year 10 enjoyed a successful trip to Jump Heaven where the pupils represented themselves and the school well. To those celebrating Christmas, we would like to wish you a "Merry Christmas" and we look forward to seeing all the pupils in the new year Mr. Roper and Ms. Renshaw |
|
Year 11 – Mr J Rooza
This autumn term has been a crucial one for Year 11, and we are so impressed by the determination and resilience they’ve shown as they prepare for their GCSEs. Their focus in lessons, engagement in interventions, and willingness to go the extra mile reflect their commitment to achieving their best. Beyond academics, Year 11 pupils have played an important role in the wider school community. Their leadership and dedication have set an excellent example for the rest of the school. As the mock exams conclude and we look to the spring term, we encourage Year 11 to maintain their momentum, prioritise their wellbeing, and continue working towards their goals. This is their time to shine, and we are here to support them every step of the way
Mr Rooza & Ms Costello
|