Principal’s Message for Week A, wb 28th April 2025
Afzal Khan, MP
We were delighted to welcome Afzal Khan MP to MEA Central today. Afzal, who has served as the Member of Parliament for Manchester Gorton since 2017, is a strong advocate for education, equality, and opportunities for young people in our community.
He was joined by representatives from Teach First, a charity that works to address educational inequality by developing and supporting teachers and leaders in schools serving disadvantaged communities. MEA Central has proudly partnered with Teach First for the past eight years, working together to nurture exceptional teaching and leadership across our school.
During his visit, Afzal toured a series of outstanding lessons, gaining an insight into the focused and joyful learning environment our staff and students create every day. He also spent time with our Head Girl and Head Boy, who spoke with pride about their experiences as scholars at MEA Central and shared their aspirations for the future.
Parent Coffee Morning Dates
We are delighted to announce a schedule of Parent Coffee Mornings which will take place during the summer term. There will be a theme for each coffee morning and space at either side to catch up with and chat to our school leaders!
They start at 9.30am and finish by 10.30am on the dates below:
Date
ttendance
As we enter the summer term, it is a great opportunity for all our scholars to boost and maximise their attendance to school. Each year when we analyse data, attendance is the most important factor when it comes to attainment - students with the best attendance, achieve the best grades! When applying for college or other post-16 options, attendance can be a crucial factor in receiving a place to enrol at a top college. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to support your child having strong attendance.
House Oracy Competition – Say It Louder: Voices Against Intolerance
This half term, students across all year groups are invited to take part in our House Oracy Competition: Say It Louder – Voices Against Intolerance.
As part of this powerful initiative, pupils will write and perform a two-minute persuasive speech on the theme of tolerance and inclusion, responding to one of three thought-provoking questions:
With support from form time and lunchtime workshops, as well as any help they can get from home, students will have the opportunity to develop their writing and public speaking skills while exploring the values that shape a kind and inclusive school culture.
Finalists from each House will perform at our Grand Final on Wednesday 21st May, and we can’t wait to hear the voices of our young people as they speak up for change. Parents of finalists will be invited to attend this event. More information will be available over the coming weeks.
Safeguarding
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Support for young people and parents
This half term, there will be information shared regarding online safety.
Please explore these useful and educational resources with your child to ensure they understand the importance of staying safe online.
For parents who may not understand some social media apps such as snapchat, there are links below with supportive information.
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Head of Year Messages |
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Year 7 – Ms. Gates Well done to Year 7 for a strong start back to the summer term! It’s been great to see students returning with a positive attitude and ready to learn. We started the term with a solid attendance of 94%, and we want to keep building on this. A big well done to all the students who have shown the value of participation through Project Central-it was amazing to see so many creative menus written in French or Spanish. Your hard work and creativity really stood out!
This week, I want to emphasize the importance of online safety. We want to remind families to monitor social media usage at home-most platforms have a minimum age of 13, and we encourage open conversations about staying safe, being kind online, and making good choices. As always, please reach out if you need any support or advice. |
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Year 8 – Ms. Bryan Welcome back! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Easter break, and that you’re feeling refreshed and ready for the exciting term ahead. As we step into the summer term, it’s hard to believe just how quickly this year is moving.
This term begins with a particularly important period for Year 8 – our assessment cycle. I’d like to start by saying how proud we are of the dedication and effort shown by our pupils throughout the year. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed, and we’re confident that you are well prepared for what’s ahead.
Key Dates:
We hope that Revision Week was helpful and that you used it as a chance to consolidate your learning and build confidence ahead of the tests next week. Remember, these assessments are just one part of the learning journey, and we encourage all pupils to approach them with a calm and focused mindset.
As always, we want to emphasise that while doing your best is important, there is no need for added pressure. We are here to support every pupil, and we ask that families help us in fostering a balanced and supportive approach to this assessment cycle. Success comes not just from high scores, but from resilience, growth, and a willingness to learn. Let’s keep supporting each other and make this final term a positive and productive one. |
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Year 9 – Mr Blackburn
Welcome back year 9, I hope you have all had an amazing Easter and are recharged and ready for the Summer Term. In the second to last week of the Spring Term students admirably completed their Big Tests.
This week has seen students reviewing their Big Tests. Next week Year 9 will reflect on these tests and create action plans to enhance their progress. Year 9 have come back focused and have made an excellent start to the Summer Term.
The value for this term is participation. We urge scholars to fully give it their all in lessons, learn from their mistakes, show resilience and take part in school clubs. This prepares each child for a successful future.
Students will be working in forms again to achieve a form lunch. The form with the best classroom behaviour will be the winners this half term.
Thanks,
Mr Blackburn |
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Year 10 – Mr Roper Welcome back Year 10 and we hope you have all had a restful holiday period.
The year group have returned in a positive way and have quickly settled into their lessons and classwork. After last term's Work experience week and other activities (Mock interview day and SCC Adventure Day) it is vital that the pupils now quickly adapt back into the rigour of school life this term.
In lessons they will continue to work on classwork, small progress checks and coursework - this system is to prepare them for next year when they will be starting formal GCSE exams at this point.
Can I thank you all for ensuring that your child has returned to school with the correct uniform and equipment. It is essential to maintain these standards and as always if there is a problem regarding uniform or equipment then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Mr Roper & Ms Renshaw |
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Year 11 – Mr J Rooza
We welcome year 11 back for their final weeks at MEA Central! Since returning from the Easter break, Year 11 students have come back calm, focused and ready to tackle the challenges ahead. With less than two weeks until the first exams begin, this is a crucial stage in their journey. Every revision session, every flashcard, every past paper truly does make a difference now.
On Thursday, we held a brilliant and uplifting Mock Results Event for Year 11, giving students a taste of what the real GCSE Results Day will feel like in just four months’ time. It was a fantastic moment to reflect on progress so far, celebrate successes, and re-focus for the final push. We were so proud of how maturely students responded, showing a real sense of pride in their efforts and a growing determination to go even further.
We’re encouraging students to make the most of their time, to revise little and often, and to stay consistent with their efforts. This is where the hard work pays off! When knowledge is revisited regularly, confidence grows, and the pressure of exams becomes far more manageable. Whether it's going over key quotes, rehearsing exam techniques or simply putting pen to paper, the effort students put in now will shape the outcomes they receive in August.
Thank you for continuing to support your child at home. Your encouragement, routines and reminders are more powerful than you know. Mr Rooza & Mrs Costello |