I’d like to start by welcoming you all back to College after the half-term break. I hope that you all had a good half-term and are ready for the last seven weeks of this year. There is a lot to look forward to this half-term – we have awards evenings, sport and performance evening, art design and technology exhibition and Oklahoma to look forward to. In addition to this, we also have a new-look activities week at the start of July, which will start with a whole-college sponsored walk to raise money for a fantastic local charity. I will give more information and details about this in assemblies over the next two weeks. In July, we will also take a College photograph with all students in it, which will show our whole community together.

I’d like to start by saying a huge well done to all students for the fantastic start we have had with the MRC Proud cards. You all look incredibly smart and are wearing your uniform with pride. I always thought that you looked smart as a school, but I am hugely impressed that you have taken a step-up. We can always do better and you are proving this – well done and thank you.

This week will see the introduction of the MRC Proud cards. You have two key challenges with this card: to try to get as many ‘above and beyond’ signatures as possible. This will show that you are helping other students or staff in our school through being polite, hardworking and respectful. The other challenge is to keep your card completely clean, which will show that you always wear your MRC uniform with pride, that you look smart and are ready to learn. There will be house competitions and rewards for the house that gets the most clean cards, as well as above and beyond signatures. You may well win something for yourself, as well as for your house.

Last week’s whole College assembly focussed on tolerance and respect – making sure that we are tolerant of individual differences and that we respect each other at all times. This means that, irrespective of gender, religion, race, sexuality or intellectual ability we must always treat others the way in which we want to be treated ourselves. As a College community, I think we are very good at this and I am proud of this. 

There is a lot to share from last week. Thank you to Mrs Hathaway for organising the fantastic Community Day on Saturday. It was good to see so many of you there. The Year 10 exams have started really well – well done to all Year 10 students for the positive approach you have taken in these tests; it will help you to prepare for next summer’s GCSEs. I also think that our College looks much tidier – you are clearly making an effort to keep the school tidy. We must all keep this up – this is a non-negotiable and we must all do it. 

It was good to see everyone on assemblies last week and I would like to thank you for a very positive first week back. The theme of our tutor times this week is our value of happiness and it was good to see students happy to be back in College last week. I visited several lessons last week and was impressed with the work, conduct and progress you are making. Thank you and well done – a good start to the term.

Welcome back to the summer term. I hope you all had a very good Easter break. I’d like to start by saying well done to our Year 11 students who attended revision sessions over the holidays – this will definitely help with the real exams. A particular thank you to the staff who came in to deliver the sessions, too. I would also like to welcome back Miss Jessop. Miss Jessop returns to us having been interim Principal for the last two terms at another United Learning Academy. It is great to have her back with us. 

The Spring term will very soon be over. It is the shortest term of the year, but we have put a lot in to it…. Concerts, sports fixtures, charity events, parents evenings, quiz night, mud run, Gilbert Hannam Awards and lots of educational trips and visits. This is to name but a few of the things we have done and you have participated in. Thank you for your continued hard work and effort in lessons too. The vast majority of you work hard all the time, most of you work hard most of the time. I am a big believer that we can all put more effort in to our work and strive to always do better. 

‘Doing the right thing’ and helping and supporting others is incredibly important. People will remember you in the future if you help them and are respectful and considerate towards them. This week is Sports Relief and we will be holding a variety of activities in College to support this charity. Helping to raise money for others who are less fortunate than we are is important and as a school this is something we must all do. The money you raise for Sport Relief will help to treat children who malaria, support mental health charities in the UK and also create safe spaces for people to be safe and active. All of these things are vitally important. 

There is a lot happening in College over the next two weeks, which will support the College’s values. There is also lot of positive news to share with you and, of course, a lot of hard work in lessons over the next three weeks before the Easter break.