Newsletters

30th January 2026

Weekly Updates from the Leadership Team

Welcome to the newsletter for this week. 

We would like to start by celebrating all of our students who have made positive choices, worked hard in lessons and enjoyed extracurricular activities – #WorkHardBeKind. These students are getting the very best of #WeAreMedina. 

Thank you to Year 9 parents and carers for attending their child's subject progress evening on Wednesday. We are pleased that those who attended found it useful. It will be the turn of Year 11 parents and carers on Wednesday 11th February.  Please do book your appointments for this vital evening, ahead of the summer exams if you have not done so already. Year 11 will also have trial exams after the half-term break, so it will be an opportunity to discuss any preparation that your child can do for these too. 

This week our Year 10 students had core trial exams. We know many were apprehensive but the way they approached each day and succeeded in following the rules, meant they were a credit to themselves. We hope that the outcome of the trial exams will help support their focus on their learning in the classroom, and their preparation for the next set of trial exams in the summer term. 

This week, you will have received a copy of this letter, which covers mobile phone use in school and invites you to attend a working party. If you are interested in this important topic, as well as some other potential changes, please complete the Google Form by Tuesday 3rd February 2026.

We have had several students off with sickness bugs this week. Please can we remind you that students do need to stay off for 24 hours if they have been sick. Please also remind them about the importance of washing their hands regularly. 

Next week is Children's Mental Health week and in assembly we will be looking at 'This is my place'–exploring a sense of belonging and aligning to two of our school values of Courage and Confidence.

This week we have celebrated Kindness. Our award winners from the Kindness tokens draw are: Merryn P, Evelyn V, Ty D, K Arnell and Elodie H.  Additionally, the highest kindness rewards this week on Arbor were awarded to Amelia K, Freddie K, Tia L and Max S. Well done to you all for living one of our values so well. 

Mrs Paul, Mrs Mursell and Mrs Sandiford

Executive Headteacher and Co-Heads of School

 I-Construct Awards Evening

Following the recent I-Construct Careers Event, a small team from Year 10 travelled to Southampton Solent University last week with their teacher and parents to attend the I-Construct Awards Evening. 

I-Construct is an event that aims to educate secondary school children about the diverse range of career pathways within the construction and wider built-environment industry. Students are given a scenario storyline and are asked to research a participating company and the role it plays in the scenario. 

The judges were very impressed with our team's confidence and enthusiasm and described them as excellent potential employees. Well done Mitchell, Jimi and George – we are very proud of this fantastic achievement. The trophy is proudly displayed in our school reception for all to admire!

Safer Internet Day

10th February is Safer Internet Day. This week, we have been focusing on this topic in assembly, with a particular emphasis on AI. AI is a relatively new concept, and many people don’t yet know how to use it effectively. Young people are often two steps ahead of the systems and restrictions that parents and schools put in place, finding ways to work around them.

I would like to share two fact sheets with you and encourage you to read them. We are seeing these issues in our school, as well as in other schools on the island and mainland. As a school, we adopt the approach of “it can happen here” and encourage you to do the same at home. Regular checks of your child’s phone are highly recommended, and it is advisable to delay social media use until age 13 or 14, or even longer if possible.

Chatbots and AI

This fact sheet explains the risks associated with chatbots. While they can be fun and helpful for young people, there is also a dark side that can increase the risk of mental health concerns.

VPNs

As mentioned in previous communications, we have filters on the school system and the internet. However, students have smartphones with their own data. We will communicate with you regarding the next steps, but in the meantime, please monitor your child’s search history.

The attached fact sheet explains how young people can bypass age restrictions and age verification using a VPN. We encourage parents to avoid allowing mobile devices in bedrooms or private areas and to monitor phones as you would a computer. There is a hidden online world that young people can access, regardless of some restrictions in place.

U13's Girls Football v The Bay

U13s after our defeat by The Bay. Still smiling!  Well done girls!

IWPCF

The Isle of Wight Parent Carer Forum (IWPCF) is a parent-led organisation representing families of children and young people aged 0–25 with Additional Needs, also known as Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).

The IWPCF works with the Local Authority and Integrated Care Board to represent parent carers’ views in decisions about services across Health, Education, and Social Care. They are not a support or campaigning group.

They would like to hear from parent carers about their experiences of local support and services. Please take a few moments to share your feedback by scanning the QR code on the poster or using the link provided below. 

Feedback link 

Would you like to be the next Youth MP for the Island?

Please read the poster for more details.

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