Newsletters

Weekly Updates from Medina College - 6 November 2026

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6 November 2026


Weekly Updates from the Leadership Team

Welcome to the first newsletter of this half term. 

Our Year 11 students have fully embraced and taken seriously their trial exams which have been taking place all this week, and which will continue into next week. Sitting trial exams is vitally important for students for so many reasons. Understanding gaps in knowledge, exam technique (how to write the answers to gain the marks), and building resilience in a situation which can be emotionally challenging. These trial exams under exam conditions aim to start removing those barriers to the experience of the venue, so that it feels normal. Please continue to encourage your children to revise regularly and ensure they attend all their scheduled exams. 

Assemblies this week have been led by Mr Murdoch, revisiting our expectations around respect, behaviour for learning, attendance and truancy. The key take away from the assembly is to just live by the school rules; Ready, Respect, Safe. Arrive at school on time, in the correct uniform, with the equipment ready to learn, be respectful at all times to others, yourself and the school environment and keep yourself and each other safe. Further to the point on uniform, as the weather starts to get a bit colder, please ensure your child comes to school appropriately dressed. Hoodies and non-uniform jumpers are not permitted, so please ensure they have a school jumper and/or a blazer. Leggings are also not school uniform, so please ensure tights are worn under skirts or tailored trousers are worn instead.

Thank you to all of our Year 10 parents/carers who attended Parents' Evening yesterday. It was lovely to see so many of you, and we hope that you found the meetings with their subject teachers valuable. Good habits at the start of their GCSE journey will help their progress over the next 18 months. 

Next week we look forward to welcoming students and parents/carers from Medina and across the Island to our VI Form Open Evening. The event is on Thursday, 12 November, between 5pm and 8pm. If your child is at that point in their education journey of looking at their post 16 steps, please do come along and see for yourself the amazing offer that our VI Form has. Further details can be found on the website. 

If you don't already, please follow us on social media to celebrate our good news stories and to keep up to date with our regular updates. 

Mrs Paul, Mrs Mursell and Mrs Sandiford

Executive Headteacher and Co-Heads of School


Mathsworld

Our Key Stage 3 students recently enjoyed an exciting and educational trip to MathsWorld in London, where they discovered that maths is about much more than numbers, equations and calculations!

The visit gave students the opportunity to explore a fantastic range of interactive exhibits and hands on activities, putting their mathematical skills to the test in a fun and engaging environment.

There was plenty to get involved in! Students stepped inside a giant bubble, discovering the fascinating maths of shapes and surfaces, and tackled the Soma Cube, using their spatial reasoning skills to fit different pieces together. They also put their code cracking abilities to the test at the Codebreaker and Cipher Wall, exploring how maths can be used to create and solve secret messages.

The Giant Kaleidoscope provided a wonderful opportunity to investigate symmetry and patterns, while the Quickest Way Down challenge encouraged students to think creatively and apply their problem-solving skills. With so many interactive puzzles and challenges to try, there was something to capture everyone's imagination!

Another highlight of the day was the Leonardo Dome building workshop, where students had the opportunity to explore the connection between mathematics, engineering and design. Working collaboratively, they used their problem solving skills, spatial awareness and creativity to construct a dome structure. The workshop encouraged students to think carefully about shapes, angles and how individual components fit together to create a strong and stable structure. It was a fantastic hands on activity that brought mathematical concepts to life and demonstrated how maths plays an important role in the world of engineering and architecture.

Rather than simply reading about mathematical concepts, students were able to experiment, test ideas, learn through trial and error and challenge themselves in new ways. The exhibits encouraged curiosity, teamwork and perseverance, showing just how exciting and creative maths can be.

After an enjoyable visit, we also made the most of our time in the capital with a lovely walk along the River Thames. Students enjoyed taking in the beautiful riverside views and spotting some of London's famous landmarks along the way.

It was a fantastic day combining learning, exploration and sightseeing! The trip provided a wonderful opportunity for students to see how maths connects to the world around us, while developing their confidence, problem solving skills and enthusiasm for the subject.

A big thank you to all the staff who helped organise and support the trip. It was a brilliant day out, and we returned with lots of happy memories and plenty to talk about!

 


 
Borneo 2028
 
We are excited to announce an incredible opportunity for our students to take part in a 21-day expedition to Borneo in July 2028! This opportunity is open to anyone currently in Year 10. 

From exploring the rainforest to discovering its incredible wildlife and connecting with local communities, this promises to be an adventure that students will remember forever! This extraordinary experience will allow students to see themselves, others and the world differently, whilst developing confidence, independence and resilience. 

You can view the trip itinerary here.

Parents/carers of any students who are interested are invited to join an online information evening on Tuesday 17 November. This will take place at 6.30 pm via Zoom. 
Join the Zoom here: https://weareworldchallenge.zoom.us/j/6301108380?omn+81443295338

Borneo 2028 - let the adventure begin! 
 


Thank you!

Over the half term break, in collaboration with 2 local businesses, Livewire Electric Newport and Groundsell Contracting Limited, we have had our Chicken Run constructed. 

We are incredibly thankful for this support from our local community, which will impact on our students enormously and can't wait to welcome the new feathered members of the Medina College.  


Get Active, Get Rewarded!

We’re excited to announce a brand-new reward scheme from the PE Department!
Every time you attend a sports club, you’ll earn a raffle ticket to pop into our prize draw box. At the end of each half term (Autumn timetable attached), we’ll pick a lucky winner who will receive a delicious chocolate prize!
The best part? The more clubs you attend, the more tickets you collect and the greater your chance of winning!
So, get involved, try something new, stay active and give yourself a chance to win. Good luck, everyone!

 


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Dates for your diary

Year 11 Trial Exams
0:00am – 3:15pm
from 03 Nov until 13 Nov
03
November
VI Form Open Evening
All Day
12
November
Flu Immunisations Session 1
All Day
12
November
Y10/Y11 Trip to Turner Sims - Southampton Campus
All Day
13
November
Year 11 Parents Evening
4:00pm – 7:00pm
03
December

Useful Links

Term Dates and College Day

Attendance

Arbor (Communications and Payments)

Latest News

School Clubs


Attendance

If a student is unable to attend the school for any reason or has an appointment then you can register this using the Arbor App links below.  You are also able to contact the school using the Attendance line on 01983 538055

Try using the Arbor Parent App available on the following links ANDROID or APPLE with Guidance on use HERE


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