22 October 2026
Dear Parents and families,
As we come to the end of another successful half term, I would like to thank all of our families for your continued support. Your partnership with the school plays a vital role in helping our students thrive, and we are grateful for all that you do.
In this letter:
· Term 2 key dates
· Winter weather readiness
· PE kit update
· Attendance messages
Term 2 Key Dates
The first day of term is Monday 02 November, and this is a normal school day (no INSET). We look forward to seeing all of our children at 8:45am as usual.
There will be catch-up mock exams for any Year 11 students who missed an exam due to illness or other absence. These will take place during the first week back and Mr Roberts is making sure the students affected understand the arrangements.
The SPACE company members in Year 1 are performing their ‘Ignition’ piece on 17 and 18 November.
Flu vaccinations are also taking place on 17 and 18 November for all students in Y7-Y11.
School is closed to students on Monday 30 November, for our next INSET staff training day.
Year 11 Parents’ Evening (all subjects) is on Wednesday 02 December, 4:00 – 7:00pm, in school.
Our Winter Concert is scheduled for Thursday 03 December, at 7:00pm.
The assessment window for students in KS3 opens on Monday 07 December and continues until mid-January. During this period, children in years 7 to 9 will be taking part in mid-year assessments and tests, the results of which are shared with parents during February.
The last day of term 2 is Friday 18 December 2026. Please note that arrangements for this day will differ from previous years are we will be closing at 3:30pm as normal, and not at the earlier time of 1:30pm.
Winter weather readiness
As we anticipate the arrival of winter storms and other inclement weather, we would like to remind families that children will need to be equipped with an adequate winter coat to keep them warm and dry as they move around the site. Hoodies are not allowed in lieu of an actual outdoor jacket.
If your family is experiencing financial difficulties that are affecting your ability to provide full school uniform, please do contact your child’s tutor in the first instance, to organise a short-term loan.
With our new canteen now open, we have much more suitable indoor accommodation for our students during wet breaks. However, additional spaces – including toilets – are open in other buildings to ensure enough space to keep everyone comfortable.
PE kit update
As I explained in the summer, when we reviewed our Uniform Policy in light of the changes to statutory guidance for schools, we are currently transitioning our PE kit from a black basis to navy blue. We have now heard from one of our uniform suppliers that they have reached the end of their stock of black PE t-shirts and are now stocking the navy-blue version.
The full Policy is on our website in the ‘Key Information’ section. But for quick reference, the timeframe for this period of phasing change is shown below:
For 2026-27:
· All students must have a MWA PE top with logo (currently black in the shops, but phasing to blue when the manufacturers have switched)
· Students in Y8 to Y11 may wear any black MWA branded PE shorts, leggings or skort that they currently own. They may also wear plain navy shorts/leggings.
· Y7 students should wear plain navy-blue items along with their MWA logo PE top and should not be wearing the phased-out black kit with MWA logos (leggings/shorts/skort).
· Any and all plain items without the school logo should be navy blue.
From September 2027:
· All students must have an MWA PE top with logo in either blue or black
· Plain navy-blue shorts or leggings (no skorts)
Attendance messages – what does the school do when attendance becomes a concern?
Good attendance is essential to both academic success and children’s wellbeing, helping them to make strong progress and maintain important friendships and connections. The Department for Education’s expectation is that children attend school every day unless they are genuinely unwell, with 100% attendance being the ideal.
When attendance falls below 90%, a child is classed as “persistently absent”. While 90% may sound high, it equates to around one day off every fortnight. Across a school year, this means 19 days of learning missed, equivalent to 95 lessons.
If your child’s attendance begins to approach this level, their tutor will usually be the first to offer support and discuss any concerns. We are always keen to understand and address any barriers to attendance, helping every child feel successful, supported and happy in school. Where additional support is needed, our Attendance Team (Mrs Pike, Mrs Schollar and Ms Martin) may invite families to a meeting to explore how school and home can work together to improve attendance and engagement.
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance or they are becoming reluctant to attend school, please get in touch with us at attendance@mwa.clf.uk . We are here to help and will work with you to find the right support.
Wishing you all the best for a restful half term holiday.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs H. Jones
Principal
