These values are really important to us, both inside and outside of College. They were chosen by you – our students – in December 2016. It is great to see the vast majority of you working hard to embed these values in the way you work, help and support each other. Through doing this, we will make MRC a better school for all of us.

This is an incredibly important day, which we will mark this week with activities in tutor time. It is important that we remember the Holocaust and also consider other atrocities that have taken place since then. We must also acknowledge that similar atrocities re happening in parts of the world now. The focus of our assemblies this week will be Respect.

Last week was a very positive week in College. I visited lots of lessons and in every case, saw you working hard and getting on with your work. This is a really good start to the term – well done and thank you! We must make sure we keep this up!

Respect is crucial to the way the College operates. We had a visiting Vice Principal from another United Learning Academy last week. Mrs Close spent time talking to student and she was incredibly impressed with you and the way you show respect for each other. Respect for and tolerance of individual differences is really important and is something we must all uphold. ‘We are open minded’ is a key phrase from our Respect poster and we must all live by this.

Respect is a key value, not just at MRC but also in the wider community. The way we treat each other is incredibly important and we must all seek to treat each other the way in which we want to be treated ourselves. We must also remember to respect individual differences in school. I am always very proud of the way you treat and support each other; it is one of the things I think sets our school apart.

Every day, I see our students students working together and supporting one another. We care about all the students in the College and we work together to make MRC a better place to learn, grow and make friendships every day. I would like to ask all our students to reflect on how we can make the school even better so that every day is better than the day before. We will achieve this when we all try harder every day to be the best we can be and I'd like to ask all students to focus on this this week. We say 'we do what it takes for as long as it takes' and this applies to supporting one another as much as it does to classwork. 

Last year, we raised just over £1000 for this great cause. This year, we raised over £1200, which is a fantastic achievement. As part of our 'Respect' value, students have been learning in tutor time and assemblies about how the money they donated will make a real difference to disadvantaged young people across the country. I see our students, your children, regularly supporting and helping each other in College. I am proud that they also want to support others on a national level and this is part of our ethos at the College as we  develop students' sense of community. I was also pleased to receive an email from a member of the public about how one of our Year 7 students assisted a member of the public this week; we have great students at MRC. 

On Wednesday last week (8th November) Gillian Keegan, our local MP, came to visit the College. Gillian has a wealth of experience having worked in industry for many years prior to being elected to Parliament. During her visit, she taught a Year 10 business class and also led a session with our scholars group, giving information about her background also taking questions from students.