I know I always say this, but last half term was a very busy time, but one which ended on a real high! I will start with one of the highlights for me, which was the tour of Cologne, a great trip and one which I will always remember for all the right reasons. The weather was good to us; the students and staff were amazing and we managed to fit so much in to the 5 days we were there. I really appreciate having the opportunity to have shared this time with the students and I hope that they have come home from the trip with both happy memories but also that little bit stronger, more resilient for having spent that time away from home and for all they have experienced. I was so proud of them throughout and they did both their parents/carers and the school proud.
The term prior to Easter always has a strong focus on preparing for exams, with now only weeks away until exam season starts with some speaking exams starting as soon as next week. Before the end of term, we put together and distributed personalised revision pack full of revision tips, exam papers and other essential materials to support student's . We have been very impressed by the continued hard work demonstrated by the students, as they strive to achieve their full potential and the support we offer them will guide them every step of the way. Remember to visit the Year 11 Success Hub on the website for useful information including tips on how to revise.
Sport continues to be popular in school and the number of competitive teams continues to grow. The recent success of the Y9/10 girls football team has generated much excitement at Meden; having successfully made it through the semi finals against All Saints, the girls now face either Garibaldi or Ashfield in the finals to be held in May at the Mansfield Town ground! We look forward to the game and will be supporting our team all the way! The #Letgirlsplay initiative has been key in raising participation in girls football and was a success again this year with over 130 girls taking part. It is amazing to see so many girls participating in the sport and hope that some of them continue to play football by joining the local teams.
Congratulations to Yevhen in Y10 who attended a celebration evening hosted by Mansfield Rotary Club to receive a Courage Award. Yevhen, who was forced to flee his home and leave everything behind due to the conflict in Afganistan has demonstrated immense courage since arriving in the UK. Undeterred by his personal circumstances, Yevhen has impressed us all by his hard work and determination to succeed. He was 1 of 11 students recognised at the event and truly deserves his award. We are very proud of you!
Finally I wanted to share my appreciation and heartfelt thanks for your recent support as we raised money for Comic Relief by holding a series of events including a non uniform day and a bake sale. Coordinated by the Student Leaders, we managed to raise over £613 for the charity which will be greatly received. Thank you so much for your support. I am always humbled by your willingness to help others. All that is left is to wish you a Happy Easter, enjoy your long weekend and we will see you all on Tuesday, to start the new term.
best wishes
Mr Jim Smith (Headteacher)
Parent Safeguarding News – Supporting and Protecting Our Young People
As our children navigate their teenage years, their world is constantly evolving, bringing both opportunities and challenges. This newsletter aims to provide you with important safeguarding updates, advice, and resources to help keep your child safe both online and offline. In school, we are increasingly witnessing the impact of smartphone use, peer conflicts, and how online behaviour influences face-to-face interactions. These themes are shaping the social and emotional experiences of young people, making it essential for us to address them together.
Online Safety: Understanding the Digital World
The internet is a powerful tool for learning and socializing, but it also presents risks such as cyberbullying, online predators, and exposure to inappropriate content. Here are some key tips to help keep your child safe online:
Key Apps and Their Risks
Many social media apps are popular among young people, but they also come with potential risks. Here are a few key apps to be aware of:
When Online Conflict Becomes Real-Life Conflict
Disagreements and arguments that start online can often spill over into real-life interactions, leading to social issues at school or in the community. Here are some common ways this can happen:
Encourage your child to think carefully before posting online, resolve conflicts in a respectful way, and seek adult support if an online issue is affecting their real-world relationships.
Exposure to Polarising Views and Ideologies
The internet provides a space for open discussions, but it can also expose young people to extreme or polarising views. Social media algorithms often reinforce content that aligns with previous searches, meaning young minds can be unintentionally drawn into echo chambers. This can shape opinions in a way that lacks balance and critical thinking.
Young people are particularly impressionable, and exposure to harmful ideologies, misinformation, or divisive content can influence their perspectives and interactions with others. Some of the key themes young people may be exposed to include:
To help your child navigate this, consider the following:
Encourage critical thinking – Teach your child to question sources and look at multiple viewpoints before forming opinions.
Discuss the impact of online content – Talk about how different groups use the internet to influence opinions and why it’s important to seek balanced information.
Monitor online activity – Be aware of the type of content your child is consuming and have conversations about responsible online engagement.
Promote respectful discussions – Encourage your child to debate topics respectfully and understand that differing viewpoints are a normal part of life.
The Impact of Phones on Mental Health and Wellbeing
The increased use of smartphones and social media has been linked to rising levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among young people. Studies show that excessive screen time can impact self-esteem and mental health in the following ways:
Encouraging screen-free time, promoting real-life social interactions, and maintaining a balanced digital diet can help support young people's mental health and overall well-being.
The Benefits of a Smartphone-Free Childhood
While technology has its advantages, there is growing evidence that excessive screen time can negatively impact children’s development, mental health, and social skills. Encouraging a smartphone-free childhood—especially for younger children—can have significant benefits, such as:
If you’re considering reducing screen time in your home, start with small steps like screen-free meal times, device-free bedrooms, and setting limits on social media use.
Further Resources for Online Safety
If you would like more support and information on online safety, the following websites provide excellent advice and guidance:
Internet Matters – www.internetmatters.org
NSPCC Online Safety – www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety
ThinkUKnow (National Crime Agency) – www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Childnet – www.childnet.com
ParentZone – www.parentzone.org.uk
We’re Here to Support You
Safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and together, we can create a safer environment for our young people. If you have any concerns or need further support, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school’s safeguarding team.
We are actively working to educate students around these themes in both personal development lessons and assemblies to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate these challenges safely.
If you have any further questions or need support, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead Mr Simon Morton smorton@medenschool.co.uk
We love to reward our students and offer many opportunities for students to receive rewards.
EXCELLENCE EXHIBITION
The excellence exhibition continues to prove successful with students, especially since the introduction of the loyalty card and a chance to spin the Excellence Prize Wheel.
Each week students who produce their hard work, receive a stamp on their loyalty card which once complete allows students to spin the wheel.
A spin of the wheel entitles a student to win one of 6 different prizes. The prizes range from a small bag of sweets up to a whole lunchtime pizza to share with friends and may include a novelty pen, highlighters, drinks bottle, bar of chocolate or breakfast item.
All work shown is rewarded by a headteachers excellence award worth 10 ATL points. Over 1200 ATL points were awarded during the last excellence exhibition of last half term.
CULTURE CARDS
Our culture cards continue to be a very positive part of the culture of our school. Out of the 1554 culture cards logged last half term, 1290 of them were for positive signatures which amounts to 83%.
Congratulations to students who completed the most culture cards this half term
As a reminder, students gain positive signatures for demonstrating
Negative signatures are received for
CULTURE CODE REWARD DAY
Students from across all the year groups were identified to take part in this half term's reward event which was inflatable basketball and inflatable hungry hippos.
The event proved a great success amount the students who were chosen for achieving excellent culture code scores, for improving on their previous score and for excellent attendance. It was great to see our College students taking part too.
THEY DID IT!!!!
On Monday 31st March, our Year 9 & 10 girls played in a very entertaining game v All Saints in the semi-final of the town cup!
The girls were 1-0 down after 5 minutes, and 3-1 up as we entered half time.
All Saints came back at the girls second half and pulled a goal back to make it 3-2.
With immense effort, determination and teamwork- the girls hung on for a memorable win !!
This now means they will play the final at Mansfield Towns ground between Mon 19th-Weds 21st May (more details will follow).
They will face either Garibaldi or Ashfield school.
Outstanding performers in the team were Erika Proud and Indi Twinn but all the girls played an amazing game.
Team players were:
Y9 girls
Y10 girls
Thanks for all the staff who came out to support as well.
Watch this space!!!
YEAR 8 FOOTBALL
On Monday 10th March, some of the Y8 Boys football team attended a tournament at Sutton Lawn.
They came away from a very competitive set of fixtures with 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss.
Congratulations to the students involved.
YEAR 7 BOYS RUGBY
On Wednesday 2nd April, some of our Y7 boys played in a Rugby match v Outwood Portland of Worksop at home at Meden School.
The focus of the match was to play a full contact, competitive game but in an environment that students who have never played the sport could learn from.
A squad of 12 players was assembled. Exactly half of Meden's team play for Mansfield RUFC outside of school and our other 6 players had only ever experienced rugby through a couple of PE lessons earlier in the year.
4 x 10minutes quarters were played, with new rules being added in every 10 minutes.
The students worked superbly as a team, showed respect to the ref and opposition and looked as though they really enjoyed the game!
A very close game in which both teams scored approx. 6 tries each.
Well done to the following students involved:
#LETGIRLSPLAY
On Friday 7th March we held our annual 'letgirlsplay' football event to support the FA's initiative of increasing the number of girls playing football.
It was a great success once again, with more than 130+ Y7-9 girls taking part.
On top of this; an additional 60+ year 10 girls played during there PE lesson too.
A HUGE thank you to all tutors of Y7-9 tutorials for encouraging your tutees to take part and organising teams- it made the tournaments run so smoothly- so thank you.
Here are some photos - well done to all those who took part!
We were so proud to see one of our students, Yevhen Yunak who was presented with a Courage Award at the recent Rotary Club Annual Awards.
Yevhen and his family were forced to flee their home in Ukraine and begin a new life in the UK. Since enrolling at Meden School Yevhen has impressed everyone with his hard work and sheer determination which has enabled him to make considerable progress, both academically and in his relationships with others.
Yevhen who was one of 11 students who were recognised for their courage, was congratulated by the Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, President of Mansfield Rotary, Rotn Phil Lyons and special guest, Mansfield Paralympic star Charlotte Henshaw in a special celebration event.
Yevhen is picture above along side his Achievement Lead Mr Byrne who nominated him for the award.
Congratulations to all of the award winners whose individual stories are truly awe-inspiring. Full details of all of the individuals and their stories of courage can be read on the Chad website who covered the event.
The end of term saw the start of an adventure for participants of the Cologne Football tour,who set off in the early hours of Friday 4th April on their 5 day tour of Cologne and the surrounding areas.
The itinerary was full from start to finish.
Traveling via coach presented us with the perfect opportunity to take in the views as we crossed from Dover to Dunkirk, through France, Belgium on to the city of Cologne. For many of our students is was a journey of first experiences; first time away from home; first time abroad; first time on a ferry; and they took it all in their stride.
On arrival at the hostel we were pleasantly surprised. The facilities were excellent and the rooms very comfortable.
Each morning the group were able to sample a continental style breakfast and then to make their packed lunch for the day. An evening meal was also available on our return at the end of the day.
The tour started with a live football match - Mainz vs Holsten Kiel an exciting game that ended in a 1-1 draw. The arena was packed and the atmosphere electric which both sides supported by their dedicated fans.
On Sunday student were privileged to participate in some personal football coaching with Koln FC coaches and despite not all the students playing football in or out of school, everyone put in 100% effort and there were some surprising stars.
The afternoon was spent with a leisurely stroll the the Chocolate factory before an evening of bowling.
After a tiring day it was back to the hostel for some rest ready to face the challenges of the next day.
In the morning we were treated to a tour of the Bayer Laverkusen football stadium which was a wonderful experience. Split in to 2 different tour groups we were shown around the stadium with a tour guide who was able to tell us all about the history of the stadium, about the players and tested the knowledge of our students on different teams and players. The Bayer Laverkusen stadium is unique compared to many other stadiums in that all of the players, not only play there but also train onsite and although we weren't able to take a peek inside the home team changing rooms, we did get the opportunity to see the away team areas and the newsroom.
A quick visit to the shop before heading in to Cologne for a little bit of leisure time and shopping, before the afternoon football matches.
The afternoon and evening games were hosted by local football club SV Deutz 05, a longstanding German club which first originated in the early 1900s and has a long history. We were welcomed by the club who provided us with bratwurst chips and a drink after the match. There were 4 friendlies that were originally set up to be against similar aged and ability teams. Quite soon in to the games it was clear that the german players were more professionally trained than our students and the club was more like a training academy; a very different set up to our group that included a mix of students, some of whom do not play football other than in PE lessons. Despite being outmatched, every one of our players played their very best , they worked together as teams and despite suffering defeat played with great sportsmanship. We could not have been prouder of them especially in such tough conditions. They played hard and they played fair, something not always echoed by the other team.
Our final full day was spent in Fantasialand, home of Europe's best roller coaster Taron, and the world's steepest log flume, Chiapas. Students were able to wander through the park in small groups enjoying the many attractions that were on offer. A great place to sample some amazing food and treats on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny day,
The braver among the group went on some of the big, thrilling rides that included roller coasters and log flumes.
Mr Smith & Mr Gibbon based themselves in the sunny square as a checkpoint for groups to check in but on their walkabout caught some of our group on the scariest rides.
The group had a thrilling day!
Back to the hostel, a quiz and then time to pack ready for the journey home the next day.
As a member of staff who personally went on the trip, I had a great time and I know all of the students did too. I feel honoured to have experienced so many things with the students. Our days were long and tiring but above all fun and I think that so many of the students developed as young people. The opportunity for them to see the world outside of their local community. I was able to witnesses the students sticking together and supporting one another. Some found resilience that I don't think even they realised they had, especially when they played against the german football teams who were just on a different level but whom also lacked, at times, the sportmanship that came so naturally to our Meden students. I arrived back at school with sore feet, a warm heart and memories that will last a lifetime! Here's to the next one!
And one last thing. How could I forget Percy - our tour mascot who spent the majority of time with the students, enjoying their adventures with them.... here are some shots of Percy and some of the things he got up to during the tour...
Eating healthily!
Percy loved the stadium tour!
Supporting the team!
Queuing for the rides
Lunch with his friends!
All photos can be viewed on the tour page https://www.medenschool.co.uk/page.php?d=pe&p=colgne_tour_2025
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” Stephen King (American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels)
BIG READ
Each half term, students take part in the Big Read. The big read sessions allow students to have the opportunity to read and listen to staff read while they follow the text. They will then be given the opportunity, via the big read sessions to explore the big ideas in the text and learn more about what it can teach us about the world.
This half terms big read focus was on ableism - specifically how we can be inclusive and challenge any misconceptions about both physical and cognitive disabilities.
The students had some discussions about how they can make a difference within our community.
HOW CAN YOUR CHILD USE TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST READING SKILLS?
As society is becoming ever more technology driven, there are ways in which students can use it to improve their reading skills.
Here are some tips and tricks below: Click to enlarge
HOW DO WE TARGET READING AT MEDEN SCHOOL?
At Meden, we aim to equip learners with knowledge, skills, and attributes to be able to do something about the injustices of the world. We aim to ensure our learners develop life-long reading, writing and oracy skills that allow them to communicate effectively in school, in the wider community and beyond.
The reading policy is a key strategy for removing barriers to learning which, if left unchallenged, will limit the progress, engagement, and development of our learners. The policy aims to remove key barriers to learning, but particularly focuses on improving reading fluency.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR CLUBS
At Meden, reading goes beyond the every day curriculum and time table - that is why we have a variety of clubs that students can join to not only improve their reading skills but to promote a love of reading.
The following clubs are open to all students:
Meden School's Reading Cafe - come along with your child and spent the morning reading before school.
Lunch Time Reading Club - Students can attend our reading club during the school day. They may want to escape into their own book with a spot of lunch.
Tuesday Book Club - English Teacher Mrs Gibney runs a book club after school each Tuesday. Pop and see her for more information.
RECOMMENDED EASTER READS
Easter is the perfect time to get outside and delve into a new book. Here is some we recommend:
Once you have read these books you can even watch the films!
From all of the reading team - we hope you all have a lovely Easter filled with lots of good books and even more chocolate!
Meden School Library Newsletter - April 2025 
It’s been a very busy term in the library. Planning, preparing and celebrating the best day of the year…WORLD BOOK DAY!
The day was a great success. Our year 7 students enjoyed lots of activities and competitions with lots of prizes handed out. We have a brand-new graffiti wall with everyone’s favourite book and lots of £1 vouchers were spent!
We hope everyone has a lovely Easter break and can’t wait to make more exciting plans in the Summer term.
Jack, the Student Librarians and Mrs Kennedy
READ TO FEED YOUR MIND
20 MINUTES PER DAY
5 MINUTES PER DAY
1 MINUTE PER DAY
COMPETITION WINNERS
NEW STOCK
ONCE UPON A FEVER
Since the world fell sick with fantastical illnesses, sisters Payton and Ani have grown up in a hospital.
When Ani stumbles upon an imprisoned boy who turns everything he touches to gold, her world is turned upside-down.
The sisters find themselves outside the hospital for the first time and a dark mystery is unraveling.
DIARY OF A MINECRAFT ZOMBIE
This new series is perfect if you like:
Minecraft
Comedy
Zombies
Quick reads
Working your way through a series
DANNY CHUNG DOES NOT DO MATHS
Danny Chung loves art.
His parents want him to study maths and his classmates think everyone who is Chinese must be brilliant at maths.
This is a story about prejudice and stereotypes and is packed full of comedy.
TOP FIVE BOOKS
Our most popular titles this term. Which ones have you read?
Come and see the library team to give a review and earn a Golden Ticket!
Some year 9s had a fun this half term with https://futbollingo.com, learning about the importance of studying languages to help them gain employment in the sports industry.
They heard from an ex professional coach who speaks 6 different languages and how it has shaped his career. They then did a practical session learning football related vocabulary.
Here are some pictures of the session in action.
The session was a great success and we hope to run it again in the future with a new group of students.
It is that exciting time of year again where we start to prepare to welcome the new cohort of Year 7 students who will be joining us in September. We have received our list of students. It is all very exciting!
If you know someone who hasn't applied but would still like to join us then get in touch (office@medenschool.co.uk) as we still have a few places left at the time of writing this newsletter.
This half term welcome letters will be posted home to all families whose children have been allocated a place with us. If you are a Y6 parent and have changed your address/email recently please contact office@medenschool.co.uk for guidance.
We are busy behind the scenes working on getting our Transition Portal ready to go live. The portal is very comprehensive and contains a lot of information and answers to most questions. Postcards with access information will be sent home.
During the coming months it is really important that we hold the most up to date contact details; address; email and mobile number for you so please contact us if any details have changed since you made your application (office@medenschool.co.uk).
Transition days will take place on Monday 30th June and Tuesday 1st July and on these days we welcome our new students to attend Meden as students and we will give them a taste of what September may feel like.
We will also be holding a Parent/Carer event and there will be the opportunity to met the uniform supplier for guidance on what sizes to order on line. More information will follow.
Students will be able to try on uniform , which ensures the correct sizes are ordered on-line – Orders placed within 7 days after the ‘Fitting Event’ will receive Free home delivery on their order.
If you want to have a look at the information on our website, then go to www.medenschool.co.uk.
Watch this space!
Meden School
Train to teach with the Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT