Welcome from the Headteacher

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Following on from my letter on Monday, I wanted to send a short message to express our gratitude for your ongoing support.

Firstly, we'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you for your support in helping us improve the school uniform. Your cooperation and commitment to this initiative have made a significant difference in maintaining a positive and uniformed atmosphere within the school.

I'm also delighted to inform you that our recent Halloween Dress Up event was a tremendous success, raising over £600 for the Year 11 and Year 13 Prom. Your contributions, whether through costume donations or participation, played a crucial role in achieving this fantastic result. As a result of the funds raised, we are pleased to announce that we will be able to lower the costs of the Prom tickets for all students. This means that more of our students will have the opportunity to attend this memorable event without a significant financial burden.

Once again, thank you for your continuous support, both in uniform improvements and fundraising efforts. Your involvement in our school community makes a significant difference, and we truly appreciate your commitment to our students' well-being and experiences.

**Important Information Regarding the "School Strikes For Palestine" on 3 November 2023**

We understand the “School Strikes For Palestine" is scheduled for Friday 3 November, 2023 and that following a large media campaign, some students would like to attend. If parents are supporting this decision, we would like to bring your attention to some areas of safeguarding to ensure the well-being of our students. The safety of our students is our top priority. At this time, we do not have reliable information about the individuals or groups responsible for organising these strikes and we are uncertain about the level of supervision that will be provided during the event. In addition, last year we encountered situations where large groups of students were left without adult supervision during similar events, resulting in public disturbances in town. To prevent such incidents and to ensure your child's safety, we urge parents to accompany their children to the "School Strikes For Palestine" if they have chosen for their child to take part.

Please inform the school via email at mhs-attendance@montpschool.org that you are attending with your child. We ask that you collect them from school prior to the event. Please be aware that sending your child to the event will result in an unauthorised absence and students accumulating eight or more sessions of unauthorised absences within a 10-week period may face penalties requested from Bristol City Council.

If students arrive at school in the morning, leave with you for the event, then return to participate in lessons after the event, it will reduce the number of unauthorised absences for the day.

Additionally, we kindly request that you explain to your child that they must come straight to school in the morning. It is essential that they do not attempt to attend the event on their own.

The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring a secure environment for all participants.

Vanetta Spence

Headteacher