Welcome to this week's newsletter
It has been another fantastic week in school and a real pleasure to be part of such a positive and successful community. Following last week’s success, it was great to see our girls’ and boys’ football teams competing in three more District Cup finals, held at Raunds Town. What made the occasion even more special was the level of support from parents, families, fellow students and staff. The atmosphere was brilliant, and you could clearly see the lift it gave our players out on the pitch. I am delighted that we came away as winners in two of the finals and performed exceptionally well to be runners up in the third. I now find myself needing to purchase quite a few rewards to recognise this achievement—and perhaps even a new trophy cabinet to house the three new trophies we have proudly brought back to school. A sincere thank you to Ms Hustwait for organising the district tournament and for leading our U15 girls to victory. My thanks also go to Mr Sturgess and Mr Beeney for their work with our boys’ teams and their continued commitment to school sport. The recent warm weather has certainly brought some welcome sunshine to the school, and with it a noticeable energy in lessons. During a walk around the school on Thursday, I saw some wonderful learning taking place, particularly in Year 10 Health and Social Care, Food, 3D Art and Art. It is always a pleasure to see students and staff working so effectively together, fully engaged in developing knowledge and skills. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and that the lovely weather lasts.
Adam Crawte, Principal
Lateness procedure
We wish to inform you of a small change to our procedure for students who arrive late to school. Previously, students who arrived late (between 8:30am and 9:00am) received a 20-minute detention. To ensure greater consistency with how we manage lateness to lessons during the school day, we will be changing this system. Students who arrive late to school will still attend a same-day lunchtime detention in the main hall but for the exact number of minutes they are late. This replaces the blanket 20-minute detention which does not consider the number of minutes the student was late. This change, effective from Monday 27 April, ensures that our approach to lateness is consistent whether a student arrives late to school or to an individual lesson during the day. Thank you for your continued support.
Literacy focus
During our tutor times, students are introduced to two words per week that feature on a list of 500 words that will help to improve academic progress and writing. These are known as 'powerful words'. They are words that feature in academic texts and may appear in exam questions or other documents useful in school. However, they are also used in texts in the real world and will improve our students understanding of any reading they encounter. Next week the two powerful words are contact (to physically touch or communicate with someone or something) and decline (to become less or refuse something). It would be great if you could talk to your children about these words or use them at home. We also teach our students an idiom each week, which is a phrase commonly used in speech that students may not understand. This week the idiom is 'Mea Culpa', meaning admitting something was your fault.
Sports results
It was a brilliant evening for our U14 boys football team on Tuesday as they were crowned District Cup winners with a composed performance against Ferrers at Raunds Town FC. On a sunny night, it didn’t take long to get going. Maxwell opened the scoring early, reacting quickest to finish from close range and settle any early nerves. Despite the fast start, chances were limited for both sides in a tight first half, with the boys staying disciplined and organised. At the break, a switch in shape from 4-3-3 to a more traditional 4-4-2 proved decisive. The impact was immediate—Ronnie threaded a perfectly weighted through ball for Tommy, who made no mistake in doubling the lead. With fresh legs from the bench and the game nearing its end, Ronnie capped off he teams performance in style—turning the defenders on the left before audaciously lobbing the keeper from a tight angle to seal the victory. A fantastic team performance, full of discipline, adaptability, and quality when it mattered most. A well-deserved trophy for the boys.
Our U15 girls were also crowned District Cup champions on Tuesday after an impressive 3-1 victory over Wrenn School in a hard-fought and entertaining final. Manor started the game brightly and took the lead through Amelie B, who struck confidently from the top of the 18-yard box to put the side ahead. The early goal settled the girls, who continued to press forward with purpose and confidence. Their second goal came courtesy of Mia, who finished superbly from a tight angle after another strong attacking move. Our team looked dangerous going forward, but full credit must go to Wrenn School, whose excellent determination and defensive resilience prevented the scoreline from growing further. Their hard work and organisation ensured the game remained at 2-0 heading into half-time. After the break, Manor continued to attack and Amelie B grabbed her second goal of the match in fine style. A weaving run carried her through the defence before she calmly finished in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper to make it 3-0. Wrenn School never stopped competing and were rewarded late in the game with a well-deserved consolation goal, reflecting the effort, spirit and determination they showed throughout the final. When the final whistle blew, our girls celebrated a deserved District Cup triumph after a fantastic team performance. Every player contributed to the success, combining quality football with determination and teamwork. This latest success caps off a remarkable season for the squad, who can now proudly call themselves both District Cup champions and District League winners, completing an outstanding league and cup double. Congratulations to everyone in the team on an exceptional campaign, while Wrenn School deserve great credit for their resilience and attitude in an excellent final.
Extra-curricular timetable
Careers and further education
Shoe design competition The University of Northampton are running a design competition where school students are tasked with designing a shoe on the theme of nature. The shoe can be made from natural materials or feature their favourite animal or plant. Monetary prizes of £50 will be awarded for the judges’ choice in each category from the Swaysland Award, which has its roots in the early days of footwear production in Northampton. For more information, see the images below.