Welcome to this week's newsletter
It has been an excellent and purposeful week at Manor, with much to celebrate. On Monday evening, we held our Awards Evening – a fantastic opportunity to recognise both our highest achievers and those students whose effort and determination set the standard for others. Celebrating our best students alongside our hardest-working students reflects what we truly value as a school community: achievement built on commitment, resilience and character. The atmosphere was one of pride and aspiration, and it was a pleasure to see so many families sharing in that success. On Friday, I also had the privilege of presenting reward ties to our Gold Manor Passport winners. This is an exceptional accomplishment. These students have demonstrated sustained excellence in attendance, conduct, contribution and academic effort. They should wear their ties with real pride around school – they represent not only success, but consistency and integrity over time.
Our Year 11 and Year 13 students have approached their trial examinations with maturity and focus. They have been hardworking, well-prepared and serious about their futures. I have greatly valued the conversations taking place this week about what has gone well and, importantly, what needs further attention as we move towards the final examinations in the summer. This reflective approach – identifying strengths and acting decisively on areas for improvement – is exactly what leads to strong outcomes. Looking ahead, it has also been encouraging to welcome former students back into school to speak with Year 9 about apprenticeships as a pathway after Year 11. Hearing first-hand experiences, honest reflections and clear advice from those who have recently navigated these decisions was both powerful and practical. Our Year 9 students asked thoughtful questions and gained valuable insight into the breadth of opportunities available to them. As always, we remain focused on high standards, strong preparation and widening horizons for every student. It has been a week that reflects the ambition and forward momentum of our school community.
Adam Crawte, Principal
AI guidance
Prior to half term, students attended an assembly to mark National Internet Safety Day, with a particular focus on the safe and responsible use of AI. The session was very well received, and we would like to share the below information from The National College to help you to be able to continue these important conversations at home. Students were encouraged to think critically when using AI tools and to understand that AI responses are not always accurate or complete. It is essential that students carry out wider research, cross-check information, and use their own judgement to ensure what they are learning and producing is correct. We appreciate your support in reinforcing these messages at home and helping students develop the critical thinking skills they need to use technology safely, responsibly, and effectively.
Year 11 trial exams
Our Year 11 students have made a very positive start to their mock examinations this week. They have approached the assessments with maturity, focus, and determination, and we are proud of the calm and purposeful atmosphere they have created. Good attendance during this period is especially important, as it ensures students gain the full experience of the exam process and receive valuable feedback to support their final preparation for the summer examinations. We would also like to thank parents and carers for their continued support in helping students arrive well-prepared and ready to do their best.
World Book Day
In advance of World Book Day taking place on Thursday 5 March, tokens are being issued to students on Friday 27 February. Student can swap their World Book Day £1 token for any of the World Book Day £1 books, or get £1 off any full price book or audiobook (as long as the book or audiobook costs at least £2.99) at participating booksellers. We are also running a competition where students have to identify the book where each of ten quotes are from. Students will receive a REACH point for each correct answer. See the graphic below for details.
Scholastic Book Club
Our new Scholastic Book Club is now up and running. Click the link below to browse the latest books and order online. For every £1 you spend on this month's Book Club, our school will earn 20p in Scholastic Rewards. Please place your order online by Friday 13 March.
Gift crafting
Students are invited to attend crafting sessions on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 March to make something special for a loved one ahead of Mothering Sunday. Students must attend both days, and need to sign up in the LRC by Monday 9 March with a minimum contribution of £1.
Music showcase
Year 13 student Christopher C has organised a special music showcase taking place on Thursday 12 March at 6pm. The showcase will feature performers from several year groups, who will be exploring the theme of environment in a night filled with live music. Tickets are £6 for adults and £4 for concessions (under 18 and 60+), and can be purchased here. Attendees are encouraged to bring cash for the bake sale in the interval.
Year 9 Preferences Evening
A reminder that our Year 9 Preferences Evening will take place on Thursday 19 March, 5-7pm. Further details will be shared in due course.
Sports news
Girls' futsal The Manor School U15 girls futsal team proudly represented the WAEN district at the County Winter School Games on Tuesday 25 February, delivering an impressive and determined performance across three highly competitive fixtures. The tournament began with a closely contested 2–2 draw against Northampton School. The girls showed great composure and teamwork, matching their opponents throughout in an exciting end-to-end encounter. Building on that strong start, Manor secured a fantastic 4–2 victory over Southfields School. Quick passing, intelligent movement, and clinical finishing saw the team take control and demonstrate the high standard of futsal they are capable of playing. This set up a decisive final group match against Sponne, with a top-two finish — and the trophy — still within reach. The game was finely balanced and fiercely competitive, with Manor matching Sponne’s intensity and quality. Unfortunately, following an injury to one of our players, the disruption led to a brief loss of focus, and Sponne capitalised with a quick succession of goals. The match finished 5–0, a scoreline that did not truly reflect how evenly contested the game had been for much of the match. With Northampton School securing a bonus point in their earlier fixture against Sponne — having kept their losing margin to within half of the winning score — and also defeating Southfields, Manor ultimately finished in a very respectable third place overall. Despite narrowly missing out on the top two, the girls should be incredibly proud of their efforts. Their teamwork, resilience, and quality of play were evident throughout the competition. All players were delighted to receive their medals at the end of what was a high-quality and thoroughly enjoyable tournament. Well done to the entire squad for representing the school and the WAEN district with such pride and determination, which consisted of the following players: Olivia M, Isla R, Amelie B, Erin U, Emily M and Mia B.
Indoor athletics Congratulations to our Year 8 boys who represented Manor at the Northants County Indoor Athletics Championships this week. Competing against some of the strongest schools in the county, the team delivered a series of determined and impressive performances. Despite being a smaller squad compared to many of the other schools, the boys showed outstanding resilience, teamwork, and school spirit throughout the competition. Every event was approached with focus and determination, and the team supported one another brilliantly from start to finish. Their commitment and positive attitude truly reflected the values we are proud of at Manor. A big thank you and heartfelt appreciation goes to Jude, Grayson, Rowen, Noah, and Caden for their hard work, effort, and excellent representation of the school. Well done, boys – we are very proud of you!
Sports Leaders We would like to give a huge well done to our Sports Leaders for their hard work and commitment at the Sports Hall Athletics County Championships at Arena Sports Kettering on Monday 23 February. They represented the school brilliantly for the entire day – leading events, encouraging competitors, and ensuring the day ran smoothly. Their enthusiasm, professionalism and willingness to help did not go unnoticed, and they were a real credit to the school from start to finish. A special mention also goes to one of our brilliant volunteers who stepped into the mascot outfit for a few minutes during the morning session to entertain the visiting primary school pupils. It certainly brought plenty of smiles and helped create a fun, welcoming atmosphere for the younger athletes. We are incredibly proud of all our Sports Leaders for the maturity, responsibility and positivity they showed throughout the day. Well done to everyone involved - Emily M, Lexi Y, Maisy B, Mia B, Alicia F, Ronnie E, Phoebe C, Charlotte F, Sara H, Harry B, Darcy P, Elsabeth H, James E-Y, Olivia F, Jack M, and Harley F.
Extra-curricular timetable
We have a new Dungeons & Dragons club taking place after school on Thursdays, where students can create their own hero while going on epic adventures with friends. Perfect for anyone who enjoys imagination, teamwork, problem-solving or just trying something new — no experience needed!
Careers and further education
Automotive careers
Job of the week
Apprenticeship vacancies