Welcome to this week's newsletter
It has been a great first week back at Manor. The highlight for me has been leading assemblies with most year groups, talking about getting involved in democracy and what students can do before they turn 18 to influence decision-making in the UK. I introduced students to the UK Parliament Petitions website, and one particular petition may now receive a few more signatories as a number of students look to take action and get involved. It was also a really good opportunity to welcome everyone back and set the tone for Term 2. On Monday, teaching staff had the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues from Meridian Trust. Staff were based in subject groups, exploring exam specification updates, sharing teaching resources, and discussing new ways of delivering content. This collaboration is a sign of things to come as we move towards joining Meridian, where we will have access to wider networks and expertise across different areas—both in and out of the classroom. Thursday was a busy day, as we hosted two events for families to help support students. Year 13 BTEC students had the chance to meet with staff, discuss their progress in assessed work, and set clear targets for the next steps in this crucial year. Many of our BTEC students also study A Levels, and with trial exams approaching, it was an ideal time to make sure they are on track across all their courses. At the same time, Year 11 students and their families met with Miss Dicker, Mr Turner, Mr Bechoo and other school leaders to review progress in English, maths and science. From speaking to some Year 11s this morning, it’s clear that these conversations have been really powerful—giving them renewed focus as they head into their trial exams in the coming weeks. As with Year 13, getting focused and “on it” now will pay dividends next summer. This will be a busy term for all year groups, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements and supporting them through the challenges ahead. Have a great weekend.
Adam Crawte, Principal
Remembrance Day
If students are part of a uniformed organisation (Cadets, Scouts, Guides etc) and have permission from their leader, they may come to school wearing their uniform on Tuesday 11 November, ready for the school's Remembrance Service during lesson two.
Students wishing to buy a poppy can do so from the LRC.
Music for Youth Proms
We are delighted to have been selected to perform at this year’s Music for Youth Proms, taking place at the Royal Albert Hall in London next week.
The Music for Youth Proms is one of the UK’s most prestigious youth music events, bringing together over 3,000 young performers from across the country for two spectacular evenings of live music on 10 and 11 November. From gospel choirs to jazz orchestras, string quartets to sitar ensembles, the Proms showcase the extraordinary range and vitality of young musical talent nationwide.
A selection of our students will join over 1,500 other young musicians on the night, performing as part of an unforgettable celebration of youth music.
For ticket bookings and full programme details, click here.
Archery taster sessions
Archers of Raunds are a club that use the Manor Sports Centre as their hub, and they are looking to encourage more young people to take up archery and potentially join their club.
They have offered to run three taster sessions to give students the opportunity to have a go and see what it is like. The sessions will take place 3:15-4:15pm on the following dates:
- Wednesday 3 December
- Wednesday 10 December
- Wednesday 17 December
These sessions will be held in the Sports Hall and there are a maximum of 20 spaces per session. Interested students should speak to Miss Hustwait to sign up.
Sixth Form Open Evening
A reminder that our Sixth Form Open Evening is taking place on Thursday 20 November. There will be two presentations - one starting at 5:15pm and the second starting at 6:00pm (gates open at 5pm). Click here to book your place.
Early applications are now open via the Applicaa portal. Login details have been sent to our Year 11 students by email. The initial deadline for applications is Friday 16 January.
Bebras Challenge
Next week, all students will be taking part in the 2025 Bebras Challenge in their computing lessons.
The Bebras Challenge introduces computational thinking to students worldwide. This exciting challenge takes place in schools, under the supervision of teachers, over a two-week period every November. Last year, over 3 million students from more than 80 countries participated.
In the UK, the challenge is open to all young people aged 6 to 19. Each participant has 45 minutes to tackle a series of interactive tasks, designed to encourage logical thinking and problem-solving skills appropriate for their age group. The challenge is conducted online.
The tasks are designed to allow every student the opportunity to showcase their potential, whether they excel in maths or computing, or not.
The below is an example of a question for parents/carers to attempt - you may wish to involve your child(ren) so they can have some practice.
Extra-curricular timetable
There have been some changes to our after-school PE clubs for this term, with some new clubs introduced and others no longer taking place. Please ask your child(ren) to check the updated timetable to ensure that arrangements for them to get home safely are in place.
Christmas Advent raffle
Our librarian is running a special Christmas Advent raffle, where one student will be randomly selected each day in December to receive a Christmas gift. Students have all of November to hand in their entry money at the LRC (£1 per entry). All proceeds from the raffle will go to Raunds Food Bank.
Further education webinars
The following webinars may be of interest to students in Years 10 and 11.
Choosing your A-Levels
This webinar on Wednesday 12 November is for Key Stage 4 students who are considering how to make informed A-Level choices that will leave a wide variety of options open for future study or careers. Click here to register.
The Subject Matters
In this webinar on Thursday 27 November, the Schools Liaison Officer at Magdalene College Cambridge will talk through post-16 options. Specifically, she will talk about the University of Cambridge's preferences and advise students on certain A-Level subject combinations in order to be a more competitive applicant. Click here for further information and to register.
Christmas gift shop
The Nene Valley Vineyard Church have teamed up with Raunds Food Bank to help make sure that every child receives a gift from their parents/carers. To do this, they would like to invite some of the most hard-up families to choose a free gift (including wrapping and a card) for their children this challenging Christmas season.
If you would like to contribute and are able to donate to the cause, please click the following link for details on how you can get involved.