Our Manor 24-28 June 2024

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Dear families and members of our community,

The warm weather and sun have brought a positivity and warmth to our school. It has been great speaking to students this week about how things are going and what they are doing in this great weather. It is great to see students taking advantage of our shorts rule, suggested by students. They look smart but comfortable in their grey shorts, ready to learn each morning.

It was exciting to meet a selection of parents/carers at the Parent Forum on Wednesday. I was able to introduce the priorities for the school in the coming 12 months and take questions on our new direction. It was also an opportunity to share some more information about myself, my background and my wishes for Manor moving forward. They asked challenging questions - which I welcome - to find out more and support the school to develop. To paraphrase the conversation we had, I am positive about the future of the school because of the students we have and the effort that our staff put in. The aim in the next year is for us to work smarter and not necessarily harder, to gain the best outcomes for our students.

I am looking forward to meeting some select groups of students next week to find out how they are getting on and what we can do to help them achieve their ambitions. Year 10 and 12 trial exams will continue, and we all wish them the best of luck in these. However, these are trial exams and provide a learning opportunity. It is the first big step on the path to the real exams next year - they will not all go smoothly but staff are here to help and support our students.

Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing our students back safe and happy on Monday.

Adam Crawte, Interim Principal

Attendance matters

Please help us to improve your child's success at school by sharing the following with them:

  • Ready for another week at school? The Polish say ‘Skill is better than strength.’ Learn some skills at school today.
  • If your attendance is 90% every year at secondary school, you miss four months of school. That’s roughly half a year of school.
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Year 13 leavers

We said goodbye to our Year 13 students on Friday 21 June with a leavers event in the afternoon. Their leavers assembly consisted of messages from Miss Collier and Mr Bateman, the distribution of student awards, plus thank you gifts for tutors and Head Students. After that it was time for shirt signing and photos, as well as a special treat of ice creams/lollies for everyone.

We look forward to celebrating with them at tonight's prom.

Rounders tournament

Here are the results from this week's KS3 mixed rounders tournament:

  • Manor 4 Hatton
  • Manor 2 Rushden
  • Manor 2 Weavers

An excellent display of teamwork and communication. Well done!

Summer Concert

Mrs Radd, several members of staff and I spent a thoroughly enjoyable Thursday evening this week watching a huge number of Manor stars performing in our Summer Concert. Our students and the Performing Arts team put on a wonderful range of performances that covered classical, musical theatre, pop and rock. Students were a credit to themselves and the school, demonstrating our school values, particularly resilience in spite of some technical glitches.

We are immensely proud of our musicians and the staff, peripatetic teachers and families that support their talent. A special mention must go to our Year 13 stars who have been performing together for their entire Manor journey, many playing multiple instruments as soloists, in small groups or representing the school on a local and national stage. The Manor String Group and Vocal Trio will be performing in the National Festival of Music for Youth next week having qualified in the Regional Festival that took place in March.

Mr Bateman

County athletics

Congratulations to Year 7 students Emily M, Darci C and Jayden A for qualifying for the Year 7 county athletics event taking place on Monday 1 July. We wish them good luck - look out for next week's newsletter to see how they got on.

Year 11 prom

We are looking forward to celebrating with our Year 11 students at this year's prom which is taking place on Thursday 4 July at Barton Hall, Barton Seagrave, NN15 6RS. It starts at 7pm and finishes at 11pm.

Please ensure that arrangements have been made to collect your child at this time. Please note that it gets very busy with traffic and parking is quite limited so we advise car sharing where possible.

Underage gambling

A 2023 report from the Gambling Commission found that 40% of 11–to 17-year-olds had some experience of gambling in the preceding 12 months. That’s a significant number of children and young people involved in an over 18s activity. Engagement and exposure to gambling can impact finances, mental health and wellbeing. It is crucial we are all aware of the risks and know how to protect and support our children.

It is quite challenging to protect our children against exposure to gambling at any time, but especially around major sport events like Euro 2024. The National College have produced the following information poster which tackles the most prominent risks that gambling, particularly with access to online sites, poses to young people, and explains how best to protect against them.

Sixth form induction

Our sixth form induction was held on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June, with many familiar faces back on site for an introduction to our KS5 offer. Following a welcome assembly on Thursday morning where they received their sixth form lanyards, students attended subject taster sessions to experience and find out more information about the courses that they have selected to study in September. There was also the opportunity to participate in rounders, football and board games on Friday afternoon.

Students joining the Manor sixth form must complete the transition tasks for their chosen subjects before the September start. The tasks can be downloaded from our website via the following link:

Careers information and advice

Website redesign

The careers information section on our school website has been completely redesigned to make it easier for students, parents/carers, staff and employers to navigate and find the information they need. The careers section can be found under the Curriculum tab on the homepage (or directly accessed here) and you will find nine key areas which each focus on a specific part of our Careers Education, Information, Advice & Guidance provision.

Year 13 work seekers

Some students have already successfully secured full-time employment and others continue to update their Curriculum Vitaes in seeking work opportunities this summer. There are examples of CVs on the work and apprenticeships section of the school website and support for students from their tutors will be available for the remainder of this term. Students requiring additional information, advice and guidance on their employment applications after the summer holidays should contact Mr Hill (shill@manor.school) directly or contact Mrs Smedley (lsmedley@manor.school) in main reception to make an appointment.

Year 13 UCAS applications

All students have accepted their firm (or 1st) choice and their reserve (or 2nd) choice offers of places and have should have also completed their applications for Student Finance - details can be found at www.gov.uk/student-finance. Students going to university are also likely to need an updated CV for summer work applications plus applications for work or placements whilst at university. There are examples of CVs on the work and apprenticeships section of the school website.

Support for students will be available on A level results day (Thursday 15 August) to help them manage their choices.

Year 12 work, Higher Education & UCAS applications

All Year 12 students have attended two assemblies on post-18 pathways in addition to workshops run by Mr Hill based on their likely intentions and destinations. Students have been provided with a range of information on work & apprenticeship applications, Curriculum Vitaes and the importance of mentoring, volunteering and securing work experience placements in the latter part of this term or during the summer holidays.

In addition, information has also been provided on Higher Education opportunities at our local colleges as well as the university application process (including applying to Oxford or Cambridge or studying medicine, veterinary science and dentistry) together with suggested timelines and interim deadlines to complete their applications.

The majority of Year 12 students have registered and created an UCAS account and have also been advised of the importance of starting their research at the earliest opportunity. In addition, students have been told about the value of the wide range of university tours and open events available later in the summer term and early in the next academic year. Mr Hill will also be offering 1:1 meetings before the summer break to all students considering an early UCAS application (by 15 October).

Year 11 post-16 destinations & careers support

The vast majority of students in Year 11 have now successfully applied and secured a place at their next destination, and tutors have provided an update on these applications. Mrs Smedley has been contacting parents/carers to update the intentions and applications made of a small number of students and additional support will be provided via Prospects to help students secure their next destination.

Mr Hill will be available on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday if any Year 11 students require additional information, advice and guidance for the remainder of the summer term and can make an appointment by contacting Mrs Smedley (lsmedley@manor.school) in main reception.

If students need further information regarding the Manor Sixth Form, making an application or their subject choices they should see Miss Collier (ccollier@manor.school). Support will also be available on GCSE results day (Thursday 22 August) to help students make their final decisions.

Year 10 post-16 destinations & careers support

In early July, all of Year 10 will be having presentations in assembly by Moulton, Northampton, Tresham & Bedford colleges plus Workpays Apprenticeships on the range of opportunities they can provide. There will also be additional presentations by Miss Collier about the Manor School Sixth Form and Mr Hill will be summarising the full range of post-16 pathways available to students and the information, advice and guidance programme that will operate in the first term of the academic year as students enter Year 11.

Mr Hill has already started some initial careers meetings with a number of Year 10 students to help them complete their post-16 intentions form. The remainder of the year group will be completing their forms on their return after the summer break. These forms provide Mr Hill with the information required to structure and schedule the type of information, advice and guidance students need.

Extra-curricular timetable

Library volunteers

Dates for your diary