Welcome to this week's newsletter
This week has been a particularly positive one across the school. I would like to start by saying a personal thank you to students and staff for the many birthday wishes I received. It was genuinely lovely to be wished a happy birthday by so many students, and especially memorable was the group of Year 11 students who sang “Happy Birthday” to me at the gate at the end of Thursday – a moment that certainly made my week. It has also been encouraging to see that Sparx homework completion rates have continued to rise. Students are increasingly recognising the value of completing this work regularly, and staff are reporting clear benefits in lessons, with students more confident and better prepared as a result. In addition, staff have been working closely with our Year 11 students to support their preparation for the upcoming Trial Exams after half term. The attitude shown by students, along with attendance at intervention sessions, has been excellent and reflects a strong commitment to doing their best. Next week, we will be announcing some new plans aimed at keeping Year 11 students motivated and encouraging them to push themselves to the highest standards as we move through this crucial period. During lesson visits this week, I have been pleased to see students focused, engaged, and working well alongside their teachers and peers. This positive learning culture is something we are very proud of. As we look ahead to Term 4, we are once again exploring ways to further recognise and reward our consistent, hardworking students, ensuring their efforts do not go unnoticed. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Have a restful and relaxing weekend.
Adam Crawte, Principal
In this week’s edition:
- Bebras results
- Lunchtime computer access
- Year 8 Consultation Evening
- Sixth Form applications
- Year 11 exams support
- Year 13 Prom
- Extra-curricular timetable
- Careers and further education
Bebras results
You may recall that our students took part in an international computational thinking competition (Bebras) at the end of last year. We have had an outstanding number of students achieving in the top 10 per cent nationally and would like to give our congratulations to Isaac A, Tejo J, Alexander A, Kaiden P, Ewan L, William A, Cory L, Noah S, Olivia F, Benedict J and Mark H. Certificates will be awarded to these students in the near future. Well done!
Lunchtime computer access
From Monday 2 February we will be opening Room 40B every lunchtime for students to complete homework on the computers. Students are to have their lunch first as food and drink is not to be consumed in the LRC or computer room.
Year 8 Consultation Evening
Thursday 12 February, from 4pm Bookings for meetings with teaching staff must be made using the Arbor app or online portal by following the link to the Consultation Evening on the dashboard. You will be able to start making the appointments at 8:00am on Wednesday 4 February and the system will close to new appointments at 12:00pm on Wednesday 11 February. If you have not already done so, the simplest way to register is to sign into the parent portal - please visit https://login.arbor.sc/ and select 'Forgotten password'. You will then be sent an email containing further instructions. Once you have registered, you can download the app from Google Play or the App Store and log in with your details. If you have any queries or concerns regarding this event, please email mdupille@manor.school
Sixth Form applications
There's still time for current Year 11 students to apply to our Sixth Form for September 2026 admissions. Please click the link below to apply.
Year 11 exams support
As part of our school support system, we are going to be offering all Year 11 students a chance to have a talk with our school ELSA support specialist if they are having any worries or concerns regarding their mocks and eventual GCSE exams. This will be offered through a bookable system for a 10-minute slot that students can book themselves in for and will be available after February half term during Period 3 every Wednesday. Our ELSA has previously worked closely with the exams team and may be able to answer specific questions the student may have or simply offer support. This can include coping with stress and exam anxiety, strategies to get over these difficulties, how to plan for their exams mentally and emotionally, and be someone to talk to within school if they feel that they need someone to listen. * * * In addition to the above, our English department have put together an exam countdown plan. This has been designed to support students and families in the lead-up to the GCSE examinations. The plan outlines the weekly topics studied in class, key examination and assessment dates, and recommended revision topics and tasks. QR codes are included to direct students to useful resources and revision materials to support independent study at home. We encourage you to review this plan with your child and use it as a guide to help structure their revision over the coming weeks. Thank you for your continued support.
Year 13 Prom
Extra-curricular timetable
Careers and further education
Medical careers work experience There are a number of upcoming in-person hospital work experience days taking place in London and Manchester hospitals, designed for students aged 14–18 who are considering careers in medicine. These sessions offer students the chance to gain meaningful, hands-on work experience and students travel from across the UK to take part.
- A&E & GP Day (UCH Hospital London): 16 February, 10 July, 31 July
- A&E & GP Day (Wythenshawe hospital, Manchester): 7 April, 14 November
- Ward Round & Radiology Day (UCH Hospital London): 17 February, 9 July, 30 July
- Ward Round & Radiology Day (Wythenshawe hospital, Manchester): 15 November
- Inside the Dissection Room (King’s College London): 11 July, 1 August
- On Call Doctor For A Day (King’s College Hospital London): 17 July, 7 August
Each session is tailored to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of what a career in medicine entails, through engaging and interactive experiences. Students can register for the London days here and the Manchester days here. For students who cannot attend in person, there is also an online work experience week taking place from 23-27 February, where students can spend five evenings gaining some work experience from the comfort of their own home, gaining 10 hours of certified work experience. Students can register here for the online course.
Future of work webinar Life after school may feel uncertain for you and your child with AI reshaping the graduate job market and changing careers today. That’s why InvestIN is launching a new series of free workshops in February, with two sessions to help students prepare for the future. Please see the poster below for details and a registration link.
Job of the week
Apprenticeship vacancies