Welcome to this week's newsletter
We have had a full final week of term, and it has been wonderful to see the Christmas spirit gradually taking hold across the school. Congratulations are due to our Year 8 boys, who were victorious in the Sports Hall Athletics this week. The event was marshalled and officiated by our Sports Leaders, and a huge thank you goes to them for their positive, ‘can-do’ attitude and selfless approach. It was also a pleasure to attend the Winter Showcase on Tuesday evening, where students from all year groups and key stages worked together to deliver a superb celebration of music, dance, and drama to a packed hall. Thank you to all the students involved, and to Mrs Jarvis, Mrs Downie, and Mrs Parker for their leadership in bringing the performance together. It feels like only yesterday that we began the year in September, welcoming our new Year 7 and Year 12 students alongside those returning to the Manor. Now, as we reach December, many weeks have passed. The coming two weeks provide an opportunity to pause, reflect on the term behind us, and look ahead to the new year—setting goals and making resolutions that may, or may not, be kept. This is a time for rest, for spending time with friends and family, and for supporting those less fortunate than ourselves. It is a time for giving as well as receiving, and often the most meaningful gifts are not material, but those that cost nothing—time, kindness, or thoughtfulness. I wish everyone in our Manor community—staff, students, and families—a restful and relaxing break. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Adam Crawte, Principal
Christmas hampers
The school community came together once again for our annual Christmas hamper appeal for the Raunds Food Bank. Filled with food cupboard and household essentials, these contributions will make things a little easier for members of the local community when times are tough. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the cause, and to Oliver S in Year 13 for helping with the collection of the hampers on Tuesday.
Archery taster session
Wednesday saw the final taster session from the Archers of Raunds. Ten students enjoyed the session, aiming at balloon targets, with every single student successfully hitting at least one target. There were lots of smiles all round when they did so. Our thanks go to the Archers of Raunds for providing these fantastic taster sessions and for giving those who have attended over the past three weeks the opportunity to experience archery in such an engaging and enjoyable way.
School nurse
We host a school nurse drop-in service to students every Wednesday lunchtime in P5 (old exams office). Students are welcome to drop in to speak to them about any mental or physical health concerns they may have.
Year 11 Consultation Evening
Thursday 15 January 2025 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 Thursday 8 January and the system will close to new appointments at 12:00pm on Wednesday 14 January. 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 contact mdupille@manor.school
Sports hall athletics
This week it was the turn of our Year 8s to see if they could qualify for the Winter School Games Sports Hall Athletics event. The girls put in a valiant effort with some last-minute additions to the team but unfortunately didn't make it into the top two. The boys however, with the bare minimum of five in the team due to some others not turning up, went on to win! The boys will now represent our District in February. All students should be proud of their efforts regardless of place or position, and as always, a huge thank you to the Year 9 leaders who once again shone and have also been asked to support the Winter School Games event in February.
Careers advice
Engineering talk After the Christmas break there will be an engineering careers talk for students in Year 11 and 13. The following is from our volunteer about his role and what he will be discussing:
I work at a company that designs, engineers, and manufactures high precision torque measurement systems for high-speed rotating machinery. Our products are used to monitor oil/gas plants, certify aircraft engines and develop high speed motors/Formula 1 energy recovery systems to name a few. My role is Engineering Team leader, which involves a mixture of managing the engineering team, peer reviewing design reviews, and leading projects of my own (this involves defining customer requirements, any calculation work to ensure that the design meets the requirements, liaising with the customer, ensure all project documents are produced and completed, and ensure the project is delivered on time and to budget).
Interested students need to email lsmedley@manor.school, with places being issued on a first come first served basis. Degree apprenticeships guide 'The Sixth Formers' Guide to Degree Apprenticeships' is the essential guide to degree apprenticeship opportunities in the UK. Produced in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company and the Department for Education and Future Leaders UK, the guide explains how degree apprenticeships offer a work-led, debt-free route to a university degree or professional qualification and a graduate job. It features inspiring insights from Level 6 and 7 apprentices working in different industries & sectors, expert guidance from degree apprenticeship employers, and showcases many of the top degree apprenticeship programmes available in 2026. Click here for more information and to read the guide.
Credits:
Created with images by Jammer Gene - "Red Nurses Office sign on a door of a school or business." • vegefox.com - "communication speak bubble"