Welcome to this week's newsletter
The warm and sunny weather has brought a welcome opportunity for our students to get some fresh air whilst the site has been bathed in sunshine.
Our Year 11s and 13s have been hard at work in trial exams. Speaking to different students, they are being reflective about the process and learning from their last opportunity to sit in an exam hall before the real thing in the summer. I would urge all parents and carers to take a balanced view with trial exams. No, they are not the real things and the results do not count directly towards final grades. However, they are a vital learning experience for students - to see what the papers will look like, to get a feel for where they will be for their final exams, to reflect on what they do and do not know, and to map out a revision plan from now until the start of the real exams. Taking them seriously now will make a difference in the final exams. It is fine to make mistakes but learn from the experience and get better for the real things. Year 11 and 13 students should already be revisiting previous learning in their own time. My advice is start now and do 'little and often'. Attempting to cram two years' worth of learning after Easter is not the best way to be successful. When I speak to students, I remind them that they never forget how to get to school, because they do it every day. This should be the logic behind successful revision. If students treat their studies like a 9-5 job, it will mean they can manage their learning and still maintain a healthy social life, with time to step back and reflect. The positive effect on wellbeing is, in my experience, overwhelming for young people.
Thursday 6 March was World Book Day and the school was alive with a buzz about books. The epicentre for this was the LRC, where Mrs Scattergood was leading games and awarding prizes, making the day all about books (you can read more about our World Book Day celebrations later on in this newsletter). This has been reinforced by assemblies from Mrs Johnson and Mr Carter. Reading is an amazing thing that allows us to escape to other worlds, understanding the thoughts of others and seeing things from different perspectives. I want our students to be passionate and confident readers, so World Book Day is an important time to celebrate how amazing reading is. It is also the reason students now have SPARX Reader, to support them in their reading development. I encourage students to come and tell me what book they are reading and what they are enjoying (or maybe not enjoying about it). I spoke to a Year 7 about the book he was reading, Animal Farm, a book I have read myself. The pride he had in reading a challenging text was great to see. Thank you to Mrs Scattergood for taking a lead role on promoting this important day.
Thursday evening was Year 9 Consultation Evening and once again it was good to meet parents and carers in person. We were able to discuss the improvements they are seeing in school, to talk through concerns they have, and answer questions about the future of the school. The feedback about the quality of conversation and enthusiasm of our teaching staff was great to hear. We are working hard to develop our school, and I value the feedback to continue that journey. It was also great to see a number of our Year 9 football team attending in their full kit (including shinpads and boots) after a superb 6-2 win over Wellingborough School earlier in the day.
As we reach the weekend, we also reach International Women's Day on Saturday 8 March. I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate all the amazing women who have helped me in my life. From my own mum, grandmothers and my amazing wife, to the fabulous teachers and colleagues I have, and still, work with. They have helped me develop and they are role models for the next generation of young women. I hope you join me in celebrating the strong women in your lives this weekend.
Fingers crossed the good weather holds out, so you can enjoy a weekend outside in the sun.
I look forward to another great week, next week at Manor.
Adam Crawte, Interim Principal
Sixth form fundraising
A representative from the local mental health awareness and suicide prevention charity Kelly's Heroes visited Manor School on Friday 28 February to be presented with a cheque for over £350. This money was raised from the Christmas Fair our sixth form students organised in December, with Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance also receiving a cheque for over £350.
Miss Collier, Sixth Form Progress Leader, commented "It is great to see our students developing their transferable skills and demonstrating our school REACH values, particularly humanity and empathy. Our sixth form students are proud of the funds raised and chose to donate half of the contributions to Kelly's Heroes, a cause close to our hearts."
Kelly's Heroes said "Thank you so much for all of your fundraising efforts - the money raised will make a huge difference. Mental Health awareness is so important, so thank you for supporting us."
Musical rehearsals
Please note that there is no musical rehearsal taking place on Saturday 8 March, and that the rehearsal originally scheduled for Sunday 23 March has been moved to Saturday 22 March from 1:30-5pm. Students involved in the musical have been informed of this.
Upcoming sixth form trips
We have a number of upcoming sixth form trips that you may wish to make a note of:
- Tuesday 11 March: Year 12 University/Apprenticeship Fair - King Power Stadium, Leicester
- Wednesday 19 March: Year 12 Elephant Group conference - Trinity College, Cambridge
- Friday 28 March: Year 12 - Pembroke College, Cambridge
- Tuesday 1-Friday 4 April: Year 13 UPS expedition residential - Dover
UK Youth Parliament
We are proud to share the news that one of our students has applied to become a member of the UK Youth Parliament, with voting taking place between 3-10 March.
Please could you encourage your child to read their manifesto and vote for them if your child wishes to (they must be aged 11-18 and live in North Northamptonshire to vote). Click here to visit the North Northamptonshire Council website and scroll down to Candidate 5.
World Book Day
The LRC was buzzing with activity at lunchtime on Thursday 6 March as part of our celebrations for World Book Day. There was a variety of puzzles for students to participate in, as well as the option to colour in bookmarks and write book reviews. There was also a treasure hunt activity where students had to find one of the many tokens hidden around the school site in order to exchange it at the LRC for sweets.
An extreme reading competition was also launched on the day, with students encouraged to submit a photo of them reading in an unusual place. Details of the competition can be found in the poster below.
Students have been issued a £1 National Book Token which can be swapped in most bookstores for either a free World Book Day book or for £1 off a book of their choice. For full details of how to use the token, as well as lots of fun reading activities you can do at home, visit the World Book Day website.
Sport news
The district U15 girls football league started on Thursday 6 March, with our girls taking on Wellingborough School away.
Jenna opened the scoring after a well-timed run to allow her to get to the ball just before the keeper. Wellingborough equalised a few minutes later after a good long-range strike, before Libby soon added to the tally with a lovely bit of finesse to strike the ball past the keeper. Libby soon added another with a long-range shot of her own, and then just before half time Summer scored from a free kick that was taken from just over the halfway line.
In the second half, Amelie - who had shown a touch of class in goal for the first half - then added two more goals of her own before Wellingborough added another to their score, finishing the game with a 6-2 scoreline in Manor's favour.
Well done to Libby W, Alanna B, Darcy C, Olivia M, Isla R, Amelie B, Kimberly L, Summer S, Lillie K, Jenna S, Erin U and Darcie B - a good team performance all round with excellent displays of resilience and sportsmanship. Our next game will be at home next Thursday versus Hatton.
Our U13’s boys district football campaign also started this week, with a game very much of two halves.
In the first half, we dominated the game but failed to capitalize on our key chances. The opposition punished us by scoring three goals (two from defensive errors and one from a penalty), leaving us 3-1 down at halftime. Our only goal came from a brilliant finish by Tommy N.
The second half started more evenly, with no goals until the final 10 minutes. The boys’ determination to win paid off as Tommy N scored his second goal with a deflected shot past the keeper. Just minutes later, Jack M’s bullet header seemed to be the deciding goal. However, there was still time for a dramatic finish. Awarded a second penalty, Ronnie E calmly slotted the ball into the net, securing a thrilling 4-3 victory in the final moments of the match.
Extra-curricular timetable
Please note that the after-school netball club may not run on Tuesday 11 March due to a planned event taking place. We will endeavour to inform students as soon as possible whether it is still running or not. Please be prepared to make alternative arrangements for your child to get home.
Community opportunities
Skate Park event
Raunds Town Council is proud to invite you to the Raunds Skate Park & Pump Track Grand Opening.
Join us for a fantastic day of action-packed fun, featuring:
- Free Skateboard Coaching – Equipment provided 11am-12pm
- Official Opening – 12pm
- Pro Demo Riders – Watch the experts in action
- Skateboard, Scooter & BMX Competitions – With prizes up for grabs
- Live Music & Commentary – Bringing the energy all day
The skate park project has been years in the making, and we’re thrilled to celebrate this huge milestone with our community. Whether you’re riding, cheering, or just enjoying the atmosphere, we’d love to see you there!