Newsletter 28.08.2026

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

It is with great pleasure that I have welcomed students back this week to what promises to be a fantastic year at Manor High School! The return of our students this week has been marked by their smiling faces and real enthusiasm.

On Thursday 20th August, we welcomed back our GCSE cohort to receive their results, and I am proud to report that the outcomes reflect the dedication and hard work of both our students, families and staff. Our average grade across all subjects sits above 6, with an A8 score of 61 (national average 47), demonstrating sustained academic excellence over time. Most significantly, a substantial number of our students have secured a grade 5 in both English and Maths—the crucial qualification that opens pathways to further education and employment opportunities. We have achieved a pass rate of 79% (national average 48%), which represents an increase on our already exceptional results from last year when we achieved 72% at grade 5 and above. We were also delighted to celebrate the achievement of in excess of 160 grade 9s across the school!

Our Year 7 students are settling well, and this transition has been considerably enhanced by the mentoring and support provided by our older students, which reflects the positive culture we have cultivated throughout the school. They have been smiling and enjoying their first few days of secondary school. They have been really well supported by our Year 8s who were asked to write letters to welcome the Year 7s to secondary school. The BBC wrote a lovely article about this which can be read here- Pupils pen letters to help new Leicestershire high school starters – BBC News

I extend my gratitude to the considerable number of parents who have expressed appreciation for the introduction of phone pouches. This initiative has been implemented to support student focus and wellbeing, and I am pleased to report that the students have responded positively and understand the rationale underpinning this measure. We will continue to monitor compliance through spot checks throughout the week. I would also request that parents respect this approach when visiting our school site; whilst we do not expect parents’ phones to be secured in pouches (!), we do ask that mobile devices are not used during your time on the site.

Uniform standards have been well maintained this week, again this is due to your support at home and I thank you for your collaborative approach in clarifying any questions regarding footwear and dress code expectations. Where areas of non-compliance are identified, we will implement appropriate sanctions and liaise with parents; however, such instances have been minimal, and this reflects your commitment to working alongside us.

Our assemblies this week have focused on establishing positive habits and making a strong start to the academic year. To support this objective, I would encourage prompt arrival at school each morning. Given the current roadworks throughout Oadby, I would recommend allowing additional travel time to ensure your child begins each day positively. It seems almost impossible to drive anywhere at the moment without seeing a set of temporary traffic lights!

Please remember next week starts on Tuesday due to the Bank Holiday. We look forward to seeing all students on site before 8.40am.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Year 7

Well done on a great start to your life at Manor High School. We are proud of you and it has been great working with you so far!

To help Year 7 settle in we have amended times for the school day. These are:

Lesson 1 – finish at 10:10 (5 minutes earlier than other students). Teaching staff are walking out with Year 7 and this allows them a little extra time to get used to break time.

Lesson 3 – finish at 12:55pm (10 minutes earlier than other students). Teaching staff are walking out with Year 7 and this allows them a little extra time to get used to lunch time.

Lesson 4 – finish at 3:00pm (5 minutes earlier than other students). Teaching staff are walking out with Year 7 to supervise them leaving site and unlocking phone pouches.

We will keep these timings for the next week and we will then review on a weekly basis to decide on whether timings need to stay or revert back.

All Years – lunch queueing times

Please can parents and carers remind students of our queuing times. Staff are reminding students in school. Students should not queue until their allotted time.

Week A:

Year 7 and Year 8 can queue from 13:05 (no other year groups queuing for indoor or outdoor hatches)

Year 9 and 10 can queue from 13:15

Year 11 can use the food hatch near humanities. Year 11 can then join the other queues if needed at 13:20, no earlier!

Week B:

Year 9 and Year 10 can queue from 13:05 (no other year groups queuing for indoor or outdoor hatches)

Year 7 and 8 can queue from 13:15

Year 11 can use the food hatch near humanities. Year 11 can then join the other queues if needed at 13:20, no earlier!

Note – for the immediate meantime, Year 7 are actually out for lunch at 12:55 and are allowed to queue straight away. This will eventually change.

iPads

To ensure that iPads and the software required for lessons runs smoothly, please ensure that iPads are charged and connected to WiFi every night. This allows us to push any required updates through whilst not in use during the school day.

First News – Free Access

We are pleased to offer all Manor High students free access to First News — the UK’s award-winning newspaper for young people — from 9^th July to 4^th September. Designed for ages 7–14, the app includes the weekly newspaper, daily news stories (available to read, listen to or watch), a weekly quiz, puzzles and family discussion prompts. It’s a brilliant way to keep your child reading and thinking over the summer holidays, at no cost whatsoever.

School Clubs

Alumni

We would love former students to come into Manor High School to talk to students (with staff) about their experiences of post 16 education, university, the world of work and more! If you are interested in helping please contact us!

Safeguarding Update

Welcome back to the new term and a big welcome to our new Year 7 students and families.

At Manor High School, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. We want you to feel confident that your child’s safety and wellbeing are our absolute priority, and every week we will share messages with you about supporting your child as parents/carers.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

We’re here to keep your child safe. All our staff are trained to recognise signs that a child might need help, and we work closely with families and external agencies to ensure every child is protected and supported.

Your child’s welfare comes first. If we ever have concerns about a pupil’s safety or wellbeing, we will always take action to support.

We work in partnership with you. Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. We encourage you to talk to us if you have any concerns about your child or another pupil. Together, we can make sure every child at Manor High School feels safe, valued and supported.

Key Information for Parents

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is: Helen Newbery (Deputy Headteacher) and Ashma Ghani is our Operational Safeguarding Lead

What to do if you’re worried:

Speak to your child’s form tutor, APL or SPL, or our DSL
You can also contact Leicester Children’s Social Care on 0116 454 1004 or Leicestershire 0116 305 0005
In an emergency, always call 999

Working Together

We believe that strong relationships between school and home help keep children safe. We’re always here to listen, and we welcome your feedback and questions.

If you ever need to discuss anything about your child’s safety or wellbeing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Panjabi Language Classes

From September 2026 Panjabi language classes will be available in Oadby. The classes will take place in the evenings, are open to children aged 5+ and cater for all abilities, from complete beginners through to GCSE and A-Level preparation. Students will have the opportunity to develop their speaking, reading and writing skills in Panjabi in a supportive and engaging learning environment.