Author: dmuggleton

https://www.educateagainsthate.com/parents/

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

This week has seen a real focus on learning. As usual I have been visiting classrooms to look at not only engagement of learners but also the quality of that learning and I have been really impressed with both. Students are receiving a good classroom experience.

Recently we sent out a survey to parents, students and staff about lesson length at Manor High School, as we begin to plan for the next academic year 2026-27.

In response to this survey, 64% of parents felt that lessons were too long. 77% of students that responded felt the same. In addition, 75% of staff that responded to the survey felt that lessons should not remain at 100 mins in length next year and should be shorter.

There is no doubt that the current length of lessons has meant less movement time around the site, therefore less learning time lost. It also means less items to remember to bring to school, less books etc to pack into bags- this is largely irrelevant from next year as the entire school will have moved to 1-2-1 devices. It also gives opportunities for students to delve deeply into learning. It has also served us well in terms of generating some excellent outcomes for learners- being in the top 10% of school nationally for performance every year is not achieved by chance. One of the factors- the main one- is the quality of learning that takes place- this can be the same regardless of lesson length.

We will begin to plan to have 4 x 75 minute lessons next year instead of the 3 x 100 mins. We have thought long and hard about this, and gathered feedback because we want to try to make sure we are still able to have lessons where students can delve a little deeper- for example in food, science and PE. At the same time students often learn better in some subjects with slightly smaller chunks. This is certainly the case in Maths and Languages where there is research that supports seeing students more often can impact outcomes positively- so seeing the students more often than currently will be beneficial in these areas. We hope this will strike a balance for students. Obviously we will evaluate this and talk to stakeholders as next year progresses. To change lesson lengths is a significant change within a school, and change management requires careful planning. This means curriculum planning needs adaptation as a result of different lengths of learning sequences and also the work of planning subject curriculum allocations and timetabling for next year will now begin. Once we have more information around the structure of the day we will inform you. At this stage we do not anticipate having to change the start and end times of the day. If this should change then we would follow official government guidelines for doing this which would include a formal consultation.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Manor High Students Take on the Italian Dolomites

Last week, 42 Manor High students enjoyed an unforgettable trip to the Italian Dolomites, spending a full week skiing every day in one of Europe’s most breathtaking mountain regions. Beyond the slopes, evenings were packed with exciting activities including ice-skating, sledging, and visits to the local mountain village of Folgaria.

Our students demonstrated incredible resilience and determination throughout the week. By the final day, every student was confidently skiing full runs across the resort—an especially impressive achievement given that the majority were complete beginners at the start of the trip.

The week was filled with new skills, long days in the mountains, and plenty of opportunities to build friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. It was a truly rewarding experience for all involved and a fantastic example of our students rising to a challenge.

The week was packed full of new skills, full days in the mountains and building new friendships.

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Aisha of 7.4 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

School Clubs

Year 11 Post 16 applications

Students will be hearing back from the schools and colleges they have applied to.

Your applications will say ‘sent’ next to them. This may change to ‘processing’ and / or ‘acknowledged’. This is normal.

Some schools and colleges will contact quickly, others may be nearer the month of March.

Please ensure students check in on PS16 for any messages etc from schools and colleges. Students must respond to any requests for meetings / interviews and we ask that our students accept all offers they receive. By holding as many offers as possible our students can then make the decision that is best for them on results day in August.

Some students may receive offers before others – please try not to worry and be mindful that the schools and colleges are working their way through a number of applications and they will get to you soon.

Keep checking in on PS16 as well as checking your emails. Ensure you respond to any requests for meetings / interviews etc and let your tutor know about these.

Attendance

Our attendance figures as of 3pm last Friday were as follows:

Year 11 – 93.7%

Year 10 – 91.8%

Year 9 – 93.9%

Year 8 – 94.6%

Year 7 – 96.1%

Cycling to school

Please can we remind all students of the following for everyone’s safety:

When riding a bike to school we strongly recommend wearing a helmet.
Lights / high visibility clothing is also recommended in darker weather.
We also strongly recommend not having earphones or airpods on as you need to be aware of the sounds around you.
Please do not ride your bike over the school car park. This is dangerous. You should walk your bike along the pedestrian entrance at the beginning and end of school.
When cycling on the roads you need to keep to the left and not cycle in the middle of the road.
If cycling with friends you should cycle in line and not side by side.

Club Timetable Week Beginning 2nd February 2026

Student Leadership Book Swap – 6 February

Please see attached for the poster with details of our book swap event, organised by our student leaders. This will take place on 6^th February, at lunch time in the Study Centre. Students are encouraged to bring a book to swap with another, to get us all reading something new. Please note that all swaps are final and students are reminded that they should only bring books that they are happy to part with and that are in good, readable condition. This event is open to all students. We look forward to seeing you there!

All students are welcome to take part. Come along, get involved, and help us promote sustainability and a love of learning through reading.

Safeguarding Update

This term our focus is around Extremism and Terrorism and protecting students from this either face to face or online. The link below offers some great advice to parents about how to support your child in talking to them about extremism.

Discover some of the fantastic support services for parents and carers of secondary school aged young people offered by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and other agencies across the local area.

Support for Parents & Carers across Leicester

Support for Parents & Carers across Leicestershire & Rutland

Other Useful Information

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

As we settle into the new term, we have seen that our students have returned with remarkable energy and focus. Year 10 are currently undertaking their mock exams, demonstrating real commitment to their academic journey. Year 11 are also preparing for their next round of Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs), which will commence in February. We’ll be distributing timetables for these assessments next week, ensuring everyone is well-prepared.
I’m particularly pleased to highlight the success of our recent Year 9 Options Evening. This was an invaluable opportunity for students to explore potential academic pathways and discuss their interests with subject staff. Following these conversations, we’ll be publishing options forms next week, allowing students to make informed choices about their future studies.
This week’s assemblies have been centred on our core value of excellence, but with a distinctive focus on classroom practice. We’ve been exploring what excellence truly looks like – both in terms of what students can expect from their teachers and what teachers expect from their students. At the heart of this discussion is consistency. We believe that when everyone understands and respects mutual expectations, we create a more effective and supportive learning environment.
Consistency is key. By being clear about our standards and supporting each other to meet them, we can ensure that every classroom becomes a space of genuine learning and growth. Our lessons all follow a distinct format that is based upon research and how children learn, however culture is at the heart of this, without creating that climate, nothing else can happen. The diagram below is simple, but effective.

A reminder to parents about the importance of attendance at school- there are coughs and colds going around at the moment, but you should still send your child to school. Often they improve around each other and can continue to benefit from being in school. We have updated our attendance information on our website here – Attendance – Manor High School – Oadby. Something that is really important is to recognise that when we talk about attendance, 90% is not good enough, which is contrary to how we feel about scoring 90% in a test- which is excellent. The chart below presents an excellent explanation of this.

We say goodbye to students participating on the ski trip for next week and we wish them well. Those parents left at home can follow progress of the trip as instructed by Mr Lansdale and Mrs Watson who lead the trip.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Parent action group

After a successful first meeting where we discussed:

The vision of the school
How we want to foster a sense of belonging
What character traits we want to explicitly teach next
Parental ideas were shared around how best to engage with the community

We would like to expand the group. We want to meet once a month to discuss a range of topics associated with school culture. So if you want to help contribute to discussions around the future direction of Manor High School culture, then please email across@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Muhammad of 7.7 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

Before & After School Clubs

Have Your Say on Our New Catering Provider

Our new food provider, Aspens, would like to hear your feedback on the new catering facilities. Your views are important and will help them continue to improve the food and service on offer.

Please take a few moments to complete a short survey by following the link below. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and support this new service.

Aspens Feedback Survey

Club Timetable Week Beginning 19th January 2026

Student Leadership Book Swap – 6 February

Our Student Leadership Team is excited to announce a Book Swap Event taking place on Thursday 6 February at lunchtime in the Study Centre.

This is a great opportunity for students to refresh their reading lists, discover new authors, and share books they’ve enjoyed with others. Simply bring along a book you no longer need and swap it for something new-to-you. No money required—just a love of reading and a willingness to share!

All students are welcome to take part. Come along, get involved, and help us promote sustainability and a love of learning through reading.

Safeguarding Update

We would like to let parents and carers know that, for now, we have decided to stop using the social media platform X (Twitter). This decision has been made as part of our ongoing commitment to safeguard and protect children at Manor. Following wider concerns about the safety and integrity of photo’s being shared and misused, we feel it is right to take a cautious and responsible approach. We will continue to share good news stories and information with you via our other means of communication we use as a school such as this weekly email and Class Charts. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Other Useful Information

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

The first week back has passed relatively uneventfully- until about 7pm last night that is when the snow came!

Please do note that our aim is always to try to open the school. Education is important. The easiest option would have been to tell our site staff not to arrive at work for 5am and to assess the site in order to update me by 5.30am to enable me to make a decision. It would have been easier to give everyone the day off (which some students are a little grumpy about not happening today!). However, that does not make it the correct option, we have a duty to provide an education, and every day is important. This is why we promote full attendance at school for all students unless you are exceptionally unwell. Every student’s target is 96% attendance. If I stand by this message, which I absolutely do, then I must be consistent and try to safely open the school when I can. If we can open the site safely we will always try to do so. We also have to factor in whether the roads enable our staff to get to work and what the ongoing weather situation looks like, and whether this impacts sustaining a safe site through the course of the day. Sometimes it is very easy to make a decision as there may be heavy snow forecasted for a long period of time. This wasn’t the case with the weather today which helped the decision making process. All of this happens very early in the morning to ensure that we can provide a safe environment for our students. Today, like most schools locally, our assessment was that we could do that. You should always assume that the school is open there is no need to call the school to ask. If there is any change to us being open we would notify you accordingly, as early as we possibly could, via Arbor and also social media.

Apart from this, the week has been a calm and settled start to the term. We have been glad to welcome students back and lessons have been a hive of positivity.

Next week we have our Options Evening for Year 9 students and parents on 15^th January taking place from 4pm- 6.30pm. Details to groups have been sent. This is an opportunity to find more about what options would be suitable for you and your child. There will be the opportunity to talk to subject leaders about the subjects we offer. Some of which will be new to students, such as Media Studies and Business Studies. It is an important part of preparation for GCSE years and we encourage all current Year 9 parents to attend if at all possible. If the slot allocated does not work, then there is some flexibility over this. Just email your child’s form tutor if this is an issue for you.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Year 9 KS4 Subject Options Information Evening Thursday 15^th January 2026

Our Year 9 KS4 Subject Options Information Evening is being held on Thursday 15^th January, 2026. The purpose of the evening is to:

explain the KS4 curriculum and subject options available
outline the options process and key dates
provide guidance to help support informed choices for your child
offer the opportunity to speak with staff and ask questions

To manage numbers, please attend at the allocated time for your child’s tutor group:

4.30 – 5.30
9.1 (Mr Gurugi), 9.2 (Miss Kaur), 9.3 (Miss Jordon)

5.30 – 6.30
9.4 (Miss Ibrahim), 9.5 (Miss Patel/Dr Kellet), 9.6 (Mr Parpworth)

We will begin with a short talk in the main hall at the start of each session. You will then have the opportunity to visit different subject areas and speak with curriculum leaders.

Please be assured that this is just the beginning of the options process, and your child will be fully supported in making the right subject choices. An information booklet will also be available for parents who are unable to attend.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Mila of 8.2 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

Girls Football

Year 11 Post 16 applications

We will be sending our students’ PS16 applications off this week. This is ahead of the local area deadline and gives our students that extra chance of securing a place they want. Please ensure your child has sent their applications in.

Attendance

Attendance matters – we love seeing our students in school as they are a part of our community and being in school helps them to maintain social interactions and, of course, progress with their knowledge and understanding in their subject areas.

Attendance figures to date:

Year 11 – 93.1%

Year 10 – 91.4%

Year 9 – 93.2%

Year 8 – 94.4%

Year 7 – 95.4%

Club Timetable Week Beginning 12th January 2026

Preloved School Uniform Sale

We’re delighted to offer preloved school uniform items for sale — a great way to save money and support sustainability!

A price list is below for your reference. If you’d like to purchase any items, please email us at
📧 Preloveduniform@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk with the items and sizes you require.

We also gladly accept donations of clean, gently used uniform. Donations can be dropped off at school reception at any time.

Please follow this link to view the school uniform requirments Uniform – Manor High School – Oadby

Thank you for helping us make school life more affordable and eco-friendly!

Safeguarding Update

We want to raise awareness that we are an Operation Encompass school, which is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and all Police forces. This means that our school will be told when the Police have attended an incident of domestic abuse where there is a child or young person who attends our school. We can then offer any support as required. Below is an infographic that outlines the scheme:

Other Useful Information

Christmas and mental health

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

We have reached the end of a successful term, and this week has been the week to recognise this. We have had rewards assemblies, as well as a cinema experience for our students who have done the right things every single day. It has been a busy but brilliant end to the term. Christmas lunch today has been a huge success with the most students ever purchasing a lunch and immersing themselves in the Christmas spirit.

Our Christmas performance of Matilda was truly magical and a wonderful way to end the term. The students involved were incredible and have worked so hard to put on a wonderful show that I hope becomes a tradition in the school for many years to come. As well as the students it is important to thank the staff- Mrs Woods, Miss Hutchinson, Miss Jennings, Mr English, Mrs Moseley and Mr Hings in particular worked hard after school and at weekends to put together a wonderful performance. My thanks also go to parents who have picked their children up late after school and brought them to school on Sundays to rehearse.

This newsletter is a ‘bumper’ version that highlights all of the opportunities and achievements of the long Autumn term. There have been many and over the next couple of weeks it would be nice for you to take moment and have a read about these. We will continue to work to provide a breadth of extra curricular offer over the coming term.

My final message to you is to wish all of our community a Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing all students back with us on Tuesday January 6^th at the usual time.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Celebrating Achievement & Growth

MFL

European Day of Languages

In the Autumn term, Manor High School MFL department celebrated the European Day of Languages, an annual event which promotes cultural diversity and celebrates the variety of languages spoken in school, not only within Europe, but from all around the world. This year, we invited the whole of Year 7 to participate in a French breakfast in the hall and students enjoyed pains au chocolat and brioches whilst participating in a languages quiz. Whilst they were doing this, the rest of the school participated in a tutor time quiz, with prizes and house points awarded to the winning tutor groups. Later in the day, students across all years were able to enjoy a Mexican, Spanish and French-themed lunch courtesy of our new catering company, with dishes such as fajitas, albóndigas and ratatouille available for students to try.

Modern Languages lunchtime clubs

Throughout the Autumn term, the Modern Languages department has been hosting Polyglot Club and Portuguese Club in alternating weeks. In Polyglot Club, students have the opportunity to discover different cultures through music, film, food and games. In our Portuguese Club, students learn a new language with our resident Portuguese expert, Miss Patel, herself a native Portuguese speaker, and learn more about Portuguese culture and other Portuguese speaking countries.

Upcoming events in MFL

In January, Onatti Productions will be visiting Manor High School to perform a Spanish play for KS3 students, Un Ensayo Desastroso. The play will be performed by Spanish native speakers and is aimed at students of 13-16 years learning Spanish as a foreign language. There will be lots of audience participation with students performing live and spontaneously for their peers whilst showing off their languages skills! French students can look forward to a similar experience in March 2026!

Barcelona trip 2026

The Modern Languages department was thrilled to receive so much interest in its annual European visit; this year 40 students will be going to the beautiful city of Barcelona. Participating students should have all submitted their passport details to Mrs Muggleton (dmuggleton@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk) and more correspondence will follow in 2026 regarding the trip.

Maths

As we come to the end of another busy term, the Maths Department is delighted to share some of the highlights from the past few months. Our students have shown incredible enthusiasm, resilience, and creativity in their learning, and we are proud of their achievements.

Sparx Maths

Students continue to excel with Sparx Maths, earning reward points and certificates for their dedication. Each week we celebrate a Student of the Week and a Tutor Group of the Week, recognising the hard work and progress being made across the school.

Visit from OAK Primaries

We were pleased to welcome colleagues from OAK Trust primary schools into the department. They were impressed by the excellent attitude to learning displayed by Manor students, a testament to the positive culture of curiosity and perseverance in our classrooms.

Culture Day

In November, students explored Maths through the lens of different cultures. Lessons included Egyptian and Chinese multiplication methods, alongside artistic explorations of Islamic geometric patterns and Rangoli designs. This day highlighted the global nature of mathematics and its rich cultural heritage.

Parental Workshop

In October, selected Year 11 parents joined us for a workshop on supporting GCSE preparation. Together, we explored strategies for effective revision and consolidation at home. The feedback was very positive, and we look forward to running further workshops in the new year—please keep an eye out for invitations.

Maths Club

Our Maths Club continues to thrive as a supportive space for students to work on current learning, homework, and revision. It runs every Wednesday from 3.15pm to 4.00pm in Room 23, and all students are warmly welcome to attend.

Primary School Visits

Earlier this term, Mrs Patel visited Brookside Primary School and Overdale Junior School to lead Maths relay activities. Pupils enjoyed tackling challenging problems and expressed excitement about joining their siblings at Manor High School in the future.

Looking Ahead

We have lots more planned for the new year, including celebrations for National Number Day and participation in the UKMT Maths Challenges. These opportunities will allow students to showcase their problem-solving skills and creativity on a national stage, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements.

PE

A busy Autumn term has seen Manor students in all years compete in the South Leicestershire Football, Netball, Table Tennis and Basketball leagues, with the indoor Athletics fast approaching in the last week of term. Some notable successes along the way saw the free scoring Year 7 boys win their football league, remaining unbeaten throughout, and the Year 8 basketball team crowning their first tournament using the new sports hall with league winning performances. Both teams have now qualified for the knockout stages of the Leicestershire competitions taking place in the new year.

At Manor we are always keen to promote local sports clubs and this term we invited the Leicester Riders Basketball and Kids Ultimate Frisbee to deliver taster sessions. I am pleased to say that both the Basketball (Friday evenings) and the Ultimate Frisbee (Wednesday evenings) have now set up base in the Manor High School sports hall delivering weekly clubs. If you are interested in giving either a go, please use the flyers in the weekly newsletters to sign up.

Within lessons the students have been making excellent use of the new Sports Centre. Badminton and Futsal lessons in particular have proved incredibly popular and we look forward to continuing them into the new year with even more extra-curricular sessions.

In early November a group of our Year 9 girls received training to be new GAL’s ambassadors. On the day they enjoyed activities such as Rugby Union and Clubbersize, as well as developing important leadership skills that they will put to good use when delivering festivals and competitions for the trust in the new year.

Science

It has been a very busy term for Science, and we are incredibly proud of our Year 11 students for the resilience they have shown during their recent mock examinations. As we remind them, this is a marathon and not a sprint, so it is important that they take time to recharge over the break and return refreshed and ready for the penultimate term before their GCSEs.

Mrs Jenkin, our Assistant Curriculum Leader, has also been extremely busy organising a range of enriching trips for our students. This has included a Year 9–11 visit to Cambridge University, while Year 7 and 8 students had the exciting opportunity to attend a live science theatre show. In addition, Mr Loweth visited Overdale Primary School, where he delivered an engaging assembly on light and shadow.

There are limited spaces remaining for the ZooLab biomimicry workshop for students in Years 8 and 9. If you are interested, please purchase a ticket via Arbor.

Our Science Club continues to be very popular. Ms Morrant has led a number of exciting activities, including exploring optical illusions, taking part in an egg-drop challenge, flame testing, using chromatography to study chlorophyll pigments in plants, and creating a “dancing man” made from wire.

This term, we were also delighted to announce that Dr Kellett has secured additional funding to support Triple Physics students within the department. This exciting opportunity has been made possible as a result of one of our former students being awarded an externally funded Arkwright Engineering Scholarship.

Our Eco-Club and Eco-ambassadors have been carrying out an initial analysis of how Green and Eco-Friendly the school is. Whilst we are very green, there is always room for improvement.

We will focus on improving Biodiversity, Energy Consumption and Waste Management of our school site. Form Reps have been gathering ideas from tutor groups and bringing them together to create an ‘Eco-Code of Conduct’ for students, staff and parents to follow to be greener.

Between now and the summer our main pints of focus are improving these key areas.

Biodiversity will involve improving our school garden and turning it into a diverse area for students, plants and animals to enjoy. Waste management will introduce new recycling bins round the school to reduce our landfill based waste. Energy consumption will involve improving energy usage within the school such as only having essential lights turned on.

These are just a few ideas for how we will be making our school Greener. Watch this space.

Design Technology

Two of our GCSE Art and Design groups were able to take part in a bespoke workshop on landscape perspective design. We had the privilege of hosting local artist from DMU who specialises in Game Concept & Comic Art.

Some of our GCSE students took advantage of a sunny day this term and experimented with creating natural structures made only out of found natural resources. These sculptures were then photographed and developed into paintings in response to British artist Any Goldsworthy.

Year 10 Art & Design students have been researching and responding to their first artist as part of their Natural Form project. Students have started working from their photographs of flowers and leaves they collected at the Botanical Gardens visit using Gouache in response to painter Georgia O’Keeffe.

Year 10 Art & Design students enjoyed a trip to a local dairy farm in Hungarton. After a tour of the land, students took part in on site sketches of landscapes and photographing the animals for their first project. They rounded the visit off with freshly made milkshakes of various flavours.

Year 11 Explore Their Futures at De Montfort University

Our Year 11 students took part in an exciting and inspiring trip to De Montfort University for the annual Futures Fair. The event brought together schools across the county with the universities many different courses and career specialists, giving students a valuable opportunity to explore a wide range of post-16 and post-18 pathways.

Throughout the day, students engaged in interactive workshops, spoke directly with industry professionals, and gathered practical advice on A-Level choices, vocational courses, and university life. Many enjoyed exploring the university campus itself, gaining a first-hand sense of what higher education can offer.

The Futures Fair encouraged students to think more deeply about their ambitions and helped many begin shaping their future plans with greater confidence. Staff were extremely proud of how our students represented the school, showing curiosity, maturity, and enthusiasm throughout the event.

We look forward to continuing to support our Year 11s as they prepare for this next exciting stage in their education and career journeys.

SEND

As we come to the end of a busy and exciting term, we would like to thank you for your continued support and share some of the fantastic activities that have taken place in the SEND department this term, with stories of creativity, teamwork, and lots of learning.

We would like to start our news with a warm welcome to Ms Jussab who has taken on the role of our new HLTA in charge of SEMH. Ms Jussab has already been hard at work preparing a range of carefully thought-out interventions to support some of our students in their overall wellbeing and development. With a focus on friendships, self-esteem and resilience, Ms Jussab aims to set our students up effectively for their year ahead. We have already received a lot of positive feedback from students and parents and are confident that the impact of these interventions will be felt by our student body.

Festive Activities

We have decorated the department for Christmas, helping to create a warm and welcoming environment for our students. The festive atmosphere has been enhanced by our very own large inflatable Santa filling our Hive space through to a selection of hanging snowflakes and a tinsel-adorned festive tree! The beautiful colours have been enjoyed by everyone and filled our last few weeks with festive fun!

Art Competition

Students from all year groups have enthusiastically taken part in our art competition, showcasing an incredible range of creativity and talent. It’s truly inspiring to see the unique perspectives and artistic skills reflected in their work. Each piece tells its own story, and the effort and imagination behind them highlight the passion our students have for the arts. This event not only celebrates their artistic abilities but also fosters a sense of community and appreciation for creativity across the school.

Movember Madness
As part of our Movember Madness fundraiser, Mr Hings and Mr Martin grew moustaches to raise money for charity. Students who were unable to grow their own moustaches joined in by wearing fake ones during interventions and taking photos for our charity board. Thanks to everyone’s enthusiasm, we managed to raise £47 within the department.

Interventions Highlights
Our interventions this term have been engaging and interactive, including:

A murder mystery maths intervention, where students used algebra and collecting like terms to find the killer.
Cowboy times tables, complete with cowboy music and fast-paced questioning
A human number line, where students wore numbers on post it notes and worked together to arrange themselves in ascending order
A courtroom role-play, where students debated whether Scrooge was guilty or innocent using quotes from A Christmas Carol

Raffle

Raffle tickets are handed out to students during interventions, giving them the chance to be drawn at the end of each month. With a coveted plush pumpkin being won just in time for a spooktacular time of year, all eyes were on who would be the next winner! Well, the news is out and we would like to say well done to Logan who chose the gumball machine as his prize. Congratulations Logan!

One of our fabulous students spent a week at the Radmoor Centre in Loughborough, immersing himself in what it is really like to work as a chef. With a clear ambition to pursue a career in catering and hospitality, he embraced the opportunity to learn professional kitchen routines, develop his practical skills, and experience the standards and pace of a real restaurant environment—culminating in a fantastic final dinner service. We are proud of the maturity, focus, and enthusiasm he showed throughout the week, and we are confident that with hard work and determination, he has every chance of turning this aspiration into a successful future career.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

We are proud to say that some of our students have been selected to represent the school as Wellbeing Ambassadors. These students have attended external training sessions to equip themselves with the necessary skills and experience to share valuable practice with their peers. Our students came up with some brilliant ideas of ways in which we could all look after our bodies and minds and shared alternatives to time spent on screens confidently. Perhaps over the festive break, you could find time to have a lovely winter walk, snuggle up with a book or take on a craft project to create some lovely memories.

Once again, thank you for your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful seasonal break and look forward to welcoming students back next term.

Pastoral Update

At Manor High School, our vision is clear: to work pro-actively and as a team to foster a sense of community and belonging, helping students become the best version of themselves — achieving excellent people, excellent results.
This term, our pastoral work has been firmly rooted in that aim, and we are delighted to share some highlights with you.

Key Achievements This Term

Our Student Leadership Team is now up and running — and already making a difference.
We now have two Student Leaders, a Deputy Student Leader, and a set of student-led committees focusing on enrichment, careers, wellbeing, literacy and sport.
Alongside them, our team of Form Representatives have been actively gathering feedback from their peers. As a result:
- We have updated our rewards, incentives and events for the year. Next week we run our first big rewards event with 45 students being taken off timetable for a cinema afternoon, munching on popcorn.
- Students have launched new eco-initiatives that will develop further in the spring term.

Embedding our Character Curriculum
This term we have continued to explicitly teach and celebrate the positive behaviours and values that shape excellent young people.
Our focus has been gratitude — a value strongly linked to wellbeing and belonging.
To mark the end of term, students from across the school contributed to a wonderful Gratitude Wall, showcasing the many people, moments and opportunities they appreciate.
This work matters: research shows that practising gratitude can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness and low mood over time. A study by psychologist Martin Seligman found that participants who wrote three things they were grateful for each day showed improved wellbeing even months later. We are excited to bring this evidence-based approach into school life.

(Please insert photo attached of Aisha’s gratitude wall – Even better a photo of her with some students next to the wall would be great)

Celebration Friday continues to grow in impact
Every Friday, our aim is simple — for students to leave school feeling positive and proud.

- Double reward points are available.
- Students take part in competitions such as our weekly attendance draw, where anyone with 100% attendance that week is entered to win a voucher.
  This initiative is building momentum and has become a highlight of the week for many students.
Improving behaviour — a clear and encouraging trend
We are proud to share that our behaviour data shows real movement towards our vision.
- Year 11 students have accumulated half the number of behaviour points compared with the same point last year.
  This is just one example of the many indicators that show students are making strong choices and that our pastoral strategies are having a meaningful impact.

We are incredibly proud of how our students have embraced the opportunities, values and expectations of this term. Thank you for your continued support — it makes a genuine difference.
We look forward to building on this success in the new year

Sporting Success for our Year 10’s

Congratulations to Quaresma in Year 10 who is playing football at an extremely high standard with Notts County in their Academy. He has recently returned from representing his club in a youth tournament in Alicante, Spain. We are all jealous of the time spent in warmer climes, but congratulate Quaresma for the dedication shown that has enabled him to reach such a high standard of football. He manages to train, tour and complete all of his school work also, this is true excellence!

Please see the photos below from a recent national swimming competition in which Arthur from Year 10 competed. As one of the youngest athletes in the field, Arthur raced against university-aged competitors and delivered an outstanding performance.

Throughout the competition, Arthur achieved personal best times and even won one of his heats—an exceptional result at this level of competition. Competing on a national stage against older and more experienced swimmers makes this achievement even more impressive.

Congratulations to Arthur on his dedication, determination, and remarkable success. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to his hard work and commitment to the sport.

Magical Matilda Musical

Our school production of Matilda took place this week and was a huge success. There were four performances of the show across the two days – two in the evenings with almost 500 audience members joining us, and two daytime performances to almost 500 students from our feeder primary schools Brookside, Woodland Grange and Overdale. Thank you to everyone who came to support the performances – the show really brought our whole community together. The talent and professionalism of our staff and students really shone through in the performances and we are so proud of everyone involved. They have worked tirelessly since the summer rehearsing, and the levels of enthusiasm, commitment and resilience have been incredible. Special thanks go to the production team – Mrs Woods, Miss Jennings and Miss Hutchinson and also to Mr English for overseeing the sound and lighting, Mrs Moseley for props and stage management and Mr Hings for displays and stage decoration.

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Elliott of 7.3 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

According to Humphrey Book Series

We have been made aware that several titles in the ‘According to Humphrey’ series contain a weblink at the back of the book that no longer directs people to information about the books. Instead, the link has been compromised and now leads to inappropriate and unsafe material that should not be accessed by children at any age.

Below are images of some of the front covers in the series to help you identify the books should you have any at home. The link can be found on the back cover or may be also included on a page inside.

For clarity and reassurance, we are not aware of any children who have accessed this link at Manor High School. If you have any of these books at home, we advise you to remove them immediately. Be extra-vigilant with all children’s books that contain links and ensure that they are checked by an adult.

Club Timetable Week Beginning 5th January 2026

Thank You for Your Food Donations

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who generously donated food items. Your kindness and willingness to help have made a real difference to those in need within our local community.

We are pleased to confirm that Oadby Food Bank has collected all of the donated items. Thanks to your support, these essential supplies will now go directly to individuals and families who rely on the food bank’s services.

Acts of generosity like this highlight the strength and compassion of our community. Your donations, no matter how big or small, are truly appreciated and help provide vital support to those facing difficult times.

Thank you once again for your continued kindness and support.

Safeguarding Update

Please see attached letter regarding online safety, which is especially important over the break.

In case of any concerns over the break please alert First Response at Children’s Social Care on 0116 3050005 or Leicester City on 0116 454 1004.

Many thanks and have a great break.

In order to continue to support student and family mental health over the break, please see the link below for how to support mental health during the break and at this time of year.

Other Useful Information

Parents’ A-Z Mental Health Guide | Mental Health Advice | YoungMinds

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

Firstly, a big thank you to all Year 11 parents that came to support their children last night whilst we gave out our Pre Public Examination results. We were really pleased with the turn-out and it just shows how committed we all are to ensuring students achieve the best possible outcomes at the end of this year. The Christmas break is approaching and there is now an opportunity for everyone to reflect upon the efforts made this term, and how we can approach the final 16 weeks before the final exams begin.

Event	Date
Study Skills Workshop	Monday 19th January
Year 11 PPEs - Round 2	9th February - 6th March
GCSE Exams Begin	8th May - 17th June
Prom	Thursday 18th June
Leavers Assenbly	Monday 22nd June

We have focussed our assemblies this week on Human Rights, particularly looking at key elements of the Human Rights Act that was established after WW2. These points are still relevant today, but unfortunately not always adhered to by some. Mr Croucher led these assemblies, focussing on the right to be free from discrimination and the right to an education. Students reflected well upon what this means for us today, and the reasons this is important. Respect is core to our values at Manor High and we believe very strongly that students, staff and families have a right to be respected and free from discrimination. That is why Respect is one of our core values.

In addition this week we practised our procedures for ‘sheltering in place’ with the students. This is something that we hope we never have to do, but it is important that students are aware of the procedures and how they operate. We emailed you yesterday as soon as we completed the drill and made sure that every student knew that it was a practise when I, or Mrs Newbery visited classrooms at the end of the drill. The students were superb and took this very seriously. It was also an opportunity for me to test out our new CCTV system that has been installed recently which is a significant upgrade on our old system! Students were responsible and showed that they are indeed Excellent People.

I remind you that school closes early next Friday. All students will continue to learn on the final day, with Session 1 being normal lessons before we begin our Christmas celebrations at 11am, concluding at 2pm. Buses will depart at 2.15pm. Detentions will run earlier on this day if there are any students that are in detention.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Manor High Rewards

See the rewards below that you could win throughout the year! Our school is committed to celebrating the hard work and dedication of our students, and this year’s rewards program is designed to recognise those who consistently demonstrate our core values: Excellence, Inspiration, Resilience, and Respect.

Whether it’s striving for your personal best, lifting others up through positive actions, persevering through challenges, or showing kindness and consideration in everyday interactions, your efforts make our school community stronger. Throughout the year, staff will be looking for students who embody these values in the classroom, in extracurricular activities, and around the school grounds.

By working hard and living out our core values each day, you’ll not only grow as a learner and a leader—you’ll also earn chances to win exciting rewards and celebrate your achievements.

Keep aiming high, stay committed, and let our core values guide you. This could be your year to shine!

GCSE Art and Design Students Take Part in Bespoke Landscape Perspective Workshop

Last week, two of our GCSE Art and Design groups had the exciting opportunity to participate in a bespoke workshop focused on landscape perspective design. We were delighted to welcome a local artist from De Montfort University, who specialises in Game Concept and Comic Art, to lead the session.

Students gained valuable insight into professional creative techniques, exploring how perspective is used within game and comic environments to build immersive worlds. The workshop was highly engaging and provided learners with a fresh, industry-informed approach to developing their own landscape artwork.

We are incredibly grateful to our guest artist for inspiring our students and helping them broaden their artistic skills and ambitions.

Year 10 Football Competition

10.6 emerged as the triumphant winners of the first-ever Year 10 interform boys’ football competition. The game began as a tight, hard-fought contest, with both sides showing real determination, but as the match wore on, the quality of 10.6 shone through. Their composure in front of goal ultimately saw them pull away as comfortable winners, thanks in large part to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Akal, who was simply unbeatable between the posts.

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

Club Timetable Week Beginning 15th December 2025

Gratitude for Your Support in the Hurricane Aid Appeal

The Form 7.1 community would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who generously contributed to our recent Hurricane Aid Appeal. Your donations, encouragement, and willingness to help made a tremendous difference to families and communities working to rebuild their lives after the storm.

As part of our continued effort to support long-term recovery, Form 7.1 has also been working on a special project. You can explore the details by scanning the QR code included below. We encourage you to take a moment to learn more about the initiative.

Thank you once again for standing with us. Your support has made—and continues to make—a meaningful impact.

Safeguarding Update

This time of year can often see our mental health suffer due to the long dark nights. Please see the link below that signs posts parents for help to support their child with their mental health.

Other Useful Information

Online Safety Newsletter – December 2025

Online Safety Newsletter – December 2025

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

Our week this week has seen some really excellent examples of Manor High students involving themselves in extra curricular activities.

Firstly, we have been participating in our Annual OAK trust Christmas Card competition. We had a number of entries, and were delighted that one of our Year 7s, Sameer was the runner-up, closely losing out to Clara from Year 4 at Overdale Juniors. You can see the cards for yourself below. We were very pleased to present Sameer with his £20 Amazon gift voucher.

I also spent some time with our Anti Bullying Ambassadors. We have done a lot of work this term in tutor time and assemblies around ‘Character’ and also around what it means to be a Bystander, and well as the use of the term Banter, which I have mentioned in weekly emails before. We are keen to involve our Ambassadors in this as well. Indeed next week Mr Croucher is leading our assemblies focussing on Protected Characteristics and Human Rights. You will have seen from our communication sent earlier in the week regarding the final day of term that we are hosting a non-uniform/Christmas jumper day and asking for a £1 donation to be paid for this- this will be split 50/50 for our Student Council and also for the Red Cross. This is the students’ idea- they wish to raise the profile regarding the various Humanitarian issues taking place across the world, for example in Sudan, Gaza, Syria, Yemen to name but a few. Of course we fully support their wishes to do so. It is another shining example of what we want for all students, to be empathetic, and ultimately to be Excellent People. Please make sure you support this and pay online. (Students are expected to either a) have paid/pay on the day, or b) wear school uniform if they do not wish to support this. Any other combination ie coming in non school uniform and not paying is not acceptable and will result in sanctions being applied as per our behaviour policy for uniform violations.)

To top off a wonderful week I went over to Devonshire Court to watch our Oadby Schools Joint Choir perform for the residents. It was a wonderfully uplifting experience. The students spent 2 hours together in the morning rehearsing and it was really impressive to see what they were able to produce after such a short time. If you want to be uplifted and energised for the Christmas period, do please come along and watch our Performing Arts Department’s Christmas Production of Matilda. Tickets are available on Arbor.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Manor High Rewards

By working hard and living out our core values each day, you’ll not only grow as a learner and a leader—you’ll also earn chances to win exciting rewards and celebrate your achievements.

Keep aiming high, stay committed, and let our core values guide you. This could be your year to shine!

PPE Results Evening

As you are aware, Year 11 students have been working diligently on their post-16 applications and Pre-Public Examinations (PPE). We are delighted with their effort and determination in this crucial year at Manor High School.

To support their preparation for the summer GCSE exams, we aim to recreate the experience of receiving results in August. With this in mind, we are pleased to invite students and family members to the PPE Results Evening on Thursday, 11^th December, at the following times:

Start Time	End Time	Tutor Groups
5:30 PM	6:10 PM	11.1 (BP), 11.2 (CB), 11.3 (SG)
6:15 PM	6:55 PM	11.4 (ST), 11.5 (TS), 11.6 (SC)

The event will begin promptly at the stated times with a presentation in the main school hall, providing information to further support students in achieving success. Following the presentation, students and their families will meet with a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), who will share additional information and distribute the results envelopes. These envelopes will include:

PPE results
A copy of the summer exam timetable
A letter from the Headteacher

We anticipate the evening will last approximately 40 minutes.

We hope this event will help foster a sense of pride and confidence in our students as they continue to build strong independent study habits. Senior Leaders and pastoral staff will also be available throughout the evening to provide support, particularly with student wellbeing.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s tutor through the usual channels. Additionally, following the second round of PPEs in February, we will host a face-to-face Year 11 Parents’ Evening on Thursday, 26^th March.

Due to limited capacity, we humbly request for students to be accompanied by one family member. Your support is greatly appreciated in helping us make this event meaningful and an authentic experience. This evening marks an important milestone in our shared goal of ensuring GCSE success for every student.

Lastly, the PPE Results Evening provides an opportunity to support the Oadby Food Bank. If possible, please consider bringing donation items such as non-perishable foods or toiletries. A list of needed items can be found below and your contributions will be deeply appreciated.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you on 11^th December.

Year 11 Post 16 Applications

We just wanted to remind parents/carers that our Year 11 students should be creating applications for schools/colleges. Students need to send their applications before the 12^th December.* Just a reminder that we will be uploading students predicted grades onto PS16. If students have already obtained a GCSE qualification (for example in an additional language to one they are learning at school), they can email this to Mr Croucher and we will ensure this is on the system too as an awarded qualification.

We expect students to make at least two applications but we would advise more. Students can hold as many offers as they receive. It is better to keep options open and to apply to a range of providers. If a students is unsure if they will achieve the grades they need for their preferred course, one of their back up options must include a different type of course option or a school/college with lower entry requirements to help ensure they will have their options open.

*Note – for students who are having their 1-1 careers interview either on or after Monday 8^th December, they do not need to send their applications until 7^th January.

Christmas Celebrations

Non-uniform/Christmas Jumpers

The last day of term will be a non-uniform day, Christmas jumpers encouraged! Students (and staff) will be asked to make a £1 donation on Arbor which will be split between the British Red Cross to support Humanitarian causes across the world, such as those being experienced in Sudan, Yemen, Gaza, Myanmar and Afghanistan and the School to fund our Student Leadership Team’s approved initiatives.

Christmas Lunch

Our traditional Christmas Lunch will take place on this day and all students will eat with the rest of their tutor group and House in the School Hall. We would encourage all students to sign up for the lunch as it is always excellent and very sociable, if they do not wish to have a Christmas Lunch then they must bring a packed lunch to eat with their tutor group in the School Hall.

Tickets for the two-course Christmas meal can be purchased from Arbor for £2.80 per person. The cost is covered for students eligible for Free School Meals.

Please select either the vegetarian, Halal turkey or turkey option on Arbor.
Deadline for ordering meals is Wednesday 9th December. Tickets will be issued to students on the morning of the last day of term.
Due to the scale of preparing Christmas Lunch, the kitchen staff will not be able to provide a break service or any other food on this day.
Anyone not purchasing a Christmas meal will need to bring a packed lunch – please remember, we are a nut free school.

Early Finishing Time

We teach our students right up to the end of term, including Session 1 on the last day, which will be normal lessons. After break, all students will spend time together in their tutor groups, as well as enjoying their Christmas dinner. The school day will finish a little earlier than usual: students will be dismissed from 2pm.

There will be no after-school study facility on this day. This is because we have to prepare the close-down for the break.
The Manor High buses and free school transport will depart at the earlier time of 2:15pm.
It is our intention that all students are safely dismissed and off site by 2:15pm. UNLESS they are required to serve a school detention, which will take place from 1.30pm for the duration of the detention.

School returns after the break on Tuesday 6th January 2026.

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

Club Timetable Week Beginning 8th December 2025

Trust Christmas Card Competition Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Trust Christmas Card Competition.

First place has been awarded to Clara, a talented Year 4 pupil from Overdale Junior School. Her design impressed the judges with its originality and festive warmth. Clara’s artwork will now feature as the Trust’s official Christmas card for 2025.

Taking second place is Sameer, a Year 7 student from Manor High School, whose imaginative and vibrant design also stood out among a strong field of entries.

We extend a huge congratulations to Clara and Sameer, and a heartfelt thank-you to all pupils who took part. The standard of entries this year was exceptionally high, making the judging both challenging and inspiring.

We are proud of the artistic talent across our Trust and look forward to seeing more brilliant work in future competitions. Well done to everyone involved, and happy holidays!

Safeguarding Update

Other Useful Information

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

There has been a real buzz around the school over the last couple of weeks. We have had two trips run this week- one to De Montfort University to raise aspirations for some students and to give them a taste of what university life might be like. There are more trips planned to different places for different groups of students. In addition our well being ambassadors were off to their conference at South Wigston High School in order to learn about how to support well being in school and to give them the tools to be able to talk about well being with their peers. We look forward to seeing them have a higher profile in school over the coming weeks.

We have worked on our student leadership model over the last week and now have a student leadership committee in place. We have met with the students this morning, and will share the structure more widely with our student body over the coming days. There is a copy of what this looks like within the update below. It was a true pleasure to listen to students talk about how they want to support the school and lead on various areas. We have put together a well thought out student leadership model which we hope will see more benefit that we have seen previously. This is an exciting area of our development, we want students to have a voice and this will support positively.

Our assemblies have focussed this week on the British Value of Tolerance and Respect. One of the themes of the assembly has been that actually, this is not necessarily a British value. It is a value that everyone should have, regardless of where they are residing in the world, or where they were born. Indeed if there was more thought, tolerance and respect in our world, many of the problems of the past and present would not exist/ have existed.

Our assemblies next week move to a related topic- “Excellent People, Excellent Results” which know is our school vision.

Although it is not yet December, we are finalising our plans for the end of term! Parent feedback has stated that you wanted to know in advance of any changes to timings etc. Wherever possible we will try to make sure we do this. You will receive details about the final day of term and Christmas Lunches very soon, but the key takeaway is that we will finish a little earlier at 2pm on the final day of term. Do look out for the separate communication regarding this that will come to you next week.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

PPE Results Evening

As you are aware, Year 11 students have been working diligently on their post-16 applications and Pre-Public Examinations (PPE). We are delighted with their effort and determination in this crucial year at Manor High School.

Start Time	End Time	Tutor Groups
5:30 PM	6:10 PM	11.1 (BP), 11.2 (CB), 11.3 (SG)
6:15 PM	6:55 PM	11.4 (ST), 11.5 (TS), 11.6 (SC)

PPE results
A copy of the summer exam timetable
A letter from the Headteacher

We anticipate the evening will last approximately 40 minutes.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you on 11^th December.

Year 11 Post 16 applications

We just wanted to remind parents/carers that our Year 11 students should be creating applications for schools/colleges. Students need to send their applications before the 12^th December.* Just a reminder that we will be uploading students predicted grades onto PS16. If students have already obtained a GCSE qualification (for example in an additional language to one they are learning at school), they can email this to Mr Croucher and we will also ensure this is on the system as an awarded qualification.

We expect students to make at least two applications but we would advise more. Students can hold as many offers as they receive. It is better to keep options open and to apply to a range of providers. If a student is unsure if they will achieve the grades they need for their preferred course, one of their back up options must include a different type of course option or a school/college with lower entry requirements to help ensure they will have their options open.

*Note – for students who are having their 1-1 careers interview either on or after Monday 8^th December, they do not need to send their applications until 7^th January.

GCSE Students Explore Natural Sculpture Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy

Taking advantage of one of the rare sunny days this week, our GCSE Art students stepped outside to experiment with creating temporary sculptures using only natural, found materials. Working collaboratively, they gathered leaves, branches, stones, and other organic resources to construct site-specific structures in the spirit of environmental art.

Once completed, the sculptures were carefully photographed from a range of perspectives. Back in the studio, students used these images as the foundation for a series of expressive paintings inspired by the work of British artist Andy Goldsworthy, whose practice focuses on the beauty and impermanence of nature.

The project offered a fantastic opportunity for students to explore creativity outdoors, develop their observational skills, and engage with contemporary artistic influences.

Zoolab Biomimicry Workshop

The Science Department excited to announce that ZooLab will be visiting our school to run a hands-on Biomimicry Workshop for Year 8 and Year 9 students.

Perfect for aspiring engineers, biologists, vets or anyone with an interest in nature, this interactive session will explore how engineers and designers take inspiration from the natural world to solve real-world problems. We’ll meet live animals, discover amazing survival adaptations, and learn how nature influences modern technology.

Workshops last approximately 1 hour and include:

Close-up encounters with ZooLab’s animal team
Real examples of biomimicry in action
Fun, practical activities
A chance to ask questions and investigate animal design

Date: 22 January 2026

Cost: £9 per student

Location: MHS Science Base

Places are limited. Students who would like to take part should sign up via Arbor from 6pm on Monday 1st December.

Year 10 Media Studies: Autumn Photography Competition Results

Year 10 students were asked to capture the beauty, mood, and colours of autumn through their own unique perspectives. Their challenge was to take photographs that represent what autumn means to them — it could be nature, people, activities, or even small details that captured the essence of the season. They were asked to ensure that their photos told a story: the golden leaves, misty mornings, spooky season, cosy moments, or autumn celebrations like Halloween and Diwali! Please find our students’ wonderful photographs, winners and results attached! We had some really impressive entries and are so proud to celebrate our students’ work.

Competition Results

PE Club Timetable

Club Timetable Week Beginning 1st December

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Harry of 7.3 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

Oadby Food Bank

We’re pleased to share that we’ll be collecting donations again this year in support of the Oadby Food Bank.

Thanks to your generosity last year, our contributions helped provide 180 bags filled with tins, cereal, pasta, and other essentials to around 100 households (with larger families receiving two bags). In addition, the food bank was able to distribute 100 Christmas bags and 100 fresh produce bags, ensuring every household received extra support during the festive season.

Your kindness made a real difference — and we’re hoping to do even more this year.

Safeguarding Update

Please see the message below from Jo Keogh at Leicester College.

An event for Year 10 & 11 students and parents with an EHCP/SEN need can book onto an event on 15th December or 7th January. Please see links below:

15th December Event

7th January Event

Domestic Abuse Support App – Bright Sky by Hestia

Domestic abuse, whether towards a female or male partner, can significantly affect the children who live in that environment. Exposure to violence, coercion or ongoing emotional manipulation disrupts a child’s sense of safety and can influence their behaviour, relationships and engagement in learning.

These situations are often hard to spot. Many victims work to hide what is happening, particularly from official agencies, due to fear of consequences for the abusive partner or worries about major upheaval for the family.

Hestia is a London-based charity that supports adults and children in crisis, delivering frontline services and campaigning nationally on issues such as domestic abuse, modern slavery and mental health. They have created the Bright Sky app, a free and discreet tool that helps people recognise signs of abuse, access specialist support and record concerns safely.

The Bright Sky app provides:

A simple tool to help someone recognise signs of abuse and understand whether a relationship feels unsafe.
A secure, optional journal for recording incidents or concerns that can later be shared with a trusted person or agency.
A directory of national and local support services, making it easier to find the right help quickly.

To find out more, please follow the link: https://www.hestia.org/brightsky

Other Useful Information

Mental Health Support Out Of School Contact Information

Are You Carer Aware Poster FLYER

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

Students have been working hard this week. We are drawing to the end of our Year 11 assessments and Year 10 are now preparing for their first round of mock examinations which will occur before the Christmas break. We are supporting and preparing students for this period at the moment and will be publishing details for our Year 10 students soon.

In addition, we are having a whole school production of Matilda in December and the Performing Arts Department are busily working away preparing students for this performance. This is very exciting, and I enjoy hearing the students practising after school and we hope to see as many of you there as possible on Monday 15^th or Tuesday 16^th December.

Our assemblies this week have focussed on Resilience and next week we will be talking to students about the important British Value of tolerance and mutual respect. One of our core values is Respect and it is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity there is amongst us. We are all different and that is to be celebrated. Diversity is about celebrating each others’ uniqueness.

This morning (Friday) I have just spent time talking with prospective Student Leaders in Year 10. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to their ideas and their passion for their school. They had some wonderful ideas that we can develop further over the next term or so. Now that Year 11 are through their PPE exams we will be talking to prospective Year 11 leaders next week. It is always great to hear how much students care about their school and each other. They truly were exceptional. We will be finalising our student leadership team over the next couple of weeks. This will feed into our form representative system. We are keen to ensure that students have a voice, and every form has a form representative that students can talk to about anything they feel could be bothering them. This is in addition, of course, to their Trusted Adult in school.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Hurricane Relief Effort

This week, Form 7.1 have been visiting tutor rooms to collect essential items for our Hurricane Relief Effort. Please see the poster below which highlights the items most needed for donation.

In keeping with our commitment to helping pupils grow into excellent people, we believe that acts of generosity and community care begin with us. We therefore encourage all staff to lead by example and take part in this collection alongside the students.

Your support will make a meaningful difference to those affected. Thank you in advance for your kindness and participation.

Please Complete Our Catering Survey

We are keen to gather the views of both parents and students about our new catering provision. Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will help us continue to improve the quality, variety, and overall experience of the meals we provide.

We kindly ask all families to take a few minutes to complete our catering survey. By sharing your thoughts, you will play an important role in shaping future menus, identifying areas for enhancement, and ensuring that our catering service meets the needs and preferences of our school community.

Thank you in advance for your time and support.

School Catering Survey – Fill in form

Year 11 Post 16 applications

We just wanted to remind parents/carers that our Year 11 students should be creating applications for schools/colleges. Students need to send their applications before the 12^th December.* Just a reminder that we will be uploading students predicted grades onto PS16. If students have already obtained a GCSE qualification (for example, in an additional language to one they are learning at school), they can email this to Mr Croucher and we will ensure this is on the system too as an awarded qualification.

*Note – for students who are having their 1-1 careers interview either on or after Monday 8^th December, they do not need to send their applications until 7^th January.

Year 10 work experience

Please remember that work experience forms need to be returned by Wednesday 26^th November
A payment will then be set up for you on Arbor
Please ensure you have paid for the application by 28^th November (if you get the form in sooner we can set up the payment sooner)

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

Club Timetable Week Beginning 24th November 2025

Year 10 Art & Design: Exploring Natural Forms Through Gouache

This week, our Year 10 Art & Design students have been delving into their first artist study as part of the Natural Form project. Following their recent visit to the Botanical Gardens, students began working from the photographs they captured of flowers and leaves, using these as inspiration for their own creative responses.

Drawing on the work of celebrated painter Georgia O’Keeffe, students explored how gouache can be used to highlight the rich colours, forms, and textures found in nature.

It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow!

Safeguarding Update

The NHS Mental Health Service Team are now accepting self-referrals. Previously, referrals could only be made by school staff.

Please have a look at the information below that has been sent through by the team, regarding support for your child and the referral process.

Letter to Parents re: Self Referral(opens in new tab)

My Self Referral

Please see the attached document produced by the NHS Mental Health Service Team. Here, you will find some useful resources and signposting – Self Help Resources & Mental Health Support

Other Useful Information

Online Safety Newsletter – November 2025

Letter to Parents re: Self Referral(opens in new tab)

SEND Dept
T: 0116 2729791 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 791)
E: SEND@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Lead Operational DSL & Senior Mental Health Lead Ashma Ghani
T: 0116 2729760 (or 0116 2714941 ext. 760)
E: AGhani@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk

Headteacher’s Update

Dear Families

The autumnal weather has presented significant challenge for us this week. The amount of rain that has fallen has resulted in us having to call some wet weather breaks and lunches, which means students have to stay inside in order to remain safe and dry. We have been very impressed with how students have responded to this and the changes to the normal processes. We have our fingers crossed that the weather improves next week!

Our assemblies this week have focussed around Anti Bullying and particularly around the use of what is termed ‘banter’. We would appreciate your support with this. ‘Banter’ is sometimes used as a excuse for dismissing behaviours that have caused upset. Making jokes and laughing with friends is all part of a positive healthy relationship.

However, sometimes we can get this wrong and it’s important to understand that we don’t joke about certain topics as they are likely to cause offense. For example, making fun of religious beliefs, sexuality or gender is not ‘banter’. These are clear messages that we discuss with students to ensure that they understand there are boundaries to be respected at all times.

Our Year 11s are currently doing their Pre Public Exams or ‘Mocks’ and we have also been really pleased with how they have approached these as well. They are using the Sports Centre at the moment to do their examinations, for the very first time. We have done this so that they are familiar with the surroundings and are used to the space before they do the real exams in May. Please encourage your child to revise and prepare for these exams properly so that we can identify the gaps in their learning and ‘fix’ these gaps before May.

With best wishes

Mr S Greiff

Culture Day Celebration Writing

On Culture Day, 7xS/En wrote about a meaningful celebration to them. Take a
look at their work below!

Lunchtime Clubs

After School Clubs

Sparx Maths Student of the Week

We’re delighted to celebrate this week’s Sparx Maths Student of the Week! This recognition is awarded to Mansehaj of 8.5 who has shown outstanding effort, determination, and commitment to their independent learning on Sparx. Their hard work not only strengthens their mathematical skills but also sets a fantastic example for their peers. Well done – we are very proud of their achievement!

Club Timetable Week Beginning 17th November 2025

Design Our Official Christmas Card!

We’re inviting all children across the OAK Multi Academy Trust to take part in a fun and festive competition — design our official Christmas card!

The winning design will become the official OAK Multi Academy Trust Christmas card for 2025 and will also earn the talented artist a special prize!

✨ How to take part:

Create your best Christmas card design
Submit your entry by 19th November – Entry Form here
The winner will be announced on 30th November

We can’t wait to see your creativity shine this festive season — good luck to everyone taking part!

Oak Multi Academy Trust Christmas Card Comp 2025 Flyer A5 (1)

Safeguarding Update

The NHS Mental Health Service Team are now accepting self-referrals. Previously, referrals could only be made by school staff.

Please have a look at the information below that has been sent through by the team, regarding support for your child and the referral process.

My Self Referral

Please see the attached document produced by the NHS Mental Health Service Team. Here, you will find some useful resources and signposting – Self Help Resources & Mental Health Support

Other Useful Information

Online Safety Newsletter – November 2025