Headteacher’s Update
Dear Families
Firstly, a thank you to our Year 8 parents for attendance at parents’ evening last night. It was wonderful to talk to parents about school and the positivity from parents was great to hear. We continue to work hard to stay true to our core values, and to our vision of creating Excellent People as well as students getting Excellent Results.
We have introduced a thought for the week that chimes with our values- this week’s focus was on resilience and we focussed our rewards around this and catching people being resilient was highlighted in lessons. The thought for the week was an old Japanese proverb – ‘Fall down seven times. Stand up eight.’
Fairly straightforward but effective! School is a place to learn resilience. Sometimes things are difficult, but with hard work, determination and resilience we get there. Students’ attitudes to learning have been impressive since we returned- 11,450 reward points have been issued in the 3 weeks we have been back.
Our ski trip returns this weekend and this is the true demonstration of resilience and indeed ‘fall down seven times. Stand up eight’ is something that I am sure has happened repeatedly on this trip! Mr Lansdale and Mrs Watson will be arranging next year’s trip in due course I am sure- so look out for information if your child is interested.
Finally, I would like to remind you of the importance of student attendance at school. You can see your child’s attendance on ClassCharts. When we see attendance at 90% there is a misinterpretation that 90% is good. A score of 90% in an examination would be exceptional, however in attendance terms, 90% is too low. The graphic below- which is in our Reception area for all to see demonstrates the rationale behind this. The key message is that for children to get the most out of school, they need to be in classrooms. So please do encourage attendance, and even if there is a bit of a sniffle and a cold it is best to send your child to school.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Year 11 PPE Timetable
Please click below to view the Year 11 PPE timetable starting on Monday 10th February.
Rewards & Behaviour
It has been a really positive week in regards rewards and behaviour. This year nearly 90% of points awarded are positive. This shows that the vast majority of our students get it right day in and day out. The rewards store has now been topped up with all the goods available. The rewards range from vouchers, to equipment to sports equipment. There is even a lucky dip option! A reminder that when these items are gone they will be gone. This term there will be reward events again including a Pizza Party. There is plenty to look forward to!!!
In order to keep expectations high we will be reinforcing some basic expectations from Monday:
- We expect students to arrive at school by 8.30 and in their form room by 8.40. Those students late will receive an RTL (30 minute afterschool detention) as well as a further sanction at lunch on the same day so we can reinforce these expectations.
- We expect students to have full school uniform and to be worn correctly. A reminder that Hoodies are banned from the site. Please ensure students are not coming to school in hoodies (This includes the Ski trip hoodies). Hoodies will be taken off students if they are worn on site. We recommend a winter coat at this time of year.
- We expect students to have full equipment. For years 7-9 this includes a stylus to accompany their ipad. These can be purchased very cheaply online.
- We expect when a student receives a detention that they sit it. We will be trialling adding a lunchtime detention for those that do not attend S3 detentions. This will still mean they have to sit an S3 after school detention as well.
Thanks for your support with this.
SEND Reviews
We are delighted to let you know that the SEND reviews are going to be taking place as we are now coming to the end of our first cycle of interventions. The reviews have been organised with either the form tutor or a member of the SEND team, we endeavour to have these arranged by the 7th of February. These reviews are a really great opportunity for us to work together and an important time for parents/carers to be able to discuss the interventions their child has received, as well as working with us collaboratively regarding next steps. As this is the first time that a large number of students have had a review, we kindly ask for your understanding and patience as we go through this new process together.
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 site (PS16)
Well done to Year 11 – we have sent off all the applications you have submitted. Applications were sent off before the school/colleges deadlines of January 31st so we are ahead!
Next steps:
- Regularly log into PS16 to see if you have had any offers or messages from schools or colleges. Be patient as different schools / colleges work with different time frames. You should hear back by the end of March latest.
- Do not worry if your friends have already heard from a school / college and you have not. This is totally normal.
- Accept all offers that are made to you. You can hold multiple offers. Do not ignore an offer whilst waiting for your favourite school/college. Accept any offers you are given. On results day you will choose where you go to (after you have seen the grades you get).
- If you wanted to make changes to any of your applications you need to call the school/college and speak to them. If you have any issues come and find Mr Croucher / Mrs Mahomed.
Leicester College Applications
Students, if you have applied to Leicester College through Post16 they have emailed on PS16 to say they will be dealing with your application through their College Learner Hub. Please do not worry! They have said that they will email you information about how to log into the College Learner Hub and how to then manage your application etc. Please check your emails regularly (the emails you sent to them via your profile on PS16) to keep an eye out for their messages. If you have any concerns you must contact Leicester College and then also come and speak to Mr Croucher / Mrs Mahomed.
Simply put this means that Leicester College will manage your application through their College Leaner Hub. Any other schools/colleges you applied to will still be managing your application through Post 16.
Mandarin Club
As part of Chinese New Year celebrations, our Mandarin teachers are interested in running a slightly different Mandarin club on Tuesday 11th February only. The session could include paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy, lantern/face mask making etc. All students who are currently signed up to Mandarin Club will have their usual place. If anyone else would be interested in attending this session please email Mr Croucher. We will run the spaces on a first come first served basis.
Unfortunately there will be no Mandarin Club running on Tuesday 4th February.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We will be relaunching our programme in 2025 and are aiming to run both the Bronze and the Silver Awards. We will be in touch in the new year with more information including the new costs.
We have always felt t
his is a really important opportunity for our young people and it goes without saying that we are excited to be launching in 2025. As a result we have taken the necessary time to ensure we move forward with a model that allows our students to enjoy and succeed with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. More information will come out in the New Year.
Leicester Riders Ticket Offer
Manor High School have been given the offer of 50% off tickets for the next few home games. Simply use promo code ‘OAK50’ at checkout to claim your discount.
Click here to view the Leicester Riders Basketball website
If you haven’t been before, we would recommend giving it a try. Basketball is a fast paced game, full of excitement, that is easy to follow. Great for whole families!
Alumni
We are really keen for former Manor High School students to share their experiences of the world of work with our students.
If you, a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please email us via the Admin email (FAO Mr Croucher).
Many thanks.
After School Study Centre and Interventions
Please can you reinforce to students that if they are staying behind at school to use the study centre (either to work or to wait for a parent to collect them) they must not leave site first and then come back. We have had a number of students leave site at the end of the school day, head to the shop and then arrive back at school 15 minutes later saying they need to wait in the study centre. We cannot allow students to just come and go like this as it is not safe and also not fair to staff who are supporting in the study centre.
The same is the case for interventions. If a student has an intervention session after school they must leave session 3, stay on site and then head to their intervention. Some students have been leaving site at the end of the day, heading to the shops and then wanting to be let back onto site 15 minutes later. This is also not acceptable.
Thanks for your support with this.
Wellbeing Lunchtimes
NHS Mental Health Drop-ins
Headteacher’s Update
Dear Families
This week has been a calm and purposeful one. The weather has been less variable than last week. Whilst it is still cold I remind you to ensure that your chid arrives at school with a coat, and not a hooded top- these are not part of our school uniform. We thank the vast majority of parents for ensuring their children arrive for school suitably attired within our school uniform policy, your support is greatly appreciated.
As well as being a productive week in classrooms, we have had some enrichment and character building activities take place in school this week. St Edmund Hall from Oxford University visited and spoke to our students about what university life is like. It is important that we are aspirational for students and give them access to the very best advice and this is only one part of our programme of providing students access to careers guidance. More is planned, and for various year groups.
Keeping to the subject of character development, our Ski Trip departs this weekend and we hope that students enjoy what is a wonderful experience, ably led by Mrs Watson and Mr Lansdale. This trip not only develops students’ skills on the slopes it also builds key character traits such as resilience- a one of our core values.
We continue to develop our school site, supported by our Trust- OAK Trust. There have been several building projects that have taken place on our site over the recent weeks and months, including solar panels being placed on our current gymnasium roof, to a new kitchen and of course our sports hall is progressing well, with the brickwork now almost complete. In addition during the course of next week Brookside Primary will complete their external fencing project which will see gated access to their site being completed. This means that there will only be access to their site through the bottom gate and not through the car park or through our entrance at the top of the site. If you have students at their school please note there will be no access through the car park to their site. This will make our car park a much safer space. Also our students will not be able to access Brookside’s site through the gated access. Therefore please ensure you make arrangements to collect any children yourself and not ask a sibling to collect- students are not permitted to collect. With this in mind, I ask again for your consideration in picking up and dropping off around the school site. It is busy with a primary school on site and our students are more than capable of walking to a nearby street to be collected should this be their method of transportation.
I remind Year 8 parents that we have a subject parents’ evening coming up next week on Thursday, details have been emailed directly about how to book appointments. In addition I take the opportunity to give you an early indication that we have Year 7 coming up on 13th February, details will be released a fortnight before the evening takes place. We have increased the number of opportunities for interaction with the school as a result of parental feedback and there will be Year 7-10 online tutor evening that will take place in April also where there will be the opportunity to discuss pastoral matters with your child’s form tutor. In the meantime, if there is ever any requirement to contact school, please email your child’s form tutor- this is the best way to make contact. There is a flow chart at the bottom of this newsletter explaining who to contact with different queries.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Oxford University
It was great to welcome Luke and Calum from St Edmund’s Hall, Oxford University on Tuesday 14th January. Year 11 students were able to hear about what to expect around university life in general, what to expect when at university, why should they choose Oxford or Cambridge, University life at Oxford (including the collegiate system and tutoring) and what universities like Oxbridge are looking for in students.
It was a really inspirational and engaging talk. Our students also had time to ask questions.
We are hoping for more opportunities in the future.
SEND Reviews
We are delighted to let you know that the SEND reviews are going to be taking place as we are now coming to the end of our first cycle of interventions. The reviews have been organised with either the form tutor or a member of the SEND team, we endeavour to have these arranged by the 7th of February. These reviews are a really great opportunity for us to work together and an important time for parents/carers to be able to discuss the interventions their child has received, as well as working with us collaboratively regarding next steps. As this is the first time that a large number of students have had a review, we kindly ask for your understanding and patience as we go through this new process together.
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 site (PS16)
Year 11 students have been sent their log in details to the PS16 website. These were sent to students’ school email accounts. This is the site students use to make applications to schools and colleges in Leicester and Leicestershire.
We have also shown our students a simple guide of what to do once logged in to the site. We showed this during assembly. This has also been shared on ClassCharts so that students, parents and carers can refer to it (it is a Power Point).
Please ensure that students keep their log in details safe. Students can now start using this site as set out on the Power Point – ensuring their personal details etc as well as personal statements are up to date on the system.
Mandarin Club
As part of Chinese New Year celebrations, our Mandarin teachers are interested in running a slightly different Mandarin club on Tuesday 11th February only. The session could include paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy, lantern/face mask making etc. All students who are currently signed up to Mandarin Club will have their usual place. If anyone else would be interested in attending this session please email Mr Croucher. We will run the spaces on a first come first served basis.
Unfortunately there will be no Mandarin Club running on Tuesday 4th February.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We will be relaunching our programme in 2025 and are aiming to run both the Bronze and the Silver Awards. We will be in touch in the new year with more information including the new costs.
We have always felt this is a really important opportunity for our young people and it goes without saying that we are excited to be launching in 2025. As a result we have taken the necessary time to ensure we move forward with a model that allows our students to enjoy and succeed with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. More information will come out in the New Year.
Leicester Riders Ticket Offer
Manor High School have been given the offer of 50% off tickets for the next 6 home games. Simply use promo code ‘OAK50’ at checkout to claim your discount.
Click here to view the Leicester Riders Basketball website
If you haven’t been before, we would recommend giving it a try. Basketball is a fast paced game, full of excitement, that is easy to follow. Great for whole families!
Alumni
We are really keen for former Manor High School students to share their experiences of the world of work with our students.
If you, a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please email us via the Admin email (FAO Mr Croucher).
Many thanks.
After School Study Centre and Interventions
Please can you reinforce to students that if they are staying behind at school to use the study centre (either to work or to wait for a parent to collect them) they must not leave site first and then come back. We have had a number of students leave site at the end of the school day, head to the shop and then arrive back at school 15 minutes later saying they need to wait in the study centre. We cannot allow students to just come and go like this as it is not safe and also not fair to staff who are supporting in the study centre.
The same is the case for interventions. If a student has an intervention session after school they must leave session 3, stay on site and then head to their intervention. Some students have been leaving site at the end of the day, heading to the shops and then wanting to be let back onto site 15 minutes later. This is also not acceptable.
Thanks for your support with this.
Year 10 Work Experience
Thank you to all who have brought forms back in. Payments have been set up on the school gateway (thank you also to those who have already paid). Please make your payment promptly so your form can be fully processed.
Safeguarding Update
Tellmi
Tellmi offers a safe space for young people to talk about difficult things and get support from others who are dealing with similar issues. Students can access anonymous, pre-moderated peer and counsellor support, as well as 1-2-1 therapy through the Tellmi app and web app. They can also connect to the First Steps ED service to get specialist support for issues relating to body image or disordered eating.
This service is funded by the NHS, so it is free and it is exclusively available to young people who live in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. Students don’t need a referral and there is no waiting list.
Tellmi can be downloaded for free from the App Store, Play Store or via our Web App tellmi.app
Online Safety Newsletter – January 2025
I hope you have had a good break and a healthy and safe start to the new year. Attached is some key information for families regarding keeping young people safe in their use of technology. Hopefully it will provide some great tips and hacks to support you and your child.
Increasing Incidents of Illness In Children – LCC Public Health
During the winter months, illnesses such as colds and flu are more common. The NHS continues to experience significant pressures this winter. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself to stay well, which includes getting your seasonal vaccinations, and adopting healthy habits.
Flu Vaccinations
The School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) is currently offering all children and young people in primary, secondary and special schools a free flu vaccine. Details are shared with parents and carers through your child’s school. It’s important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if your child has missed the school flu vaccine, the SAIS team will contact you about catch-up sessions. If you or your child have missed any other vaccine, contact your GP to catch up.
For more local information about vaccinations, please visit our website
Healthy Habits
Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to stop germs from spreading. Regularly washing hands in soap and warm water for 20 seconds can help you and your child to stay well and not pass on germs.
Using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes helps to prevent the spread of germs. Make sure tissues are thrown in the bin after use.
Make Sure You Have Self-Care Essentials at Home
Consider keeping these essentials at home: thermometer, plasters, child-friendly paracetamol and ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, an ice-pack and antihistamines. Store medicines in a cool, dry, lockable cabinet, out of reach of children and always check the dates on medicines.
Other Useful Information & PE Timetable
Headteacher’s Update
Dear Families
I begin by wishing you all a very happy new year and we very much look forward to working with you over the next year and beyond.
We have begun the year really positively with a number of changes that we were quietly working on over the Christmas break.
We have migrated our management information from SIMS to Arbor. Over time this will enable more effective communication with parents and also enable greater efficiencies within school as well as for parents as we will begin to move to using Arbor for a variety of systems that currently require parents to remember a plethora of passwords and apps! This is a significant change for us and we will continue to communicate as we develop use further over the course of this term.
In addition we have upgraded our kitchen systems to allow for, overtime, smoother service for students and therefore improved queueing times. This is something that students have mentioned to us in student voice sessions. There inevitably will be teething problems with this but we will get there in time and we ask for your patience as the kitchen team become familiar with a new system. Your child will be issued with a fob with a QR code on over the next few days that can be attached to their lanyard or a set of keys. It is important that students look after these as they are required to be able to purchase food. Next week do check that your child has received a fob. If not please contact your child’s tutor directly.
Our Sports Hall build is progressing well and is on target for a handover next term at some point, although the current weather is not helping progression! There are some photos of where we are with this attached. Exciting times are ahead!!
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Art and Design Colourful Robots
This week, some of our Year 8 Art and Design students have put the finishing touches on their colour pencil robot designs inspired by the artist Eric Joyner. This is one of four inspiring artists the Year 8 students will research and create pieces responding to this year. Next up this month in the Robotics Project will be designed mechanical insects.
NHS Virtual Work Experience Opportunities
The following work experience opportunities have been shared with us. They are available next week for students and are online.
The organisers have said that the events below provide valuable insights into emerging careers and help students to build skills that will enhance their future education and of course employment.
If students are interested, they can click on the link to register under the relevant course for them (course are aimed at either Years 7-9 or Years 10-11).
Tuesday 14th January at 4.30pm (virtual session hosted on MS Teams)
Student year groups: Years 7-9
“Quick with the facts, help the NHS be swift to react!”
- A 45-minute briefing with the NHS team
- Complete the career challenge at their own pace
- Certification awarded on completion
Register now! (students)
Wednesday 15th January at 5pm (virtual session hosted on MS Teams)
Student year groups: Years 10-13
After a sudden bump and fall, should they visit A&E or is first aid enough for all?
- A 45-minute briefing with the NHS team
- Complete the career challenge at their own pace
- Certification awarded on completion
- Register now! (students)
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 site (PS16)
Please note that we must have all applications sent by Monday 13th January – we cannot have any students without applications past this date.
Year 11 students have been sent their log in details to the PS16 website. These were sent to students’ school email accounts. This is the site students use to make applications to schools and colleges in Leicester and Leicestershire.
We have also shown our students a simple guide of what to do once logged in to the site. We showed this during assembly. This has also been shared on ClassCharts so that students, parents and carers can refer to it (it is a Power Point).
Please ensure that students keep their log in details safe. Students can now start using this site as set out on the Power Point – ensuring their personal details etc as well as personal statements are up to date on the system.
Mandarin Club
As part of Chinese New Year celebrations, our Mandarin teachers are interested in running a slightly different Mandarin club on Tuesday 11th February only. The session could include paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy, lantern/face mask making etc. All students who are currently signed up to Mandarin Club will have their usual place. If anyone else would be interested in attending this session please email Mr Croucher. We will run the spaces on a first come first served basis.
Unfortunately there will be no Mandarin Club running on Tuesday 4th February.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We will be relaunching our programme in 2025 and are aiming to run both the Bronze and the Silver Awards. We will be in touch in the new year with more information including the new costs.
We have always felt this is a really important opportunity for our young people and it goes without saying that we are excited to be launching in 2025. As a result we have taken the necessary time to ensure we move forward with a model that allows our students to enjoy and succeed with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. More information will come out in the New Year.
Till Upgrade Completed
I would like to thank all the parents and students for their support since coming back to school whilst we integrate to the new system.
A few things have come about that we would like to make you aware of:
- On 7th and 8th January there are transactions showing on SchoolComms accounts 3 times, however students were only charged once as we checked on multiple accounts that have enquired.
- Plastic Fobs with QR codes were given to tutors this morning and all students will have one they can use on the till system. We have 2x Spare at the school for each student also, however if all 3 need to be replaced there maybe a charge of £1.00.
- It is important that there is sufficient funds on your son/daughters account as the canteen staff are unable to serve students without any money on their accounts (FSM students will automatically get their account credited with £2.80 per day).
If you are having issues with connecting to Schoolcomms please email admin@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk and we will support.
Again thank you for your support and patience whilst we integrate this system.
Mr S Tweed
School Business Leader
Alumni
We are really keen for former Manor High School students to share their experiences of the world of work with our students.
If you, a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please email us via the Admin email (FAO Mr Croucher).
Many thanks.
After School Study Centre and Interventions
Please can you reinforce to students that if they are staying behind at school to use the study centre (either to work or to wait for a parent to collect them) they must not leave site first and then come back. We have had a number of students leave site at the end of the school day, head to the shop and then arrive back at school 15 minutes later saying they need to wait in the study centre. We cannot allow students to just come and go like this as it is not safe and also not fair to staff who are supporting in the study centre.
The same is the case for interventions. If a student has an intervention session after school they must leave session 3, stay on site and then head to their intervention. Some students have been leaving site at the end of the day, heading to the shops and then wanting to be let back onto site 15 minutes later. This is also not acceptable.
Thanks for your support with this.
Year 10 Work Experience
Thank you to all who have brought forms back in. Payments have been set up on the school gateway (thank you also to those who have already paid). Please make your payment promptly so your form can be fully processed.
Safeguarding Update
Tellmi
Tellmi offers a safe space for young people to talk about difficult things and get support from others who are dealing with similar issues. Students can access anonymous, pre-moderated peer and counsellor support, as well as 1-2-1 therapy through the Tellmi app and web app. They can also connect to the First Steps ED service to get specialist support for issues relating to body image or disordered eating.
This service is funded by the NHS, so it is free and it is exclusively available to young people who live in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. Students don’t need a referral and there is no waiting list.
Tellmi can be downloaded for free from the App Store, Play Store or via our Web App tellmi.app
Online Safety Newsletter – January 2025
I hope you have had a good break and a healthy and safe start to the new year. Attached is some key information for families regarding keeping young people safe in their use of technology. Hopefully it will provide some great tips and hacks to support you and your child.
Increasing Incidents of Illness In Children – LCC Public Health
During the winter months, illnesses such as colds and flu are more common. The NHS continues to experience significant pressures this winter. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself to stay well, which includes getting your seasonal vaccinations, and adopting healthy habits.
Flu Vaccinations
The School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) is currently offering all children and young people in primary, secondary and special schools a free flu vaccine. Details are shared with parents and carers through your child’s school. It’s important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if your child has missed the school flu vaccine, the SAIS team will contact you about catch-up sessions. If you or your child have missed any other vaccine, contact your GP to catch up.
For more local information about vaccinations, please visit our website
Healthy Habits
Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to stop germs from spreading. Regularly washing hands in soap and warm water for 20 seconds can help you and your child to stay well and not pass on germs.
Using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes helps to prevent the spread of germs. Make sure tissues are thrown in the bin after use.
Make Sure You Have Self-Care Essentials at Home
Consider keeping these essentials at home: thermometer, plasters, child-friendly paracetamol and ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, an ice-pack and antihistamines. Store medicines in a cool, dry, lockable cabinet, out of reach of children and always check the dates on medicines.
Other Useful Information
Headteacher’s Update
Dear Parents
As we approach the conclusion of a long term, I find myself reflecting on the numerous achievements and milestones of 2024. Our commitment to excellence has been consistently recognised and validated by external assessments, reinforcing our position as the leading local secondary school.
In February, we underwent a comprehensive review conducted by Challenge Partners, an organisation dedicated to evaluating school effectiveness. Their assessment culminated in a report that commended us for ‘Leading in All Areas’. This external validation serves as a testament to the collective efforts of our pupils, staff, and the wider school community. The full report is available here Challenge Partners – Manor High School – Oadby
Building upon this success, we continued to refine and enhance our offer to the community throughout the academic year. Our dedication to continuous improvement was further acknowledged during the penultimate week of the academic year (!) when OFSTED visited our school. That inspection confirmed that Manor High School was still a “Good” School. Whilst overall OFSTED gradings were abolished shortly after this, we were very pleased that the inspectors’ observations aligned with our own self-evaluation, highlighting areas of strength and identifying opportunities for further development. The OFSTED report can be accessed here Ofsted – Manor High School – Oadby.
November brought additional cause for celebration with the release of the government’s school performance tables. I am immensely proud to announce that Manor High School has once again demonstrated its academic prowess, maintaining the highest progress score in Oadby, LE2, and LE5. In fact, this has been the case since ‘records began’ in 2019. This remarkable achievement is a direct result of the unwavering dedication of our pupils, the tireless efforts of our staff, and the invaluable support provided by parents. Together, we continue to embody our ethos of ‘Excellent People with Excellent Results’. Information is here Manor High School – Compare school and college performance data in England – GOV.UK
As we conclude this term, we have been celebrating a multitude of successes. An impressive 62,291 rewards have been issued, averaging approximately 70 per pupil. To commemorate these achievements, we organised special events including a cinema experience and a pizza party, (which required two classrooms to accommodate the numerous recipients!). Bradgate House currently leads in positive points, though the competition remains fierce with the other houses following closely behind.
Looking ahead to the new term, I would like to draw your attention to forthcoming changes in our food service and Management Information System. These modifications are direct responses to parental feedback and are designed to further enhance your experiences with our school systems. Information is in the news below.
As we bid farewell to 2024, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and wish you all a wonderful festive season. We look forward to welcoming our students back on Tuesday, 7th January, at the usual time, ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges that 2025 will bring.
Merry Christmas!
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Modern Languages A Level visit to Beauchamp College
This week, the Modern Languages department at Manor High School was offered an exciting opportunity by Beauchamp College VI Form for students to participate in an A Level French or Spanish taster morning. We were asked to select ten students who either have expressed an interest in studying French or Spanish at A Level or have an aptitude for these languages. Students had the opportunity to meet current VI Form students, Beauchamp College teachers and a member of staff from the Modern Languages department at the University of Leicester, who was able to answer questions about how languages can complement other career pathways.
A huge thanks to the staff at Beauchamp College VI Form, our students had a fabulous time and it has confirmed for some of them that they will definitely pursue a language in KS5.
Year 9 Options Process: Information for Families
As we approach an important stage in your child’s education, we would like to share key information about the GCSE options process.
On Friday 13th December, we held an assembly to share information about subjects available for Year 9 students to choose from. Students were also given a printed version of the choices to encourage them to carry out research and discuss subjects with peers, teachers, and family members. The following information was also shared with students:
Timeline: Indication of timeframe:
- Options Assembly: students attended assembly to learn about the GCSE option subjects.
- Discussion Time: Families can talk about options and plan together.
- Finalising Choices with Tutor: Students finalise their choices in school, with their tutor on Friday 10th
- Confirmation of Choices: Choices will be confirmed with students later in the spring / summer terms.
Supporting Your Child: To help students make informed decisions, we encourage them to:
- Research Online: There are many useful resources about GCSE subjects and related careers. Our school website has a wealth of information. https://www.manorhigh.leics.sch.uk/curriculum-learning/gcse-options/
- Talk to Teachers: Subject teachers can answer questions about course content and expectations.
- Speak to Peers: Current Key Stage 4 students can share their experiences of different subjects.
- Support from Family Members: Have conversations about choices and future study / career pathways.
What to Consider: When choosing GCSE options, students should think about:
- What they enjoy:Interest in a subject often leads to success.
- Progress: What subjects are they doing well in or have potential in?
- Future Studies: Consider how choices align with future education, like college or university.
- Career aspirations: Some subjects are key to specific career pathways or opportunities
Key Stage 4 Curriculum:
The Key Stage 3 curriculum is thoughtfully structured to provide students with a broad and well-rounded educational experience. As they transition to Key Stage 4, students have the opportunity to tailor their learning by selecting subjects that align with their interests and future aspirations.
We are proud to be recognised for our high percentage of students achieving the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The EBacc encompasses core subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, History or Geography, and French or Spanish. This combination equips young people with essential knowledge and skills, providing them with a strong foundation for future academic and career opportunities.
Pursuing the EBacc at GCSE ensures students gain the breadth of learning that educational institutions and employers value highly. Therefore, all students study English (Language and Literature), science, maths, modern foreign language (French or Spanish), and a humanities subject (Geography or History).
A select number of students will be invited to an alternative pathway tailored to their specific needs. Students and families involved will be contacted directly to discuss this in detail in January.
In addition to EBACC subjects, students will have a choice from the following option blocks, A and B. Students will indicate two preferences from each block, and one subject will be allocated based on availability.
Please click here for the options
In addition to their chosen GCSE subjects, all students will study statutory Core R.E., PSHE, and P.E. These subjects are an essential part of the curriculum, supporting students’ personal development, physical well-being, and understanding of social and ethical issues. They play a vital role in fostering well-rounded individuals and preparing students for life beyond school.
While we strive to accommodate all students’ curriculum choices, we must work within the parameters of our timetable. For instance, a subject requires a sufficient number of students opting for it to be viable within the school timetable. Additionally, we carefully consider staffing to ensure that students benefit from specialist teachers with the expert knowledge and skills needed to deliver the highest quality learning experience and support students to achieve the best possible outcomes. We are committed to supporting students in securing their preferred options and will communicate with them promptly should any adjustments be necessary.
Working Together:
This process is a collaboration between students, parents, and teachers. While guidance is important, the final choices should reflect your child’s interests, strengths, and goals.
Students will make final choices by completing an online form using their iPad. This will take place during their tutor time session on Friday 10th January. Please be assured that instructions and support will be provided to students on how to complete the online form.
We are here to support students throughout this journey. Please contact your child’s tutor should you have any questions.
Thank you for helping your child make thoughtful and informed decisions.
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 site (PS16)
Deadline dates: the deadline for applications was Monday 16th December. Please note that any year 11 students who have their 1-1 careers talk during the weeks commencing 16/12/24 and 6/1/25 have a slightly later deadline of Monday 13th January. In order for us as a school to process your applications please ensure you have sent your applications off via the PS16 website by these dates. We must have all applications sent by Monday 13th January – we cannot have any students without applications past this date.
Year 11 students have been sent their log in details to the PS16 website. These were sent to students’ school email accounts. This is the site students use to make applications to schools and colleges in Leicester and Leicestershire.
We have also shown our students a simple guide of what to do once logged in to the site. We showed this during assembly. This has also been shared on ClassCharts so that students, parents and carers can refer to it (it is a Power Point).
Please ensure that students keep their log in details safe. Students can now start using this site as set out on the Power Point – ensuring their personal details etc as well as personal statements are up to date on the system.
Rewards
It is always a pleasure working with our wonderful students at Manor High School. However, it has been a particular pleasure this week. To recognise student and staff efforts we have organised a celebration week. This has included:
- The top 15 achievement point scorers from Year 7, 8 and 9 were given tickets to attend the MHS cinema on Wednesday afternoon. They were rewarded with a showing of ‘That Christmas’ and treated to as much popcorn as they could eat. Everyone had a brilliant time.
- The top students from Year’s 10 and 11 who had lot of achievement points and very few behaviour points were treated to a Pizza Party on Thursday!
- Students who have significantly improved their attendance also had a Pizza Party!
- Our December form of the Month for behaviour and attendance were rewarded with delicious Donuts. B6 have 2164 achievement points , less than 100 behaviour points between them and above 96% attendance. Well done to B6!
- Lots of other points and rewards were handed out!!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas break
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We will be relaunching our programme in 2025 and are aiming to run both the Bronze and the Silver Awards. We will be in touch in the new year with more information including the new costs.
We have always felt this is a really important opportunity for our young people and it goes without saying that we are excited to be launching in 2025. As a result we have taken the necessary time to ensure we move forward with a model that allows our students to enjoy and succeed with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. More information will come out in the New Year.
Message from Oadby Food Bank
Hello everyone,
On behalf of the volunteers at Oadby Food Bank I would like to thank you all for the donations your individual schools have made this year. It has been amazing.
We have spent the last few days date checking and sorting out the items. This afternoon we will be packing 180 bags of tins, cereal, pasta etc for approximately 100 households (large families receive two bags) as well as 100 Christmas bags and 100 fresh produce bags (one per household).
Tomorrow we will be handing it out and then “closing the door” until the New Year!
If you can please pass on our thanks to anyone involved with your donations.
Have a good Christmas and a happy New Year.
THANK YOU!
Michael Elliott
On behalf of Oadby Food Bank.
Alumni
We are really keen for former Manor High School students to share their experiences of the world of work with our students.
If you, a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please email us via the Admin email (FAO Mr Croucher).
Many thanks.
After School Study Centre and Interventions
Please can you reinforce to students that if they are staying behind at school to use the study centre (either to work or to wait for a parent to collect them) they must not leave site first and then come back. We have had a number of students leave site at the end of the school day, head to the shop and then arrive back at school 15 minutes later saying they need to wait in the study centre. We cannot allow students to just come and go like this as it is not safe and also not fair to staff who are supporting in the study centre.
The same is the case for interventions. If a student has an intervention session after school they must leave session 3, stay on site and then head to their intervention. Some students have been leaving site at the end of the day, heading to the shops and then wanting to be let back onto site 15 minutes later. This is also not acceptable.
Thanks for your support with this.
Arbor
Over the next 2 weeks Manor High School will be moving our Management Information System (MiS) from SIMS to Arbor.
This is part of a long-term project to enable the school to have better information systems in place.
If you have a child that is at another school with Arbor, you may see Manor High School in your Arbor application. For now, you will not be able to use this for communication with the school as we will not be enabling this until Summer 2025 and we will send out communications when this will be activated.
For now, School Gateway will continue to be used for communications and payments
Year 10 Work Experience
Thank you to all who have brought forms back in. Payments have been set up on the school gateway (thank you also to those who have already paid). Please make your payment promptly so your form can be fully processed.
Safeguarding Update
Tellmi
Christmas can be a bit overwhelming and is especially so for young people who struggle with low self-esteem, negative body-image and eating difficulties. Tellmi offers a safe space to talk about difficult things and get support from others who are dealing with similar issues. Students can access anonymous, pre-moderated peer and counsellor support, as well as 1-2-1 therapy through the Tellmi app and web app. They can also connect to the First Steps ED service to get specialist support for issues relating to body image or disordered eating.
This service is funded by the NHS, so it is free and it is exclusively available to young people who live in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. Students don’t need a referral and there is no waiting list.
Tellmi can be downloaded for free from the App Store, Play Store or via our Web App (tellmi.app)
Children’s Wellbeing
Please see attached booklet from the NHS Mental Health Service Team to help support students over the winter – Winter Support Booklet 2024
Increasing Incidents of Illness In Children – LCC Public Health
During the winter months, illnesses such as colds and flu are more common. The NHS continues to experience significant pressures this winter. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself to stay well, which includes getting your seasonal vaccinations, and adopting healthy habits.
Flu Vaccinations
The School Aged Immunisation Service (SAIS) is currently offering all children and young people in primary, secondary and special schools a free flu vaccine. Details are shared with parents and carers through your child’s school. It’s important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if your child has missed the school flu vaccine, the SAIS team will contact you about catch-up sessions. If you or your child have missed any other vaccine, contact your GP to catch up.
For more local information about vaccinations, please visit our website
Healthy Habits
Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to stop germs from spreading. Regularly washing hands in soap and warm water for 20 seconds can help you and your child to stay well and not pass on germs.
Using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes helps to prevent the spread of germs. Make sure tissues are thrown in the bin after use.
Make Sure You Have Self-Care Essentials at Home
Consider keeping these essentials at home: thermometer, plasters, child-friendly paracetamol and ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, an ice-pack and antihistamines. Store medicines in a cool, dry, lockable cabinet, out of reach of children and always check the dates on medicines.
Extra Curricular Activities & Other Useful Information
Headteacher’s Update
Dear Parents
Christmas may be approaching, however we continue to keep the pace in school. There is no let up due to the festive season. We are acutely aware that every minute students are in school matters greatly.
This week we have had our Christmas Concert. It was wonderful to see the students involved demonstrated their passions for the Performing Arts. There were many students that excelled- too many to mention individually.
We also held our Year 11 Pre Public Examination Results Evening yesterday. We thank all parents that attended that event, and there were many- the vast majority in fact. It is key that the students are supported both in school and at home in this crucial last year. It was great to see so many parents present supporting their children and listening to the key messages. We are sure it will be useful.
As I type this message our Year 9 students are in the Hall learning more about their GCSE Option choices for next year. This is something we would ask you talk to your child about over the coming days, before they make any decisions about their next steps.
In addition ,we recently had a safeguarding audit carried out by some external experts. I feel that it is very important that we have external scrutiny of key areas so that there are ‘fresh eyes’ on our school. The audit went very well and confirmed that safeguarding is effective and that children are safe at school. Whilst this was recently confirmed by OFSTED before the summer break, this is something we continually check and keep a close eye upon. Some excerpts from the written report are below….
“Pupils were observed during both break and lunchtime. There was a calm atmosphere in all areas. Appropriate level of staffing were observed.”
“Pupils were very positive that if they had to report anything then that it would be taken seriously and dealt with by the member of staff.”
“Staff were also confident in what to do if they had a concern about a child, how to report it and who to report it to.”
“Safeguarding is included in the curriculum – pupils spoke highly of their lessons and felt that the areas that they covered were important.”
“All pupils felt safe in all areas of school and that is was a good place to be.”
We are pleased to have the reassurances that our procedures are in place and that students recognise that they are having impact. An area of focus for us is to develop our PHSE curriculum even further this year. Work has already taken place this term, with Miss Wilson taking responsibility as a PHSE Lead, working closely with Mrs Newbury to make our PHSE curriculum even better. During the safeguarding audit, this was also recognised- “A new PHSE lead has very recently been appointed and pupils were very positive about these lessons and know that they are important.”
I also received a letter this week from the Local Authority Director of Children and Family Services congratulating us on our recent Ofsted report. The letter quoted various parts of our report, including
“Manor High School has a purposeful atmosphere across the school. Pupils are considerate, polite and courteous. They work diligently and behave very well. Pupils focus on their learning well.”. The letter goes on to say that I should “be rightly proud of the work of the achievements of the school” and would like to… “wish you, your hard-working staff, and governors every success in the future”.
However, as well as being down to the hard work of these people, who are rightly to be thanked it is also down to the hard work of families in supporting children and the school. Never were the words of Henry Ford more true- “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Christmas Production
The Performing Arts Department performed their Christmas production – Legends and Icons of Stage, Screen and Song on Wednesday 11th December. Students in our clubs and ensembles have been working hard all term on a variety of items inspired by iconic figures in music and drama.
This was a truly wonderful event and the hall was filled with lots of parents! Thank you also to Brookside Primary for coming to our afternoon dress rehearsal, the students were amazing and were treated to some great performances from Manor High School students. We hope that everyone enjoyed their evening of music and drama.
Year 11 Art & Design Students
Year 11 Art and Design students have been testing out their art skills in a 10-hour practice exam, starting and completing their final responses to their Food project. They have each designed their own original piece and used a range of media, including acrylic paint, oil pastel, clay and fabric. Perfect practice for their Final exam in the spring.
SMD Construction Opportunity
Following the really positive talks with the SMD team we have decided that we will postpone tours of the construction site until the New Year. This is due to the recent weather making the site unsuitable for student visitors at the moment.
The team are really committed to taking some of our students on site. We will be in touch once we have some confirmed dates.
Science Club
Please note that Year 7 Science club will not be running on Monday 16th December.
The club will resume on Monday 13th January 2025. If your child is interested in joining the club, please ask them to speak to Miss Thompson.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We will be relaunching our programme in 2025 and are aiming to run both the Bronze and the Silver Awards. We will be in touch in the new year with more information including the new costs.
We have always felt this is a really important opportunity for our young people and it goes without saying that we are excited to be launching in 2025. As a result we have taken the necessary time to ensure we move forward with a model that allows our students to enjoy and succeed with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. More information will come out in the New Year.
PE Notice
We have been very impressed with the engagement in lessons from our students, even despite the inclement weather. We have seen a decline in weather over the last couple of weeks, and we want our students to stay as dry as possible. We have mentioned to all students that they should bring spare shoes and socks in case they get their feet wet in PE lessons. We also suggest the purchase of a waterproof jacket. We are mindful of cost for parents and therefore are not going to provide a more expensive branded option- some suggestions are below. We are more than happy for students to wear these.
Gelert | Waterproof Packaway Jacket | Waterproof Jackets | SportsDirect.com
Regatta | Stormbreaker Jacket | Waterproof Jackets | SportsDirect.com
Regatta | Laiyah Ld99 | Waterproof Jackets | SportsDirect.com
Gelert | Packaway Ladies Jacket | Waterproof Jackets | SportsDirect.com
Regatta | Kids Stormbreak Waterproof Jacket | Waterproof Jackets | SportsDirect.com
Rugby and Hockey has started for years 7,8 and 9, it is essential students have mouthguards for these activities, please see below an example reasonably priced mouthguard.
Sondico | Ergo Fit Fusion Mouthguard | Mouthguards | SportsDirect.com
At £5 these are great value and should last the life of their time here at Manor!
Alumni
We are really keen for former Manor High School students to share their experiences of the world of work with our students.
If you, a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please email us via the Admin email (FAO Mr Croucher).
Many thanks.
After School Study Centre and Interventions
Please can you reinforce to students that if they are staying behind at school to use the study centre (either to work or to wait for a parent to collect them) they must not leave site first and then come back. We have had a number of students leave site at the end of the school day, head to the shop and then arrive back at school 15 minutes later saying they need to wait in the study centre. We cannot allow students to just come and go like this as it is not safe and also not fair to staff who are supporting in the study centre.
The same is the case for interventions. If a student has an intervention session after school they must leave session 3, stay on site and then head to their intervention. Some students have been leaving site at the end of the day, heading to the shops and then wanting to be let back onto site 15 minutes later. This is also not acceptable.
Thanks for your support with this.
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 Site (PS16)
Deadline dates: the deadline for applications is Monday 16th December. Please note that any year 11 students who have their 1-1 careers talk during the weeks commencing 16/12/24 and 6/1/25 have a slightly later deadline of Monday 13th January. In order for us as a school to process your applications please ensure you have sent your applications off via the PS16 website by these dates.
Year 11 students have been sent their log in details to the PS16 website. These were sent to students’ school email accounts. This is the site students use to make applications to schools and colleges in Leicester and Leicestershire.
We have also shown our students a simple guide of what to do once logged in to the site. We showed this during assembly. This has also been shared on ClassCharts so that students, parents and carers can refer to it (it is a Power Point).
Please ensure that students keep their log in details safe. Students can now start using this site as set out on the Power Point – ensuring their personal details etc as well as personal statements are up to date on the system.
Year 10 Work Experience
Thank you to all who have brought forms back in. Payments have been set up on the school gateway (thank you also to those who have already paid). Please make your payment promptly so your form can be fully processed.
Safeguarding Update
Tellmi
Christmas can be a bit overwhelming and is especially so for young people who struggle with low self-esteem, negative body-image and eating difficulties. Tellmi offers a safe space to talk about difficult things and get support from others who are dealing with similar issues. Students can access anonymous, pre-moderated peer and counsellor support, as well as 1-2-1 therapy through the Tellmi app and web app. They can also connect to the First Steps ED service to get specialist support for issues relating to body image or disordered eating.
This service is funded by the NHS, so it is free and it is exclusively available to young people who live in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. Students don’t need a referral and there is no waiting list.
Tellmi can be downloaded for free from the App Store, Play Store or via our Web App (tellmi.app)
Children’s Wellbeing
Please see attached booklet from the NHS Mental Health Service Team to help support students over the winter – Winter Support Booklet 2024
Food Bank Collection
Manor High School will be collecting food donations for the Oadby Food Bank between now and the 16th December. Please see the attached list for suggested items to support the local community.
