Headteacher’s Update
Dear Families
We have much to be proud of this week. In particular the inspiration and leadership skills demonstrated by our students.
On Tuesday we welcomed next years’ year 7 parents to school. We left the talking to the students who were proud to talk to parents about their experiences at school. We had lots of year 7 students who were keen to talk to parents- no easy task to converse with adults they didn’t know!
Then we helped out with planting trees to surround our new sports hall, which is nearing completion. I hope to share some images of this as we near completion over the coming weeks. The students were really excited and keen to help plant trees which will be there for generations to see.
Finally, our core values were evident last night as our Manor’s Got Talent event took place. The entire evening was organised by our Year 11 students who have been truly inspirational in their approach to getting acts together, auditioning and making sure they were of the standard expected. All pretty much done single-handedly.
Of course credit goes to the students performing, they were incredible and displayed true resilience to get up and perform for their peers and their families. There was representation from a range of year groups, not just year 11 students. There is real talent amongst the student body.
Our students are working hard at the moment and really demonstrating our vision of ‘excellent people, excellent results’. We are rightly proud of the character our students show and hope you as parents are too. As we said in our email last week, we are stronger working together to ensure our students can be the best versions of themselves.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Manors Got Talent
A huge congratulations to all the incredible performers who took part in Manors Got Talent.
Special recognition goes to the Year 11 organising committee, whose dedication and planning made the entire event such a success.
We are delighted to announce this year’s winners:
🥇 1st Place: Ikjot
🥈 2nd Place: Storme
🥉 3rd Place: The Band With No Name – featuring Rowan, Ezra, Freddie, and Robert
Well done to each of you for your outstanding performances. And a big thank you to everyone who took part—you all made this an unforgettable evening.
Year 11 Art & Design
Our Year 11 Art & Design students have been demonstrating exceptional dedication and creativity this term as they prepare for their final exam piece. Their commitment has extended well beyond the classroom, with many attending additional lunchtime sessions and even a Saturday morning workshop to refine and perfect their work.
These extra efforts have been focused on making final improvements and honing their designs in preparation for the practical exam, which will take place during the first week back after the Easter holidays. Over the course of a demanding 10-hour exam, students will bring their artistic visions to life in a final masterpiece that reflects months of hard work.
We are extremely proud of their commitment and resilience in this fast-paced, high-pressure but extremely rewarding project.
Arbor Communications
In January we changed our main database for pupil and parent data. The new system is called ‘Arbor’.
From 28th April 2025, we will be switching over our communications from School Gateway to Arbor. This will allow us as a school to communicate with you more efficiently
Between now and 28th April 2025 please download the Arbor Parent App and register. It can be found in the app store or google play store. The logo you require is:
Please follow this link to help you get started –
Parent Portal and App – Getting started and logging in – Arbor Help Centre
If you experience any issues, please let us know via admin@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk If you have a child at another school and you currently use Arbor, Manor High School should appear automatically.
At the start of the next academic year we will also be moving from School Gateway to Arbor payments, which will allow you to use one app rather than 2 different apps. This will prevent you having to remember multiple log ins and passwords. During the summer term we will send out communications to support this transfer, but for now you should continue to use School Gateway to pay for services such as meals and trips.
College Applications & PS16
School and college offers meetings – important dates
Thursday 1st May – Beauchamp City Sixth Form will come into school to meet with any students who are holding offers with their school (same as Beauchamp College but the date is to be confirmed).
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 site (PS16)
Please can all Year 11 be aware of these key next steps regarding Post 16 applications. Thank you.
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.
- Regularly check your emails (the email address you gave on your PS16 profile e.g. school or personal email) as schools / colleges may email you here
- 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
If you have applied to Leicester College through Post 16 they have emailed students (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.
Pathways at Post 16 (all years)
It is always good to plan ahead. As a result we have started talking to our Year 9 and 10 students about different options available to them in Post 16 education after Manor High School.
On Tuesday our Year 9 students had an additional assembly that was led by Gateway College. The assembly highlighted the different routes available to students in Post 16 education (including A Levels, BTECs and T Levels all available at Gateway). On Thursday our students in Year 10 heard from Leicester College about the pathways they offer (including Apprenticeships and T Levels)
It is important for all students to be aware of pathways available to them. We have attached a presentation from Gateway and the following links take you to various areas they showed:
A video of their facilities – https://www.youtube.com/@GatewayCollegeLeics
Their home page for open events – https://gateway.ac.uk/
For all students and parents/carers it is never too late to start looking at the different schools/colleges available and thinking about possible routes after Manor High School.
| Here are some explanations of key terms that may help when looking at Post 16 course – it is never too early to start looking 😊
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| Level 3
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The next stage of qualification after GCSEs. A levels are a Level 3 course. BTECs and T Levels run Level 3 courses too. |
| Level 2 | GCSE passes (grades 4 and above) are Level 2 qualifications. At post 16 a Level 2 qualification holds the same weighting as a GCSE pass. These courses may be suitable for students who need to retake a GCSE (E.G. English or Maths) and they then open the doorway to Level 3 qualifications. There are BTECs run at Level 2 and some colleges also offer Foundation T Levels which are Level 2 |
| Level 1 | A qualification that is equivalent to a GCSE grade of 1-4. These qualifications are suitable for students who may need a more accessible course to help them move towards higher levels. There are a range of vocational subjects that are at Level 1. |
| T Levels | A vocational qualification that is linked directly to a career. They are 80% coursework and 20% work in experience in the career area. T Levels are a Level 3 course that are equivalent in weighting to 3 A Levels. Some colleges do offer Level 2 foundation T Levels that bridge the gap into the Level 3 courses. |
| BTEC | A vocational course that is linked to an employment sector or area. BTECs are split into units and these are completed as coursework. There is usually an examined unit too but the majority of a student’s grade comes from the coursework. BTECs do run from Level 1. Some BTECs are worth more in terms of weighting than others e.g. L3 EXTENDED/ADVANCED Diploma – 3 ‘A’ levels, L3 Diploma (National/Technical) = 2 ‘A’ levels, L3 Extended Certificate = 1 ‘A’ Level. |
| Apprenticeships | These are courses that involve a large placement for paid work within an employment sector. The student then also attends college in order to learn more about the sector and gain qualifications. Apprenticeships run from Level 2 all the way to Degree Level. |
| A Level | An academic course. These are set up in the same way as GCSEs but are clearly harder (being Level 3). They are assessed at the end of a two year course via an exam. Some A Levels do have smaller elements of coursework too such as PE, Music etc. They are offered for the same subject areas as GCSE subjects as well as some more additional subjects too. |
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.
Sport Shirt Day
In an exciting initiative to raise funds for brand new equipment for the school’s state-of-the-art sports hall, students are invited to join in on a fun and spirited fundraising event on Friday, 11th April. The campaign encourages every student to wear a sports top representing their favourite team, club, or sporting outfit.
Dress Code Details
Participants are encouraged to showcase their sporting allegiance by donning any sports top that reflects their support for a team or sporting club. However, a reminder has been issued that hoodies are not permitted as part of the day’s attire. For those students who choose not to participate in the theme, it is required that they wear their full school uniform on this day.
Donation Information
A modest donation of £1 is being requested from each participant to contribute towards the necessary sports hall equipment. All contributions will be collected via SchoolGateway, ensuring a smooth and efficient process for all involved. Please make you payment no later than Thursday 10th April, there will be no option to make the payment on the day.
On the day during breaktime, make sure to stop by the samosa and bake sales for a tasty snack while supporting a great cause. Then, at lunchtime, cheer on your classmates or join in the action during the football and basketball competitions against the teachers. Think you’ve got what it takes to take down the staff? Bring some change to participate!
Safeguarding Update
Guide to Emojis
People of all ages use emojis in their digital communications. In addition to adding humour or emphasis to messages, for some communities and peer groups, these symbols can form a language of their own. This is particularly true of young people and teenagers, who sometimes use emojis as a code to disguise their true intentions from adults.
While hidden meanings behind emojis used by young people can be harmless, some may indicate risks including extremism, drugs, sexual interactions and bullying. This was recently brought to life on the Netflix limited series, Adolescence, which depicted the devastating consequences of harmful online interactions, and the warning signs (in the form of emojis) that are easily missed by adults.
To help schools and parents decode potentially harmful messages, we’ve compiled a list of emojis commonly used in dangerous contexts. This includes specific emojis used on the show, and others highlighted by the work of Olivia Brown, Associate Professor in Digital Futures at the University of Bath. Please see attached guide – Guide To Emojis
Understanding the Intimate Behaviour of Teens – Lucy Faithfull Foundation
Every child will develop in their own way. During their teenage years most children will go through puberty, start to have sexual feelings, form different types of relationships and look for sexual experiences. As a parent or a teacher charged with their education, it can feel uncomfortable to think about this and to know how to help for them. Teens get information and ideas about sex and relationships from the media, social media and friends. Needless to say, this is not a particularly conducive to a good knowledge transfer. Indeed, learning in this manner can expose them to unnecessary risks. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation has published an article on these issues over on their website, if you’re interested please follow the link below: https://www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk/advice/concerned-about-a-child-or-young-persons-sexual-behaviour/helping-parents-and-carers-understand-the-sexual-behaviour-of-teenagers/
Other useful links
Many thanks for supporting your children this week in making safe choices. We have had assemblies all week around making good decisions and what to do in situations that might escalate. Students have been great in their response to this and will have some consolidation work in PSHE over the forth coming weeks.
A great website for you to look at with your children is below:https://livesafe.org.uk/
Loneliness is a difficult feeling for anyone, so its not surprising that children can really struggle when they feel lonely. By learning more about loneliness, you can work with your child to help them. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/how-help-child-feels-lonely
Please read the attached Online Safety Newsletter