Headteacher’s Update
Dear Parents
School this week has been a calm quiet and studious place. Year 11 have been working their way through their PPE exams. We are pround of their dedication, commitment and efforts. These exams are very important as they do form the basis of predictions for college applications.
Also, we held our year 10 parents’ evening last night which was very well attended and showed a joint commitment to doing the very best for our students. We appreciate your support and interest in your child’s education, without us working together little will be achieved.
As we look ahead to next week, assemblies will focus around Anti-Bullying Week, which carries the theme of ‘Respect’ this year. This theme resonates with our core values and the ethos we strive to create within our school. Respect is not only something we teach but is also a principle we endeavour to embody in all our interactions. We expect this mutual respect to permeate all relationships within our school community – between pupils, among staff members, and in our two way engagement with parents. To facilitate constructive and respectful communication, we have developed a contact flowchart, accessible via the link provided below, which indicates the appropriate channels.
As the autumn chill sets in, we have noted a few ‘hoodies’ appearing on school premises. While we understand the desire for warmth, these garments are not part of our approved uniform and they will be confiscated. We kindly request your support in ensuring that your child refrains from wearing hoodies to school, opting instead for appropriate outerwear such as coats. Please check when your child leaves for school that they are only wearing items that are approved items of uniform.
Finally, our partner primary school Brookside is having some fencing installed to keep their site as safe as possible and their Headteacher Miss Brown has asked me to include a message in our communications this week. The only point of access to Brookside Primary is through their gate at the top of Copse Close. Parents should not walk across our car park to access the site, or come through our entrance to access Brookside as there is no access point. There is now temporary fencing restricting access. This will be replaced with permanent fencing over the coming weeks.
Also, no student from Manor High is allowed on their site at any times, this includes to pick up siblings or to meet parents. Adults only should be on their site. Students should meet parents outside of school please.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Year 10 and 11 PPE Timetables November 2024
Careers Opportunity
Calling all students who are interested in the following careers areas: engineering, construction, architecture, 3D modelling.
Steve Ignall is a Project Manager for smd Construction. This is the company behind our sports hall project. Steve is really keen to work with our students and we have agreed to:
- Run a talk with Steve Ignall (smd Project Manager). This will involve looking at all of the different roles available in the construction industry (not just on this site), looking at architects drawings and plans, looking at 3D mapping for the sports hall, QA opportunity for students.
- Tour of the construction site. For students who take part in the opportunity above, Steve has agreed we can get these students onto the site to look more closely at what is happening (hard hats and high vis jackets will be provided).
This is all totally free. If your child is interested in being involved, please ask them to let their tutor know (tutors have been asking this week).
This opportunity is available to all students! Once we have a list of students we will then be able to confirm dates with you. These sessions will take part in school time and students do not need to do any preparation for them other than to think of any questions they may have for Steve.
Leicester Children’s Holidays
We work in partnership with this charity. Mr Croucher is collecting the following items of unneeded but good condition school uniform for them: all aspects of school uniform, including badged items, P.E. items, blazers and even coats.
If you have any contributions please ask students to bring them to Mr Croucher next week. Many thanks!
New lunch time queuing plan
To ensure our lunch queues work even better than they have been, we have been using the following timings for students to come and queue for food:
Week A: Bradgate and Clarendon students can queue for their lunch from 12:40pm to 12:50pm. Knighton and Watermead students can then queue for their lunch from 12:50pm to 1pm. After 1pm we have free time were students any house can come back for more food etc.
Week B: Knighton and Watermead students can queue for their lunch from 12:40pm to 12:50pm. Bradgate and Clarendon students can then queue for their lunch from 12:50pm to 1pm. After 1pm we have free time were students any house can come back for more food etc.
Please note:
– Year 11 can still only use the Year 11 hatch.
– Queueing expectations remain the same for all students: no more than two students across, always facing forwards, give people in front of you space (i.e. do not push up to people), absolutely no pushing.
– the hatches do stay open after the times specified above so there is more than enough time for students to get their food. It has worked well so far!
In order for this system to work students have to wear their lanyards at lunch when queuing. If a lanyard is not worn they may be removed from the line and have to wait until 1pm – lanyards show which house you are in and help us to monitor the correct students are queuing at the correct times.
Study Mandarin Chinese
We are delighted to be able to offer the students the opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese. With China’s profile rapidly growing on the world stage and UK businesses forming more and more links with China, the need to learn Mandarin Chinese (the world’s most spoken language) is ever increasing.
This year, working with De Montfort University and the Confucius Institute we are able to offer two Mandarin groups-
Group 1 is for students who have studied in the Mandarin Club at MHS previously last year.
Group 2 is for beginners who wish to learn aspects of the language.
The club is open to all students from Year 7-11. Expressions of interest should be made by Monday 11th November.
We can confirm that the lesson will take place after school on Tuesdays, from 12th November, starting promptly at 3.05 pm and finishing at approximately 4.15 pm. Lessons will take place in Room 3A and Room 3.
Please understand that although this is an after school lesson, normal school expectations will be in place to ensure that all students make the best possible progress. Our expectations, as always, will be for the students to attend all session promptly, fully equipped and ready to learn.
Please complete the link below by Monday11th November to confirm that you are happy for your child to attend Mandarin Club, and that you will support both the school’s expectations and your child in attending all sessions.
U16 Table Tennis – South Leicester Champioms
Another busy week on the pitches, ball courts and tables for the sportsmen and women at Manor.
On Tuesday night, the U16 table tennis team won the South Leicestershire League, with victories over Beauchamp, Gartree, Wigston Academy and Wigston High. On the same night the U13’s managed a 4th place finish in their league.
On Thursday the boys U16 basketball team came 2nd in their regional competition, narrowly missing out on top spot by a single point on points scored.
Well done to all those who represented the school around the county this week and to those who are training hard during the extra curricular clubs.
Well done boys.
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 start for years 7,8 and 9 on the week commencing 4th November, 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 reaching out to any past students of our school who may be willing to inspire our current students. We are looking for people to share their experiences of life after Manor High School all the way to the world of work. If you think you have a family member or even friend who was a Manor High School student and could possibly help us with this please get them to email at: admin@manorhigh.leics.sch.uk (FAO Mr Croucher). Many thanks.
Year 11 – Post 16
Just a reminder. We have created a list of open events at local Post 16 providers (schools and colleges). Please note this list covers a lot of providers but not all of them. We advised that all students should look at a range of different providers to help them make a more informed decision about where they will apply next year. We have sent this list of open events to students via class charts as well. Please click the link below to view the information.
We will be in touch in the next few weeks about the Post 16 application process.
Year 11 – Positive Steps 16 Site (PS16)
Year 11 students have been sent their log in details to the PS16 website. These were sent this morning 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
Next week we will be giving our year 10 students application forms for work experience. We will also send out (via the weekly newsletter) full information about work experience and how it works (including costs to parents, money the school will subsidise towards costs and the benefits of work experience)
Safeguarding Update
Online Parenting Courses – Family Lives
Being a parent has never been easy. There are no manuals for it, and previous generations may not be able to provide the insight you’re looking for. The family unit is more dispersed than ever, with some families existing hundreds of miles from what may be called a ‘core unit’. The rapid pace of societal change in the UK rapidly outstrips the knowledge of the immediate past. The result is that many parents may find themselves lost in a maelstrom of contradictory advice. For adults, time has never been more compacted. Family Lives has produced a series of online parenting courses, to make this challenge a little easier. If interested please follow the link below:
https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/online-parenting-courses
Family Lives offers a confidential and free* helpline service for families in England and Wales (previously known as Parentline). They can be contacted on 0808 800 2222 for emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life. Their website is also a rich source of useful support and advice.
(* Free from landlines and most mobiles)
Online Safety Newsletter
Please click this link to view our online safety newsletter.
Extra Curricular Activities
Toilet Passes
Please be aware that toilet passes are only issued to the few students who have a medical need to have free access to the toilets, ensuring they are able to go at any point during the lesson. Medical evidence will be required.