Headteacher’s Update
Dear Families
This term has been long but very eventful. We have had several events occur in school and many parents’ evenings. Last night was our second tutor evening. This is the only event that we still do online. The reason for that is to have every single parent come into school to speak to their child’s tutor would be very busy indeed! We are however committed to the face to face parents’ evenings and have increased the number of interactions parents have with school over the last 12 months. We do feel it is important for you come into school and meet, face to face, with your child’s teachers. Relationships being built positively between home and school are crucial to the successes of children.
We have ended this long term with an eventful ‘Sports Kit’ day. This was requested by the students as they wanted to contribute to equipment for the new Sports Hall. The organising committee will have some conversations with Mr Cox our Head of PE about what we purchase with the money collected. It is wonderful to see our students demonstrate these leadership skills. I have said previously and make no apologies for repeating myself, but I am keen that we do focus on developing character as well as ensuring students get the best qualifications that they can.
With this is mind, I move to discuss Easter for our Year 11 students. A number of parents will have received email communication inviting their child to our Easter Revision Sessions. We are very fortunate that our staff happily donate their time during the Easter holidays to run revision sessions for key students. The timetable is below. If students have been asked to attend and do not do so will we will call home to ensure that they are safe.
I am aware that as the year progresses some items of uniform need to be replaced and that the Easter holidays are an opportunity to refresh various items of school uniform. The link to our school uniform policy is below, and I remind parents to please pay particular attention to this when purchasing key items such as shoes. As the weather warms (finally!) we do still expect students to wear their blazers, of course teachers will allow students to remove them in classrooms if it is too warm but they should be worn for school. Should there be a period of extreme heat towards the end of the year we will contact parents to let them know if this rule is relaxed for a period. Uniform – Manor High School – Oadby
I would like to end by reinforcing the importance of attendance in school. We have a target of 96% attendance for all students- it is so important that children are at school- if they are not here, they cannot learn. This point was clearly evidenced this morning during Year 11 assembly. I handed out Easter Eggs to the current top 10 achievers in year 11 to reward them for their efforts and there was a wonderful celebration and applause from students and staff. Each student collecting their reward had an attendance of more than 96%. The link between achievement and attendance is undeniable. Please support your child by ensuring they attend school so that they can be one of the top achievers.
We wish you a wonderful Easter break and look forward to seeing students back at school on Monday 28th April 2025.
With best wishes
Mr S Greiff
Manor High School Sports Hall
April 25th will mark the culmination of Manor High’s sporting facilities ambition with the completion of the new sports hall and four classrooms.
The Manor project has also been nominated for a National Site Award by the Considerate Constructors Scheme. These awards celebrate construction sites that go above and beyond in respecting the community, caring for the environment, and valuing the workforce
Below are some images of where we are now.
Easter Intervention Sessions
Staff remain fully committed to supporting Year 11 students. Targeted intervention sessions will be held during the first week of the Easter break. Please ensure that you have given permission for your child to attend the Easter Intervention Sessions they were invited to. Please do this by clicking on the link that was emailed to you for different subjects. Please find below a programme for week commencing Monday, 14th April 2025:
| Session | Time | Monday 14.04.25 | Tuesday 15.04.25 | Wednesday 16.04.25 | Thursday 17.04.25 | Friday 18.04.25 |
| 1 | 09:00 – 10:40 | English X
Maths W |
Geography
History |
Science
|
Food
Creative iMedia Enterprise and Marketing
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Bank Holiday |
| Break | 10:40 – 11:00 | |||||
| 2 | 11:00 – 12:40 | Maths X
English W |
Computer Science
Business Studies Drama
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Science
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Creative iMedia
Enterprise and Marketing
|
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| Lunch | 12:40 – 13:00 | |||||
| 3
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13:00 – 15:00 | Media | Business Studies
Music |
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Parents will have received invitation emails for students who would benefit from intervention sessions in different subjects. Please complete the linked proforma, giving permission for your child to attend. The session will be tailored to help your child with revision in preparation for their final exams.
Please note:
- Uniform: Students will not need to be required to wear school uniform; however, they must wear clothing and shoes that are appropriate for a school environment.
- Ready to Learn: Students will be expected to bring in their school bag, with their knowledge organiser, equipment, and any additional resources specific to the subjects they study.
- Refreshments: Students are welcome to bring a snack and a drink should they wish to as the school dining facilities will not be in operation.
- Behaviour: Students will be expected to respect our school standards and routines, follow instructions, and stay focussed on task during all intervention sessions. Same behaviour expectations apply as any other school day, and this includes bringing and using a mobile phone.
- Safeguarding: Students who are invited must attend and staff will need to contact home should they not attend. Please ensure students have a safe means of getting to school and returning home once finished.
Students are at an important stage in their studies, and these intervention sessions are aimed at helping them reach their full potential. As our staff dedicate their time to providing this additional support, it is only fair that invited students attend and actively participate to gain the most from these sessions.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Mr Karavadra
IET Faraday Challenge
On the 7th March six Year 8 students were asked to represent the school at the annual IET Faraday Challenge at Thomas Estley Community College. This event provided an exciting opportunity for the Year 8 students to engage in a hands-on engineering challenge, developing their problem-solving, teamwork and creativity skills. Their brief was to produce a device that would support three different age categories for their specific needs. The teams then raced against the clock to solve a real-life engineering problem, putting their engineering and technology knowledge and skills to the test.
The event aims to encourage more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by using creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills. We are incredibly proud of these students and represented the school beautifully. The six students have now received an Industrial Cadets Challenger Award for their participation of this event.
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.
Macbeth – The Little Theatre
There is a production of Macbeth on at the Little Theatre over Easter. This is a great opportunity to experience this GCSE English text as it was intended – as a piece of theatre! The Little Theatre offer £5 tickets on the night to young people.
You can visit their website to book tickets in advance www.thelittletheatre.co.uk, or turn up and buy on the door.
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.
LCFC Women’s Football Tickets
It is with great pleasure that we are able to tell you about this exciting offer.
LCFC are giving away 100 free tickets per school for the upcoming match between LCFC Women v Manchester City Women on Sunday 27th April at the King Power Stadium (3pm KO).
Manor High School has been allocated a unique code: SCHOOL-MCFCW134, which allows 50 different people to access two free tickets per transaction. Anyone within your group wishing to purchase additional tickets can do so by adding these to their transaction at a cost of £10 for adults and £4 for under 18s.
All information can be found on the link below:
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