Welcome to this week's newsletter
This week has been another exciting week at Manor School, not least with the first of a series of House assemblies starting with Key Stage Three year groups. It was great to see students receiving their House badges and pinning them with pride on the blazer lapels. These assemblies are opportunities to celebrate achievement and recognise success. Also, they enable us to shine a light on our REACH values and recognise the winners of our House competitions, both of which contribute the House totals that we publish on our website and around school. Mrs Johnson took the time in these assemblies to remind us all why we named the Houses in the way that we did.
We are looking forward to the Key Stage Four House assemblies.
Have a great weekend.
Lee Towers, Head of School
Flu vaccinations
Flu vaccinations will take place in school on Monday 16 January for those students in Years 7, 8 and 9 that have consented.
National Reference Test 2023
Manor School has been chosen to participate in the National Reference Test (NRT) for 2023. The NRT was introduced by the Department for Education to provide additional information to support the awarding of GCSEs in English and maths. It is a short test which reflects the sort of questions in the GCSE examinations for English language and maths and is taken by a representative sample of students in Year 11 each year. The tests take place in late February or early March.
When we have been informed of the test date for Manor School, and the students who have been selected, we will write directly to parents/carers of the students involved with information about what to expect. Please be reassured that any students who are normally in receipt of access arrangements for examinations will have the same arrangements applied for the NRT.
Summer exam timetable
We are currently in the process of making entries for the examinations in May/June and when this process is complete, we will send students and their parents/carers a list of exams that they have been entered for and a personalised examination timetable.
In the meantime, if you would like information on when the exams take place this year, the overall timetable of all examinations can be found below. Please note that all students, whether Year 11 or Year 13, should be available until 28 June 2023.
Sixth form applications
Please note that our deadline for sixth form applications has been extended to Thursday 19 January. Students can apply by completing our application form. Please contact choltman@manor.school should you have any queries.
Word of the Week
Each week, the English department focuses on encouraging students to use one ambitious word – it is displayed in classrooms and discussed during teaching. It would be great if adults at home could try to encourage the use of this word too. You could try to fit into a conversation or even question your young person on the meaning. It will be fantastic for the students to see us all working together to help improve their language. Thank you for your support.
The Word of the Week for 9-13 January is odious.
Young musicians
Congratulations to Year 12 student Kiera E who has been touring with the National Youth Orchestra over the past fortnight playing in prestigious venues around the country including the Barbican in London. Kiera was accepted into the National Youth Orchestra as a flute player after a rigorous audition process. To audition, players have to be grade 8 level or above on an orchestral instrument. Kiera is now playing beyond grade 8 at diploma level.
Kiera commented "My experience with the NYO over the past couple of weeks has been amazing. I have had the opportunity to perform at incredible venues, learn from top level instrumental tutors and world-classed conductors, working with musicians from all over the UK. I have never been a part of such a huge orchestra, the sound was immense and I had so much fun learning and working on such exciting repertoire with people who share the same passion for music as I do!"
Elsewhere across the school, a large portion of Manor musicians are currently county players and regularly participate in County Youth Orchestra, County Youth Concert Band and County Youth Choir performances. Furthermore, there are a number of students who are working at grade 7/8 and diploma level. We are extremely proud of them all.
Competitions week results
Further to the winners announced in last week's newsletter, congratulations also go to the following students:
- Geography and culture & ethics: Isabella S in Year 7 (Betula)
- History and social sciences: Isabella S in Year 7 (Betula)
- Modern foreign languages: Bella M (Acer) and Matthew S (Quercus) in Year 7, Poppy L in Year 8 (Betula), and Amelia P in Year 9 (Quercus)
Christmas Jumper Day total
We are delighted to announce that the grand total raised for Save the Children's Christmas Jumper Day in December was £341.69. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to the charity.
Homework and assessment forum
We would like to invite parents/carers of Year 8 students to attend a short parent forum on the topics of homework and assessment. This will take place at 6:00pm on Thursday 2 February.
Following this evening we will build on the feedback provided and engage with all parents, students and staff as we refine our strategy in these two areas.
The forum will last for around one hour and in order to enable effective discussion places are limited to 16 parents/carers. Please complete this form to register your interest to take part in the discussion before Friday 20 January. We will then confirm directly with those who have been randomly selected to attend. All parents/carers will have the opportunity to provide feedback in due course.
Mr Bateman and Mr Hurren
PE kit and participation expectations
PE is a core subject of our curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 11, which means all students are required to participate in PE for their timetabled lessons. In order to participate fully, all students are required to wear PE kit. The uniform policy shows what kit is acceptable, with the base colour being navy blue only. No hoodies or outdoor coats are permitted regardless of the weather, however students can wear as many layers under their kit as they wish and are allowed to wear navy waterproof jackets. We would like to strongly recommend that students are wearing tracksuit bottoms or leggings and jumpers, and not just arriving to lessons with shorts and a T-shirt.
It is also important to remember that we follow the ‘sick or fit, bring your kit’ rule. Providing a student with a note to excuse them from PE does not mean they will take no role in the lesson and as previously shared, students are still expected to change for PE even if the note states that they are feeling under the weather. Their class teacher will take this on board and ensure that the practical element of the lesson is reduced for them if this is necessary, but they will still be expected to be involved in the lesson in some capacity and in PE kit in order to do so. Students who do not bring PE kit for their lesson will receive a behaviour point. If the student continues to forget kit on a consistent basis then further sanctions will be implemented. Exceptions to this are made if it is difficult for a student to change due to lack of mobility such as a broken arm etc.
If a student has lost a piece of their PE kit or has kit on order, please ensure they come to school with something alternate to wear alongside a note to let us know when they will be back in the correct kit. This way they are still able to actively participate in the lesson.
It is important that all students participate in PE as it is shown that students who engage positively in exercise experience benefits to their physical, mental and social health. The first step to this is having a positive attitude and this is demonstrated first and foremost by students being ready for their lesson in kit.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Extra-curricular timetable
After-school group
Oundle School String Festival
Oundle School have planned a mini–String Festival on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 January. Players of all standards are welcome, with parts of varying difficulty from open strings to grade 8 plus. All string players are invited and may attend one or both days. The event is free of charge.
To register and access parts in advance, please complete this form. Full details of the festival can be downloaded below.
Please contact Angus Gibbon with any further enquiries: apg@oundleschool.org.uk
Service Six student competition
Stanwick Film Night
Don't forget that you can access your child's student details, attendance, REACH points and homework tasks via the Arbor parent portal app.
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