Our Manor School curriculum
We are very proud of our Manor School curriculum. This week I would like to share the overview of this curriculum so that you are fully informed of why we structure it as we do.
The journey to reach this point has involved significant consultation with students, parents, staff, governors and the local community and asking the question: What do we want our students to ‘look’ like 5 years after they have left? The biggest driver is our context, and a desire to provide the very best education for the young people of Raunds and the surrounding area. The result of this work is that our curriculum is constructed around three core strands:
WORK. WORLD. WELLNESS.
WORK.
Raunds and East Northamptonshire is a community that has traditionally been embedded in footwear and farming. Over several generations, opportunities within these industries have declined as they have become increasingly mechanised or diversified and this has led to a change in the local employment structure. In turn, this for some, can result in a feeling of lack of opportunity.
The reality is that there are many new and emerging industries in Northamptonshire and our immediate surrounding area. Logistics, engineering (especially linked to the motor sport industries), retail and bespoke/craft food and drink production are all either well established or up and coming; thriving in the locality and ripe to provide formal and informal opportunities for ‘work’ both within and beyond school. When this is combined with outstanding transport links and several world-class universities within an hour of our school, there are huge opportunities to exploit in order to provide significant choice and raise aspirations for all.
WORLD.
In our context, 95%+ of our school community is White British. Therefore, it is essential that we proactively recognise, celebrate and encourage diversity. This, in turn, will enable the young people of Manor School to contribute as knowledgeable global citizens; proud of their locality and understanding of others.
We have a good track record of recognition through the Global Learning Programme and achieving the International Schools Award, however, it is essential that global citizenship and celebrating diversity is a central strand within our core curriculum due to the context outlined above.
Indeed the importance of this is recognized by the UN with ‘Fostering Global Citizenship’, as priority 3 of the UN Secretary General’s Global Education First initiative. The GEFI outlines the role of education in global citizenship thus:
“Education must fully assume its central role in helping people to forge more just, peaceful, tolerant and inclusive societies. It must give people the understanding, skills and values they need to cooperate in resolving the interconnected challenges of the 21st century.”
At Manor we want our students to be pro-active, positive members of their local, regional and global communities to enable them to have the capacity to make a difference. Of the course of this year we are engaged in an exciting project with Undiscovered Country, which will enable our students to engage with and learn from students around the globe.
WELLNESS.
For the purposes of our curriculum we will define wellness as: an active process of becoming aware of and making positive choices towards a healthy, happy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness - it is a dynamic process of change and growth which is linked to the World Health Organisation definition of health.
Physical wellbeing is crucial to enabling our students to be active, contributing citizens both during and beyond their schooling. Our Sports College legacy has provided us with a positive vehicle within and beyond the local community to establish our identity. This is very important to us and we will continue to build this aspect of our work.
Mental wellbeing and health provision are also an explicit, positive and proactive focus of our work as part of our Wellness curriculum.
Through their Wise Up Campaign, Young Minds state:
“Emotional wellbeing is a clear indicator of academic achievement, success and satisfaction in later life. Evidence shows that mental health and wellbeing programmes in schools, can lead to significant improvements in children’s mental health, and social and emotional skills.”
With 80% of young people saying that schooling and exam pressure has significantly impacted on their mental health, we as a school, have a responsibility to find the appropriate balance between academic attainment and focusing on promoting the wellbeing of students.
External validation
Nene Education Trust hugely value the Work. World. Wellness. (WWW) curriculum because it is based around our locality and context. As a result, WWW now provides the curriculum drivers for all schools within the Trust from reception through to Year 13!
We were also delighted that in March 2020 the work we have done in this area was praised by OFSTED within their new framework which places the curriculum at the heart of what a school should be doing. OFSTED reported:
“Senior leaders have implemented a well-thought-out and ambitious academic and vocational curriculum for all pupils… Leaders have ensured that the curriculum for personal development is comprehensive and of high quality. The cornerstones of ‘work, world and wellness’ permeate many aspects of school life. Pupils learn about the wider world and prepare for their next steps. They benefit from a well-planned careers programme. They learn about equality, extremism and justice.”
Over the coming weeks we will share with you via this newsletter each element of our curriculum in more detail.
Jay Davenport, Principal
COVID-19 updates
When to book a test
Public Health England have released a letter to parents/carers with information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible.
You can download the letter below.
NHS COVID-19 app fact sheet
The new NHS COVID-19 app, now available to download for free, is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus. Information on the app's key features and how it can be used can be found in the following fact sheet for parents, carers and those who are 16 and over.
Adverse weather
We do hope you have all summered well. If the recent turn in the weather is anything to go by, it would appear as though summer may well and truly have left us behind. As you will be aware, our arrangements for keeping everyone safe through use of year group pods mean that many students spend much their day in the same classroom or in the same school block. As a result, we will be encouraging students to get outside where we can so that they get a change of scenery and some fresh air. Therefore, it is important that students come to school prepared for adverse weather. A warm waterproof coat is essential and we would also recommend an umbrella.
Just a note to new families new in our community - hoodies are not part of our school uniform and we do not consider them to be an appropriate replacement for a warm waterproof coat.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Senior Leadership Team
Introduction to the Sixth Form: Virtual Event
On Tuesday, we invited Year 12 parents and carers to a virtual introduction to the Sixth Form. Managing the transition from Year 11 into the Sixth Form can sometimes provide challenges for students, and we know that the support and guidance that parents and carers can offer is incredibly valuable.
From a school perspective, this was our first trial using technology to connect live to parents. The event went smoothly and was well-attended; we found it was a valuable learning curve that will improve the standard of our future events. I would like to thank Rhys in Year 13 who spoke maturely and confidently in what was a very alien situation. I would also like to thank Chris Bateman for supporting with the technology and producing the event.
The event is available on demand if you would like to watch.
Darren Carter, Assistant Principal and Sixth Form Lead
Language magazine subscriptions
We would like to offer students an exciting opportunity to subscribe to Mary Glasgow Language Magazines as a fun and motivating way to improve their language skills. These magazines are available in French, German and Spanish, and each annual subscription comprises of 5 magazines (issued bi-monthly and delivered to the school throughout the year) offering a range of articles, activities and quizzes designed for teenagers. It also offers unlimited access to media and online activities, including audio tracks, video and resources linked to each magazine issue.
The magazines and listening materials are of a high quality and will enable your child to explore a range of fun and current topics, improve grammatical knowledge, and practice the key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in new and exciting ways. The cost of an annual subscription is £10.
If you wish to place an order, please visit the following link where you’ll be able to browse magazines and pay online for your subscriptions.
Please note that the closing date for ordering is 23 October.
Site improvements
We are continuing to focus on improvements to the school site to ensure that we have high-quality learning environments, as well as developing areas that have already seen refurbishment over the past twelve months.
Some of our most recent site developments include science room 12 which has been redecorated, had the floor polished, and tables sanded and vanished. The science and PE corridors have been redecorated, with two changing rooms also updated by boxing in the sinks and installing new toilets. We have new floor surfaces both outside the canteen and in the glass corridor, replacing the run-down carpet and lino. To provide an additional meeting space, we have invested in a new meeting room in the technology block, which includes a sink, kitchen surface and a new TV screen. We have also installed new blinds in three teaching areas, as well as put up three large inspirational signs on the outer walls of department buildings. Finally, we have invested in thirteen outside sinks plus an additional toilet facility for Year 10.
We will continue to update you on site improvements throughout the year.
Glenn Martin, Vice Principal
Physical activity to support mental wellbeing
Manor School is involved in an initiative with Sport England to encourage young people to be active to support their mental health.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
We are putting up posters in all tutor rooms where each week students will be asked to write down things that they have done to be active that enhances and improves their mental wellbeing.
Here are some examples of things your child can do to improve their mental health:
- Complete a stretching routine when they wake up or before they go to bed
- Go for a 20 minute walk
- Follow an online yoga session
- Play sport as part of an organised club
- Meditate for 20 minutes in the morning
Half-term holiday camp
Our Sports Centre is looking to run a holiday camp in the October half-term break. All activities will be delivered in line with COVID-19 guidelines and delivered by Manor Sports and Leisure staff.
The camp will run daily from 8:30am to 3:30pm, and costs £15 per child or £25 for two children (siblings).
If you are interested, please contact the team by emailing sport@manor.school or phoning 01933 461459.