Posted by editor on January 11, 2010 under Education and health
It’s full ahead, says Guy Hutchence, Principal Designate of the East Manchester Academy, as he counts down to the new school opening in September 2010.
Despite Christmas festivities we found time last month to launch the ‘Career Sixth Form’ at Cube in Manchester city centre. I’m delighted that – although we obviously haven’t got any of our own Year 11s yet – 30 or so young people came to see us at the gallery.
The 'Career Sith Form' is launched at Cube in December. Photos: Karen Wright Photography
The Universities of Salford and Manchester were represented as were our sponsors, Bovis Lend Lease and Laing O’Rourke. Aim Higher and Places Matter were there as well as some local architects. It was very encouraging to see so many local young people considering the new East Manchester Academy.
Year 11 students check out the exhibits
The academy model can offer something extra to these post-16 students. Although our sponsors can’t guarantee every school leaver a career, they are obviously looking for the creative, bright young minds of the future and will offer mentoring and job placements to many of our students. Our sixth formers will automatically get much closer to the job market than their contemporaries from other schools and colleges. They will be ahead of the field.
Round table with Guy Hutchence
We’ll only have a small sixth form to start with but we are especially keen on those young people who have a special interest in science, engineering, the built environment, and art and design. The application deadline is later this month and we’ll interview everyone who applies. By the end of next month we should know who has been successful in becoming one of our first Career Sixth Formers.
In March, we’ll also know which of the current Year 6 will be joining us in September. We know we’ll be full and we’re looking forward to providing those 180 pioneers with a first-class educational experience.
One other things I wanted to mention is that, towards the end of last year, Balfour Beatty – the contractors for the academy – ran a competition amongst local primary schools to calculate how many bricks were used in the construction of the building. I can’t say yet who the winners are but I can reveal we had 11 correct answers. Okay, there were some clues: the entrants were told the school’s dimensions, the size of the windows – which of course had to be excluded – and the dimension of a brick. There must be some excellent mathematicians in east Manchester!
The winners will get prizes and a tour of the building by Balfour Beatty and I’ll announce the winners in next month’s blog!
It’s 12 months now since I started as Principal Designate. The time has flown by and we’ve made fantastic progress. But the clock is still ticking and there is still a lot to do. By the end of March we will have recruited all the staff we need for September, so we’re on target and looking forward to an amazing 2010.
East Manchester Academy website
Posted by editor on December 7, 2009 under Education and health
Principal Designate, Guy Hutchence continues his monthly round-up of preparations for the new East Manchester Academy. This month he has news of an event for prospective sixth-formers.
The Academy 'blocks' are linked with impressive footbridges
It’s the end of November and it seems no time at all since I wrote the October blog! It’s been another busy month where I have been attending more design meetings on site and recruiting new Academy staff.
I am delighted to report we have appointed some excellent staff so far for English, maths, science and modern foreign languages. We’ve also recruited a second Vice Principal – Jane Clewlow – who will be heading the Teaching and Learning Team and will join us next May. She’ll also be assisting with appointing other key staff members in the Spring.
The glass atrium is now complete
As these pictures show, the school itself is cracking on apace. The glass atrium facing Grey Mare Lane is now complete which means the contractors can continue with the library and Academy interiors.
We have also been making further plans for the Career Sixth Form which will see over-16 students utilising the top floor of the Academy from September next year. Only a limited number of students will join us each year which will mean we can personalise a learning programme to suit each student.
The new Beswick Library will be here
We are holding a special event at Cube gallery on Thursday, 10th December (5.00-7.30pm) where we hope to meet prospective sixth form students and their parents. On the evening – which has been organised by our sponsors – representatives from local universities will be on hand to discuss the opportunities on offer.
All this as well as dropping off newsletters to primary schools across the area has kept us busy, and the next few weeks up to Christmas look hectic too. I must take this opportunity to wish every reader a very Happy Christmas and I hope 2010 is everything you wish it to be!
Bright colours in each classroom
Check out our new website for all the latest information on the East Manchester Academy
Posted by editor on November 4, 2009 under Education and health
Here’s more from Principal Designate, Guy Hutchence as he keeps readers updated on the progress of the East Manchester Academy which opens in September 2010.
Megan Rush from All Saints in Newton Heath, checks out the academy after helping to bury the time capsule
October has been an important month for east Manchester parents. They have had to complete their admission forms, making preferences for high school places for their Year 6 children. We’ve done our best to help and advise. There have been family information days and drop-in sessions at the New East Manchester offices as well as considerable email correspondence. We’ve tried to answer as many queries as possible, but also signpost parents and carers to Choice Advice and the city council’s Admissions Team. I’ve been delighted with the level of interest in the new academy that’s been generated in such a short time.
A number of meetings this month with Manchester City FC, Manchester Aquatic Centre, Sportcity and the English Athletic Association have also been very useful in planning for September 2010. With their help and support our pupils will have exciting sports activities as part of the school timetable as well as after school and in the holidays.
Well done to the jingle team and thanks to Key 103!
Recording for our jingle on the Key 103 bus
There have been two special highlights for me this month. Firstly, at the twin assemblies at St Barnabas and St Wilfrid’s primary schools, Key 103’s Paul Galloway presented certificates to the creative brains behind the radio jingle that brought 400 to our September open evening. Well done to all involved.
Burying the time capsule in front of the atrium
Then, over on the site of the new academy, we held a time capsule ceremony where pupils and headteachers from over 10 local schools donated mementos that are now buried in front of the atrium. The time capsule event was memorable not only for the fantastic contributions, but also because we turned the tables on local celebrity photographer, Len Grant who was on hand to record the event with his customary expertise and humour. This time, however, we also took shots of him as no time capsule would be complete without a picture of the man behind the lens of some of east Manchester’s most moving and iconic photographs. History will record his face as well as his work!
I showed the children and headteachers the progress we've made on site
Many thanks to all in the community who have helped out this month and good luck to all those youngsters in Year 6 who are on the final journey of their primary school experience.
Posted by editor on October 6, 2009 under Education and health
The East Manchester Academy opens its doors in less than 12 months. Principal Designate, Guy Hutchence keeps East readers updated in the latest installment of his blog.
Welcome back to the blog after the summer break. Although there has been little break in our preparations for the new school, which, by this time next year, will have welcomed its first pupils.
During the holidays 70 children from 12 primary schools made good use of the local sports facilities. As part of our Children’s University programme we had youngsters racing around the indoor track at Manchester Velodrome, which was fantastic to watch. The special track bikes don’t have brakes or gears so it can take some getting used to. Look out Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, there’s new talent on the way!
The Key 103 bus came down too and pupils from St Barnabas and St Wilfrid’s worked with a radio professional on a new jingle to advertise our Open Evening. The same pupils have since been visited the radio station to complete the production in their studios. Well done to everyone involved in that!
These holiday activities are just a taster of what will be offer once the school is up and running. Our young people will have every opportunity to use the full range of east Manchester’s facilities as they progress through school.
The radio jingle did its job because I was amazed at how many people came along to our Open Evening at the Stadium at the beginning of September. We were expecting 250 but 400 prospective pupils and their parents/carers came to hear our plans for their futures. It was standing room only! Thanks to everyone who came… next time we’ll provide more chairs! We answered lots of questions on the night but if there are more please contact me on 0161 223 1155 or email g.hutchence@manchester.gov.uk.
I wrote, 'Be the change you want to see.'
Building progress on the Grey Mare Lane site continues apace. The brickwork and cladding are now complete and the window frames are being installed. We marked the progress with a ‘Golden Bolt and Beam-Signing’ ceremony earlier this month. OK, it was a regular bolt painted gold but it looked the part! Our local MP Tony Lloyd and I were transported in a ‘scissor lift’ 15 metres above the ground to make our mark on one of the highest steel beams. I wrote ‘Be the change you want to see’, and Mr Lloyd wrote, ‘Here our children’s dreams come true’. Hopefully it’ll be the last graffiti we’ll see in the school!
So, the East Manchester Academy will be open in less than 12 months and, to be honest, it can’t come quickly enough for me. Once the building is full of pupils I can return to helping young people develop their full potential and already I am beginning to recruit an outstanding team of teachers to help me. Watch this space.
