About Greater Manchester Education Trust
“Pupils are very proud of their school and the opportunities that are provided for them.
Pupils and staff have very high expectations of themselves and each other. Pupils feel safe
and happy at school. Their behaviour is exceptional and they have a very positive
approach to learning.
Pupils appreciate the school’s values of solidarity, equity, democracy, self-help, equality and self-responsibility in all aspects of their school life. They are determined to earn the school’s badges which recognise their commitment to these values in all that they do.
Ofsted 2022, Levenshulme High School
"Staff set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Despite this being a large school, staff make sure that all pupils are known as individuals. Pupils move around the corridors
calmly.
The school is ambitious for all pupils. Staff are determined that pupils, including those
who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities
(SEND), gain the knowledge and skills that they need to thrive in their future lives. "
Ofsted 2025 Parrs Wood High School
“Pupils, including those students in the sixth form, come from many different backgrounds. They all benefit from learning about each other’s cultural differences. The diverse school community supports pupils’ understanding of tolerance and respect.
Staff expect high standards of conduct. Pupils are well behaved in lessons and around the school site. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe and that they know whom to speak to if they are worried or upset. Pupils told inspectors that bullying of any sort is not
common.
Trustees, governors and leaders have high expectations of what pupils and students
should achieve. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, receive a
strong quality of education and they achieve very well."
Ofsted 2022, Whalley Range High School.
Greater Manchester Education Trust is now a five-school trust (four secondary schools with two Sixth Forms and one primary school) serving the Greater Manchester area. It operates in an area of great diversity in every sense and, as our schools are located in areas of Greater Manchester whose profiles differ greatly, represents every element of the region’s social and academic profile. We believe in truly comprehensive education; excellence for every child and as such our plans for development are very firmly based in this region and on this philosophy.
We strive for excellence in all things for every child and adult who studies or works with us. The achievement of our young people is not solely a result of our emphasis on academic outcomes. Children in our schools receive the best possible care and support, to grow both academically and personally and experience a range of opportunities which allow them to express their talent, challenge themselves and enrich their lives.
Colleagues who work in our schools will experience the same focus on care and guidance, opportunity and challenge, so that they can deliver an exceptional education to our young people. They will become the very best practitioners through bespoke support and opportunities to learn professionally, to collaborate, to lead innovation and to advance their career with us.
Our core values are at the heart of our work with young people, colleagues, our parents and our community:
Excellence: We are passionate about achieving greatness in everything we do.
Care: We treat everyone with thoughtfulness, empathy and compassion
Respect: We recognise our differences and treat people fairly in our thoughts, words and actions.
As mentioned above, there are currently five schools in the Trust:
Whalley Range 11-18 High School is a popular high performing, multi-cultural inner-city girls’ comprehensive school close to the heart of the Manchester city centre, bordering Moss Side, Hulme, Withington and Chorlton. We have created a school where girls are happy, enjoy their learning and become confident citizens. We enjoy excellent facilities for learning. The school has 1,650 students on roll with 300 students in the Sixth Form. There are currently 200 staff employed at the school, both teaching and non-teaching. We are committed to developing and sharing leadership skills and cooperative values.
Levenshulme High School is a popular, outstanding, 11-16 inner city girls’ comprehensive school in south Manchester, with a similarly diverse community. The school enjoys excellent facilities and beautiful grounds. Co-operative values underpin their work as a school and will continue to do so in the new Trust. Levenshulme High School is a forward-looking school seeking to prepare its young women for active leadership roles in their family, their community and our wonderful city. The school has 1,000 students on roll, and there are currently 150 staff employed at the school, both teaching and non-teaching.
The East Manchester Academy is a vibrant 11-16 secondary school serving families in the local East Manchester community. From a position of significant challenge the school is now achieving its best ever outcomes and benefits from leadership and practice at the cutting edge of educational development. The East Manchester Academy joined the Education and Leadership Trust in 2016, alongside Whalley Range High School and Levenshulme High School. The school shares a firm belief in its core values as the foundation of high expectations and academic and personal success. The school has more than 1000 students on roll and there are currently 150 staff employed at the school.
Parrs Wood High School is a school at the heart of its community with a diverse population which truly reflects the culture of our city. Its collaborative, community ethos is a key feature of the school. The 1500 pupils on roll in the main school, plus a large and successful Post-16 college of over 400 students, achieve excellent outcomes both academically and personally year-on-year. There are over 200 staff working at the school.
Alexandra Park Primary School is committed to providing every child with the highest levels of education and Care. Children only get one childhood, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the years spent at our school are ones that ensure they are happy and successful as children, whilst providing them with the skills, knowledge and attitude to achieve in their future lives.
All five of our schools are vibrant and lively learning communities. At the heart of our work in developing excellence for pupils is a firm foundation of evidence-based practice for colleagues which all schools share. We believe that our schools should retain their unique identity whilst working with agreed aligned approaches which are proven to be successful and which can be applied in all of our contexts. In order to deliver great outcomes for our pupils we ensure that our colleagues receive high-quality professional development which is aligned with successful research. There are opportunities for our colleagues to network and collaborate with each other and also to influence practice beyond our own Trust as they build their expertise.
We work hard to maintain a high-quality learning environment. The schools have well-developed VLEs to enrich and extend learning. Expectations of attainment and behaviour are high and all relationships are based on mutual respect. Innovative ideas, energetic and imaginative approaches all contribute to the high quality of education we provide.
The schools are at the forefront of innovative and challenging educational ideas and methods and are keen to continue to lead the field. Our schools work in partnership with regional and national organisations and collaborate closely with other Trusts to enrich their own knowledge and to support the success of more children in our context. There are close links with businesses, sport and community organisations, local, colleges and universities to provide many exciting and varied opportunities for learning and achievement. It is essential that anyone applying for a post within the Trust sees their role as one of continuous professional improvement and appreciates the great privilege of providing young people with the best education possible.
Our Professional Learning Offer
The Trust is affiliated with a number of centres of excellence and our colleagues benefit from memberships of the Chartered College of Teaching. Our own practitioners deliver a range of NPQ qualifications to colleagues across our trust and we are involved in national pilots of virtual development platforms. Our colleagues contribute significantly to mutual professional development both through delivery and access to a wealth of expert material and their membership of trust leadership and development networks.
We see the professional development of our staff as the key to unlocking the potential of our pupils and indeed themselves. We are committed to providing high-quality support and evidence-based professional development, personalised induction and opportunities for career development and progression. We encourage all staff to be proactive in taking up opportunities to lead and contribute to events and programmes and will seek opportunities for our colleagues to be accredited for their expertise and to use their learning to lead more widely should they wish. We aim to be responsive to any emergent needs and welcome suggestions from staff about any aspects of training or professional advice which would enhance our offer for groups and individuals.
All staff will have a common induction programme to cover key areas such as Child Protection and Safeguarding, core expectations of all colleagues, data protection, e-safety, using SIMS, key Trust policies and health and safety orientation.
Safeguarding Children
Greater Manchester Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
