Manchester set for new academies
Five new academies and two new schools are set to open in Manchester next week – the first new secondary schools in the city for more than 25 years. The buildings are part of the now scrapped Building Schools for the Future programme.
The institutions represent a £146m investment in the city. They are: the £30m Manchester Communication Academy in Harpurhey, the £31.5m East Manchester Academy in Beswick, the £21.7m Co-operative Academy of Manchester in Higher Blackley, the £19m Manchester Health Academy in Wythenshawe, and the £19m Manchester Enterprise Academy in Wythenshawe.
Burnage Media and Arts College and Park View Community School in Miles Platting will also be opening in new buildings.
Sheila Newman, executive member for children's services at Manchester City Council, said: “The opening of these five academy buildings is a tremendous achievement for Manchester and something we are all justifiably proud of. It is the start of a totally new way of educating children to ensure real transformational learning.
“Academies will provide an education that is linked to employers and business ensuring we equip students with exactly the right skills and qualifications they need to take advantage of the city's growing jobs market.”
Each academy has a lead sponsor that reflects a future growth industry for the city and is supported by co-sponsors. The Manchester academies programme differs from others across the UK in that the city council is a co-sponsor of each academy. The academies will work collaboratively with other schools across the city.
