It was lovely to be able to see so many parents at our fabulous Open Evening at the end of June - a huge turnout and lots of positive feedback about our school made us really proud. All our tours were fully booked and we are once again full for September - one change is we have been asked by Manchester Local Authority to expand in 2023 and so the governing council have agreed to increase the intake in Year 7 to 270 for next year only.

Year 11 Prom was fabulous as always - we will miss you Class of 2023 - the class of 2024 have much to live up to but we know they can do it!!

Thank you for attending our Summer Showcase and thank you to everyone who purchased tickets to see the Trust-wide production of Les Miserables - it was an inspiring performance from pupils in Year 6 through to Year 13 and featured many of North Manchester’s pupils in starring roles!

It’s the final Digest of the year and we must say some really fond farewells to some staff - many of whom have been with us for some time and played a large part in our story.  We say goodbye and good luck to:

Mr Halshaw, Assistant Vice Principal for Behaviour and Attitudes who is leaving us to lead behaviour at Wright Robinson

Mr Thompson, Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching & Learning who is leaving for promotion to Vice Principal at a school in Cheshire

We are delighted to announce that after a very competitive external process Mrs Watkins was successful in securing the post of Assistant Vice Principal for Behaviour and Attitudes from September and we have also recruited an excellent colleague for Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching & Learning who will join us in January 2024.

Two colleagues have been seconded to promotions on the Senior Leadership Team, Mr Burkitt who joined as an Assistant Vice Principal for Science and Technology becomes our new Vice Principal for Behaviour, Attitudes, Attendance & Safeguarding and Mrs Parkinson as Assistant Vice Principal for CEAIG (Careers) and Vocational Curriculum following her outstanding work in this area.

Mrs McLean has secured a promotion from Head of English to Senior Early Careers Lead and will be working with the senior team to support new teachers in school after a diligent year’s work.

Mr Dermody will return in September as Head of Research and Pedagogy - a new whole school role which is central to our commitment to the very best teacher training and excellence in the classroom.

Also starting new chapters from September are: Mrs El-Musaraf, Mr Gaffney, Ms Greenhalgh, Ms Jordan, Ms Ludlow, Mr Hellawell, Mr Metcalfe, Mr Ormerod, Mr Routledge, Mrs Smith (Drama), Mr Spann, Mr Thornton, Mrs Williams and Miss Goodenough

We welcome a number of new staff who will be wonderful additions to Co-op North Manchester and who with further strengthen our inclusive, diverse and aspirational offer:

• Ms Philpotts - Assistant Deputy SENDCo who joins Mrs Davenport and Mrs Garsden in the leadership of our Hub
• Mrs Nemane - Transition Manager
• Miss Marshall - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Mrs Tomkow - Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning
• Ms Abonijim - Teacher of English
• Mrs Bauer - Head of Modern Foreign Languages
• Mr Colbourne - Teacher of Personal Development
• Mrs Dean - Teacher of Health and Social Care
• Miss Glorioso - Teacher of Design Technology
• Mr Grimshaw - Head of Business and Computing
• Mr Holland - Teacher of Maths
• Ms Jones - Teacher of Science
• Ms Massey - Teacher of Religious Studies and Personal Development
• Mrs Woolstencroft - Remote Learning Lead
• Mr Mupfumbati - Teacher of Maths
• Mr Morris - Teacher of English
• Ms Rozej - Teacher of English
• Mr Da Costa - Teacher of Science

Thank you to all parents and carers who completed the parental survey - the ‘scores on the doors’ showed that things like the digest are helping us communicate better with you and all the feedback around how behaviour was really positive. We have had internal and external audits for behaviour and safeguarding which were incredibly positive. I’d like to say a personal thank you because our pupils stand out to these visitors for their politeness, manners and the ways they regulate themselves and others especially at break and lunchtimes.

The survey showed pupils feel happy and safe and know who to go to if there is an issue. They felt the values of school; Respect, Commitment and Trust were deeply understood and that they showed them every day. They also understood the Co-op Ways of being - Succeed Together, Do What Matters Most, Show You Care and Be Yourself Always

Our catering and food offer should see further changes in September - we will write separately about the new menus and food/drinks offer at the start of next term. We have listened to what pupils want whilst making sure we offer a balanced and healthy diet.

Holiday times can bring a lack of routine, more time unsupervised and the summer one - warmer weather🤞 - which can mean young people are more at risk from online abuse and dangers such as open water, traffic accidents and getting involved in anti-social behaviour. There are helpful sites, information and guidance for all parents and carers via our website and do please keep talking to your child about how to keep themselves safe outside and in online spaces. There are lots of resources available to parents, carers and pupils.

Keeping Safe Over Summer hand out

Your child is a valued and respected member of our school community and I’d like to thank you for all the work you put in at home to make sure they are in full uniform, have equipment, join clubs, help each other, open doors and just bring fun (and hard work) to school everyday.

Next year we are doing much more work around keeping safe online, sexual violence and harassment including misogyny, and we begin accreditation with Leeds Beckett on our anti-racist curriculum. The Year 7 canopy will finally open, our extra curricular offer will again be huge and cater for all tastes and talents.

Our pupils, your children - completed over 1060 hours of volunteering last term, and we are hoping to increase this term on term. One of our parent governors led a very successful litter pick and is working with the community group soon to plant a rainbow of bulbs lining Victoria Avenue East in a bid to slow traffic, so any help would be appreciated.

Have a lovely summer.

Here are links to some activities in Manchester over the Summer

Loads to do in Manchester

Free Summer activities from MCRactive

Staying safe in the Sun and Water 

Key Dates:

Friday 21st July 2023	End of Term
Uniform Collections	Tuesday 29th August 2023 - Friday 1st September 2023
Thursday 24th August 2023	Results Day - please read the arrangements here
Monday 4th September 2023	INSET staff training, closed to pupils
Tuesday 5th September 2023	INSET staff training, closed to pupils
Wednesday 6th September 2023	Start of Term - Year 7 pupils only from 8am
Thursday 7th September 2023	All pupils return to the academy
Friday 8th September 2023	Year 7 School Photography Year 7 Drop in at 3.30pm
Thursday 21st September 2023	Year 11 Progress Evening 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Thursday 28th September 2023	Open Evening 4.00pm - 7.00 pm
Friday 29th September 2023	INSET staff training, closed to pupils
Friday 20th October 2023	Half term break
Monday 30th October 2023	Pupils return from half term break
Thursday 2nd November 2023	Year 7 Progress Evening 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Wednesday 8th November 2023	Year 11 Mock Interview Event
Friday 24th November 2023	INSET staff training, closed to pupils
Tuesday 28th November 2023	How to Help Your Child Revise Event 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Thursday 30th November 2023	Academic Celebration Event 5.30pm - 8.00pm
Friday 5th December 2023	Flu vaccinations
Thursday 21st December 2023	Christmas break
Monday 8th January 2024	Pupils return from Christmas break Year 11 Mock Exams begin
Thursday 18th January 2024	Year 8 HPV/MMR Vaccination first dose
Thursday 18th January 2024	Year 9 Progress Evening 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Friday 19th January 2024	Year 8 HPV/MMR Vaccination first dose
Thursday 8th February 2024	Year 9 Options Event 4.00pm - 6.30pm
Friday 16th February 2024	Half term break
Monday 26th February 2024	Pupils Return from half term break