On Wednesday the 14th December the academy welcomed parents, carers and the general public to enjoy our Performing Arts Winter Celebration Concert, showcasing our talented singers and musicians.
The event featured the Steel Pans Band, the Choir and individual performances of seasonal classics.
On Tuesday 6th December pupils performed to the residents of Nazareth House Care Home in Prestwich.
Pupils performed Christmas carols and shared Christmas cards made by our Peer Mentor Groups.
Watch some of the performance here
On Thursday 9th November 2022 we invited pupils in year 11 to take part in a mock interview supported by 20 local employers and further educational providers.
As part of the academy’s extensive CEIAG offer for pupils, the mock interview process aims to give pupils the opportunity to prepare for the post-16 interview in an environment in which they feel comfortable.
In preparation for the event, pupils were asked to complete an application form that was assigned to one of the employers and further educational staff who conducted their interview.
The mock interviews help pupils to learn how to answer difficult questions, develop interview strategies, improve their communication skills and reduce the stress and anxiety that pupils may feel or develop as they receive their invites for any upcoming interviews.
The event was an extremely successful one, with pupils given feedback on their interview and provided with a range of guidance allowing them to feel confident and prepared for their post-16 journey. The employers who facilitated the event commented that pupils were ‘passionate and engaged with the process and showed a great level of maturity in how they prepared and presented on the day’
A Year 11 pupil commented:
‘it was really good, I learnt how to speak at an interview, the right body language, what I need to improve on and I feel well prepared for my interview coming up at college’.
A Year 11 pupil commented:
‘I felt really nervous when I was going into the interview but I felt really good when I came out. I was very proud of myself and as a result I now feel ready for my interviews thinking about the feedback I was given’.
On Wednesday 30th November, a group of pupils from Years 7 & 8 attended a trip to Manchester’s Opera house to watch the 70th anniversary production of Agatha Christie’s, The Mousetrap.
The performance was amazing and was the first time that some of our pupils had attended a production of this kind.
Milkas, a Year 8 pupil said: “It was like a mysterious movie. The actor who played the Policeman was amazing. I would love to go on another theatre trip”
Faithfulness, a Year 7 pupil said: “There were some funny moments. I thought the murderer would be the weird guy but it really surprised me in the end”
Shola, a Year 8 pupil said: “The Mousetrap was really good, much better than I expected. I really thought there would have been a mouse in the story!. We’re never allowed to tell anyone WHO DONE IT!, even my Grandma who has seen the play, didn’t tell me”
Claudia, a Year 8 pupil said: “I liked how the characters developed. That part was good and the twist at the end was very interesting”
To run along this, the Year 8 pupils have been chosen to participate in the ‘Young Mystery Writers’ programme’ and will also take part in a ‘Mystery Writing’ workshop in the New Year. This is being rolled out by the National Literacy Trust to celebrate the anniversary of the play and is a great opportunity to inspire the next generation of budding mystery writers!
On Wednesday the 19th October 2022 we held our annual Careers Fair in the academy.
We invited local colleges, sixth forms, apprenticeship providers, employers and universities to come speak with pupils in years 10 and 11. Pupils were able to talk to each provider about the application procedure and the opportunities they offer.
We want to ensure that our pupils are fully prepared and informed to choose the career path which is right for them. We are committed to ensuring that our pupils have the highest aspirations and expectations of themselves and that they develop skills that are needed for the next steps of their journey in leading happy and successful lives, both throughout the key transition points in school, as well as transition to KS5.
You can read about our careers offer here: https://northmanchester.coopacademies.co.uk/careers-support/
At the start of September 2022 19 pupils embarked on a journey with Future Sound and the Abram Wilson Charity to focus on skills that wouldn’t normally be offered as part of their in-school music curriculum.
Throughout the project pupils were invited to attend workshops at The Yard where they got to meet and work directly with professional musicians who are part of the thriving UK music scene. The workshops focused on skills including composition, songwriting, performance and recording, with pupils given the invaluable opportunity to really engage with the arts.
On the 28th of September 2022 they attended their first workshop at the Yard and got to experience first hand what life as a professional musician has to offer. They developed and performed their compositions based on their own influences.#
Following the composition day they returned to the academy and continued to work on their projects under the guidance of the team from Future Sound and the Abram Wilson Charity to prepare for their final performance.
On Wednesday 9th November 2022 pupils took part in a live performance at The Yard to showcase their fantastic compositions. The pupils had worked incredibly hard and this performance was a testament to their hard work and commitment throughout the project.
Mr Asher, Head of Performing Arts said:
“This was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to work with professional musicians. They gained invaluable experience and took part in something they will remember for the rest of their lives”
One of the pupils involved said:
“I made new friends during the project and got to make music with them. Working with the workshop leaders helped me build my confidence. I also improved my musical skills.”
In July 2022 as part of our commitment to delivering high-quality careers education, Co-op Academy North Manchester was awarded ‘The Quality in Careers Standard’, this is the national quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in secondary schools, colleges and work-based learning.
The gathering of evidence and rigorous assessment day lead to proud results as the academy fully met all aspects of the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks. The Quality in Careers Standard concluded that:
Careers and raising aspirations are high on the agenda at Co-op Academy North Manchester and the Mission of the academy helps to embed this and promote a whole school responsibility. CEIAG is a key part of personal development in the Academy Annual Development Plan.
NEET figures and destination data show that pupils make secure transitions post 16, and that progress is maintained.
We as an academy are very committed to ensuring that our pupils are equipped with all that they need to go on to lead happy and successful lives, we are very proud that the external assessors recognised our holistic commitment to this through our CEIAG programme.
We were proud to welcome back our Year 11 pupils as they collected their exam results on Thursday 25 August.
The class of 2022 were the first year group to take the full set of exams after the COVID pandemic. We were extremely proud of our pupils who continued to display the academy’s values of respect, commitment and trust throughout their key stage 4 years to overcome the hurdles put in their way by the lockdowns.
The overall results for the year group were proof that their hard work and dedication had paid off.
Our pupils have achieved the grades they need to unlock the next steps in their journeys. Many pupils are moving on to college courses such as A-Levels, whilst others are planning on taking up apprenticeships.
Sharon Hands, Principal said:
“Everyday, but especially today, I’m hugely proud of our pupils, their teachers and support staff.
Together and individually they have produced a strong set of results and we thank them for their commitment to us and trust in us.
We wish them every happiness and future success, we dedicate the Class of 2022’s achievements to Maryam and Mia, never forgotten.”
We are delighted to share performances for our Virtual Musical Summer Showcase.
In July 2022 pupils got their head in the game and performed two knockout performances of High School Musical JNR.
In this adaption from the 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical our very own North Manchester Wildcats performed songs including ‘Get’Cha Head in the Game’ ‘Stick to the Status Quo’ and ‘We’re All in This Together’.
The performance included a large cast of pupils from all year groups, as well as behind the scenes supporters made up of staff and pupils who contributed to the set & costume designs.
Academy Principal, Ms Hands was proud to support the show, saying that “At Co-op Academy North Manchester we have the highest aspirations and expectations so that everyone achieves excellence in all that they do. The performing arts have an important role in our broad and balanced curriculum and these kinds of experiences will stay with our pupils for a lifetime. It was a pleasure to watch the performances and welcome the whole community to our academy to enjoy this show.”
Miss Siddiqui, Teacher of Performing Arts said: “Teaching the value of the theatre was paramount throughout the crafting of the show. Challenging pupils in this artistic venture rewarded their courage and enabled the participants to decompress and be free to be themselves. As the show gained momentum, everyone put in hard work and dedicated themselves to this opportunity. I am awestruck by their accomplishments and was proud to share this with the community.”
Envision is a UK Charity who specialise in using social action as a vehicle for young people. Working in partnership with the Co-op Foundation, academies from across the North competed in the Envision Social Action Project.
Following the launch in March 2022 a group of pupils in Year 8 worked together over a 13 week period to create and plan their own social action campaign. They even had to bid for seed funding before starting their project!
The project set out to create an anti-racist environment in our community. Pupils worked with their fellow North Manchester pupils and local primary schools to educate and empower them to be actively anti-racist.
Alongside ten other academies they presented the results of their initiative in front of Dr Chris Tomlinson, CEO of Co-op Academies Trust, Nick Crofts, CEO of Co-op Foundation and Elizabeth Paulson, CEO of Envision UK and were crowned winners!
A huge well done to all the pupils who took part.
National School Sports Week is a campaign put in place every year to celebrate the importance of Physical Education and school sports in enhancing young people’s wellbeing.
Here at Co-op Academy North Manchester we offer a wide range of sporting activities within PE lessons. Sports week gave our pupils a chance to try new sports and activities which are not featured on our curriculum.
Pupils participated as a year group in either a competitive or non-competitive activity throughout the week.
The activities included:
Mrs Watkins, Head of PE said: “We’re always encouraging our pupils to get up and active. Alongside the varied Physical Education curriculum we offer many extra-curricular clubs that encourage physical activity.
“National Schools Sports Week is a fantastic opportunity get everyone involved and try something new. The week was a huge success and it was great to see our pupils joining in both competitive and non-competitive activities”
