Burnage Academy for Boys

Burnage Academy for Boys, formerly known as Burnage High School for Boys, is a secondary school with academy status, located in Burnage, Manchester, England.

Burnage Academy for Boys
Address
Burnage Lane

Manchester
,
M19 1ER

England
Coordinates53.4275°N 2.2033°W / 53.4275; -2.2033
Information
Former names
  • Burnage Grammar School
  • Burnage High School*Burnage Media Arts College
TypeAcademy
MottoBe The Best That You Can Be
Established1932
Local authorityManchester City Council
Department for Education URN140703 Tables
OfstedReports
Head teacherKarl Harrison
Staff120
GenderBoys
Age11 to 16
Enrolment900
HousesAsh, Oak, Maple, Rowan
Websitehttp://www.burnage.manchester.sch.uk

History

Grammar school
Burnage High School photographed in 1942, with a barrage balloon in the sports field

The school was founded in September 1932 as Burnage High School on its current site on Burnage Lane. At an ceremony on 21 October 1932, the school was officially opened by Sir Boyd Merriman and the school choir performed Edvard Grieg's "Song of Olav Trygvason". In the early years, the school was organised around the house system, sports teams were formed and a school magazine was printed. A number of school plays were staged, including Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure, Dr. Knock, Seven Keys to Baldpate and The Anatomist, nurturing young acting talent such as that of Alan Badel, who later went on to appear on stage, film and television.[1]

Upon the outbreak of World War II in 1939, most pupils were evacuated to towns outside Manchester to avoid the hazards of bombing, and Burnage boys were sent to Leek, Ashbourne and Wirksworth. Many former pupils of the school served in the forces during the war and 50 old boys were killed in action, later commemorated in a memorial plaque in the school hall. Luftwaffe bombs were dropped on Burnage during the Manchester Blitz, and Burnage school was hit by three bombs, causing severe damage to the school hall and demolishing the organ.[2][3] The school's first headmaster, Mr Albert H. R. Ball, left in 1942 to take up the position of Rector of the Royal High School in Edinburgh.[4]

After the war, the hall was repaired, and several years later was the organ was replaced. Around 1950 the school was given Grammar School status with the traditional grammar school ethos and curriculum. In 1958, a four-storey concrete building was added at the rear of the old buildings. This building accommodated extra classrooms (following the post-war baby-boom) with the art rooms on the top floor. In the late-1950s to mid-'60s, the school was highly rated and competition for places was strong.

Comprehensive school
The original Upper School building as it appeared in the 1950s
The former lower school site on Parrs Wood Road, now a residential street

In 1967, Burnage Grammar School became a non-selective comprehensive, at a time when most grammar schools in Manchester were being disestablished following the abolition of the Tripartite System in British schools. It became Burnage High School for Boys and merged with Ladybarn Secondary Modern School, which was on nearby Briarfield Road/Parrs Wood Road, in Withington.[5] The Briarfield/Parrs Wood Road site then became the lower school (for years 7 to 9) while the Burnage Lane site remained the upper school (for years 10 and 11 plus the sixth form).

In 1969 the school purchased a disused railway station, Buxworth in Derbyshire, and converted it for use as an outdoor education centre for pupils.[6]

In 2000, the sixth form was disestablished and the lower and upper schools were amalgamated on the Burnage Lane site, which was expanded by a new buildings including a Sports Hall. The old school buildings on Briarfield/Parrs Wood Road were then demolished and the site has since become a new housing development.

Media Arts College

In 2007, the school was given Media Arts College status and was renamed as Burnage Media Arts College in 2008.[7] Despite this change, it remained an all-boys school for 11–16-year-olds.

In 2010, the school was reconstructed under the Building Schools for the Future initiative which saw the original 1930s and 1950s buildings replaced by a new building. The 1999 building was refurbished and the Sports Hall (built in 2001) was also improved with a new gymnasium. Upon completion of the new main building, the old buildings were demolished and the grounds they once stood on were resurfaced to provide all-weather sports facilities.[8]

Academy

Previously a community school administered by Manchester City Council, Burnage Media Arts College converted to academy status on 1 April 2014 and was renamed Burnage Academy for Boys, however, the school continues to co-ordinate with Manchester City Council for admissions.

COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the school, along with all of the schools in the UK, was shut in March 2020, leaving students into home learning and studying at home.

Headmasters
  • 1932–1942: Albert H. R. Ball (later Rector of the Royal High School, Edinburgh (1942–1948) and headmaster of Methodist College Belfast(1948–1960))[9][10]
  • 1942–1959: T. P. Spencer
  • 1959–1977: S. Hughes CBE
  • 1977–1981: J. G. Marshall
  • 1981–1986: Dr G. Gough
  • 1986–2020 : Ian Fenn
  • 2020–current: Karl Harrison

Admissions

The school draws pupils from various districts of Manchester, including Didsbury, Levenshulme, Longsight, Rusholme, Fallowfield, Withington, Hulme, Ardwick, and Burnage itself. The majority of students live in Longsight, Levenshulme, Rusholme and Ardwick wards, which suffer from high levels of poverty, deprivation, and crime. As mentioned in its 2010 OFSTED report, over 90% of the school's students are from ethnic minorities, and over 64% are of South Asian heritage with more than 50% of all students speaking English as an additional language.[11]

OFSTED Inspections

A full OFSTED school inspection was last carried out in October 2018, in which the school was given 'Outstanding' (Grade 1) status in overall effectiveness.[12]

The inspected areas included effectiveness of leadership and management ('Outstanding'), quality of teaching, learning and assessment ('Outstanding'), personal development, behaviour and welfare ('Good') and outcomes for pupils ('Outstanding').

Academic performance

In the school's 2018 OFSTED report, it was noted that pupils make excellent progress and achieve consistently strong results in their GCSE examinations.[13] In 2018, Burnage pupils gained 29 grade 9s and a further 46 grade 8s between them.

In accordance to progress 8 score ('this score shows how much progress pupils at this school made between the end of key stage 2 and the end of key stage 4, compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2') the school has above average progress for boys (+0.26).[14]

Academic performance - historical data

In the school's 2002 OFSTED report, it was noted that overall examination grades for students at the school in recent years were well below the national average.[15] The school has had consistently improving GCSE results since 2001 (with the exception of 2005 when results dipped, and in 2013 when there was a sharp drop).[16] GCSE performance results as published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) since 2001 are as follows:[17][18][19][20]

Percentage of students achieving 5 or more GCSE A* – C results or equivalent (national average for each year in brackets):

  • 2001: 23% (50%)
  • 2002: 33% (52%)
  • 2003: 38% (53%)
  • 2004: 42% (54%)
  • 2005: 35% (56%)
  • 2006: 38% (58%)
  • 2007: 40% (61%)
  • 2008: 50% (65%)

Percentage of students achieving 5 or more GCSE A* – C results including English and Maths (national average for each year in brackets):

  • 2005: 27% (44%)
  • 2006: 33% (46%)
  • 2007: 28% (46%)
  • 2008: 33% (48%)
  • 2009: 40% (50%)
  • 2010: 43% (54%)
  • 2011: 50% (59%)
  • 2012: 56% (59%)
  • 2013: 43% (59%)

Percentage of students achieving 4 and above in English and Maths (new 9-1 grading):

  • 2017:63%
  • 2018:60%
  • 2019:65%

Controversies

In September 1986, the school made headline news when 13-year-old Asian pupil Ahmed Iqbal Ullah was fatally stabbed in the lower school playground by another 13-year-old pupil, Darren Coulburn, in what was believed to be a racially motivated attack. Coulburn, a juvenile delinquent who had already burned down the school art block in 1985 causing £50,000 of damage, was convicted of murder and detained indefinitely. The incident severely damaged the reputation of what was once a well-respected school in the district, and launched the MacDonald Inquiry into racism and violence in Manchester schools.[21] The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre, established in 1999, was named in Ullah's memory.

In 2009, the school made headline news when teacher Mohammed Sarwar was arrested after police had obtained evidence that he had been leading a double life as the mastermind behind a major local drugs gang who had a large-scale operation to deal cocaine and cannabis. Sarwar, who was known as "The Teacher" to his gang, had taught IT at the school for seven years until his arrest. In April 2011, he was convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison.[22]

Between 2009 and 2011, Salman Ramadan Abedi, the attacker of the Manchester Arena bombing, attended the school. While attending he was among a group of students who accused a teacher of Islamophobia for criticising suicide bombing.[23][24][25]

In 2012, the school made headlines again when former supply teacher Mutasem Alqtaishat was arrested for fraud after he collected weekly payments from young players at a local basketball club that he coached at and deposited the payments into his personal account for his own use over a five-month period. Alqtaishat received a 13-week prison sentence (suspended for one year), and was ordered to pay £400 and perform 180 hours of unpaid community service. In 2013, he was also struck off by the Teaching Agency for a minimum period of two years.[26][27]

Notable former pupils

Burnage Academy for Boys

Burnage High School for Boys

Burnage Grammar School for Boys

References

Citations
  1. Smith & Hughes 1982, p. 3.
  2. Phythian, Graham (3 August 2015). Blitz Britain: Manchester and Salford. History Press. ISBN 9780750965583. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  3. Nadin, Dennis Lloyd. Bombs Over Burnage. Archived from the original on 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  4. Smith & Hughes 1982, p. 8.
  5. "Burnage High School". www.gmlives.org.uk. Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  6. "Outdoor Activities". Burnage Academy For Boys. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  7. Qureshi, Yakub (4 January 2008). "Burnage school gets new status". The Asian News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008.
  8. "Revealed: School's £17m new look". Manchester Evening News. 19 April 2010. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  9. "Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 – 2002Biographical Index Part One" (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
  10. "Tributes to 'wonderful leadership' of Methodist College headmaster". Belfast Newsletter. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  11. Burnage High School 2010 OFSTED report
  12. Wiggan, Dylan (29 October 2018). "Burnage Academy for Boys judged 'outstanding' by Ofsted October 2018". men. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  13. "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. 28 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  14. "Burnage Academy for Boys - GOV.UK". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  15. 2002 OFSTED Report (pdf)
  16. 2006 OFSTED report
  17. DCSF School Attainment Tables 2001–04
  18. DCSF Attainment Tables 2008
  19. DCSF Attainment Tables 2009
  20. Schools Performance Tables (2010–2013)
  21. MacDonald, Ian A. (1989). Murder in the Playground: The Burnage Report. London: Longsight Press. ISBN 9781872417004.
  22. "Manchester teacher who led drugs gang jailed". BBC News Manchester. BBC. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  23. Dearden, Lizzie (26 May 2017). "Salman Abedi once called RE teacher an 'Islamophobe' for asking his opinion of suicide bombers". The Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  24. Simpson, John; Gibbons, Katie; Kenber, Billy; Trew, Bel (26 May 2017). "Abedi called teacher an Islamophobe". The Times. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  25. "Manchester attack: Who was Salman Abedi?". BBC News. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  26. Yakub Qureshi (3 April 2013). "Struck off: The teacher who stole cash from kids' sports club". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  27. Prohibition order – Department of Education
  28. "Manchester attack: Who was Salman Abedi?". BBC News. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  29. Hinds, Rodney (7 February 2018). "Pushing for glory". The Voice. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  30. Burnage High School for Boys – Manchester UK Archived 18 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  31. "Lord O'Neill of Gatley reflects on Manchester's bright future – Marketing Stockport". marketingstockport.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  32. Brown, Sarah (2012). Moving on Up: Inspirational advice to change lives. Random House. ISBN 9781448148479. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  33. "Councillor Luthfur Rahman". Manchester City Council. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  34. Robb, John (2012). "Have Guitar, Will TRavel: Aziz Ibrahim". The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop: The Reunion Edition. Random House. ISBN 9781448118793. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  35. McCarroll, Tony (2011). "He Bangs the Drums". Oasis: The Truth. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 9781843588184. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  36. Sterling-Vete, Brian (2013). Mental Martial Arts (PDF). MajorVision International. p. 10.
  37. Bandini, Paolo (25 April 2013). "Menelik Watson: from mean streets of Manchester to the riches of the NFL Draft". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  38. "Alan F Badel". ParaData. Airborne Assault. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  39. Herbert, Ian (1981). Who's who in the Theatre: A Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage. Gale Research Company. p. 34. ISBN 9780810302358.
  40. Morrin, Stephen (25 September 2007). The Munich Air Disaster – The True Story behind the Fatal 1958 Crash: The Night 8 of Manchester United's 'Busby Babes' Died. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN 9780717167678. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  41. Sudjic, Deyan (2 September 2010). Norman Foster: A Life in Architecture. The Overlook Press. p. 15. ISBN 9781468302769. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  42. Moore, Charles (2015). Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume Two: Everything She Wants. Penguin UK. ISBN 9780241201268.
  43. The times Guide to the House of Commons 1992. Times Office. 1992. p. 44. ISBN 9780723004974.

Sources
  • Smith, F.S.; Hughes, S (1982). 50 Years at Burnage - Golden Jubilee 1932-1982. Burnage High School.
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