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Welcome to the very first edition of The GREAT Round-up!

Every half-term, we’ll be bringing you the biggest highlights from across our community—sharing our successes and celebrating everything that makes Co-op Academy Manchester such a fantastic place to learn and grow.

From classroom triumphs to extracurricular wins, this is our space to showcase what it truly means to be GREAT. We hope you enjoy this look back at our recent journey!

GREAT news

Double Football glory!

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Wednesday 18 March was a historic night for football at Co-op Academy Manchester, as both our Year 10 and Year 11 boys football squads secured 2-1 victories in the Greater Manchester Cup Finals!

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Both squads showed GREAT habits to secure identical 2-1 scores. The games were brilliant to watch, with the boys demonstrating excellent attitudes throughout. 

These trophies weren't just a result of 90 minutes on the pitch; they are a direct reflection of the hard work, discipline, and fantastic attitude these young men have demonstrated throughout the entire tournament.

"Thank you to the staff, students, and parents who travelled to cheer the teams on. Seeing our school community come together to celebrate our young people was a highlight of the evening and truly embodied our Succeed Together spirit.  I genuinely believe there is more success to come in everything that we do!"

Kate Quinn, Vice Principal


Oliver! JR. left audiences wanting more!

Adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist, our March 2026 production brought to life the soot-stained streets of 1800's London with a vibrant, musical pulse!

Our journey began with auditions in September 2025; for almost six months, the cast of 33 students gave up their evenings and weekends to rehearse.

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"From the disciplined (and hungry!) lines of the workhouse to the chaotic, found-family of Fagin’s den, our performers worked tirelessly to capture the spirit of resilience that makes this story a classic."

Mr Pip, Director

Our Theatre was packed out for four performances, showing the level of support for the Arts at Co-op Academy Manchester.

While the spotlight naturally falls on the talented actors on stage, a production of this scale is a massive team effort that would not have been possible without the dedicated crew of students and staff working tirelessly in the shadows.

"Putting on a show like Oliver! JR. isn't just about drama; it's about character. I have seen our students embody these values every single day."

Mr Quirk, Executive Headteacher


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Curiosity Unleashed: The Power of a Single Question

Inside our British Science Week 2026 challenge.

Every great scientific advancement begins with a simple spark of curiosity. This year, that very sentiment took centre stage as the official theme for British Science Week 2026:

Curiosity: What’s your question? 

We decided to put our students to the test...

 

We challenged them to tap into their most inquisitive instincts and explore the world around them.

We didn’t just want them to ask the big "What if?" questions about the universe—we wanted them to chase down the truth. And our students certainly delivered. They rolled up their sleeves, dove headfirst into the research, and tracked down the answers to their own burning questions.

To share their brilliant discoveries with the rest of the school, students were tasked with designing posters. The judges faced a tough decision, but a few standout investigators managed to catch their eye.

After reviewing all the entries, we were thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s challenge:

  • Simran – Year 7
  • Gloria – Year 9
  • Maisie – Year 9

These three students exemplified exactly what British Science Week is all about: an unwavering desire to learn, question, and discover. A huge well done to our winners, and to everyone who submitted a poster. Keep asking questions—you never know where the answers might lead you!

Working with our community

Working hand-in-hand with our local community is not simply an extracurricular activity or a box to check—it is the very foundation of our identity. We have a strong vision for the academy:

"Co-operating for a fairer world for our community; providing educational excellence, community responsibility and elevated aspirations for all."

This approach provides our students with invaluable life skills and teaches them the importance of active citizenship.


A Night of Unity: Our First Community Iftar

The academy was transformed into a space of reflection, celebration and shared connection; bringing together families, staff and neighbours from across our vibrant local community, as we opened our doors for our very first Community Iftar.

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Why did we gather?

Our values are rooted in co-operation and inclusion. We recognise that for many of our students and their families, Ramadan is a sacred time of spiritual growth and community. By hosting this Iftar, we wanted to:

  • Celebrate diversity: Honouring the traditions of our Muslim community members.

  • Build bridges: Providing a space where people of all faiths (and none) could learn about the significance of Ramadan.

  • Strengthen ties: Breaking fast together to foster a deeper sense of belonging beyond the classroom.

An evening to remember

The atmosphere was fantastic with a real sense of "Being Co-op." The evening featured generous donations from Islamic Relief, a guest speaker, an Islamic poetry/nasheeds recital and a call of prayer to open the fast. 

We were thrilled to welcome over 80 guests, filling the hall with conversation and laughter.

The heart of the event was our students. 10 student volunteers took the lead, assisting with everything from greeting guests at the door, to serving the delicious meal with professionalism and pride alongside staff.

Looking Forward

This first Community Iftar wasn't just a meal; it was a testament to the strength of our academy’s spirit. Seeing students, parents, carers and teachers sitting side-by-side was a powerful reminder that we are at our best when we are together.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended and to our incredible catering staff and site teams for making the evening possible. We look forward to making this a cherished annual tradition for years to come!


The Great British Spring Clean

Community in action!

Students, staff, our local neighbourhood team, and counsellors joined forces for the Great British Spring Clean.

Together, we collected 10 bags of litter to make our local area a better, cleaner place for everyone.

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The Little Green Cabin

Our community hub to support families, reduce waste, and bring people together.

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Inside the cabin you'll find:

  • Community Fridge - free surplus food for all
  • School Pantry – affordable essentials
  • Book Swap – bring a book, take a book
  • Seed Swap – share seeds & grow your own

Last term we managed to stop over 600kg of food from going to waste—such a massive achievement. 

Find out more

 

Open to everyone – no referral needed!

Location:

Co-op Academy Manchester (access via Gate 1)

Opening times:

Wednesday & Thursday: 11.30am - 12.30pm

Friday: 3.30 - 4pm

Term time only


Re:Uniform Exchange

Protect the planet and your pockets

Too much school uniform ends up in the bin when it could be reused.

Our Re:Uniform Exchange helps to:

  • Reduce waste
  • Save families money
  • Protect the planet

Caring for the environment and our community is part of who we are.


Blackley Volunteer Police Cadets

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Volunteer Police Cadets are young people, aged 13-17, who learn about policing and crime and take part in various police-related activities, such as crime prevention projects.

We welcome cadets from any background, social group, gender, ethnicity, ability / disability and whether they have an interest in the police or not.

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We welcome young people who may have previously been in trouble with the police or may feel some disconnection with their peers and community. 

We are not looking to recruit future police officers, but want to give all young people a chance to be heard, support their community and develop skills to become fantastic citizens in a fun, friendly and exciting way.

Each Cadet Scheme (around 30 young people) is led by a mix of Police Officers/Police Staff, Special Constables and Police Support Volunteers.

For information, email volunteerpolicecadets@gmp.police.uk

Careers

Shaping Tomorrow: Inside Our Award-Winning Careers Programme

Education is about more than securing top grades; it is about unlocking potential and paving the way for a fulfilling, successful future.

Our vision is to provide the very best opportunities to enable our students to make informed and incisive decisions throughout, and beyond, their school life.


Careers week for Years 9 & 10

Our Year 9 and 10 students recently took part in a dedicated Careers Week to help them prepare for life after Year 11. To ensure they got the most out of the experience, students attended prep sessions beforehand.

The week featured three main events:

 
  • Year 10 Mock Interviews: 52 volunteers from local businesses and colleges helped our Year 10s practice their skills. Students had 30-minute interviews and received valuable written and verbal feedback. The volunteers were incredibly impressed by how prepared and mature our students were!

  • Post-16 Fair: Students explored their future educational routes—including college, apprenticeship, and university options—by speaking directly with post-16 providers and university reps from Greater Manchester Higher.

  • Interactive Careers Fair: A wide range of employers and professionals set up exhibitions to give students a hands-on look at different job roles, sectors, and career paths.

It was a fantastic week that gave our students the knowledge and confidence to start planning their futures!

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Learning from the Experts at KPMG

70 Year 8 students took part in a three-hour workshop hosted by KPMG. The session was designed to give students a real taste of the business world and build their professional skills.

During the workshop, the students:

 
  • Explored Careers: Learned about the different types of jobs available at the company and watched videos of staff describing what a typical day at work looks like.

  • Solved Problems: Teamed up to work on a real-life business task (a case study) and brainstormed solutions together.

  • Practiced Presenting: Stood up and shared their team's ideas with the rest of the room. To help build their public speaking confidence, every single student was required to speak during the presentation!


Year 7: Discovering Future Careers

During Form Time, all Year 7 students completed an "Employability Workbook." Packed with engaging activities and quizzes, the booklet is designed to get students thinking about their futures early on.

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By working through the activities, students discovered a range of career opportunities, identified their personal skills, and started to build the knowledge they will need to make informed choices about their education and career after Year 11. 

A great first step in helping our youngest students connect what they learn in school to their eventual transition into the workplace.

In other news

Coffee morning for families of children with SEND

Each half-term we invite parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities into the academy to meet with key staff. 

The mornings support families by connecting them with the Manchester Parent Carer Forum and other families.

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A Warm Welcome to Year 6 Pupils and their Families

Congratulations to everyone who has received an offer to join the academy in September!

We recently held an information evening for families of those students joining us in Year 7. 

Our visitors heard from members of the leadership team, went on tours of the academy led by student leaders, and had the opportunity to speak with key staff.

We will be holding a further opportunity for families to visit us in June. 


Alton Towers: A Trip to Remember!

401 students secured their spots on our highly anticipated end-of-term rewards trip to Alton Towers.

To qualify for the trip, these outstanding students had to demonstrate absolute dedication to their learning by meeting a high standard across the board:

  • 100% Positive Behaviour

  • Zero Unauthorised Absences

  • Excellent Punctuality

  • 100% on Spark Reader & Maths

Their hard work, commitment, and fantastic daily attitudes truly paid off. The students certainly earned those thrills!


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