Burnage Academy for Boys

Grammar school

The school was founded in 1933 as Burnage High School for Boys in a handsome building situated on Burnage Lane. In the 1939-45 war a German aeroplane, shot down by gunfire, nose-dived into the school hall, causing severe damage and demolishing the organ. After the war, the hall was repaired but not until many years later was the organ replaced by a vastly inferior instrument. Around 1950 the school was given Grammar School status with the traditional grammar school ethos and curriculum. In 1958 an ugly four storey concrete building was added at the rear of the old buildings. This building accommodated extra class rooms (following the post war baby-bulge) with the art rooms on the top floor.In the late 50's to mid 60's this Grammar School was highly rated and competition for places was strong.In those days it's intake was from Burnage, Didsbury, Levenshulme and Withington.

Comprehensive school

In 1967, the school became Burnage High School for Boys and merged with Ladybarn Secondary Modern School, which had previously been nearby on Briarfield Road near its junction with Parrs Wood Road. The Briarfield 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). This remained the case until 2000 when the sixth form was abolished 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 Road were then demolished and the site was sold for 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. 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.

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.

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.

OFSTED Inspections

The school's latest OFSTED report was conducted in 2012 and rated the school as "Good" (Grade 2). This follows the school's last inspection in 2010 when it was rated merely as "Satisfactory" (Grade 3).

Academic performance

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. 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), though they remain well below the national average. GCSE performance results as published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) since 2001 are as follows:

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

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

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. 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 I.T. at the school for seven years until his arrest. In April 2011, he was convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison. After his arrest, staff at the school also found crib sheets that Sarwar had drawn up to help his pupils cheat at their exams.

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.

Burnage High School for Boys

Burnage Grammar School for Boys