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Parrs Wood High School

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Coordinates: 53°24′30″N 2°13′01″W / 53.40833°N 2.21694°W / 53.40833; -2.21694
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Parrs Wood High School
Location
Map
East Didsbury
,
Greater Manchester

England
Information
TypeCommunity
Motto"Believe Achieve Succeed"
Established1967
Local authorityManchester
Department for Education URN105556 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherA Shakos
Staff250
Genderco-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrollment1838[1]
Colour(s)Navy Blue and Silver
Websitehttp://www.parrswood.manchester.sch.uk

Parrs Wood High School is a state comprehensive secondary school situated in East Didsbury, Manchester, England, specifically, behind Parrs Wood Entertainment Complex off Wilmslow Road. It educates young people through the ages of 11 to 18 years; A-Levels are taught at the Parrs Wood Sixth Form Centre, although this is directly integrated with the main school. Parrs Wood was the 4th largest school in the UK,[2] for pupils aged 11–18, with 2,030 students and 450 in the sixth form centre.

In 2015, the governors of Parrs Wood decided to embark on the process of turning the school into an academy, despite opposition from staff and local politicians.[3]

The building

The original school building, built in 1967, was demolished in 2000 and was rebuilt from scratch on a site behind the original school; the contractors built the school building in exchange for a portion of the school grounds on which to build an entertainment complex.[4]

Facilities

The school's facilities include a fully lit auditorium in the sports complex, which is used for assemblies held each morning, as well as being the venue for the annual school play run by the Performing Arts Department and for the Staff Christmas Variety Show and various other events throughout the academic year. The hall is also used as a dining room for students and a common room. The sports complex has tennis, badminton, basketball, netball and volleyball capabilities, and is also used for examinations.

The school has a large field south of the school building both north and south of the River Mersey the field is a designated flood plain, so does occasionally flood there is an all weather sports pitch as well as various playing fields including a newly constructed softball field on south side of the river.

Sixth form

Parrs Wood Sixth Form Centre is a sixth-form college which is part of the Parrs Wood High School school campus and is located in (East) Didsbury, Manchester. Parrs Wood Sixth Form opened in 2000 after the rebuilding of the main school. The centre is located in a beautiful grade 2 listed building independent from the main school. The Sixth Form has its own canteen/common room, ICT rooms, study areas, careers and UCAS and Connexions advisors and counselling support for students. Parrs Wood students achieve considerable academic success with over 90% progressing to university each year including Oxford and Cambridge. The Sixth Form caters for 400 students with around half having attended the adjoining Parrs Wood High School.

Courses

Parrs Wood Sixth Form offers a wide range of courses for its students, some of these include: Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Physics, Economics, English Language, English Literature, Mathematics with Statistics, Art, Health & social care, British Government and politics, business studies, law, media studies, French, German, Spanish, IT, Forensic Science, and many more.

Media

Parrs Wood Sixth Form was used to film "High School Prom" for Channel 4, in which students from the Sixth Form were given £5,000 to put on their own prom night.

Premises

The Sixth Form is based in Parrs Wood House, a grade II* listed building dating back to the early Nineteenth century, when it was owned by the Parrs Family of Didsbury, along with the extension (built Circa 2002) for the now defunct South Manchester CLC.

Ofsted

In Spring 2007, an Ofsted inspection showed the School to be lacking in several areas, particularly in KS3 SAT results, and criticised the School management for failure to act to remedy the situation. The report reflected that this situation was unacceptable and the school was placed in special measures. In February 2010, OFSTED judged the school to be satisfactory and as such no longer required special measures.[5]

In its most recent inspection,[6] the school was graded as Grade 2 - Good.

Controversy

Gas prank

In May 2007, a canister of CS gas was discharged in the science area of Parrs Wood, which resulted in 58 students and staff being taken to hospital. The incident was described by Greater Manchester Police as an "idiotic prank".[7]

Judicial Review

In 2012, Judge Peeling QC, found against the governing body of the school in a Judicial Review of a decision to suspend one of the governors.[8]

Casino

The school is directly opposite a branch of Grosvenor G Casinos in the Parrs Wood entertainment centre complex. Members of Manchester council’s planning committee originally rejected the plans to build the casino after Didsbury residents objected due to a possible negative effect on the livelihood of pupils at the school: students would have to walk past the casino on a daily basis in order to attend.[9] Despite the original rejection, Grosvenor G Casinos were granted planning permission in March 2011. The Parrs Wood branch has been open as of June 2012.[10]

Notable former pupils

Television appearances

Parrs Wood Technology College and Sixth Form Centre is regularly used for filming.[citation needed] Some of the filming that goes on in the school includes:

Awards

  • 2003 School Achievement Award
  • Specialist Status in Technology
  • Technology College
  • High Tech Accolade
  • Leading Edge Partnership
  • ICT Register
  • Investors In People
  • Basic Skills Quality Mark
  • National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
  • Sport England
  • Manchester Healthy School Partnership
  • International School Award 2005–2009
  • Football Charter Award
  • DfES Designated Leading Edge School

Pictures

  • School's main sports hall
    School's main sports hall
  • Part of the open plan school.
    Part of the open plan school.
  • View of the staff room.
    View of the staff room.
  • A birdseye view of Parrs Wood school campus.
    A birdseye view of Parrs Wood school campus.
  • Outside of the sports centre building.
    Outside of the sports centre building.
  • Parrs Wood House - A Grade II* listed Victorian building once belonging to the Parrs family, which houses the Sixth Form Centre.
    Parrs Wood House - A Grade II* listed Victorian building once belonging to the Parrs family, which houses the Sixth Form Centre.

References

  1. ^ "Parrs Wood high School Establishment Details". Department for Education Edubase. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. ^ Towle, Nick (28 July 2008). "The school with two heads". The South Manchester Reporter. MEN Media. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  3. ^ Labour’s policy on academies takes a tumble in Manchester
  4. ^ "Super-head to quit for new role - Manchester Evening News". Manchester Evening News. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Parrs Wood High School" (PDF). Ofsted. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Parrs Wood High School" (PDF). Ofsted. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  7. ^ "School gas leak 'idiotic prank'". BBC News. 11 May 2007.
  8. ^ Lexis report on Judicial Review
  9. ^ Council throws out plans for 24-hour Parrs Wood casino
  10. ^ Grovesnor Casino due to open
  11. ^ Lucy's speech to Conference 2015
  12. ^ Lucy Powell 10 key facts about the new shadow Education Secretary
  13. ^ https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1P2-36489360/quiz-genius-comes-out-of-his-shell-as-a-tv-egghead

53°24′30″N 2°13′01″W / 53.40833°N 2.21694°W / 53.40833; -2.21694

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