Academic Rigour
This is the core of everything we do. We maintain high academic standards and we have high expectations of what every child can achieve. Every child is entitled to an outstanding learning experience every lesson, every day. All teachers are highly qualified subject specialists and receive high quality professional development to ensure that they can be excellent teachers. Similarly, many members of the support staff have excellent professional qualifications and receive high quality professional development to ensure that they can create the conditions for first class teaching and learning.
Enrichment
Every child is expected to contribute to the wider life of the school. Through the House system, the extensive extra-curricular programme and student leadership opportunities we provide every child with the opportunities to develop their interpersonal skills as well as gaining self-confidence and a healthy sense of self-worth. By developing the whole child, we are preparing our students for the challenges of the continually changing modern world. Every child is expected to take part and strive to do their best in all aspects of school life.
House System
The House system is one of the most traditional aspects of William Hulme's Grammar School. Every new pupil is allocated to a House on their arrival at school. Siblings are always in the same House, even though they may be years apart in age group. Pupils value their membership of a House and are proud to compete for their House, both on the sports field and in the academic world. The loud cheer which goes up when the winner is announced of the hotly contested House Challenge at the end of the year is testimony to the great spirit of friendly competition between the four Houses.
Johnson (formerly Byrom and Hulme)
Named after Len Johnson, Boxer and Civil Rights Activist.
Len Johnson was a dual heritage professional boxer of the 1920s and 1930s, denied the opportunity to fight for Great Britain because of the colour bar that existed. During WWII he was in the Civil Defence Rescue Squad, a trade unionist, a community leader in Moss Side, a local civil rights activist, and campaigner against racism.
Pankhurst (formerly Dalton and Bonnick)
Named after Emmeline Pankhurst, Suffragette.
Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Moss Side and organised the UK suffragette movement, helping women win the right to vote. In 1999, Time named her as one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century, stating that "she shook society into a new pattern from which there could be no going back“ and her work is recognised as a crucial element in achieving women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom.
Turing (formerly Gaskell and Jones)
Named after Alan Turing, OBE, Scientist.
Alan Turing was a mathematician and computer scientist who was highly influential in the development of computation and is considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and AI. During WWII, Turing played a crucial role in cracking coded messages that enabled the Allies to defeat the Nazis. It has been estimated that this work shortened the war by more than two years and saved over 14 million lives.
Bell (formerly Heywood and Roberts)
Named after Dr Erinma Bell, Peace Activist.
Dr Erinma Bell is a peace activist, recognised for her work tackling gun crime in Moss Side and Longsight. Bell set up CARISMA (Community Alliance for Renewal, Inner South Manchester Area) to give young people positive alternatives to street and gun crime. She is the first woman ever to have her sculpture in Manchester Town Hall.