We're incredibly proud to be awarded the Bronze Level Global Alliance Award for the amazing work we’ve been doing to showcase our school`s diversity and multiculturalism.
Our Family Liaison Officer Mr Adam put together an Action Plan to demonstrate how Manchester Academy provides opportunities for our students to develop their key skills and knowledge to become global citizens. This vision is shared by the whole school and implemented across the curriculum.
Highlights which show our commitment to diversity include a range of activities across different areas of the Curriculum including MFL, History, Geography, Religious Education, Food Technology, Art and English.
Every year we lead on Black History Month, Remembrance Day and Holocaust Memorial Day where students deliver whole school assemblies.
In Geography, we teach beyond the National Curriculum to ensure all pupils experience the wide range of natural landscapes in the UK including fieldtrips in both Key Stage Three and Key Stage Four.
In R.E. we lead on whole school initiatives such as LGBTQ+ History month and Interfaith (where a panel of leaders from different religions come in and do a Q and A with the students). Wherever possible we make links to current affairs within the curriculum e.g. Black Lives Matter protests, Extinction Rebellion, The Riots at the Capitol, Marcus Rashford’s work with food banks and Greta Thunberg’s protests.
In Food Technology, Induction students develop their food and cookery skills and enhance their subject vocabulary through practical work. All students prepare, cook and serve dishes from all over the world – for example; Italy – pizza; India – vegetable samosa; Jamaica – rice and peas; Middle Eastern countries - chicken shawarma; Mexico – quesadilla, chilli con carne and chimichanga.
Multiculture is a topic we heavily cover in Art in Year 8 through the exploration of Aboriginal, African, Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese and Maori. Students create work inspired by a wide range of cultures and artists by using techniques and tools used by these differing cultures.
We have also been involved with various multicultural events such as MACFEST, where students celebrate their diversity by dressing in their native country’s traditional clothes. Plus we work with our canteen staff to celebrate cultural awareness days such as Chinese New Year with food celebrations.
Finally, our Queen Bees Female Leadership group has been set up for girls in the Academy. We have developed links with a school in India to compare gender norms to the UK.
Mr Adam was thrilled to receive the award.
He said: “I was delighted, honoured and proud to receive this award from Global School Alliance. When you receive an award like this, it will always be a reminder of the hard work that we all as a staff have put into making Manchester Magic. This award will only motivate me to achieve more success in future.”
Next year we will be going for Gold! Just another example of how we make Manchester magic every day!