Bill Turnbull from BBC Breakfast television presented the award at a champagne reception held at the very impressive Emirates Stadium, the home to Arsenal football club. Students were praised for their commitment to the community through extensive work with local primary schools and sitting as advisory members on the NHS Trust Forum.
The partnership between Pinsent Masons, a Global 100 law firm and Manchester Academy was also praised. Since 2007, the partnership’s two principal components have been a career and business orientated programme and a literacy and numeracy mentoring programme. These components give credence to a belief that the development of academic and career focussed skills should run side-by-side if young people are to have the confidence and courage to create their own future, whilst providing worthwhile career progression opportunities for the law firm’s staff.
Ms Alford and Ms Rashid receiving the award on behalf of Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy’s 2008 results of 35% of students achieving five or more GCSEs at grade C or above (including English and Maths) is a significant improvement from when Pinsent Masons started work with the academy when only 21% achieved this level of qualification.
In 2008/2009 an astonishing 100% of the students involved said they felt their reading was better as a result of the programmes.
Kathy August, Deputy Chief Executive of United Learning Trust and Manchester Academy said: “We are doing many things to improve the life chances of our students including the introduction of a specialised reading recovery programme, designed to improve reading ability, vocabulary and pronunciation skills, as well as improve confidence in speaking aloud, which compliments perfectly the work Pinsent Masons staff undertake for the young people of Manchester Academy”.
Jane Delfino, Director of Enterprise and Internationalism at Manchester Academy, said: “Long gone are the days when education was just the responsibility of the students and school. The guidance received by our students from their business mentors has been instrumental in ensuring our students succeed and become the bright young adults of the future."
Manchester Academy was also commended in the ‘Outstanding Academy Award’ category at the same awards ceremony.
By Ruth Warburton
Enterprise Administrator
Manchester Academy