Manchester Enterprise Academy
Manchester Enterprise Academy, just one mile from Manchester Airport, is our local secondary school. In September 2009 it secured ‘Academy’ status. Together with Willow Park Housing Trust and The Manchester Course, we are proud to sponsor the new Manchester Enterprise Academy, where our specialist knowledge of business, travel and tourism will help enrich the curriculum over the years ahead.
With the help of our Managing Director and people at every level of our business, we have ben actively involved in the project; managing the design of the new school building to open in 2010, recruiting staff and offering support to the ongoing development of the Academy and its curriculum.
Our HR Director Julie Armstrong is a Governor of the school and has also been involved in planning the new Academy. In addition, a senior member of our team has been seconded three days a week to the project.
Previously known as Parklands HS, the students already have the opportunity to benefit from its links to Manchester Airport. Here are just a few:
Events
We offer students the opportunity to come to the airport one day a week over a whole term to organise a unique event. In Autumn 2008, a school team managed an event at the Radisson Hotel. Learning more about the world of work, the team received gained valuable experience in organisation, communication and time management. See photos
Management Development
To develop management skills and promote the long-term success of the Academy, teachers have attended Manchester Airport’s Management Development training courses and received presentations from senior airport management. Special arrangements have been made to run the courses in evenings and weekends without interrupting teaching time.
Airport Community Network Conference
This project involved organising an annual conference at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Manchester Airport. Attended by 100 delegates and an MP.
Project Commenced 8th September 2008
Number of Students involved = 3 (year 10)
Length of Airport placement = 9 weeks (one day a week)
Learning achieved
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Time management
Financial Management
Organisational skills
Team working
Outcome A successful conference was delivered
The compare (a Parklands student) was highly praised for his performance
3 young people are more confident of their abilities
Cheshire Show – ICT project
The project involved a competition for all of Year 7 to design an activity aimed at young children, that would be delivered by the Manchester Airport community relations team at their community outreach event at the Cheshire Show. The students were given 5 weeks to develop their ideas and 3 shortlisted entries were presented to the Airport in April.
Project Commenced 3rd March 2008
Number of Students involved 114 Yr 7 students
Learning achieved Communication skills
Presentation skills
Time management
Financial Management
Organisational skills
Team working
Outcome The winning idea was icing digestive biscuits with flags or the world. The winning team came to the Cheshire show to help the Airport deliver the activity. Since then, the idea has been made into an activity leaflet, which has been issued, along with materials to lots of local community groups.
Community Football Programme
This programme was funded by the Airport and delivered in conjunction with City in the Community (Manchester City Football Club). The project involved a team of students working together to plan and deliver a community football tournament for several local primary schools.
Project Commenced 12th May 2008
Number of Students involved 15 students
Length of Airport placement 9 weeks (one day a week)
Learning achieved
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Time management
Event Management
Organisational skills
Team working
Key football skills
Introduction to rules and regulations
Extra curricular visits were arranged to:
The Airport Fire Station and Aviation Viewing Park
The City of Manchester Stadium and the North of England Squash Centre
The Greater Manchester Police – Horse and Dog unit at Hough End
The Crowne Plaza Hotel - gynasium
Job Shadow Morning
A small team of students work alongside Airport staff to organise a job shadow morning for their fellow year 10 students. Hosts from the Airport are recruited and students are allocated in pairs to visit the hosts workplace and learn about what they do.
Project Commenced Delivered in 2008 and 2009
Number of Students involved 6 in 2008 4 in 2009 Year 10’s
79 students participated in the event
Length of Airport placement 7 weeks
Learning achieved
Influencing
Telephone techniques
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Time management
Financial Management
Organisational skills
Team working
Outcome During the 2 years the project teams have organised this event almost 150 students have experienced a 2 hr work placement in various roles at the Airport.
10 year students have had a real life business learning experience and delivered something very worthwhile
Work Experience Opportunities (1 week placements)
Five students were offered the opportunity to carry out their weeks work experience at the Airport, in:-
Manchester Airport Developments
our Administration and Finance Team
our Commercial Team
our Planning Department and at the Emirates Call Centre in Wilmslow
All the students benefited from being in a work place environment, learning how to conduct themselves in a professional manner, and how to operate office equipment.
Performance reviews were carried out at the end of their placements, so students could receive feedback on how they had done.
Learning achieved
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Time management
Organisational skills
Team working
MEA Official Opening event – art project
On the 2nd October 2009 the whole school took part in an airport sponsored art activity morning. Fifty volunteers from 6 different companies went into school to work with more than 500 pupils. The theme was the environment, flora and fauna that you would expect to see around the Airport site.
Years 7 and 8 decorated paper mache keepsake boxes.
Year 9 and 10 decorated and designed T shirts
Year 11 – went on a trip to the Airport environs to take photographs
Each aspect was competitive, the judge was Andrew Vaughan from the Whitworth Art Gallery, the above image is the winning entries from each class.