Manchester Enterprise Academy, Wythenshawe

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Manchester Enterprise Academy on 6 areas: 1 expected standard, 1 needs attention and 4 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school provides an appropriate programme of personal development and wider opportunities beyond the curriculum."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and pupils who face other barriers, do not receive the support that they need to access their learning."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "Due to weaknesses in the curriculum and in teaching, pupils have not achieved well over time."

Attendance and behaviour - Urgent improvement. "Pupils' attendance, including for those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, has been low and declining for a number of years."

Curriculum and teaching - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "The trust and the local governing body have not held leaders to account effectively for the decline in the quality of the school's provision."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Trustees and leaders must take rapid action to secure much-needed improvements in the quality of the curriculum and teaching that pupils receive"; "Trustees and leaders must ensure that they evaluate the work of the school effectively so that areas of weakness are identified accurately and resolved swiftly"; "Leaders must ensure that any adaptations to the content, order and delivery of the curriculum are well thought through so that the curriculum is suitably ambitious for all pupils"; "Leaders must ensure that teachers have the expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively, including their use of assessment strategies and resolving gaps in pupils' knowledge, so that pupils learn all that they should"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills necessary to adapt the curriculum, so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils with other barriers to their learning get the support they need"; "Leaders must fully embed the improved attendance strategies so that more pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and have SEND, attend school often"; "Leaders must ensure that all staff are well equipped to uphold the school's behaviour policy consistently and robustly, so that the poor behaviour of some pupils is dealt with effectively and does not hinder the enjoyment and achievement of others".

From the headteacher's welcome: "As part of The Prospere Learning Trust we are defined by our vision of ' A Fantastic Future for All'. We care about helping our students to be their best and know the only way to do this is through academic achievement, character development and strong pastoral support."

In 2026, pupils at Manchester Enterprise Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 33, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.3 in Manchester and 47 across England.

22% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Manchester and 47% in England.

That is down from 37.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.69: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 27.7, against 43.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 99 families put Manchester Enterprise Academy as their first choice and 226 named it as one of their preferences, for 195 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Manchester Enterprise Academy are Saint Paul's Catholic High School (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.4); Dixons Newall Green Academy (0.8 miles); Dixons Brooklands Academy (1.8 miles, Attainment 8 39.9); and The Kingsway School (1.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 48.4).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Manchester Enterprise Academy.

Manchester Enterprise Academy is one of 11 schools run by Prospere Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47 in 2024/25.

134 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Manchester Enterprise Academy (as of April 2026): 47% would recommend the school, 43% say their child is happy there and 26% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (49%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (26%).

Of the 234 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 59% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 17 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 29% went on to university or other higher education, 18% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 22% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

58.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 260 pupils (22.7%) received SEN support and 78 (6.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Wythenshawe Town Centre (Manchester Metrolink), about 480 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Simonsway (near), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Manchester Enterprise Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Manchester Enterprise Academy issued 739 suspensions, 62.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 7 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Manchester Enterprise Academy are Haveley Hey Community School (0.4 miles), The Willows Primary School (0.4 miles), St Peter's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles) and Newall Green Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.