| Motto | "Believe Achieve Succeed" |
|---|---|
| Established | 1967 (rebuilt 2000) |
| Type | State Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | A Shakos |
| Deputy Headteacher | B Bridden, M McElwee, C Wright |
| Specialism | Technology |
| Location | East Didsbury Greater Manchester United Kingdom |
| Local authority | Manchester |
| DfE number | 352/4248 |
| DfE URN | 105556 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Staff | 250 |
| Students | 2030 |
| Gender | co- educational |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Colours | Jade green and black (inverted colours for KS4 students) |
| Website | www.parrswood.manchester.sch.uk |
Parrs Wood High School is a specialist technology state comprehensive secondary school and higher education college situated in East Didsbury, Manchester, England, specifically, behind Parrs Wood Entertainment Complex off of Wilmslow Road (one of Europe's busiest bus routes). It educates young people through the ages of 11 to 18 years; A-Levels are taught at the Parrs Wood Sixth Form Centre, although this is directly integrated with the main school. It was awarded specialist status in technology by the Specialist Schools Trust. Parrs Wood is the 4th largest school in the UK,[1] for pupils aged 11–18, with 2,030 students and 450 in the sixth form centre.
The school had a hand in developing the IRIS (It Really Is Simple) behaviour management software during the early 2000s, which is currently used by many schools.
The original school building, built in 1967, was demolished in 2000 and was rebuilt from scratch on a site behind the original school; a new entertainment complex was constructed on the previous site as part of the re-building project.
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The School possesses many high-quality facilities including a fully lit auditorium, in the sports center complex, which is used for assemblies held each morning, as well as being the venue for the annual school play run by the Performing Arts Department. On top of this the hall is used for the Staff Christmas Variety Show and various other events throughout the academic year. The hall is also used as a dining room for students and a common room during morning break (10:40-11:00). The sports complex also has tennis, badminton, basketball, netball and volleyball capabilities, and is also used for examinations. On the large field (on both sides of the River Mersey and a designated flood plain) there is an astro-turfed rectangular sports court (enclosed with a fence) as well as various playing fields including a newly constructed softball field on the far side of the river from the school.
The School's Music Faculty is located in Parrs Wood House, which is a grade II* listed building dating back to the early Nineteenth Century, when it was owned by the Parrs Family of Didsbury. However from September 2011, Parrs Wood House along with the recently closed CLC building will be home of the Sixth Form Centre, whilst the music department will move elsewhere. Parrs wood teaches valuable life skills that will help pupils later in life.
In Spring 2007, an Ofsted inspection showed the School to be lacking in several areas, particularly in KS3 SAT results, and critisied the School management for failure to act to remedy the situation.
Ofsted's report reflected that this situation was unacceptable, The school was replaced under special measures, which involved Tarun Kapur (an Executive Head Teacher of two other Greater Manchester schools) becoming the Executive Headteacher of Parrs Wood.In February 2010, OFSTED judged the school to be satisfactory and as such no longer required special measures.[2]
In July 2010, it was announced that, following complaints from parents, a 'federation' with the West Trafford Learning Partnership would no longer be taking place. This decision caused Tarun Kapur, then Executive Head, to pass on leadership of the school to Andrew Shakos; Mr Kapur retains a position as 'National Leader of Education'.
The school was put into Special Measure in November 2007 partially as a result of the leadership. Rachel Jones and David Ashley (the joint head teachers) were suspended on full pay and Tarun Kapur, a local 'superhead' from two schools in Trafford was put in charge. Mr Kapur's leadership of the school was often criticised by parents as not being in the interest of the school and after a failed attempt to form a federation (see above) Tarun Kapur left. Andrew Shakos was appointed as Acting Head and has been in the role since September 2010. Andy Shakos was appointed full time head in June 2011 after a rigorous appointment process. An original attempt at appointing a head teacher was left in disarray after criticism of the process and in mid 2011 the governing body appointed 'Navigate', a firm of recruitment consultants, to find a new head.[4]
Parrs Wood Technology College and Sixth Form Centre is regularly used for filming. Some of the filming that goes on in the school includes: