Manchester Enterprise Academy Central

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central is a highly effective school that makes an exceptional difference for pupils facing barriers to learning or wellbeing. It serves a community with a very high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, pupils who speak English as an additional language, and pupils with education, health and care plans. Leaders have built an inclusive school where these pupils are well supported and achieve strongly, and safeguarding standards are met. Leadership and governance are exceptionally strong, with clear systems, high expectations, and effective support from trustees and governors. Across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, and personal development and wellbeing, the school reaches a strong standard. Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is well above national averages for similar pupils, attendance is good especially for disadvantaged and older pupils, behaviour is exemplary, and teaching is well adapted to SEND and EAL needs. Pupils also benefit from a broad enrichment, careers and personal development offer. The main next step is for leaders to sustain their work to refine teaching quality further so it has an even greater impact on achievement. Overall, the report identifies no significant weaknesses. The school is part of Prospere Learning Trust and was inspected as a full section 5 inspection.

Strengths

• Exceptional inclusion support for pupils with barriers to learning or wellbeing.
• Exceptional leadership and governance with clear systems and high expectations.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is well above national averages for similar pupils.
• Strong attendance, particularly for disadvantaged and older pupils.
• Exemplary pupil behaviour with very few repeat suspensions.
• High-quality teaching adapted well for SEND and EAL pupils.
• Strong curriculum provision with effective oracy development.
• Comprehensive personal development, enrichment and careers programme.
• Pupils feel safe, respected and free from bullying or harassment.
• Effective staff professional development and consideration for staff wellbeing.
• Safeguarding standards are met.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching quality should continue to be refined to enhance its impact on pupils' achievement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Manchester Enterprise Academy Central attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 10.6% of pupils at Manchester Enterprise Academy Central were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Manchester Enterprise Academy Central had 13.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 24.1% of pupils at Manchester Enterprise Academy Central were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Manchester Enterprise Academy Central received £8,954 and spent £8,959 for each of its 1,059 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,245,000 (£1,175 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Prospere Learning Trust, income was £11,772 and spending £11,506 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Manchester · Manchester local authority: places and applications

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central is part of Prospere Learning Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Grange School Manchester
• CHS South Manchester
• Chorlton High School Manchester
• Orchard House Specialist High School Manchester
• Pioneer House High School Manchester
• Pear Tree Specialist Support High School Stockport
• Camberwell Park Specialist Support School Manchester
• Piper Hill High School Manchester
• Manchester Enterprise Academy Wythenshawe
• Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School Manchester

What is Manchester Enterprise Academy Central's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Manchester Enterprise Academy Central is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Manchester Enterprise Academy Central last inspected by Ofsted?

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Manchester Enterprise Academy Central have?

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central has 1,049 pupils on roll.

What age range does Manchester Enterprise Academy Central cover?

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Manchester Enterprise Academy Central's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 47.3, and 49% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Manchester Enterprise Academy Central?

Manchester Enterprise Academy Central is at Lytham Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M14 6PL.