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School head takes Academy post in city

Kate Watkins
1/ 8/2008

A HEADTEACHER who revolutionised an Oswaldtwistle high school is taking on a new role at a city academy.

Barry Burke, head of Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, has been appointed the principal designate of the new Manchester Health Academy which is scheduled to open in September 2010.

Based in Brooklands, Wythenshawe, the academy will be aimed at pupils interested in careers in the medical, clinical, nursing and technical health services.

Mr Burke said: "I am very excited about the job ahead of me.

"Manchester is leading the way with its academy programme in that not only is it ensuring children gain the skills and qualifications demanded by employers but it is also supported by a comprehensive regeneration programme that is on a scale unlike anywhere else in the country.

"The health academy will have incredible resources that will allow it to offer first-rate services and facilities, not just to pupils but to the community as a whole.

"Coupled with support from a sponsor who is investing in the future of Manchester, it is an opportunity that I am convinced will be one of the most rewarding of my career."

Mr Burke became headteacher at Rhyddings in 1999 and made the school one of Ofsted’s most improved schools in the country between 1999 and 2005.

But in June this year the school, along with Moorhead Sports College, Accrington, was told it faces closure if exam results don’t improve.

Of his new position, Mr Burke said: "This really is a wonderfully exciting time for me personally and for Manchester as a whole.

"The academy will provide more than just an academic education, it will equip young people with the essential skills and knowledge they need to become a successful part of Manchester’s economy.

"With close links to business, we will be able to provide mentors and work placements for both staff and students to ensure that we really do produce young people who are ready to contribute positively to their community and workplace and to succeed in life."