Proposed Partnership Between Alexandra Park Primary School and Greater Manchester Education Trust ( Published: 21/05/2025)
Greater Manchester Education Trust (GMET) is proud to serve one of the most culturally and socially diverse areas in the country. Our family of schools shares a clear vision: to provide the best learning, the best support, and a deep sense of belonging, so every child and adult in our community can thrive.
We work tirelessly together to break down barriers to success. Our goal is simple: to ensure that all children – no matter their background – feel they belong, can fulfil their ambitions and are fully equipped to lead successful lives.
We are a Greater Manchester trust, for Greater Manchester children.
Alexandra Park Primary School – A New Chapter
We’re excited to share our proposal for Alexandra Park Primary School to join our multi-academy Trust and become part of our thriving, supportive community of schools.
At GMET, we’re always looking for ways to strengthen education and care for every child. In a fast-moving sector, we believe that deeper collaboration between primary and secondary schools is key to creating seamless, cradle-to-career opportunities for young people.
This proposed partnership builds on existing strengths. Both GMET and Alexandra Park have a strong track record of excellent outcomes and nurturing environments. Working together will give us the capacity to share what works best, enrich each other’s practice, and make all our schools even stronger.
Importantly, joining GMET won’t change what makes Alexandra Park special. The school will keep its name, staff, values, and admissions criteria. But it will gain the backing and resilience of a larger trust, with access to a thriving professional learning network and the support needed to flourish in an ever-changing education landscape.
We welcome your thoughts on this proposal. Please take time to explore the information and share your views – we want to hear from you.
Why Join a Trust?
Schools today face significant challenges: tight budgets, increasing expectations, and growing demands on staff wellbeing and support. By working as a trust, schools can collaborate to solve shared challenges and ensure that every child benefits from the best possible education.
In a trust like GMET, schools gain access to:
- High-quality professional development
- Shared expertise across phases
- Central services that reduce operational pressures
- Strong peer networks focused on improvement
We’re committed to creating an environment where every colleague feels supported, challenged, and inspired – because when our staff grow, so do our students.
Who are GMET?
Formed in 2022 through the merger of two trusts, GMET now includes four secondary schools, two with sixth forms, and educates over 6,000 young people across the city.
Our core values are at the heart of our work with young people, colleagues, our parents and our community:
- Excellence – We are passionate about maximising potential, raising aspirations and achieving greatness in everything we do
- Care – We work collaboratively and treat everyone with thoughtfulness, empathy and compassion
- Respect – We recognise our differences and treat people fairly in our thoughts, words and actions
Our staff benefit from professional development opportunities, leadership pathways, and collaboration with national partners such as The Chartered College of Teaching, REACH Foundation, IRIS Connect, Flourishing Trusts Network and the GMCA.
We believe in evidence-informed education, with systematic sharing of best practice across our schools. We want every colleague to feel part of something meaningful and every child to receive a world-class education.
Why Alexandra Park?
Alexandra Park Primary School is a natural fit with GMET. Its values – Care, Aspire, Achieve – mirror our own, and its commitment to high-quality teaching and a nurturing environment stands out.
We’re particularly excited about the opportunity to work closely with Alexandra Park EEF Research School, building on a shared commitment to evidence-based teaching and learning. Together, we can extend the impact of research across all phases, ensuring that knowledge, care and opportunity are at the heart of every child’s education.
Staff at Alexandra Park will enhance our understanding of the primary phase, strengthening transition into secondary education and supporting early intervention for the challenges children face in our communities.
This partnership is about mutual benefit – bringing together strengths from both sides to give children even more.
Isn’t GMET Based Elsewhere?
Not at all. We are a local trust – all of our schools are in Greater Manchester, and this means collaboration and support are not only achievable, they’re embedded in our culture. Our schools are close enough to meet in person regularly, while also making the most of technology when needed.
What Will This Mean for Children?
Children at Alexandra Park will continue to enjoy the same great teaching, care, and support they currently receive. That won’t change. What will grow is the behind-the-scenes support for staff and leadership – giving children the best possible foundation for success.
What Will This Mean for Staff?
Staff will gain from expanded professional learning opportunities, career development, and the chance to collaborate with colleagues across our family of schools.
Our trust’s clear approach to professional development means there are defined pathways for leadership, flexible roles, and opportunities to innovate and share effective practice. Everyone benefits from a culture of learning and shared success.
What Will This Mean for Parents?
On a day-to-day basis, probably not very much. The same staff, the same values, the same school you know and trust will still be there for your child. But behind the scenes, the school will benefit from increased support, greater capacity, and access to a wider network of expertise and professional development – ensuring your child continues to receive the very best education.
What Will This Mean for Our Communities?
We’re committed to keeping great people in our city’s schools. Through our partnership with organisations like REACH Foundation, we’re able to connect closely with our communities and provide support where it is needed most. In this way, we can also invest in developing and retaining the very best teachers and leaders – people who understand and care deeply about our local communities.
By supporting staff to grow their careers locally, we ensure schools retain their ethos and continue to serve families with the care and consistency they value.
Want to Find Out More?
To see our proposal in more detail, please take a look at our brochure or speak with school leaders. We’d love to hear your views.
Staff and parent briefings will be arranged, including drop-ins, in each of our schools for parents and colleagues. Dates for these to be confirmed.
