Manchester High School for Girls

PA to the Head Mistress & Office Manager

Information for Applicants

Grangethorpe Road, Manchester, M14 6HS

0161 224 0447

recruitment@mhsg.manchester.sch.uk

A Manchester High School Girl is known by her confidence and compassion. She is bright and passionate with a love of learning and is ambitious for herself and others. She is a kind, caring, well-rounded individual who wants to make a difference.

Our girls are remarkable.

Mrs Helen F Jeys – Head Mistress

At MHSG, we have been helping pupils achieve their potential since 1874 and have educated many women, who have made significant changes to our world. We are proud of our reputation for academic excellence, but recognise that our extra-curricular opportunities and caring ethos are equally important in supporting our pupils as they become outward-looking and forwardthinking young women.

Wellbeing is a priority and we help pupils develop an awareness of their own value as well as their responsibility towards others. We encourage our pupils to develop character; to build resilience, selfconfidence and self-esteem so that they can flourish as individuals. We encourage them to aim high and be ‘risk-takers’, embracing the importance of failure and viewing challenges as stepping-stones to future progress.

We believe these qualities are fundamental for happiness and success both at school and in the world beyond Manchester High.

Our pioneering alumnae epitomise our approach. From the Pankhurst sisters who fiercely campaigned for women’s voting rights, through to today’s leaders, such as Deputy Political Editor of ITV News, Anushka Asthana, Catherine Mayer, Co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party and Dr Kotska Wallace, Principal Engineer at the European Space Agency, our pupils go on to make a real difference.

Manchester High School for Girls does indeed have a long and distinguished history but we strongly believe an even more exciting future lies ahead.

Manchester High School for Girls

Manchester High School for Girls is one of the leading independent girls’ day schools in the country. It is a selective, academic school and is amongst the top schools nationally.

For over 150 years, Manchester High School for Girls has taken pride in giving girls an academic education of the highest quality. Founded in 1874, the School has made a pioneering contribution to the development of women’s education. All three of Mrs Pankhurst’s daughters were educated here. The School takes its inspiration from its traditions and continues to produce students who distinguish themselves in many professions, becoming role models of successful and influential women. The character of the School has also been shaped by its accessibility to girls from a wide variety of social, cultural and religious backgrounds so that a community has developed which both values individuality and promotes tolerance.

The School is a non-denominational, independent day school, which has charitable status. It is also a member of the Girls’ Schools Association and of the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools. Since 1893, the School has provided means tested financial support for a significant number of girls. A range of school bursaries is currently offered in order to make places available to those from low income families, and currently approximately 10% of girls in the Senior School are in receipt of some form of financial assistance.

The girls are drawn from a broad geographical area including Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire. Special buses transport most of the girls to school and there is a supervised ‘girls only’ bus serving both the preparatory and the senior girls who live in the Hale, Altrincham and Bowdon areas. Admission to the Senior School is by examination and interview. Entry to the Preparatory Department is from the age of three and sometimes occasional vacancies are available for entry at other ages. Admission is selective by means of an assessment for infants and an entrance examination in Mathematics and English for the juniors.

The Senior School caters for girls from eleven to eighteen and the Preparatory Department provides for girls from three to eleven. Most girls in the Preparatory Department progress into the Senior School. The majority of our eleven year old entrants, however, are drawn from many other schools, both independent and maintained primary. Some are admitted at sixteen to pursue Sixth Form courses.

The Curriculum and Timetable

Upon entry, girls are placed in one of four parallel form groups in which they are taught for most subjects, although setting is implemented in some subjects. All follow an extensive, strongly academic programme of study, culminating in outstanding examination results at GCSE and Alevel.

The School offers a wide choice of subjects at A-level and GCSE, with over 20 subjects offered at each level. Girls take the equivalent of nine or ten GCSEs, followed by 3 or 4 A-level in the Sixth Form. Almost all leave to pursue a degree at a university of their choice and, each year, a significant number gain admission to Oxford or Cambridge.

Pastoral Support, Care and Guidance

Highly effective systems of student support have been established where the roles of the Form Tutor, Head of Year and Head of Section are pivotal. The work of the pastoral team is greatly enhanced by the School Nurse and the School Counsellor. Other key staff who contribute to the provision of pastoral support, care and guidance include the Director of Sixth Form, a SENco, Well Being Coordinator and Head of Careers. Administrative support for the work of the Deputy Head (Pastoral Care, Heads of Section and the Heads of Year is provided by the Pastoral Secretaries.

Current staffing

The Head’s Personal Assistant is also the Office Manager and there are 14 other ancillary staff supporting the offices of the Head and the Director of Finance & Operations, as well as providing administrative assistance for the staff. In addition, there is an Estates Manager and six maintenance staff.

Extra-curricular activities

There is a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, which are well supported by girls and teachers. Many take place at lunchtime but, in addition, there are numerous theatre visits and field trips which offer the opportunity for students to develop and follow their interests and talents in music, drama, sport and academic areas. Every year there are drama productions and music festivals; the School’s performance activities have an excellent reputation. There is a full schedule of sporting fixtures including netball, cross-country, hockey, athletics, tennis, rounders, swimming and water polo. All girls in Year 7 attend a residential induction course and there are regular opportunities to participate in sport tours and other trips abroad

There is a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, which are well supported by girls and teachers. Many take place at lunchtime but, in addition, there are numerous theatre visits and field trips which offer the opportunity for students to develop and follow their interests and talents in music, drama, sport and academic areas. Every year there are drama productions and music festivals; the School’s performance activities have an excellent reputation. There is a full schedule of sporting fixtures including netball, cross-country, hockey, athletics, tennis, rounders, swimming and water polo. All girls in Year 7 attend a residential induction course and there are regular opportunities to participate in sport tours and other trips abroad.

Development and Marketing Department

The School’s Development and Marketing Department is split across the two functions. The marketing side of the team is responsible for overseeing anything related to the Manchester High School for Girls ‘brand’ and promoting what is on offer here to prospective parents and students through advertising and PR. The team also maintain the School’s various social media platforms and website.

The Development aspect of the department’s work involves maintaining links with over 4,000 members of the School’s alumnae community and raising funds for the School’s Bursary Fund. The team is heavily involved in organising a number of flagship events in the Manchester High calendar, including the annual Founders’ Lecture. The links the department has are vital in enabling the School to build close working relationships with the Manchester business community and the team also supports the Careers Department by managing Project Pankhurst (our alumnae mentoring scheme for Sixth Formers) and the ‘Insight Into…’ careers panel events.

Inspection and Future Plans

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) conducted an inspection of Manchester High School for Girls in September 2024 and the School was found to be fully compliant with all of the regulatory requirements.

A strategic development plan, which runs from 2024-2027, is in place. The School is continuing to work to maintain a culture in which learning is preeminent and in which change is welcomed in the pursuit of improvement.

Our teachers challenge us in our learning both in and out of the
classroom and this has helped me to
believe in myself more and find the positive in every challenge.

Louise, Year 11

Agreed Statement of Educational Purpose and Aims

Our purpose

Manchester High School for Girls was founded in 1874 “To impart to the girls the very best education which can be given and to fit them for any future which may be before them”.

Today, the School maintains these guiding principles by encouraging each individual pupil to achieve educational excellence over a broad range of subjects and to develop an awareness of her own value and a sense of responsibility towards others.

Our aims

The School aims to:

• Develop an understanding of the value of education as an end in itself and to instil a love of excellence and culture.

• Encourage the achievement of the highest academic standards and individual potential.

• Provide a broad and varied range of subjects and activities offering each girl the opportunity to develop her talents within a single sex school.

Educate the whole person so that girls leave school with a sense of self-worth, self-discipline, and an ability to contribute with confidence in an increasingly competitive and technological world.

• Draw on the School’s social, cultural and religious mix of pupils, to enable girls to live and grow in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

• Encourage qualities of caring, kindness, honesty and loyalty and to foster high moral standards.

The post, job description and person specification

The Post of:

Responsible to:

Salary:

Required From:

The Post

Purpose of Appointment

To provide full secretarial and PA support to the Head Mistress

Hours: 37 hours per week: 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 4pm on Friday, with 30 minutes unpaid time for lunch each day.

Salary: Point 35 to 38 on the Support Staff Pay Scale.

Holidays: The holiday year runs from 1st September to 31st August. In addition to the usual public holidays, you are entitled to 25 paid working days’ holiday in each full holiday year worked, increased to 28 paid working days’ holiday after 2 years’ continuous service and increasing to 33 paid working days after 5 years’ continuous service, accruing pro rata in each calendar year.

Responsible For:

• To provide full secretarial & PA support to Head Mistress including being the main point of contact for all school e-mails

• To manage the Head’s diary • To oversee the work of, and to line-manage, the main office staff and reception staff

• To communicate with Parents, Governors, Senior Leadership Team, all school staff and pupils, GSA etc on Head’s behalf.

• To gather information for the Head for her reports to Governors and other documents.

• To acknowledge letters of notice and provisional notice

• To produce weekly SLT agenda and distribute in advance of meetings

• To keep a log of all complaints (both formal and informal)

Recruitment of staff – to work collaboratively with the HR Assistant, drafting advertisements, job descriptions, responding to enquiries, managing applications, arranging interviews, checking candidates’ documentation, drafting offer letters and writing to unsuccessful candidates

• To support in maintaining the Single Central Register ensuring that all appropriate statutory checks and references are in place for all people who work or volunteer in the School in any capacity

• To keep both the PASS and SIMS databases up to date in respect of staff details

• To prepare contracts of employment for teaching staff and to inform the Director of Finance & Operations about new support staff appointments to enable her to prepare their contracts.

• To draft and prepare letters in relation to internal appointments, maternity leave, retirements and resignations

• To maintain staff electronic & paper files, and keep all HR filing up to date.

• To take minutes at meetings when requested by the Head Mistress.

• To circulate and collate paperwork regarding the Upper Pay Scale Governors’ Allowances.

• To arrange travel and accommodation for the Head for meetings/conferences

• To complete statistical returns for DfE and ISC in January

• To ensure that there is someone on duty in the office for open events

• To ensure that there is always Reception cover during term time

• To maintain a record of office staff holidays, overtime for time in lieu and to ensure that there is always cover in the offices during the School holidays

• To be responsible for ensuring that all support staff have evacuated the building safely during fire drills/evacuations

• To produce letters confirming attendance as requested, and letters confirming examination grades of former pupils as and when requested

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria

Child Protection and Safeguarding

This role involves contact with children and engagement in “regulated activity” as defined in the DFE document “Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025.

Manchester High School for Girls (the School) is committed to acting in the best interests of the child and will take actions to enable all pupils to have the best outcomes. The safety and welfare of children is the statutory responsibility of all those who come into contact with them in the School.

All staff, volunteers and governors will be proactive in trying to identify possible safeguarding issues and will report concerns immediately to one of the School’s Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs).

Additional Information

• There is a 25% discount on school fees for the daughters of full-time members of staff. For part-time staff, the discount is pro-rata

• There is a generous staff training budget. All colleagues are encouraged to continue their professional development.

• Colleagues are served by two of our catering team throughout the day. Tea and coffee are provided at break and at the end of the school day.

• Other Information

This School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

• MHSG is committed to equal opportunities for all of its employees and its policy is available on request.

• The School has a no-smoking policy throughout the premises, and a smart dress code.

• All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to an enhanced criminal record check and the Children’s Barred List check for the Child Workforce from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS), which must be cleared before the appointment, is confirmed. Candidates will be required to submit the subsequent DBS certificate to the School prior to their employment. All candidates are also required to present their examination qualifications for inspection at the interview stage.

• In accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, the Governing Body will require candidates to provide documentary evidence at interview that they are legally entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom.

• Manchester High for Girls adheres to the Data Protection Act 1998. We will obtain information about you including any criminal convictions you may have. All information will be kept confidential and it will only be used to process your application. If your application is unsuccessful, all your information will be deleted from our systems and disposed of in a secure manner.

• Upon appointment the successful candidate will be required to complete a medical questionnaire which will be kept on their confidential personnel file.

• The School website, www.manchesterhigh.co.uk, is regularly updated and has a wide range of additional information, including the full ISI Regulatory Compliance Inspection reports.

Arrangements for Applicants

1. Please apply by submitting to the Head Mistress at recruitment@mhsg.manchester.sch.uk:

• a fully completed application form, including examination grades, dates of awards and the names and contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Applicants should note that we write for references during the selection procedure and the School will check with past employers as to the suitability of a candidate to work with children.

• a supporting letter outlining how your experiences and/or personal qualities would enable you to contribute to the development of a thriving department and school.

2. The closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday 10th June at 9:00am.

3. Interviews will take place on Friday 19th June 2026

4. Unfortunately, we are not able to acknowledge all applications, but applicants who have not been invited for interview by the date indicated above should assume that, on this occasion, their application was unsuccessful.

Our GCSE results are up there with the best in the country. Our excellent academic outcomes are a reflection of both our talented, hardworking pupils who are keen to learn and our excellent and innovative teachers.

Mrs Helen F Jeys, Head Mistress