Connell Co-op College

Connell Co-op College is a 16-19 college in East Manchester. We first opened in 2014 as Connell Sixth Form College next to Manchester City’s Etihad Campus training ground. We have a strong relationship with the club - they donated the land that the college is built on - and our sports courses benefit from their coaches and facilities.

Co-op Academies Trust

In 2019 we joined the Co-op Academies Trust so that we could offer our students a greater range of subjects and be able to link with one of Manchester’s biggest businesses.

The Co-op believes in a different way of doing things, a better and fairer way. Built on the same principles as all cooperatives across the world, Co-op Academies Trust empowers young people to work together for a better education and a better community.

Bringing together Co-op and Manchester City means that Connell offers young people the chance to be a part of two of Manchester’s biggest and best institutions and that’s a great thing for you and your future!

Connell Co-op College is a community united by our desire to make a positive difference to each and every one of our students. We focus on providing strong teaching and learning, complemented by outstanding student support.

We are a successful college and we continue to build on the strengths that were celebrated in our 2018 Ofsted report (which was reconfirmed as ‘Good’ after a short inspection in April 2024). Inspectors recognised the high-quality teaching and learning experience we provide and the high standards our students achieve.

The Connell Name + Manchester City FC

The college is named after a local inspirational family, the Connells. In the 19th century, there was a lot of unemployment in Manchester and after moving to West Gorton, the Reverend Arthur Connell felt the need to set up a relief fund for the local population, distributing soup, bread and coal. His daughter Anna, also became involved in community work locally. She was very concerned about the warring gangs of Manchester, which saw up to 500 people involved in inter-gang violence.

Anna believed that men’s sports clubs could help bring the community together and stop the fighting. She helped establish a series of clubs, including St Mark’s Church Football Club. In 1884, the team was renamed the Gorton Association Football Club. In 1887, the club moved to a new ground at Hyde Road and changed their name to Ardwick. In 1894, it changed its name again to Manchester City. Replicas of the doors that Anna and Arthur knocked on to ask the men of Gorton to take part in these clubs form part of the decor inside the Etihad Stadium.

The Connell family used the power of football to bring their community together, the same community that we 100 years later are serving. We could think of no better name for a college offering an excellent education to the young people of Manchester.

Principal

Emma Soper

Mission Statement

We are Connell. We are different. We’re small, but we think big.

We are here because we think East Manchester deserves the best. We are here to offer you a sixth form that will help you to achieve your aspirations.

If you have the right mindset, then there are no limits to what you can accomplish. You will be an integral part of a caring and supportive learning community, not one face among hundreds of others. You’ll be taught by passionate teachers who will treat you as an individual. You will be challenged, but we will support you. You will learn, and we will guide you. Ultimately, you will succeed.

When you leave us, you will be ready for the world: the world of university, of apprenticeship, of work. The world of discovery and possibility. We want to be part of your journey.

Ofsted report - April 2024

“Students improve their confidence and independence because of the education they receive… …Students are highly motivated and enjoy their learning. They take part in a range of activities to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours. For example, students volunteer in the local community by carrying out activities such as coaching local school children in sports and organising fundraising events. These activities develop the skills they need to support students to progress to their next steps. Students’ behaviour is exemplary and they demonstrate high levels of respect for staff and their peers. They feel very well supported by their teachers and progress tutors, who they say help them to improve. Students feel safe. They know how and to whom they should report concerns.”

View Connell Co-op College’s latest Ofsted report.