Manchester High School for Girls turns 150
In 1874, the people of Manchester – leading figures in the academic, cultural and business life of the city – founded the first academic school for girls in the North of England.
It was a time when many regarded the education of girls as unnecessary or undesirable. Yet MHSG’s founders knew that society would be better for this investment. Their aims were to ‘impart to the girls the very best education which can be given, and fit them for any future before them.’ And, after 150 years, Manchester High has built quite a legacy.
Having outgrown two of their original school sites, the School’s third and final home on Grangethorpe Road was bombed during an air raid in 1940. Yet positive change grew out of this setback. Throughout Manchester High School’s 150-year journey, the School has focused on creating a place where talented girls of any faith and background can flourish. 
The School’s alumnae include all three of renowned suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst’s daughters, BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour host Emma Barnett, former BBC Two Dragon Jenny Campbell and Kotska Wallace, Principal Engineer of the European Space Agency.
The School celebrated its 150th Birthday on Friday 19th January, 2024, with a stunning showcase of musical and dance performances, historical archive content and thanksgiving at the Bridgewater Hall. In the afternoon, the School’s current and former staff, as well as alumnae, came together to enjoy a celebratory lunch in MHSG’s historic main hall.That evening, the School hosted an impressive Fundraising Launch event, featuring a panel discussion of former MHSG Bursary Students, guest speaker and former BBC Two Dragon and MHSG alumna Jenny Campbell, and the grand opening of the School’s brand new Learning Enhancement and Wellbeing Hub.
Manchester High girls are confident and passionate, ambitious and curious. They have a love of life, a caring spirit and a drive to play a positive role in the world around them. To ensure that MHSG can continue to encourage girls of the future to become these agents of change, MHSG is continuing to invest in its diverse student community through bursaries as well as investing in pioneering, innovative and dynamic learning experiences.
With a strong focus on student wellbeing, as well as exceptional academic attainment, the School is committed to improving its wellbeing offering, with new spaces for reflection and a new social hub at the heart of the School.
MHSG has always been committed to supporting talented girls from across the region with means-tested bursaries, awarded on academic merit, which in turn contribute to driving an atmosphere of aspiration and academic achievement. The School has an ambitious fundraising target of raising vital funds across its 150th Birthday year and is hosting a myriad of one-time celebratory events as part of its calendar to mark such a momentous year.
