Oldham’s Hulme Grammar School has announced plans to become a national leader in artificial intelligence education, positioning the town at the centre of a vital national conversation about technology and learning.

From September 2026, every pupil at the independent co-educational day school will be taught AI as a subject in its own right. Beyond dedicated lessons, AI will also be woven into every other subject across the traditional curriculum. The school says this will enhance students’ outcomes and prospects, preparing them for a world where AI is increasingly central to daily life and work.

The initiative builds on the work of the Brenda Mills Institute of Innovation and Technology (BMIIT), Hulme’s dedicated STEAM hub launched last year. BMIIT has already hosted a 100-student cross-borough hackathon, supported by mentors from the University of Manchester, Imperial College London, AMEX GBT, Koder.ly, and Purple AI. The hub is becoming a beacon for regional collaboration, strengthening Oldham’s reputation as a rising force in the digital economy.

Hulme’s position is clear: AI will change the world more profoundly than any technology in living memory, and schools that avoid the issue will fail their pupils. Rather than treat AI as a threat to be policed, the school will teach pupils from Year 7 upwards how to use it, question it, and build with it.

The AI curriculum will cover how the technology actually works, its limits and risks, how to prompt and evaluate outputs, and how to combine machine capability with human judgement. It will also help pupils use AI tools to boost creativity and critical thinking, rather than rely on simple prompts. At the same time, all teachers will be upskilled in AI, both for educational use and for understanding its role in the wider world.

The announcement comes as 76% of UK tech employers report a recruitment crisis (IET, 2025) and Greater Manchester’s tech sector now hosts more than 10,000 companies. With the city-region’s digital economy valued at £5bn, the school’s emphasis is shifting toward critical thinking, collaboration, and ethical reasoning — the human capabilities that will matter most as routine tasks become automated.

Kirsten Pankhurst, Principal of Hulme Grammar School, said: “Our pupils will graduate into a world still being defined. Our responsibility is to prepare them for it with clarity and purpose. That means teaching AI explicitly, embedding it across the curriculum, and placing even greater emphasis on the human capabilities — judgement, creativity, and collaboration — that will endure. At Hulme, preparing young people for what comes next has always guided our approach. In 2026, this is what that looks like in practice.”

To keep pace with a technology that evolves week by week, Hulme has secured industry partners who will help shape course content, deliver masterclasses, and mentor pupils. Purple AI, the enterprise AI company founded by Chair of Governors Gavin Wheeldon, will be the founding partner. Other partners are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Gavin Wheeldon, Chair of Governors at Hulme Grammar School and Chief Executive of Purple AI, said: “I have spent my career building businesses in AI, and I can tell you that the world is about to change faster than most people realise. Schools have a simple choice: lead or hide. Hulme is choosing to lead. By combining a world-class education with cutting-edge industry insight, we are making sure our students are not just ready for the future — they will help shape it.”

For Oldham, the announcement is a significant boost. It cements the town’s role as a player in the North West’s digital revolution and ensures that local students are uniquely prepared for the opportunities of Greater Manchester’s booming digital economy. With a history stretching back over 400 years, Hulme Grammar School is blending its long traditions with a bold vision for the future of education.