William Hulme's Grammar School

The north face of the Old Building looking towards the front of the School

The original part of the school was designed by A. H. Davies-Colley in 1886–1887 as a large, high (up to four storeys) building of red brick and yellow terracotta. There is a hall of c.1910 in the same style. Both buildings are symmetrical. The building lies on top of a large tunnel network. In the original building, there is a ground floor hall surrounded by balconies on many levels. The main staircase is opposed by large stained glass windows. The basement level was refurbished on one side in 2007 in order to allow lessons to be held in two small classrooms. At the front of the school in the basement are the staff changing rooms and medical centre.

The stage of the main hall lies opposite the hall entrance, above which are a number of oil paintings of previous headmasters. A portrait of Patriarca was commissioned in 2008. Around the oak-panelled walls of the hall are boards bearing the names of old boys who have been awarded Scholarships or Exhibitions to Oxford or Cambridge, long serving teachers and all past headmasters. Above these are numerous house flags and shields. On the west wall is the stage staff balcony. Beneath the balcony is the organ. There is also a fairly new grand piano which is frequently used for public concerts and recitals. Beneath the main hall was originally the changing rooms but is now the music department which is equipped with an older grand piano in the rehearsal studio, along with several upright pianos and a number of computers and keyboards.

Leaving the old building from the back, one enters the north quad. Opposite is the science block, which was built in 1927. It houses approximately 10 Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology laboratories and also classrooms for Sports Science, Economics and Business Studies, along with the Activities Studio. There are darkroom facilities within the physics department. It has been extended twice. The first extension, in the 1940s, added 4 labs at the north end of the building. Its purpose, according to the Headmaster at the time, was to "prosecute study and further the development of truth; if that can't be done, what else is there?" The second extension was in January 1985. The gap at the back between the then-Donner library and the 'old' biology laboratory was filled to give a new biology lab and a multi-purpose large lab. The latter of these was refurbished in 2002 as the Dr Barnes Laboratory, in memory of Dr David Barnes, head of physics, who died suddenly whilst training in 2000.

View of the Science Block in front of the Main Building. Astroturf in foreground and Donner Block (in construction) on left. Taken from original 1st XI cricket square

On the other side of the north quad is the Donner block, named after Sir Edward Donner, a benefactor of the school. It was built as an extension to the technology building in the mid 20th century. In 2007/8 it was completely gutted and rebuilt. The new building includes the dining hall, most of the central offices for the Secondary Phase and classrooms for the Mathematics, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Food Technology, Art and Design Technology departments, as well as staff and sixth form common rooms.

On the other side of the Donner Block is the south quad. This is surrounded by the Donner Block, the Learning Resources Centre (library), the Performing Arts Centre (PAC) and the Zochonis Centre.

The Zochonis Centre contains the English, Modern Foreign Languages, Latin, Classics, EAL, ICT and Learning Support Departments.

The Donner Library, now renamed the Learning Resources Centre moved to the previous VIth form common room in 2007. This is its third location - it has previously occupied what is now the Mathematics department and the Donner block first floor. The old Junior Library was housed in the basement of the old building underneath room 7, in what is now the CCF stores

Behind the academic buildings, and backing onto Princess Road are the sports facilities. There is a sports hall with full cricket nets, gymnasium and changing rooms as well as a more modern pavilion/changing room suite. A full-size AstroTurf pitch with adjacent netball courts was built in 2002–2003. In winter the playing fields are used for hockey, rugby and soccer pitches, and in summer for rounders and cricket pitches. Badminton, basketball and tennis are also played. Throughout the year there are regular inter-school and inter-House matches in all the main sports. The Corps also has an indoor rifle range on the campus.

The school, through the J.G. Bird Trust, owned a former school and attached headmaster's house in the village of Hardraw, near Hawes, Wensleydale.[6] School parties frequented this listed building, known as Harris House, to take part in outdoor pursuits. Built in 1875, it closed as a school in the 1960s and was bought by WHGS, which at the time owned several centres similar to but smaller than this. The centre was known as Hulme House until 1993, when W. C. Harris, an Old Hulmeian, left £50,000 in his will for the renovation of the property. The house was then renamed after its principal benefactor. Harris House has now been sold.

The House system had operated for more than 100 years until recent changes that reduced their number from six to four. The House Masters are all senior staff. Heads of House and House Prefects are elected annually. House artefacts, namely shields, banners and portraits, can be seen at the school in the New Hall.

The Houses in the old system were named after influential Mancunians:

• Byrom - John Byrom, Poet
• Dalton - John Dalton, Physicist
• Fraser - James Fraser, reforming Anglican Bishop of Manchester
• Gaskell - Elizabeth Gaskell, Author
• Heywood - Oliver Heywood, Banker and philanthropist
• Whitworth- Sir Joseph Whitworth, Engineer

New-system houses are named after influential Hulmeians/benefactors:

• Bonnick - WHGS Teacher, 1940s-1990s
• Hulme - William Hulme, founder
• Jones - Samuel Jones, Old Hulmeian, donor of first of the School's shields, for the form football competition.
• Roberts - William Roberts, benefactor. Resident of Whalley Range who donated £2000 in 1899, which was used to extend the School's grounds.

Towards the end of their second year (Year 8), the dwindling majority of pupils will join the voluntary CCF (the "Corps"). Uniform is issued and cadets accompany the Contingent on a Field Day in June and, if they wish, Summer Camp, where they take part in a wide variety of activities. They train once a week at School, following syllabuses which lead to promotion and qualifications.

Cadets join either the Army (Duke of Lancaster's Regiment) or the RAF Section, which is currently non-operational, both of which are officered by teachers, whereafter a minimum of five terms' service is expected. They may then choose to continue as NCOs in the Sixth Form, during which time they undergo more advanced training and assist in instructing the younger cadets. The Corps meets weekly and takes part in a Field Day each term. In addition to Summer Camps, there are two camps at Easter, one on an RAF Station, the other adventurous training in North Wales.

A concert band/orchestra exists and plays in several concerts each year along with the choir, jazz band and samba band.

The first XI cricket pitch

Weekly fixtures are played against other local schools and also more prestigious clubs; for example, the cricket 1st XI have an annual fixture vs. the MCC.