It was during these years that perhaps the first very slight decline in attendance began to be noted. For so many years the standard had been so very high and in order to try to keep this record, letters were sent to parents after three days unexplained absence to support the work of the Welfare Officers. This slight decline was not peculiar to the school, but was more of a national feature, particularly in large urban areas. The arrival of "Asian Flu" in September 1957 certainly caused havoc with attendance figures. The Headmaster was almost the first to be ill, and the attendance percentage dropped to 30%. The school had 3 hard days, with children being sent home during the day and classes having to be combined. By 30th September, however, the attendance was back to 91%

Mass Radiography continued and Poliomyelitis innoculations and skin tests for Tuberculosis were given for children whose parents requested them. School photographs were taken in 1956, but not afterwards, apart from annual team photographs. In September 1955, Mrs Smith took over from Miss Priestley as Assistant School Meals Officer; Miss Earley left as Canteen Supervisor in December. Mrs Wallace carried on as Senior Cook-in-Charge until Miss Elder began as Supervisor in January 1956. The cost of the meal for children went up to 10d. in 1956, with an equivalent rise in the cost to adults, and in February 1958, new stackable furniture was delivered to ease the problem of setting out furniture each midday.

Parents were given the chance of coming in to school on Open Days on 1Oth, 11th and 12th July, 1956, when they could see work in classrooms, working groups in practical rooms and displays, and visit Bank Meadow. Parents' Evenings were held each year for each year group. At the 2nd year Parents' meeting, the options for the 3rd year were explained. "Signing on" evenings for new entrants was held each June or early July and parents were invited to attend the annual Carol Service. For 1955 onwards, Higher Ardwick Methodist Church was used. One reason for this, apart from better hearing, was the fact that one of the trustees of that Church was Mr. Tom Dobbins, an old scholar and Chairman of the Old Scholars' Association, a position he held with distinction for many years. The school continued the practice of holding a Harvest Festival service each Autumn. The 1st year brought gifts and the Senior Girls arranged a display in the Hall. In 1957, the Duchess of York Hospital for Babies was the recipient of the gifts. The pattern of Christmas parties slowly changed. In 1955, there were two parties - lst and 2nd years, and 3rd year, with a half-day closure for both of these, and then a Senior party. In 1956, the first three years each had a party, with an afternoon closure, and there was also a Senior party. All these parties, except the Senior one began in mid-afternoon and concluded early in the evening. By 1957, it was decided to discontinue these parties and just have a Senior Social Evening for the 5th, 6th and Staff. The younger ones were taken to the Christmas production at the Library Theatre, or had other outings. School still closed for the half-day for the Manchester Schools' Swimming Association Gala, and Speech Day holiday could be taken on a day of the Headmaster's choosing. In 1957 and 1958 it was added to the Spring half-term. The building was used for the annual 11+ scholarship examination in February each year. This took 1 1/2 days, school being closed, but the Staff were on duty organising and invigilating. There was also a "border line" examination held each year, and panels of Headteachers were set up to interview candidates and make recommendations as to which type of school the boy or girl should be allocated. The Headmaster served on one of these panels for many years.

Although the established system of twice-yearly examinations, reports and term marks continued, there were other changes. By September 1953, it was felt that the time had come to discontinue the practice of boys and girls marching through the Hall to the accompaniment of the piano. This had been routine since at least Mr. Major's time, and it took place as boys and girls came in from the yard at the beginning of school sessions and after break. The instruction now was that boys and girls should move in an orderly manner. Three years later, in October 1956, there was a further change,when boys and girls were permitted to go to lockers from 9.15. An assembly bell rang at 9.25 and all made their way by prescribed routes to the Hall. In the afternoon, locker bell sounded at 1.45 and a second bell at 1.55 indicated the need to move to the first lesson. This meant that there was no whistle or assembly in the yards, except after morning break. As boys and girls worked more in "sets" and "groups" and less in form units it was natural that movement about the school to various rooms was more complicated - yet the movement had to be orderly and in single file.

Another change concerned the government of the school. The Governors were the Secondary Education Committee, a sub-committee of the Education Committee. From December, 1955, the Headmaster was required to submit annually a written report on the year's work. For the school year 1957/58 onwards, the Education Committee had appointed a body of 12 Governors for a group of 7 schools, including Ardwick. In addition to other meetings as necessary the Governors met each term in one of the Schools. All the Heads attended, and were called in to the meeting when their report, which had earlier been submitted to the Governors, was being considered. The first meeting took place on 20th September 1957 Included on this Governing body was Mrs E. Colley, an old scholar and Councillor F. Hatton, who later became Chairman of the Education Committee, was Chairman of the Governors. The scheme was an interesting one, with many of the Governors showing a keen interest in the schools, visiting as required and taking part in appointments. After some years of experiment however, it was decided to return to the normal form of governorship as for the rest of the Authority's Secondary Schools in the City.

Various members of Manchester Inspectorate visited as necessary, with Mr. Keast continuing as District Inspector. H.M.I. Mr. E. Bullock took over from H.M.I. Mr. Morris in 1957; in February 1956, H.M.I. Mr. Gooch, Inspector for Secondary Technical Schools, visited to look at the accommodation problems and future plans. Other visitors included a Professor of English from India, 12 Students from Scandinavia taking a course at Holly Royde College, and 10 from Europe studying language teaching; 20 ex Army officers from the University Department of Education, an educationalist from Tokyo, 19 chiefs from Uganda, the personnel officers from A.V. Roe and English Steel Corporation, and the Director of Education from Wigan. Lectures were given by visitors on the "Work of the Council for Education in World Citizenship"; "Religions of the Orient"; "Steel in Everyday Life"; "Good Food in France" and "Solid Fuel". An R.A.F. Officer spoke to senior boys and an Air Hostess to groups of girls. A lecturer came from the French Embassy to speak to those taking French. There were the usual Halle Concerts for schools, and another annual event began when Mr. Martin took 6th formers on a careers visit to the Open Day of Manchester College of Science and Technology. Each year, Mr. Hughes took the Science 6th formers to the Royal Meteorological Society Lecture, and also took some senior boys to the "Atoms for Peace" Exhibition in 1955, and to the English Steel Corporation in 1956. Mrs Shelley took a group of 4th year girls to a laundry and Mr. Dawson arranged a visit to the College of Science and Technology for 4th and 5th year boys in 1 956. Some 5th and 6th formers heard a lecture on "Civil Engineering" at that same college in 1958.

Mr. Noble and a group of Seniors supported the Conference of the Council for Education in World Citizenship at the Free Trade Hall in March 1956, attended a lecture by the Hansard Society in 1957, and the Conference of the Council of Christians and Jews in 1958. Mr. Booth took his commercial group to the Refuge Assurance Company in November 1956, Miss Kellett and 12 seniors visited a Commonwealth exhibition and Mr. Quigley took 12 pupils to the Exhibition of European Old Masters at the City Art Gallery. 50 girls and 3 staff heard a lecture on "Ballet" at the Central Girls' High School in 1957; 15 went with Miss Grier to the Athenaeum, and she also took 20 seniors to the American Information Centre for lectures and films on aspects of American life. Ten 6th formers visited part of the Manchester University Arts Festival in 1957 and there were Geographical excursions to Malham in 1957 and 1958, led by Miss Kellett. Nursing exhibition material was displayed for 3 weeks in the 2nd Domestic Science Room, and visited by all the girls, and the school submitted an exhibit for the Tea Bureau Exhibition at the Art Gallery. There was an abundance of theatre visits, to see "Othello" (1955), "The Heartless Princess" (1956), "The Tempest" (1956), "Pinocchio" (1957), "Nicole and Nicolette" (1958), "Macbeth" (1958) - all at the Library Theatre and "King Lear" (1959) at the Opera House. In March 1957, Mr. Pearce led a group of 30 boys and girls by sea and rail to Blanes in Southern Spain, for 10 days during the Easter holiday. The Headmaster, Mrs Woodhead and Mrs Hutchinson were in the party and a French rail strike extended the visit by one day. At the same time Mr. Cox led a party of 29 to Versailles for 8 days, staying at a French boarding school. At Easter 1958, the Headmaster led 34 senior boys and girls, together with Miss Welborn, Mr. Langan, Miss Hutchinson and Mrs Woodhead, on an excursion to Ruhpolding in Upper Bavaria, from where they visited Salzburg, Berchdesgaden and Munich. In that city they were the first public visitors to see Mr. Matt Busby in hospital there, following the Manchester United air disaster.

Members of staff often took the opportunity of attending courses. These were regularly available for the P.E. Staff. Mr. Pearce attended a three week Ministry of Education course in Paris, and three week-end courses at St. Annes organised by M.E.C. were supported by the Headmaster and several colleagues. He also spent three days with Heads of other Secondary Technical Schools at an East Midlands Divisional Coal Field near Sheffield, by invitation of the National Coal Board and two days at Welbeck College, by invitation of the Army. The number of centres which were allowed teaching practice facilities was increased by the addition of Boltori Technical Teacher Training College in 1957, and Didsbury College in 1958 - previously only the Emergency Training candidates had come from there. Mrs Vesey, the Laboratory Technician left in September 1957 for teacher training at Manchester Day Training College and she was replaced by Mr. E. Wilson. Miss B. Mitchell left in June 1956 after 10 years as School Secretary, and Mrs H. Leech succeeded her to begin a highly successful period of 22 years, first as School Secretary and then as Registrar, during which time her responsibilities increased considerably and with that her contribution to the school community.

In early June 1956, Mr. T. Holt of Metropolitan Vickers Ltd. began a period of temporary duty on Monday mornings, teaching Science to senior groups for the remaining six weeks of the school year. Miss Eden and Mr. Dawson left in July 1956, their posts in Domestic Science and Metalwork being taken over by Miss B. Turnbull and Mr. T.R. Rees. He taught both Woodwork arid Metalwork and when Mr. H. Griffiths left in April 1957, Mr. Rees took more Woodwork, and by July, it was possible for Mr. T. Allardice to take up an appointment as Head of Workshops, a position he held for over 20 years. Mrs Stuttard (formerly Miss Ascough) left in April 1957, and Miss B. Barker succeeded her as teacher of Girls P.E. and Games. In Boys P.E., Mr. Godbert left in July 1957, being replaced by Mr. B. Langan. When Mr. J. R. Sykes left in June 1957, his place as teacher of English in charge of the Library was taken by Mr. J. L. Cule. An extra appointment was made in September 1956, when Mr. A. A. Carruthers came to teach General Science and Mathematics.

The Guest Speaker at the 1956 Speech Day was Professor Frank Morton, Professor of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Technology in the University of Manchester, and an old scholar of the school. Alderman W.H. 0ldfield, Chairman of the Education Committee proposed a vote of thanks which was seconded by the two Senior Prefects, Maureen Bonner and R. Burrill, who also played the organ. In 1957, the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Alderman Leslie Lever, M.P. was the Chief Guest. The two Senior Prefects were Pat Floyd and V. Green, who seconded a vote of thanks proposed by a member of the Education Committee and old scholar, Councillor Mrs Nellie Beer. Alderman Miss Mary Kingsmill Jones occupied the chair on each occasion and the large platform party each year included Mr. Peake. In 1958 the Chief Guest was another old scholar, Mr. F.E. Chandler, O.B.E., M.C., Director of Education for the City of Worcester. The Chairman of Governors, Councillor F. Hatton took the chair, with the Chairman of the Education Committee, Alderman W.G. Oldfield again proposing a vote of thanks, seconded by Elizabeth Ormrod and W.A. Booth. At all these Speech Day ceremonies, the choirs made excellent contributions. By this time, the number of donated prizes had increased. In addition to the two regular awards from the Old Scholars' Association and from Mr. Peake who was again present - further prizes were given by Councillor W.M. Parkinson for the enhancement of school prestige, by Mr. T. Dobbins for English, by the Headmaster for persistent effort; by Mrs Woodhead for History, by Mr. and Mrs Brown for Biology and Councillor Mrs Beer, O.B.E. for Housecraft and Mr and Mrs Davenport for Mathematics (3 years). There were also the Susannah and Ann Seddon Lees prizes awarded through the Committee for boys staying beyond 5 years and doing advanced work. Further, another old scholar Squadron Leader Houchin, M.B.E., B.Sc. promised to establish, at some future date, for all time, a most generous annual scholarship to enable a scholar to proceed from the school to Further Education. In addition, Squadron Leader Houchin provided a French prize annually for several years.