The school was founded in September 1932 as Burnage High School on its current site on Burnage Lane. At an ceremony on 21 October 1932, the school was officially opened by Sir Boyd Merriman and the school choir performed Edvard Grieg's "Song of Olav Trygvason". In the early years, the school was organised around the house system, sports teams were formed and a school magazine was printed. A number of school plays were staged, including "Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure", "Dr. Knock", "Seven Keys to Baldpate" and "The Anatomist", nurturing young acting talent such as that of Alan Badel, who later went on to appear on stage, film and television.