Usport is brilliant. The facilities are top draw, very cheap and well located. The football leagues…read moreand gym and squash courts are all things i use a lot and I just can't complain.

Modern school, located in the city centre. Nice and friendly staff and teachers…read more Different grades and courses available.

Xaverian College...what a fantastic place…read more This is where I actually became who I am today. I know that sounds silly but this college is fantastic. I learnt more here in two years than I did in five years at high school. The teachers here really bring you out of yourself, they actually care about the students, not just about the grades. I'm still in touch with most of my tutors now, they care what I've been up to since I left and always get in touch to congratulate me on anything I achieve. The range of subjects is vast and the campus keeps getting bigger and better. It's much different to most other colleges as the buildings are spread right out although not too far so you can still walk to all of them comfortably. It's so different to school, everyone is treated as an adult and it was such a good grounding before university, I don't think I'd have been half as prepared for uni if it wasn't for Xaverian.

The School Sound Recording (known by most as SSR) is a leading media training facility and…read morerecording studio. Winner of the Manchester Evening News 'Business of the Year Award' in 2009, SSR has been attracting a lot of attention recently, and rightly so. The venue is a little out of the way but inside the bland looking building is a sweetshop full of studios, suites and computer labs to satisfy any nerd's wildest fantasies. All of their facilities and equipment are top of the range and expertly kept. Aside from running a tight ship the staff at SSR are great teachers, offering courses to suit a range of interests, levels and abilities. Alongside the teaching spaces and little dark rooms with twiddly nobs and pushy buttons are a few great places to hang out. There is a large live performance space where bands play and record and a penthouse recording studio graced by the likes of The Smiths, New Order and The Stone Roses back in the day. I'd highly recommend SSR to anyone looking to further their media career or learn their way around some new software. Rates are competitive with those at similar studios like Futureworks, but I'd say SSR is just a tiny bit more special.

From the owner: Welcome to Spirit Studios - the UK's first music production and sound engineering school. As…read morepassionate about music as you are, we're a small community of expert tutors and talented students in the heart of Manchester. Here, you'll learn from industry professionals. You'll get your hands on cutting-edge kit in our professional studios. You'll get ready for a successful career in music or sound.

I praise Cervantes for its successful launch of KinoFilm's 11th European Short film festival. It…read moreisn't a fair review, as it's primary services is being the biggest world institution dedicated to teaching Spanish and I'm yet to dare try this lingo. It's location on Deansgate means I always walk past it with intrigue. It's a pretty building sitting next to Greek partner Dimitri's with Don Marco on it's other neighbouring side, a very European corner indeed come to think about it. Inside I didn't realise how big it was. Waiting to enter the launch I found out they hold Salsa classes and Argentinian Tango classes if I was ever feeling adventurous enough. Entering the screening room was grand. The very high roof was impressive, gorgeous. We were seated like it was a neighbourhood watch meeting and at times I did feel like we were in a community hall. But I'd just have to look up to remind myself of the beauty of this building. Overall Cervantes did a good job in showcasing the work for the event and provided me and my friend with some good wine. I'm just sorry I don't have an urge to learn Spanish...

I've been taking a conversation/grammar class at Instituto Cervantes for a couple of months now and…read moreoverall I've been very happy with it. The class is actually a bit too difficult for me but they cancelled both the intermediate and advanced conversation classes so I didn't have much choice. Generally though the grammar exercises have been useful and the reading set for conversation very interesting. It could be slightly better organised in terms of sending us links for the articles and controlling the class more so we don't go massively off topic or ending up spending the whole class on grammar with no chat, but these are minor issues in what generally has been a good learning experience. The building is quite beautiful and historic and has been nicely remodelled using a lot of glass. The downside to this is that it is quite noisy, which is not ideal for language classes. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend IC if you'd like to learn Spanish though, and one extra bonus is that if you sign up for a class you get a whole year free membership of the library which has loads of DVDs as well as books.

This is also a HOTEL…read more Odd place to stay if you are visiting Manchester. The rooms are dorm like, and there is a lot of security after dark. In some ways this is good, but in others it was lacking. I think I would have liked a hotel in the city, but I was a guest of the university. The plus is the morning breakfast which I did enjoy, and the helpful staff at the front desk helped me hire a car service to the airport that was quick and affordable. Overall, ok, but not a place I would book as a regular traveler.

Since I attend the school for my doctorate I have to give it thumbs up…read more Pros: Great education and research. Faculty is top notch. Cons: Building is dated and admin processes can be a challenge.

Took part in a fitness study. Facilities were great. People were really nice.read more

Phenomenal University! I am finishing my 5th year here and it really it top rate. Hence the…read moreUniversity of the Year award from the Sunday Times. It has a massive campus from which you never have to leave if you choose not to. As a sporting university drugs are very low profile which suits me fine. Drinking is the biggest vice around and the Student's Union is a superb venue. The Civil Engineering Department is really top class. As with any Department anywhere the odd lecturer is a let down but in general lecturers are there to help. When I came on an open day I asked what it meant that the Research score for the Department was less than in other places for which I got the reply well do you want to be taught by someone who's done it or by someone who has spent their life in a lab. Good point and many of the lecturers lend real life experience into the education that can bring the subject alive.

Futureworks is a leading media training facility in Manchester which offers courses in everything…read morefrom game design to sound recording. Futureworks offers short, fast-track and diploma courses as well as degree equivalent qualifications in a range of disciplines and technologies. The rates aren't the cheapest in town (you can get short courses in some of the same software and technologies cheaper at The Manchester College) but I think they're fairly priced and are worth the money. I've been here for one of their short editing courses and thought it was great. The staff were really attentive and didn't just shout out instructions as they do in some other training centres. They mixed lecturing and demonstration with hands-on practice and one to one discussions, which I found useful as I felt I was falling behind but was a bit embarrassed to ask for help. The centre itself is easy to find (just at the end of Oxford Road before the Central Library) and has state of the art facilties and equipment. The whole place is very shiney and modern and is so covered in buttons and gadgets it feels a bit like you're in the future...perhaps thats why the call it Futureworks....

From the owner: Celebrating 10 years providing education & training in Sound, Music, Film & TV, Games, Animation &…read moreVisual Effects

Well, what can I say? After ten years out of the education game I decided to tip my toe back in the…read morelearning pool. After some well thought out deliberation I opted for a Masters degree in some marketing what-ever! So, after trawling through countless Postgraduate prospectus's I applied for a number of courses, off the top of my head Man Uni, Man Met, Huddersfield and so on. Bully for me I received all unconditional offers!! I was indeed on cloud number nine, the cock of the walk! So, Huddersfield University School of Marketing here I come?? WRONG! The idea of spending two years in part time study in the armpit of Yorkshire was about as appealing as three kicks to the groin. What did I want???? What was my problem?! I knew I wanted to learn a new skill, to develop my knowledge as it were! Then it hit me! Travel, I wanted to travel! I wanted out of the trap that was my life in a city that I was growing ever sick of! I was going to leave the land of the northern monkey and head west!! SOUTH AMERICA BABY!!!!! But I needed money!! I needed to work! Shit! What could I do?? Then it hit me like the zingy tingle of the sweet chili dressing on a scallies foot long subway! I would teach English!!!! Manchester Academy of English teacher training!!! I was accepted onto a part time CELTA course and here I find myself now!! Its been seven long weeks but I am loving every minute of it! The teaching contents and pace of study is achievable and realistic. The workload is heavy going, but the course outline and the expectations that are set from day one are clear and precise. Being one of them dyslexics I have had to work twice as hard, nothing new there then; but it has truly been a breath of fresh air! Okay, stay tuned for further progress and updates on my adventures!!! :-)