Manchester Middle School in Richmond

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	4/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Virginia Standards of Learning data from Virginia Department of Education, and using 2025 Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) End-of-Course data from Virginia Department of Education.
Student Growth	3/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from Virginia Department of Education.

Posted: August 24, 2026

Im very happy with the experience at this school. The teachers are caring, supportive, and dedicated to helping students succeed. The staff are friendly and approachable, and the school provides a positive, welcoming environment for learning. I especially appreciate the focus on both academic growth and personal development. Overall, its a wonderful school, and I would highly recommend it to other families!

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: April 23, 2026

My daughters 6 grade year at this school started off well but 7 and 8th grade have not been good. The teachers do not communicate with parents at anymore about the students other than to tell you to check ParentVUE or canvas. I cant wait for her to leave this school! Hopefully she will have a better experience in high school. If you want educators that actually care and dont want your child subjected to non stop, I would suggest not sending your child to Manchester Middle School!

Posted: April 23, 2026

Posted: December 16, 2025

I am in 8th grade and throughout my experience at this school I found that I have grown to resent coming here in the first place. I am in the CBG program and I think that the students in the program in all three grades don't have a good experience in it. The work is 2 times as much and although you're learning the same things but a majority of the same this as advanced classes, most elementary schools don't prepare children well enough for the change.

Posted: October 21, 2025

Lack of communication is one big issue.
Our child was pushed and hit by another student no one emailed or called us.
We do believe its because we questioned a teachers teaching methods and the lessons he had planned for the students. Its been a domino effect since.

Posted: October 21, 2025

Posted: February 25, 2025

Manchester Middle is a great school. The building is new and beautiful. My kid is in CBG and has had so many opportunities to learn and grow academically as well as making good friends that support each other to do well and succeed, finding and developing talents and enjoying going and being at school. The teachers are excellent professionals, they are competent and use different methods and skills to help their students learn, have confidence, and be ready for the future. I strongly believe Manchester provides a great learning environment that is safe and challenging for middle schoolers that want to learn and excel.

Posted: February 25, 2025

Posted: February 7, 2024

I feel safe in this school, in the schools I jad been I didn't have so many friends, in Manchester I found too many, the teachers are kind and not racist, and there are few fights

Posted: February 7, 2024

The school is good, its teachers support me in everything I want to achieve and they are not racist, some students behave like crazy but only a very few boys, they worry about CBG. There aren't that many fights, I've only seen 1 fight in my entire school year because they make sure that we don't fight and that we are all treated the same.

Posted: February 7, 2024

Posted: May 14, 2022

As a student who went to Manchester during the time period of the old and new building, it's not the teachers, it's the students.

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: April 29, 2021

It good in general the ndew building has a lot of problems though. I can't speak for the non-cbg students as I am cbg.

Posted: April 5, 2019

This school only cares about it's cbg student. They let cbgs go on random field trips and give them too much freedom.

Posted: September 17, 2018

My experience as a student was pretty bad, most of the teachers don't care and the students are out of control

Posted: September 17, 2018

Posted: June 26, 2018

Manchester Middle is a fabulous school. The CBG is the strongest in the county. Our kid participated in many school activities, so despite the relative seclusion of the core classes, he made friends with kids in his electives and after-school endeavors. My kid who went to Tomahawk saw more fights than our other kid saw at Manchester. It's very telling that some families will turn down Manchester because it's "so far" but will eagerly drive their kid to a specialty high school. Friends, Manchester will challenge and improve your child in ways you cannot anticipate. It is neither dangerous nor far. You are planning to send your child to college and into the workforce... right? And people skills and grit and independence are kind of key, right? If you want your kid lost in a sea of maga hats, please disregard. The schools due west may suit you better. Manchester is for thinkers.

Posted: June 26, 2018

Posted: November 27, 2017

in the last week
Alot of bullying/fighting going on in this school!! When I tried to speak to principal friel about my nephew being bullied and how it would get resolved, she totally ignored me and turned the attention on to why he needs to leave his hood down on his shirt even tho you see my nephew has been crying and thats why he had his hood up. When I went into the cafeteria to get my other nephew to leave the school, these teenage girls were talking about me and I'm an adult. I also witnessed some of the front office staff talking to kids very rudely(yelling). Seriously this tells you what kind of school it is and how it's being run and I've only been in it 3 times now. Don't send your kids to this school!!!

Posted: November 27, 2017

Posted: July 25, 2017

Thus far we have had only good experiences at this school.

Posted: September 14, 2016

I wish there was a neutral response because I feel some teachers are good while others are lacking in professionalism.

Posted: September 14, 2016

I think just enough homework is given. Pop quizzes are given often so it really forces my child to study.

Posted: September 14, 2016

I have not witnessed or seen anything come home with my child that would indicate any development focused in this area.

Posted: September 14, 2016

Positives: I have enjoyed with interaction with other CBG parents. The children get to go on many field trips and my son is challenged in his classes.

Negatives: I think my son would have a better learning experience in our zoned school. I really do not care many for many of the staff members I have interacted with or observed including the principal at this school. My son attends the CBG program and I have witnessed first hand the rude and disrespectful way some of the staff ignore students and parents. My son is very friendly and respectful and goes out of the way to be helpful and say good morning. Staff at the car drop off do not even welcome the children in the morning. My son says good morning and he gets a nasty smirk. Disgusting behavior for educators and it is totally unacceptable. What kind of message does that send to the students? I would not feel motivated. I will not even go into detail about the dark and dreary condition of this school.

I have pretty much begged my son to attend his zoned school but he likes the diversity at this school. He also values being around other smart children although he complains about the elitism among some of his peers in CBG. Well I guess it is preparing him for the world he will face. I totally understand why parents of gifted children in my neighborhood would rather not send their kids to this school. We will make the most of it while we are there but so far my experience has been for the most part unpleasant. Thankfully my child is resilient and he will be out of there soon.

Posted: February 24, 2015

I am a 8th grade student at Manchester Middle and I think that this school is not too bad. When I first started out all I saw was the dirty, old exterior that was over crowded, but as I started going there 5 days a week I realized that this really is a good school. Since I am in CBG there are some conflicts with the comprehensive kids because they assume that all of us are snobby kids who think that we're better than them, and some of the CBG kids think that the comprehensive kids are stupid people. But in reality we are both just kids going to school to get an education. My teachers for the past 3 years have been fantastic and have tried to help in anyway that they can! The staff are really great too. But a downside is that the school is really dirty and some kids get favored by the staff more than others. The sports teams aren't bad either, but they aren't the best. Overall I think this is a school your child would benefit from going to!

Posted: February 18, 2015

Our 5 children attended Manchester and each of them were well prepared for high school.

Posted: August 26, 2014

This school is absolutely unbearable. If you're not in the gifted program you don't get any advantages. Also many staff members are plain RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. They speak to students as if they are nothing and get away with it because they are "adults". Adults should know better than to speak to defenseless students this way. How can a school stress anti-bullying, yet have a staff full of bullies. After sending my two daughters here, I may have to find a different middle school for my youngest.

Posted: March 8, 2014

My 6th Grader (Honors) is attending MMS. I had 3 sons that attended years ago; it was a good school then. Admitting it has significantly declined. My child does HW and we check it together nightly; has always been a go-getter about schoolwork. Returned papers reflect A/Bs, but Edline reflect F's for same work. When my child asks teacher about it, told to "Sit down" or "We'll talk about it later." There is teacher retaliation against student, if parent notices a problem and goes to teachers/admin. Teachers spend more time doing other tasks than teaching. Students are often given work with no modeling or no/little explanation. Students are given fill-in-the-blank WS's, which are "notes" to study for exams. But answers aren't discussed/checked. Students don't know if their answers are right/wrong to study. If my child is absent (excused) and asks about missed work, it is put off or not given, and may later reflect as an F on edline. I understand teachers are in teams. Heard the other 6th Gr team is really good. But this 6th grade academic team isn't doing right by our children. Something needs to be done! If your child is in CBG though, you got it made; those teachers are great!

Posted: December 15, 2013

My daughter is in the CBG program. This is her second year and she loves it . The teacher's really challenge her and my daughter thrives on that, The teachers are pretty good about updating edline. She has been able to take French,Latin and Alg 1, which will make her competitive for the governor's school. She also enjoys participating in school clubs. I haven't interacted with the principal but do appreciate her weekly emails to the parents letting us know what's going on at school. I like the diverse population although CBG in general is not as diverse as it could be. My daughter does complain this year about the comprehensive students she encounters in her PE /health class, she says they tend to be more disruputive than she is used to, but that is not a huge concern. I am very happy with Manchester's CBG.

Posted: December 9, 2013

Don't send your child to this school if they are not a CBG (center based gifted) the administration has a zero tolerance principle for mis conduct that is unreal. And the problem is they do not care and they have rules that will allow them to suspend kids unnecessarily. They get an "F". Worst school ever.

Posted: March 17, 2013

I loved this school in sixth grade, but it quickly declined, and becam horrible. They do hardly anything about bullying problems, and most of my teachers do not help me. If you are not in the CBG program, you are over-looked and thrown to the curb. All the staff thinks about is the CBG kids. According to them, all other students are stupid, and will never become anything, even if you are in Honors. Although, most of us Honors kids could be in the CBG program, we choose not to because the most CBG kids are snobs. I would not recommend this school AT ALL.

Posted: February 21, 2013

I've been to this school for 2 years this is my last year and take it from me, it's an okay school some kids push in the hallway and I push them pack but they don't seem to get it, in my opinion this school is okay in comprehensive but really good in CBG honesty i can stay here at my computer and complain because there is. A LOT of things I don't like about the school but it concerns more to the kids, thier not mature and some kids do talk back to teachers and get sent out of the classroom and wonder why? Which I believe ischemic not being mature, some kids and mostly guys will make fun of the kids of the way they dress which Is dumb but if u stand your ground at this school it won't be bad I promise. If a kid makes fun of you or parents if a kid makes fun of ur child don't worry, teach ur kids to stand up to those kids because they will earn respect I'm talking to much my point being 1. Kids are not as good as u hope they'd be mostly comprehensive 2. It really is fun there like today the 8th grade got to do do the Harlem shake in the cafeteria 3. Stand up for yourself 4. Teachers do care they really do 5. Have fun :3

Posted: January 22, 2013

I'm a student at Manchester in the 8th and I personally LOVE but sometimes disagree with the school

Posted: September 13, 2012

I am a parent of two children in MMS. This is our second year. I have one in seventh and one in eighth grade. They are both in Honors not CBG but have several classes with the CBG students. I loved our teachers last year because they all participated in Edline which assists me in knowing what goes on daily. Will have to wait to see what happens this year. My boys tell me that the CBG students are treated more favorably than the other students and I have heard this is the same for more schools than this one. I rarely hear about fighting or bullying and my kids participate in sports. I am a member of the PTA and do participate in meetings. I believe the school is definitely progressing to become a great school.

Posted: January 18, 2012

After having 3 children come through Manchester, I will be sad to leave. What a great school with amazing staff. The teachers are nationally ranked. There are kids and programs from Center based Gifted to Special needs, Every child has a voice! Way to go Manchester!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Brickshire Golf Community	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Providence Forge	VA	28.7 mi
2	Scots Pond	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	44.2 mi
3	Ford's Colony	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	47 mi
4	Creekside Landing	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	48.3 mi
5	Kingsmill	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	48.8 mi

Base	Distance
Defense Supply Center Richmond	6 mi.
Fort Lee	19.1 mi.
Fort Pickett	36.6 mi.
Fort AP Hill	43.2 mi.

Manchester Middle School

Richmond, VA 23235

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Manchester Middle School

Richmond, VA 23235

School Ratings

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