Cate was born in Rochdale and attended Wardle High School before studying International Business at Huddersfield University, a four-year course that took her to Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, and Washington, USA.
Having completed her teaching qualification at the University of Manchester, she began her career as an ICT and Business Studies teacher at Hollingworth in 2005 (then known as Hollingworth High).
In 2008, Cate was funded by Oracle to study Programming at UCLA, as part of the school’s transition into a Business & Enterprise College. She went on to teach their content to Hollingworth’s KS4 Computer Science pupils.
She has held various roles at Hollingworth, including Head of Vocational Education, overseeing subjects such as Business, Travel & Tourism, and Hair & Beauty. Her main role now is Careers Leader, though she still teaches some Digital Literacy.
A published author with HarperCollins (GCSE Business Revision Guide and Workbook, 2023), Cate held an additional post from 2006 with Pearson Edexcel as an Examiner, and between 2012 and 2024 held the position of Assistant Principal Examiner, responsible for standardising the GCSE mark scheme and training examiners nationally on the GCSE Business Studies paper.
Cate explained she places great importance on the relationships she builds with employers and industry partners, adding: “I want everyone who visits Hollingworth Academy, whether they are delivering a talk, running a workshop, or offering work experience to feel well-prepared, welcomed, and valued.”
Cate also shares her network with other Careers Leaders in Rochdale to “ensure that every young person in the borough, no matter what school they attend, has access to meaningful opportunities. I believe strongly in equity, not exclusivity”.
She added: “I’m mindful that all pupil’s aspirations are different. Whether a student dreams of studying at Oxford University, entering a skilled trade, or pursuing a creative or vocational route, I want them to see and interact with their future possible selves during their time in school.”
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“Rochdale is exceptionally well represented across a wide range of industries and never before has the need for employers to engage with education been so critical, so I would like to use this opportunity to reach
out to any business leader reading the article to say that I would love to hear from them… to ask whether they’re able to offer insight, expertise, or involvement for young people in Rochdale, and if they need help
putting something together… I am here to support them.”
Cate Calveley
Teacher: Digital Literacy
Careers Leader: Hollingworth Academy
Specialist Leader of Education, Careers: Greater Manchester
