A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording. The method allows an upper write coil to be formed directly on a conformally deposited layer of non-magnetic material such as alumina which has been deposited over a magnetic shaping layer and write pole. The method allows the write coil to be constructed without the need for the deposition of a thick alumina fill layer and subsequent chemical mechanical polishing. This, therefore, avoids the necessity of such a chemical mechanical polishing step.