MHS Update 17-7-2020

 

I started writing a weekly blog when I first became Headteacher of MHS in September 2013. I think I may have missed a few weeks in the intervening eight years…but that’s  300+ blogs now. The original idea behind them was to share an insight into what is happening in school, to highlight the achievements of staff and students and to occasionally rant about school funding! My blog was not originally intended as a way to communicate important stuff which would otherwise go in a letter or on the website, or both.

 

But…the past four months have been different and my blog has morphed into a regular coronavirus update for parents, students, staff, governors and anyone else who cares to read it (occasionally my mum, for example!) I’ve tried to use the blog to keep people informed of what is going on with regards to school closure, remote learning, live lessons, and the return of some students to school. I hope that they have been useful, and I thank those people who have written in to tell me that they are. You have encouraged me to keep going and for that I am very grateful.

 

We come now to the end of the summer term and the start of the school holiday. It feels weird of course and I am sure that’s the same for everyone. Things are different; we’ve set some summer work for the first time ever, we’re planning a very different results day for Year 11 and preparations for the start of term in September still require a lot of work. There is a lot to do both in terms of working out how we will open and then implementing the measures ready for the start of term. All our initial planning is complete with risk assessments, reference guides for staff and of course the letter that went home this week. We'll share more information in the last week of August if necessary. I think we all need to prepare ourselves for a challenge in the Autumn, but if any group of students and staff can make it work then it’s those at Marple Hall.

 

A second, equally important strand of work is to put together an effective ‘recovery strategy’ that will enable us to help those students who have not been able to make much academic progress since March, for whatever reason, as well as ensure that those who have continue to move forwards at pace. To be honest we’re still working on the plans but we think we have the core of a successful approach that will be tailored to those who need it, making use of a range of opportunities across the school week including but not limited to Mondays between 2pm and 2.50pm. This slot is usually reserved for staff development but the situation demands a different approach, and we anticipate quite a few students staying in school for a little longer on Mondays for at least a part of next year. More info to follow in due course.

 

I’ll end my final blog of the year with a huge thank you. Thank you to all my exceptional colleagues, thank you to the governors who repeatedly strike the perfect balance between support and challenge, thank you to the students who make this all worthwhile and thank you to all the parents, carers and family members who have shown such patience, encouragement and support since March. Together we make this community what it is, so Thank You!

 

Best wishes

 

Joe Barker

MHS Update 10-7-2020

 

Today should have been our now annual ‘Spark’ day with music, art, sports, drama, and other creative lessons across the school followed by a festival on the field in the afternoon. We can’t do that of course, but we can run our virtual Spark day and I hope that loads of people get involved in the activities shared by Mr Follett earlier this week. Also, next week would have been both enrichment week and work experience week – two great opportunities for students that sadly have had to be missed this year. As many of you know all the residential trips for next week have now been cancelled and we are in the process of returning money owed to families. Some is being returned straight away, and four of the nine trips have already had the first refunds. The rest of the money (ie which had already been paid to travel companies) may take longer to recover but I can assure you that our team is on it. Karen, Ang and Helen have done a great job so far to recover the money for everyone and are tenacious to say the least!

 

Rather than enrichment week we will have as ‘normal’ a week as we can to finish off the year. By normal, we now of course mean home-learning focussed around the live lesson timetable. In fact, next week is probably the busiest week so far with over 50 lessons taking place across the year groups. Year 10 will carry on in school Tuesday-Friday morning, with the afternoons given over to allow staff to access the buildings in much greater number to prepare for September. Speaking of which, we have been working very hard this week interpreting the Government’s guidance for how we can open to all students, full time, from September. We think we have a good plan to work with and will of course spend the next seven weeks perfecting it and changing it should the national or local picture alter. Parents and carers will be sent a letter early next week that outlines the key control measures and what we will expect of students, staff and visitors.

 

Finally from me a further comment about summer catch up work. My blog last week attracted a small number of responses asking why we were setting summer work for students, explaining that young people need a break. That will of course be true in many cases and ultimately parents and carers know the children best – if they need a complete break then that is of course fine. However, we also know that many students may well benefit from a structured approach to work over the summer to build on the learning they have (or have not) done since lockdown started. Therefore we have put together what I think are a very good set of resources tailored to each year group (and to each option choice in Year 9 and 10) and have incentivised the completion of the work with a set of raffle prizes in September. Ultimately though we hope that students engage at the right level for them and come back in September ready to learn. Further details of the plans can be found here:

 

http://www.marplehall.stockport.sch.uk/recent-letters-home2/13087.html

 

So, one week to go until the end of the most bizarre term any of us have ever experienced. Thank you for all your ongoing support as always.

 

Have a great weekend

 

Joe Barker

MHS Update 3-7-2020

 

Yesterday was a big day in terms of ‘education-lockdown’. As you no doubt saw on the news, the Government published their plans for fully reopening all schools at the start of September. As you’d imagine I spent yesterday afternoon and evening digesting the guidance and working out what it means for MHS.

 

One thing that did not come across clearly in the news reports is the flexibility that schools have been given within this guidance. The expectation to open fully is clear, as is the expectation that secondary schools will cover the full curriculum (which I agree with completely), but how individual schools go about minimising the risk of the virus spreading has been left very much open. The guidance gives numerous suggestions and areas of consideration, but there is a recognition that all schools are different and every situation will demand a different set of measures. I’ll admit that I am relieved by this as some of the rumours that had been circulating about how schools would have to do certain things had been worrying me, especially when I knew they simply wouldn’t work in a large secondary school like ours.

 

Of course now begins a very big piece of work as we seek to set up exactly how school will run in September (presuming there is no increase in infections in our area in the meantime). The team and I are already putting the plans in place and we will be working firstly with all colleagues and Governors, and secondly sharing the plans with all parents and students so that they know what to expect in the new term. The government hasn’t given us long to do all this but we’re confident we’ll have information out to everyone before we break up.

 

In the meantime of course our Year 10s continue to attend school – and in good number – and the online lessons are continuing to expand into more subjects for all year groups. Thank you to everyone who has made these lessons possible and to all the students (and parents!) who have taken part.

 

As we approach the break we are also putting the finishing touches to our ‘summer offer’. Like most other schools we are not hosting any formal summer school over the break, but we are expecting students to complete work in preparation for the new school year. We’re currently compiling bespoke work packs for each year group which will be introduced by way of live lessons in the final week of term, to which parents are welcome to attend. The packs themselves will either be posted home (to all Year 7-9 students and some Year 10s), or distributed in lessons (to the remaining Year 10s), to ensure every student receives them. Students are not normally asked to work over the summer break but this is not a normal year and we very much hope that students see the benefit and complete the work set.

 

Confirmation of plans for the final week of term

 

Week commencing 13^th July will be a ‘normal’ school week in that it will follow the pattern of recent times. There is no enrichment week planned. Live lessons will take place as per the schedule and Year 10 will be invited into school on the same rota as now. The only difference is that Year 10 students will not have an options lesson and so will leave school at the end of period three. We are keen to keep the core lessons for Year 10 going as long as we can, whilst also providing an opportunity for staff to access the school in larger numbers to make necessary preparations for September.

 

Have a good weekend all,

 

Joe Barker