It’s been a bit hot this week – but we have coped and carried on, and I thank everyone for their efforts in trying circumstances.

Before the main blog, a reminder that SPARK day is coming and students will need to buy tokens to join in the activities. Please buy them online via the MCAS shop/Store, all the details are here: Spark-day-2026-letter.pdf

This week we said a fond farewell to the Class of 2026. A lot has happened since the year group filed into Bradshaw Hall in September 2021, and this week they spent their last day at school in the very same place. Their uniform this Tuesday left a lot to be desired, but the celebratory atmosphere was fantastic and it was a privilege to be a part of their send off. For the uninitiated amongst you out there, what happens then is a foam fight on the school fields – one of those old school traditions that no-one can quite remember the origin of. I’ll be honest, when I first saw it way back in 2010, my immediate thought was that I’ll ban that if I’m ever in charge. But, I am glad that I didn’t. It’s a chance for the students to be kids again, laugh with their mates and the staff, and most importantly it makes them all leave site pronto to go and get a shower. Win Win.

Of course this week is also the school Prom – taking place tonight as I write this – and it will be lovely to spend this evening together with the class of 2026 and so many members of staff. The students I am sure will look fantastic and have a thoroughly good time, a fitting way to mark the end of their time in secondary school. The class of 2026 will leave a positive legacy behind them, with a reputation for being hard working, determined and characterful. They set about the summer exams with real zeal and determination and deserve to be successful. We will see the students one more time for results day, and I wish them all the very best.

School life never stops though, and after the staff INSET day tomorrow (reminder – no students in school Friday 26th) the rest of the school will be ‘moving up’ to their new break and lunchtime areas ready for September – as sure a sign as any we’re getting near to the end of term. Lots of work to do before then though!

Have a great weekend when it comes,

Joe Barker

At this point in the year it’s easy to focus on the big moments; the end of term, results day, transitions from primary to secondary, secondary to post-16, the milestones that seem to define a school and our lives. But schools are not really built on those moments. They are built on ordinary days: the routines, the brief conversations, the steady rhythm of lessons. The days where from the outside, nothing particularly remarkable seems to happen. This week was such a week for me.

Last month, Mr Kingsley-Smith spoke in assembly about the importance of the small things. The choices that rarely earn recognition on their own, but which, over time, make all the difference. The choice to be kind, the choice to include someone, the choice to say thank-you. In schools, change is rarely about a single defining moment. More often, it is shaped quietly, through repetition: it’s the learning and understanding that builds bit by bit, trust that grows through consistency, confidence that develops before anyone really notices.

None of this is dramatic, and yet it is everything. The moments we remember most only matter because of all the ordinary days around them. The greetings, the effort, the care, repeated time after time. Individually, they can seem small. Together they shape a school, and, more importantly, the young people within it. This is the great privilege of working in a school, and the great privilege of working in a successful school like MHS.

Have a great weekend all,

Joe Barker

Wednesday evening was one of those moments that reminds you what schools are really about. The Year 11 GCSE Art Exhibition was simply fantastic. I had to visit the event before it officially opened due to other commitments, but I gather the evening was really well attended. In the words of Mrs Nokes, Head of Art: The exhibition was busy as always, with many students accompanied by their whole family! It was heart-warming to see many students talking through their whole sketchbook with their parents. Thank you to everyone who came to support the event.

The quality, the range, the attention to detail – all of it was fantastic. I’m no art critic (far from it), but you don’t need to be to see when something is special. What stood out most was the individuality on show. These weren’t just completed coursework pieces; they were reflections of the students themselves. A huge amount of time and effort has gone into that work, and it showed. Well done to all involved, including the staff who support it so brilliantly. I’m looking forward to having a copy of some of the work on my office wall soon too.

Secondly for today, a plug for National ‘Thank a Teacher Day’ which takes place next week. At MHS we see this as a chance to recognise all of our staff, not just teachers. Schools only work because of the collective effort of a large number of people – support staff, site team, admin colleagues and many others alongside our fantastic teaching staff. Taking a moment to say thank you really does matter, and it means a lot to the people on the receiving end. If you’d like to take part, you can do so here: Send a “Thank You” to an amazing teacher today! It’s quick, simple, and very much appreciated.

Have a great weekend,

As I’m writing this on a very wet Thursday, let’s hope it stops raining!

Joe Barker

Recently, we challenged students to get creative and send in their entries to a school-wide poetry competition. Just short of 100 students took part which is a fabulous return, and the standard was exceptionally high. Hat’s off to Miss Mercer and her colleagues who had the very difficult task of choosing the winners, but after much deliberation fifteen poems were chosen as the winning entries. The successful students were as follows, and a huge ‘well done’ to you all! Jessica H-S, Sophie M, Amy L-A, Rafael E, Ebony P, Lexi G, Will M, Autumn W, Olive J, Charlie M, Gabrielle H, Emily O, Avah M and Amelie B.

I have read all the winning entries and was blown away by the quality and the maturity shown throughout, proof if ever it were needed that MHS is blessed with so many talented young people. I could have picked any of the winning entries to publish here, but after seeing yet more news reports of division and hate this week, this poem by Jessica H-S gave me pause to stop and think. I hope you like it too.

Have a great weekend,

Joe Barker

A place for all of us

In every heart, a space to share,
A world made kind with love and care.
Where every voice is heard and free,
And all belong, like you and me.

Peace is built in what we do,
In helping hands and kindness too.
It grows each time we choose what’s right,
And turn our darkness into light.

Inclusion means we all are seen,
No one left out or stuck between.
A circle wide, where all can stand,
Together strong, hand in hand.

So let us make a world that’s fair,
With open hearts and time to care.
A place for all, both far and near—
A home where everyone is welcome here.

Jessica H-S, Year 7