As we reach the end of another school year, it is hard to believe just how much we have packed into the final week.

On Tuesday evening, our annual Spark Night concert was a wonderful celebration of talent, creativity and confidence. It was fantastic to see so many students performing with such skill and enthusiasm, and my thanks go to all the staff who helped make the event such a success. Across the week, we have also held numerous celebration assemblies, reward trips and recognition events, taking time to acknowledge the many achievements of our students both inside and beyond the classroom. These moments matter because they remind us just how much our young people accomplish over the course of a year.

Wednesday’s Spark Day brought a real festival atmosphere to the school. Music, stalls, games, disco, sports, sunshine – what’s not to love? Thursday’s Sports Day was another highlight, with fantastic participation, great teamwork and plenty of competitive spirit on display. Well done to everyone who took part. Meanwhile, our Year 10 students have been out on work experience, representing themselves, their families and our school brilliantly. We have received some excellent feedback from employers and are incredibly proud of them. All in all a busy week, and at first look at the data it’s been a week with far higher attendance from students than in previous years too.

As always, my sincere thanks go to our parents and carers for your ongoing support throughout the year, and to our incredible staff team for their dedication, care and commitment to our young people every single day.

Finally, as we head into the summer break, please help encourage all our young people to stay safe. The warm weather brings additional risks, particularly around open water, rivers, reservoirs and the risk of wildfires. We encourage all students and families to make sensible choices, look after one another and enjoy a safe and enjoyable summer.

Have a wonderful holiday, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in September.

Best wishes

Joe

ps this was my 13th year as Head. I’m not usually superstitious but I’m looking forward to being on year 14 soon!

One of the most powerful things about studying history is hearing the stories of the people who lived it.

On Wednesday, our Year 9 students had the remarkable opportunity to hear from Anne Super, a Holocaust survivor, who visited Marple Hall School to share her story.

For many years, our History Department has worked closely with the My Voice project, which preserves the testimonies of Holocaust survivors who made new lives in the North West. Through this work, our students study the Holocaust through deeply personal accounts, placing real human experiences at the heart of their learning.

You can find out more about the project here: https://myvoice.org.uk

This approach has become a hugely important part of our Year 9 curriculum. Students spend time reading and reflecting on survivors’ stories, so the chance to meet Ann in person was a rare and genuine privilege. As opportunities to hear directly from survivors become increasingly scarce, experiences such as this take on even greater significance.

I have heard from colleagues that our Year 9 students were outstanding throughout the event. Despite the exceptionally hot conditions, they listened attentively, showed real respect and represented the school brilliantly. We could not be prouder of them.

I would also like to thank the History Department for making opportunities like this possible. In particular, Mrs Fern deserves special recognition for the years of work she has invested in developing what has become a truly exceptional Holocaust unit. Her commitment to weaving survivor testimony into the curriculum has created a learning experience that is both academically rigorous and profoundly human.

We are incredibly grateful to Anne for sharing her experiences with our students. Her visit was a powerful reminder of the importance of remembrance, education and ensuring that these stories continue to be heard by future generations.

Finally, best of luck to Year 10 who head out on work experience next week.

Have a great weekend all.

Joe Barker

June is LGBTQ Pride month, as an inclusive school community it was great to see the students embracing the spirit of the event. During Pride Month, a group of Year 10 Food students, with the support of staff, took the lead in organising a Pride themed cake sale. This was a wonderful celebration of inclusivity and community spirit, while also raising funds for the LGBT+ stall at Spark Day. It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment from our students. I personally very much enjoyed the two cakes I bought for 50p each…although I am still waiting for the change from my £5 note!

Our Elements students participated in an engaging LGBT+-focused assembly. Following this, they completed activities which included creating displays that celebrate and demonstrate their allyship for the LGBTQ community. These have been proudly showcased in Oakwood, serving as a powerful reminder of our respect to all and reflects our shared values and positive culture we have at MHS.

I was also proud of how our school community coped with the hot weather last week. I know that the heat didn’t make sitting in class (or teaching in class) much fun at all, but student behaviour was excellent across the school and attendance wasn’t too bad either. Nationally absence rates pretty much doubled in the heatwave, but not at MHS where we saw a much smaller increase in absences. That says a lot, and I am sure we’ll see it again when the weather warms up again next week.

Finally, a lot of students and staff are enjoying showing their pride for the England football team during the World Cup, and that is great to see. It’s good to share these moments with friends and colleagues, and to see how far the team will get. I am aware that there’s a game on Sunday night/Monday morning that might last until dawn on a school day…and I expect some students and staff will stay up/get up to watch it. Good for you, I’m impressed! However, just to be really clear – school will be open at normal time on Monday for everyone.

Have a great weekend,

Joe Barker