A warm welcome to 2025!

Ok, not so warm!

Before I start, this is a fairly long blog mainly about the weather. However, if you have been bothered this week by poor bus services then do please skip to the end!

Headteachers famously don’t like snow, or ice for that matter. Even the threat of a solitary flake is enough to get people excited about the fabled ‘snow day’, and there are a lot of factors to consider when deciding whether to open or not. Health and safety comes first, but it is closely followed by the moral duty to keep educating young people. I’ve been a headteacher long enough now to have pretty much seen it all, but this week has been unique for the variety of challenges we have faced. Monday was the day of the doomsday forecast but actually not that much snow on the ground. Tuesday saw more snowfall, but also lots of rain that threatened to flood parts of the site. Wednesday was the hardest day of the lot, with Tuesday’s water freezing across the site, and yesterday (although colder) wasn’t as bad given that the ground was largely dry. Today looks to be more of the same. Every day was different, but every day also showed the very best of Marple Hall School.

Firstly, huge thanks go to Mr Hutchinson, Mr Day, Mr Gilmore, Mr Christie and Mr Archer of the site team. They have worked absolute wonders this week, clearing snow on Monday and then gritting the whole site over and over again on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. With 5.15am starts some days, the team have made our site safe to attend and they have worked tirelessly to keep our school open. Nothing happens in school if we don’t open, and so education starts with the site team. We are all very grateful!

Secondly, every member of staff has tackled the week with enthusiasm and determination. Break duty at -6 degrees isn’t the best gig, but the challenge has been met with a can-do spirit and a smile. Not only that, but they have been covering for colleagues stuck in traffic across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Derbyshire, and generally giving the students a brilliant deal this week.

And finally, the students and their families themselves. It would be very easy for some students to not fancy coming to school when it is cold and dark, and when some other schools have closed, but we have hit over 91% attendance on some days this week. This is above the national average on a normal sunny dry day! As well as proving that our students and families really do value school, that’s the Marple Hall Spirit in action and I couldn’t be prouder.

Now, usually, I’d stop there. But I cannot leave today’s blog without a mention of school buses. This week of all weeks, with sub zero temperatures, the bus services has been incredibly unreliable. Our buses used to be provided by a number of companies, but as of the start of 2025 they are all being managed by the new Bee Network. This may well end up being a better service (no political opinion here!!), but I am fully aware of how poor it has been this week. No-shows, massive lateness, drivers getting lost (and students directing the buses themselves) – it’s not been good enough. I feel for the poor students waiting in the cold each morning for late buses or buses that never showed up. Rest assured we have been making our voice heard at the Bee Network, but if you have a concern to raise then do please email them directly. The email address is hello@beenetwork.com, and please make sure you clearly reference Marple Hall School.

Have a warm weekend, and thanks for the many messages of support this week!

Joe Barker

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