The Marple Hall Spirit

Our school ethos is based around the five personal qualities that we value most highly. These are encapsulated in the Marple Hall Spirit, first devised by the whole school community in 2016. They apply equally to everyone at school – young and old – and help to shape everything that we do.

Determination

‘We put effort into everything we do. We try our best, are positive and seek to craft only our very best work’

At our school, being determined is more than just trying hard and not giving up. It’s about taking pride in the work we do; the steps along the way as well as the end product. It’s about being able to accept mistakes as part of the learning process, and acting on all feedback knowing that it is being given in a positive way. Being determined requires resilience too, as no-one gets everything right first time, and we encourage people to embrace failure. To try and to fail is better than not to try at all.

Honesty

‘We choose integrity over popularity, courage over comfort, what’s right over what’s easy. We trust those around us’

Honesty at Marple Hall School is a lot more than just telling the truth. Of course being truthful is essential, but at our school being honest means being honest with ourselves – reflecting on our choices and accepting when we don’t make the best ones. It’s about doing the right thing for others, for the school and for ourselves. Sometimes being honest is about being brave, standing up for what we know is right even if it’s not the easy option.

Readiness

‘We have high standards of ourselves and others. We are punctual, smart, organised and ready to learn’

Readiness is the easiest to understand but sometimes the most overlooked of the five qualities in the Marple Hall Spirit. Readiness is about being ready to work and to learn – being on time, fully equipped, organised – but is also about having the right attitude for the tasks at hand. Readiness is the first quality that the school looks for when hiring new staff, and as such is an essential quality for students to develop not just for school but in preparation for adult life.

Respect

‘We are well mannered and treat others with kindness and care. We respect our school environment and strive to create a happy community’

Marple Hall is a happy school. Students learn best and adults work best when they feel happy, supported and above all respected. Therefore, respect for others is a central expectation of everyone who walks through our gates. We are all different and we are all equal, and we value every individual in the same way. Showing respect for others is the first thing that everyone can do to build our sense of community.

Spark

‘We are creative and enthusiastic. We find our voice and are confident, eloquent speakers. We look for new challenges and work with others purposefully’

Visitors to the school often tell us that it is ‘spark’ that makes Marple Hall School unique. We encourage creativity, celebrating original thought and providing as many opportunities as we can for students and staff to try new ideas. We are not, and never will be, an ‘exam factory’. We are a comprehensive school seeking to nurture the talents of each an every one of the young people in our care, giving them the space to grow and to become high functioning members of society. We love spark…even if it can be noisy!