Shameless advertising time for two upcoming events courtesy of MHS. Firstly, we have the annual summer ‘Spark Night’ taking place on Tuesday 14th July. More than a concert, this is a varied event with all sorts of creativity on offer and the perfect way experience a little of what ‘Spark’ means to MHS. Use the QR code below to get your tickets for £6.

Secondly, EARLY WARNING here of the next full school production, which next academic year will be Mary Poppins. Our school productions are always fantastic occasions and this is already looking like it will be a belter. Performances will be on October 13th, 14th and 15th 2026, and details on how to buy tickets will be released soon. Just £8 for a great night out!

Finally, well done to the Year 11 and Year 9 exam students for their determination and dedication to date. Still a lot of hard work to do, but just know that we are all very proud of you.

Have a great half term,

Joe Barker

This week has marked an important milestone, as our Year 11 students begin the main block of their GCSE examinations.

What has stood out most to me has been their attitude. There is a calm sense of purpose around the year group; a quiet determination to do their best, to support one another, and to keep going. They have approached this challenge with maturity, resilience and real commitment, and we are very proud of them. Of course qualifications are important, but they are not the ‘be all and end all’. At MHS we are not just preparing students for exams, we are hoping to instill the values of the Marple Hall Spirit to last a lifetime.

Supporting at Home

For parents and carers, this can be an intense time too. The most helpful support is often the simplest: providing a calm, reassuring presence, encouraging good routines (sleep, food and breaks), and being ready to listen when needed. It is also important to remember that feeling nervous is entirely normal, and can even help young people to stay focused.

For further practical advice, the NHS offers clear guidance for families. I hope it helps a little.

• Help your child beat exam stress

We wish all of our Year 11 students – and our Year 9 MFL, food and art students – every success in the weeks ahead.

Best wishes,

Joe

A focus on homework for this week’s blog.

In my humble opinion after 25 years in education (!), homework really matters. It helps pupils practise learning, build independence and develop habits that will serve them well beyond school. Learning doesn’t stop at the end of the day, and we expect homework to be completed consistently and thoughtfully. To this end, thank you to every parent and carer who does their bit and makes sure their children complete their homework on time.

I want to particularly recognise students working towards public examinations who are not only completing set homework, but also engaging in ‘additional learning’ too such as revisiting content, practising exam questions and attending extra sessions. This discretionary effort reflects real determination and readiness, and it will make a meaningful difference.

At the same time, our approach to ‘normal’ homework must reflect the Marple Hall Spirit.

For most pupils, high expectations mean completing homework fully and on time, and we will continue to hold students to account when that does not happen. However for some pupils, particularly those with specific needs, completion within the same timeframe can be genuinely difficult, even when they have additional support and are trying very hard. Where such a student works for the full amount of time set, gives their best effort, and this is communicated by home to the teacher via email or a note on the work, that effort will always be recognised and no sanction will be given. This is not about lowering standards; it is about acting with integrity, fairness and respect.

This is important because we value effort as well as outcome. We believe that trying hard, even when learning is tough, is an achievement in itself. Above all, we want pupils to feel encouraged to keep going, to feel that they belong, and to be supported to try their best the next time and the time after that too. As Miss Gregory often says to students, high standards and kindness go hand in hand. We do no favours by letting students off and lowering our expectations, but equally we do not sanction pupils for barriers they cannot control.

I hope that this clarifies our approach and thanks again for your support,

Best wishes

Joe Barker

Last week I mentioned that our fantastic Girls under 16 football team would be playing their final game for the school today – Thursday 30th April. The team have had an amazing two years winning the Treble last year, and then already picking up another trophy this season too. Their final game was to be the defence of the Greater Manchester Schools Cup, against the same tough opponents that they narrowly beat on penalties last summer.

This year, playing at home and in front of a great crowd of students of all ages, parents, family members, staff and Governors, was a slightly different story. The MHS girls started with great confidence and dominated the play from the first minute, quickly establishing a three goal lead before piling on the pressure even more. The final score of 8-0 to Marple did not flatter the team at all, they were excellent value for every goal. It was wonderful to see Madison lifting the team’s fifth trophy in two seasons, and to be a part of the full celebrations that followed.

A quick word then here to thank the parents and family members who have supported the team over the years, the fellow students for their loyal support, and of course my colleagues especially within the PE department who work so hard with extra curricular sport. To Mr Stretton and Mr White, the staff directly involved in leading the team – thank you for your amazing work.

And so that just leaves the team. I hope you realise what an amazing thing you have done for MHS. You have pushed our sporting success to levels never before seen, and even more impressively have kept it there for over a year. I have no doubt that you have inspired younger students to try their best and to participate in sports themselves, and that is the greatest thing I could ask of you before you leave us in a couple of months. So team – well done and thank you.

Have a great long weekend,

Joe Barker

2025 Stockport Schools champions, Greater Manchester Cup winners, National FA cup winners

2026 Stockport Schools champions, Greater Manchester Cup winners, National FA cup semi-finalists

‘Turn up and Read’. My favourite mantra for how to get the best out of school. I like it as it’s simple and effective – and it’s true.

Students who attend more, and students who read more – especially fiction books – are more likely to enjoy and succeed in school compared to their peers. That’s why we spend a lot of time encouraging good attendance, why we make no excuses for taking action when attendance is slipping, and why we talk about books and reading A LOT.

Mrs Lawton is renowned for her reading focussed assemblies and has showcased so many great books and series of books over the years. This year has seen Mrs Lawton sharing a range of stories with the students in assembly so that they don’t miss out on those cultural links that those ‘in the know’ just understand. After all there are some stories that just come around again and again and again – and are referenced in other books, films, games, TV shows and the like. Our thinking was that we need to make sure MHS students know these famous tales, and can therefore appreciate the other content they consume that little bit more.

Depending on their year group, so far this year students in different years have heard the stories of Theseus and the Minotaur, Gulliver’s Travels, Huckleberry Finn, Perseus and the Gorgon, 1984, The Crucible, Samson and Delilah and, this week, Les Miserables (in 8 minutes – quite a feat!). Hopefully the students remember something about these tales…why not ask them to tell you about them at home!

Lastly this week a mention for the amazing U16 Girls football team. Already treble winners last year, they are on for the double this time with the Greater Manchester Cup Final next Thursday afternoon. It’s their last ever school game and we wish them all the very best!

Have a lovely weekend,

Joe Barker

As we begin the summer term, I would like to extend a very warm welcome back to all our students, families and staff. There is a real sense of momentum around the school at this time of year, with longer days, brighter mornings and a shared focus on finishing the year strongly.

In particular, I want to speak directly to our students who will be sitting exams in May and June. The commitment, resilience and quiet determination you are showing each day has been truly impressive. Revision sessions, practical examinations, and moments of self‑doubt are not easy, but you are meeting them with maturity and purpose. We are incredibly proud of the way you are approaching this important period.

Please remember that you are not doing this alone. Your teachers are here to support you, your families are behind you, and we believe deeply in your ability to achieve and thrive. Be kind to yourselves, keep going, and trust the hard work you have already done.

Best wishes

Joe Barker

Well, that’s the end of another term! Thank you for all your support over the past 11 school weeks since New Year, as always it is greatly appreciated.

Today’s blog is one of those functional ones, this time focusing on the term dates for 2026-2027 and therefore shared with as much notice as I could manage.

The term dates for 2026-2027 academic year are as follows. Whilst academies can differ from the dates set by local authorities and set their own term dates, at Helix we try to match local authority dates as much as possible. The 2026-2027 term dates therefore match the dates published on the Stockport Council website (see here). The term dates are also visible on the MHS website (see here).

Schools must then allocate training days, known as INSET days (IN–SErvice Training), within the term dates agreed. Due to the unusual nature of the term dates for 2026-2027, caused by a very late August Bank holiday and by the spring term continuing right up to Good Friday, three INSET days have had to be taken in late July in order to ensure school finishes at the usual time for the summer break. The last day of the summer term for students will be Friday 16^th July 2027. Staff will complete the necessary training on a number of evenings spread across the year, and so in effect school will be closed Monday 19^th to Wednesday 21^st July.

Non academy schools must set five INSET days, whereas academies can set additional days if required. Given the shape of the school year next year there is a need for additional INSET days, and in total MHS there will be 7 INSET days at Marple Hall School 2026-2027. This is essential in order to enable staff to prepare for the school year and to work together on projects such as responding to the coming changes to SEND provision and reviewing our response to proposed curriculum and qualification changes.

The INSET days for the 2026-2027 academic year will therefore be as follows:

Tuesday 1^st September 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Wednesday 2^nd September 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Friday 4^th December 2026 (staff in school, students not in school)

Friday 25^th June 2027 (staff in school, students not in school)

Monday 19^th July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

Tuesday 20^th July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

Wednesday 21^st July 2027 (Training completed by staff in advance, school closed to all)

I hope that this is all clear, and have a great Easter bank holiday weekend when it comes,

Best wishes,

Joe Barker

Last night marked the opening of the 2026 Marple Scouts and Guides Gang Show, and I couldn’t let the moment pass without a huge well done to every young person and adult involved. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the performance. The Gang Show tradition is something special in our community. A blend of creativity, teamwork, courage and sheer joy, and once again our students have stepped up magnificently. Whether performing under the lights or supporting friends from the audience, their positivity and commitment shone through.

A particular thank you goes to the volunteers, leaders and parents who give up countless evenings and weekends to make the show possible. Like the scouting movement itself, community projects like this don’t just happen, they are built on goodwill, graft and a shared belief in young people. Many Gang Shows have fallen by the wayside and so hats off to the volunteers who keep the Marple gang on the road. To everyone contributing to yesterday’s opening performance: you should be incredibly proud. You make Marple a richer, kinder, more vibrant place.

A gentle reminder about emails

A quick word on communication with school via email. We always want to be as responsive as possible when parents and carers get in touch, but it’s worth remembering that teachers and non teaching staff are not usually sat at their desks during the school day. They may be teaching, supporting students, dealing with safeguarding matters, on duty, in meetings, leading activities, preparing equipment etc. This means that replies to emails are not always immediate. Please bear with us and allow staff the time they need to respond thoughtfully. Polite patience from parents and carers really does help, and it means we can give each query the attention it deserves. If an issue is urgent then by all means call reception and we’ll help as soon as we can. Thanks, as always, for your understanding.

Have a great weekend,

Joe Barker

One of the great joys of school life is seeing students discover the power of a good book. Reading isn’t just an academic exercise. It opens doors, builds empathy, expands vocabulary, and deepens young people’s understanding of the world around them. Research consistently shows that students who read regularly achieve more highly across the curriculum, not just in English but also in subjects such as science and maths. Reading is fun, relaxing and transformative… what’s not to love?

At Marple Hall School, we’ve long believed that World Book Day should be about stories themselves. As highlighted in at least one previous blog over the years, instead of asking staff to dress up, we dedicate time in the day to reading a short story aloud in class. This time saw each English lessons for years 7-9 covering ‘The Lottery’ whilst older classes discussed the benefits of reading. Alongside this, students are invited to take part in quizzes and competitions that celebrate reading in a fun and engaging way. The competitions are still open, as is the challenge to take part in the ‘Readathon’ where money can be raised for a great cause (and for MHS too) all through the power of reading. Check out the links below for all the information you might need and more.

As always, the most important partnership is between school and home. A few minutes of reading each day can spark conversations, strengthen wellbeing and help every young person achieve, belong and thrive. Remember if you are a parent, carer, grandparent or anyone else with a responsibility for a student, and you want help encouraging that young person to read, you might find some suggestions in the links below. If not, and you would like more help, please get in touch!

World Book day newsletter link

Recommended reading link

,https://readathon.my.salesforce-sites.com/sponsor

Happy reading!

Best wishes

Joe Barker