As usual I write my Open Evening blog before going home after the event, in moment of calm after a hectic few hours.

What a fantastic evening.

Tonight, Marple Hall was filled with prospective students and their families, with packed halls, busy classrooms and a real sense of excitement throughout the school. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and full of energy from start to finish. My thanks go to all the staff who worked so hard to make the evening a success. They represented Marple Hall brilliantly and helped show who we are so positively.

What made the evening extra special, however, was our students. An incredible 184 student helpers gave up their time to support the event, welcoming visitors, leading tours, answering questions and sharing their experiences of school life. They were exceptional ambassadors and a real credit to themselves, their families and our school. As I walked around the building, I heard countless comments about how polite, confident and friendly our students were. Those qualities cannot be captured in a brochure or a presentation. They are what visitors experience when they walk through our doors.

It was a privilege to be able to speak to well over a thousand people in our school hall over the three talks, following from a superb teaser from the ‘Mary Poppins’ cast. Not only that, but it was an honour to share the stage with Penny and Toby, Head girl and Head boy respectively. They spoke with such maturity, passion and enthusiasm, I could not have been more proud.

For families considering their next step, I hope tonight provided a genuine glimpse of our school: a place full of opportunity, ambition and kindness.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a memorable evening. What a school community we have.

Have a good weekend when it comes

Joe Barker

In this modern world with ever-changing technology, I quite like the fact that in schools at least we still value the humble pen. A pen is required for most students to access the learning in lessons, and by using a pen we have the best chance of knowing if a student’s work is actually their own and not that of a machine.

For as long as I can remember we have expected students to have a pen with them for every classroom based lesson, and students should be given a ‘strike’ if they don’t have one. However, it had become clear that in recent months the application of this rule had gone a bit fuzzy. Teachers, for all the right reasons, were lending out or giving pens whenever needed and not always issuing strikes. Although well intentioned and understandable in the moment, this generosity has some negative consequences. Firstly it brings in an element of unfairness. It’s not fair if my teacher gives me a strike for forgetting my pen, but my friend’s teacher lets them off. Secondly, if we just keep on giving out pens, then what are we communicating to the students? Maybe that being organised and ready to learn doesn’t matter – and that worries me. Finally, we are not the kind of school which can afford to hand out thousands of pens each year. We do support some families who need equipment and that’s right and proper, but it’s not sustainable in the long term to issues pens to hundreds of kids every day forever.

So, this year, I asked staff to be consistent with the ‘pen rule’. By all means lend pens if a child needs one in a lesson, but issue the strike to go with it. We also communicated to students a different way of looking at this issue. Rather than bring one pen that might go missing, the message is to bring THREE pens to school. ‘One to use, one to lose and one to lend‘. Don’t get me wrong, all that students absolutely have to do is to have a working pen when they need it – we are not checking that they have three – but the message to bring three seems to have really landed. My colleagues tell me that the starts to lessons this term have been transformed. No more chorus of ‘can I have a pen please miss‘ in the first five minutes. Just well organised students cracking on. So, parents and carers, please can you support this new mantra? Three pens is the way forward. One to use. One to lose. One to lend.

Secondly this week I’d just like to draw your attention to a lovely project that our students in Elements took part in last summer, working with a local ‘Marple Men in Sheds’ group to create a new garden area. Supported by Oliver’s Dragons and Wire Fence Supplies, the students and volunteers have done a great job. You can see some pictures of the work taking place here.

Wishing you all a great weekend,

Joe Barker

It has been a real pleasure to welcome students back to Marple Hall this week. Across yesterday and today I had the opportunity to meet with all five year groups in their first assemblies of the new term, and I left every one of them feeling optimistic about the months ahead. Each year group was fantastic. There was a calmness, maturity and attentiveness in every assembly that made a strong first impression. What struck me most, however, was the quiet determination I could see on so many faces. There seemed to be a shared sense of purpose as students settled back into school routines, ready to learn and make the most of the opportunities ahead of them.

As a headteacher, there is something incredibly energising about knowing that we have so many young people who are committed to their learning and determined to do their best. It is a privilege to work alongside them, and their attitude this week gives me great confidence for the term ahead.

The start of a new school year also brings new colleagues to our community, and I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the staff who have joined Marple Hall this term. We are delighted to have them with us and I know they will quickly become valued members of our school.

Here’s to a positive and rewarding term ahead.

Best wishes,

Joe Barker
Headteacher

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

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