Open Evening – what a school we have

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

Share!