The Marple Hall Spirit – Spark!

Welcome back everyone, I hope that whatever you were doing you had a good two weeks and are ready for the term ahead. It’s been great this week speaking to loads of Year 11 students who I know are very much almost there in terms of their exam preparation, making the most of the opportunity that the Easter break gave them. Still plenty of time to go though!

This blog is the fifth and final one in a set of five looking at the different elements of the Marple Hall Spirit. ‘Spark’ is perhaps the most unusual of the five attributes that we champion at MHS, and we chose it as a way to capture the many voices that offered words like ‘creative’, ‘active’, ‘confidence’ etc. The definition we chose to go with the word Spark is here:

I like this description, as spark is a lot more than just being creative or artistic or sporty. It’s also about being unafraid to stand out from the crowd, having a willingness to take a risk and ultimately to be a leader of others. There are many people in the world who have these attributes but don’t develop them, and so part of our job (we believe) is to foster these qualities and help young people channel them in the best direction.

Recently, before Easter, all students across Years 7 to 10 had the chance to ‘show their spark’ by coming up with ways for their form to raise £50 for charity. We gave forms and form tutors free rein to come up with money making schemes, all the hopes of raising at least £2400 from the 48 forms for the excellent Wellspring charity.  The final few weeks of term were manic with something happening every day – staff vs student football, staff vs student dodgeball, guess the name of the teddy bear, selling packs of sweets, sponsored silences, charity runs, charity walks, numerous raffles, plenty of cake sales and of course the obligatory ‘sponge the teacher’ events seemingly every other day! Through their spark and their generosity, overall the students raised £2,778.34. Special mention to Year Seven in general who raised the most of any year group, and in particular to Miss Danby’s form who broke the £200 mark all on their own.

Not only that, but as a sign that the impact of covid on education is finally coming to an end, this week we had our first public performances in Bradshaw Hall in 25 months. A huge well done to the dance performers and a massive thank you to the staff team led by Miss Griffies for making it possible.

Spark is real. Spark is power. Spark makes a difference!

Best wishes

Joe Barker

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