HT Blog – Tuesday 13 May 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 13 May 2025

This week we say goodbye to Year 13 and au revoir to Year 11.  On Thursday Year 13 make the transition from being a Maidstonian to being an Old Maidstonian, and if past experience is anything to go by, there will be tears and high emotions.  You cannot leave a place such as MGS without feeling a little sad that no longer can you be a part of something special.  We wish Year 13 well.  Contrast this with Year 11 where the GCSE examinations for many form simply a hurdle to jump, as many will be returning to MGS in September.  Some however are choosing to use this point as an opportunity to continue their learning journey elsewhere, and for those Maidstonians we say thank you for choosing MGS, and best wishes for the future.

This week Year 9 will be hearing from the History Department as we host another one of our Curriculum Extra lectures.  These lectures started last year and form a part of how we are maintaining the breadth of the curriculum beyond the point when the students chose their GCSE subjects in Year 8. 

Merrick S (Year 13 and Corpus House) attended a ceremony at Buckingham Palace to collect his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award this week.  Many congratulations to him on what must have been a very proud day for him and his family.

Finally, congratulations to the U15 Football Squad who became Maidstone District Champions last week when they beat the School of Science and Technology, Maidstone (SST) 4 – 0 in the final.  Well done to the players and thank you to Mr Hughes and Mr Smith for supporting them throughout the season.

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 6 May 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 6 May 2025

Welcome back after the May Bank Holiday weekend.  The warm weather during last week is sadly over, but it does mean that we can now be slightly more comfortable in school.  This week is the last full week Year 11 and Year 13 will be in school as the GCSE and A-level examinations begin.  Starting on Thursday, Year 11 will be beginning their six-week journey of examinations with Drama, and then Year 13 start on Monday 12 May.  Good luck to them all.  

As mentioned in last week’s blog, the sport of cricket benefitted from last week’s fine weather with a senior cricket match against Oakwood Park Grammar School and an U15 match against The Judd School.  Sadly, the results did not go our way for both matches, but it was delightful sitting in the warm morning sunshine on Saturday watching the U15 team.  Bad luck boys.

On Thursday we join the Nation in acknowledging the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The CCF will be undertaking a special parade in school and spelling out VE 80 on the school field, and students who visit the school library will be reminded of those 72 Old Maidstonians who lost their lives in the 2^nd World War.

Finally, this week a group of year 10 and year 12 students travel down to Canterbury to enjoy a PE-themed day of activities.  Students will be learning more about their bodies, how they work, and having a few tests done to inform them of the BMI and how fit they are.  We have been running this trip for a few years now and it always proves to be an enjoyable one.

HT Blog – Tuesday 29 April 2025

HT Blog – Tuesday 29 April 2025

We started the week yesterday with a week-long period of examinations for Year 10.  With over half of the GCSE syllabus already covered, it is a good time for Year 10 to pause for a week and review how much they have learnt.  The examinations will be run in the same way as all public examinations which will illustrate to Year 10 what they can expect this time next year in the real GCSEs.  Good luck to them all.

Continuing the theme of examinations, and as mentioned last week, we are now at the stage when Year 11 and Year 13 are completing elements of their own respective GCSE and A-level examinations.  Year 13 PE students will be completing their practical element in front of an external moderator, GCSE MFL speaking examinations continue for Year 11, and Year 11 art students are undertaking 10 hours of their practical examination.  It certainly is a busy time for the school.  Best wishes to all students involved in examinations.

On Thursday parents of Year 9 hear how their children are getting on as they attend the Year 9 Virtual Parents’ Evening.  Year 9 are about one-third of the way through their GCSE studies, and so this week’s feedback point will provide an opportunity for parents to understand where their children are.

The summer season of cricket has begun in earnest with a few fixtures taking place across different age groups.  Apart from last Wednesday the weather has been kind to the players since we returned, with this week proving to be another bumper week for fine weather and good cricket.  Here’s hoping for prolonged good weather.

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 22 April 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 22 April 2025

Welcome back to school and to Term 5 – I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break and enjoyed the lovely weather.  We start the new term with a busy week, but before I go into that, I would like to congratulate Owen of Year 13 and Barton House who last year competed in the Powerlifting Commonwealth Championships in South Africa, coming away with a silver medal.  Well, just before Easter he took part in the British Powerlifting Championships in Wolverhampton, and on this occasion won gold in the deadlift placing him first in the UK.  In doing this he has been nominated to represent GB in the 2025 European Championships in Lithuania and the World Championships in Costa Rica.  Huge congratulations Owen.

Returning to this week and the start of term, today, all year 12 geographers travel down to Dorset for four days of fieldwork to begin collecting data for their A-level coursework.  I am sure many readers of this blog who have studied geography at school can remember the times when they would be measuring pebbles on a beach, counting cars on the side of a road, or asking local residents their views on the area.  I am sure fieldwork has not changed!

With the fast-approaching GCSE and A-level examinations just around the corner, the art practical exam and the MFL speaking exams begin this week.  This is the time of the year when the library becomes very busy, but at the same time very quiet, as the year 11 and 13 students complete their final preparations before their first exam in May.  Good luck to them all.

On Wednesday we welcome our newest and youngest Maidstonians as well as their families to the Year 6 Welcome Evening.  Back in March these boys would have heard the news that they had gained a place at MGS and so the journey to become a fully-fledged Maidstonian starts this week.  We look forward to meeting them and wish them the best for the coming years.

And on Thursday, the step to become an Old Maisdtonian becomes more real as Year 13 enjoy gathering together for the annual Year 13 leavers’ photograph.  This is always a poignant moment, as this photograph, bought by many, will be treasured for years to come; but the gathering together also represents the penultimate time when the entire year group are together as one.  I am sure there will be tears, and if not, there will definitely be tears at the leavers’ assembly two weeks after.

Finally, a huge thank you to the Premises Team, who, over the Easter break, have been working hard getting the school ready for our return.  Acknowledgement must go to the completed gym project and new Student Services Centre that are now both ready to use. 

HT Blog – Tuesday 25 March 2025

 HT Blog – Tuesday 25 March 2025

I start this week’s blog by thanking Corpus Christi House for last Friday’s Comic Relief charity day.  The weather was kind throughout the day, and so that allowed the school community to enjoy the activities that were being laid on.  The staff vs. staff darts competition was the highlight of the day, with many students flocking to the Big Hall at lunch to watch Mr Calvert, Mr Williams, Mr Owens and Mr Taylor (not Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor I hasten to add) battle it out.  As well as this, a large crowd gathered alongside the all-weather pitch after school to watch the students vs. staff football match: an event that students always look forward to; and then in the evening a hall full of students, staff and parents enjoyed a night of rock music at the Battle of the Bands event.  Congratulations to Mr Calvert for winning the darts; well done to the staff team for winning the football match 5 – 4 on penalties); and thank you Corpus Christi House for organising the charity day and for Mr Martin who made the band evening possible.  Good job everyone.

This week is a slightly quieter one for the school compared to last week and next week, but going on just off the South Circular Road in London is the world’s largest schools’ rugby tournament: the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s.  Each year, MGS sends a number of rugby squads to the tournament, and this year is no different.  Led by Mr Saunders and the PE Department, many MGS rugby players have been taking part in numerous 7s tournaments across the term, but with the Rosslyn Park tournament being the tournament to aim for.  Good luck to all the players.  In other rugby news, during a lovely Wednesday afternoon last week, the MGS vs. DGS match to celebrate 100 years of rugby at MGS sadly ended in a 31 – 19 defeat for MGS.  Despite the result, the match was played in good spirits, with all players from both sides enjoying the occasion – even though some had lost their winter fitness!  Thank you to everyone involved in the organisation of the match. 

Saturday is a big day for the school.  Firstly, we welcome many Old Maidstonians back to their old school to enjoy the Old Maidstonian Sport Day and Old Maidstonian Supper.  Over 100 former students will be enjoying a lovely meal, each other’s company, and reminding themselves of what it was like to be a Maidstonian.  But also on Saturday the Senior Football Squad play for a chance to be Kent Champions.  At 2pm in Herne Bay the MGS 1^st XI play the Judd 1^st XI in the final of the Kent Cup.  The players have had a really good run to the final, and this would be the icing on the cake if they came away with the win.  Best of luck to the players, and many thanks to Mr Hughes for supporting the squad throughout the entire season.

Finally, massive congratulations to Dexter of Year 11 and Corpus Christi House who, over the weekend, became U18 British Champion in the Pommel winning a gold medal as well as winning a bronze medal on the Parallel Bars.  Brilliant news; well done Dexter.

HT Blog – Tuesday 18 March 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 18 March 2025

Huge congratulations to Year 9 who won the final of the U14 Kent Cup.  Many Maidstonians gathered on Friday evening at the Gallagher Stadium in Maidstone to watch the players play St Colombus School and compete for the prestigious title of being called Kent Champions.  Well done to the players, and huge thanks to Mr Cooper for coaching the players throughout the season.

Thanks to the dry weather and the members of staff who slept out under the stars as well, Year 9 had a good weekend trekking across the footpaths of Kent completing the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Practice Expedition.  There were not too many tired faces on Monday morning!

Good news within the D&T Department. Anthony in Year 11 and College House successfully got through to the interview stages of the Arkwright Scholarship, which is a fete in itself, and Theo of Year 12 and Corpus Christi House, who in previous years achieved an Arkwright Scholarship, recently secured sponsorship with a major engineering company.  Well done to them both.

On Wednesday this week Maidstone Grammar School acknowledges 100 years of rugby.  Back in March 1925 MGS played its first ever rugby fixture against Dartford Grammar School, beating them 59 – 0!  So, 100 years later, we are welcoming Dartford back to MGS to play us once more to commemorate this special occasion.  Many Maidstonians and Old Maidstonians will be gathered on the side line cheering on the players.  Good luck to everyone involved, thank you Mr Saunders and Mr Seymour for coaching the players, and thank you Mr Walker for delving into the school archives to find out more about that match 100 years ago.

This Friday is the annual Comic Relief Appeal that MGS always supports.  Led this year by Corpus Christi House, much will be going on.  There will of course be the usual non-uniform and cake sale across the school, but this year we have a darts competition taking place at lunchtime in the Big Hall, and after school there will be a staff vs. students football match on the all-weather pitch.  Much fun will be had by all.  Following the charitable events during the day, MGS hosts another of its successful Battle of the Bands events where students and staff who love a bit of rock music will be performing for the gathered crowd and aspiring to be crowned the Band of the Night.  Thank you, Mr Martin, for organising.

HT Blog – Tuesday 11 March 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 11 March 2025

Congratulations to ‘But There is an M and an E’ for winning last Friday’s MGS Parents’ Association Quiz Night.  22 teams were pitted against each other in the annual quiz – this year answering questions under the main theme of ‘There is no Me in Team’.  Fun was had by all, and thanks go to Mrs Hudson and the Parents’ Association, Mrs Friend for supporting me in the organisation, and the sixth form students who helped throughout the event.

 

This week parents of students in Year 7 will learn more about how their children are progressing at MGS at the Year 7 Virtual Parents’ Evening.  This is the first opportunity after nearly seven months for parents to hear how their children are getting on and how they can continue to support their children’s experiences.  I am sure it will be a positive evening. 

 

On Wednesday this week four students in Year 13 and from the school’s debating team will be taking part in the regional final of the ESU Mace Competition at Benenden School.  There will be tough competition, but the success the four students have had in the last 12 months make them strong competitors we wish them well.

 

On Friday, and for some of the weekend, a number of students, supported by a team of staff, will be enjoying the Kent countryside as they complete the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Practice Expedition in and around Meopham.  The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has been a part of MGS for many years, and so many Maidstonians have in the past gone on to complete the bronze element and achieve something significant.  Let us hope the weather remains fine for them.  Also on Friday, the U14 Football Squad plays in the final of the Kent Cup at the Gallagher Stadium in Maidstone at 7.30pm.  The Squad has had an incredible season and is now only one match away from being county champions.  Good luck to all the players and thank you Mr Cooper for supporting the players throughout the season.

 

Finally, we send our thoughts and sympathies to Harrison’s family and close friends at this difficult time as the community of MGS remembers our Maidstonian who tragically died two years ago this week.  We will always remember him.

HT Blog – Tuesday 4 March 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 4 March 2025

I start this blog by congratulating Mr Hughes and the 1^st XI Football Squad for successfully reaching the final of the Kent Cup.  Following their great National Cup run, the squad had the Kent Cup to contend with, and so last Wednesday Borden Grammar School made the journey over to MGS to play in the semi-final.  The first 80 minutes of the game was tight, culminating in a 2 – 2 score line, but then the last 10 minutes saw MGS put two goals past the Borden Grammar School’s goalkeeper resulting in a 4 – 2 win.  Well done to the players and to Mr Hughes, and now we await The Judd School in the final.

Thank you to the entire cast and crew of this year’s production for three fantastic performances of Allen in Wonderland.  Just before the February half term break MGS was taken to pantomime land with excitable audiences shouting out, ‘he’s behind you’ and ‘oh yes he is’.  Particular thanks must go to Mrs Brooks who led the production over the many months of rehearsals. 

Following last week’s interviews, I am delighted to announce that Alan and Kiera have been invited to become next year’s school captain and school vice-captain.  The eight shortlisted candidates made it very difficult for the interviewing panel, but after much deliberation Alan and Kiera were selected.  Huge congratulations to them.

On Friday this week many members of the school community will be enjoying the annual Parents’ Association Quiz Night.  This year’s theme is, ‘There’s No Me in Team’, so every question is about me!!!  Good luck to everyone who is taking part, and a huge thank you to Mrs Friend who has helped me with all of the administration.

Congratulations to Justice M (Year 11, Tonbridge House) and Haydn C (Year 12, Barton House), who as members of the UK Youth Parliament, recently met at the Houses of Parliament to debate policies for their campaigns this term. Both of them, alongside other youth representatives, passionately debated issues around the voting age, public transport, and political literacy. Well done to both Justice and Haydn, who encapsulate the vital role of the youth voice in shaping national discussions and driving positive change. Well done to them both.

HT Blog – Tuesday 25 February 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 25 February 2025

Welcome back to school and to the start of Term 4.  We are now into the second half of the academic year, and in just a couple of months students in years 11 and 13 will be embarking on their respective GCSE and A-level examinations.  This is the term when those same students take their studies up a notch and start to prepare for the final push.  The library this time of year certainly gets much quieter and starts to be more heavily occupied!

 

Before I continue looking ahead to this week, I wish to thank the entire school community for the generous support that they have shown Mr Saunders and his partner since we heard the very sad news of the death of their baby son Alfie.  The coming together on the last day of Term 3 for the impromptu non-uniform day was certainly appreciated by them both and illustrated how we all feel about each other.  The incredible sum of £2500 was raised which will now be sent to The Lullaby Trust: a charity dedicated to keeping babies safe and grieving families supported.

 

A huge thank you to the staff who supported a number of Maidstonians over the half term break.  Mr Hanratty accompanied a small number of sixth form students who took part in the reginal heat of the Cambridge Union Debating Competition here at MGS; Mr Wrein, Mrs Ridgeway and Mr Mole for accompanying another group of sixth form students to Austria; and Mr Smith, Mr Hughes and Mr Cooper for accompanying the Senior Football Squad to Spain on their football camp. 

 

Now looking to this week, I start this term with two days searching for the next school captain and school vice-captain.  Just before the half term break the pool of 31 applicants from Year 12 was whittled down to eight, and now those shortlisted applicants go through a rigorous two-day interview process to see who will achieve the two roles.  I have always enjoyed this time of year as I get to spend two days in the company of a group of Maidstonians that wish to lead and serve the school in the highest way possible.  The successful two candidates will be announced later this week.  Good luck to them all.

And finally best wishes and good luck to our 1st X1 squad who compete in the semi-final of the Kent Cup against Borden Grammar School tomorrow.  This is a home match with kick-off at 2.30pm, the entire school community is behind Mr Hughes and the team.

HT Blog – Tuesday 11 February 2025

HT Blog – Tuesday 11 February 2025

I start this blog by thanking Mr Hanratty for stepping in over the last two weeks and writing my headteacher’s blog.  As he explained in his first blog, I was away from school accompanying a group of year 12 students on the Harvard trip where after three days in New York spent four days in Boston attending the Harvard Model United Nations Conference.  The experience of such an opportunity was very much enjoyed by the students, and the other two staff members who were with me certainly valued watching the students take part.  Thank you to Mrs Van Mol for leading the trip, and to Mr Andrews and Isaac, this year’s school captain, for preparing the students so well over the last four months.

Thank you to Miss Alloy who accompanied a team of RAF cadets at the weekend to compete in the Regional Air Squadron Trophy Competition.  MGS has in the past done extremely well in this competition and so it is something that the older RAF cadets look forward to taking part in.  Overall, they came 7th out of 19 schools in the South East, coming 4th in Drill and First Aid and 5th in Air Rifles and the new Space task.  With two new disciplines and a large number of changes within the team, they did well.

This week we look forward to three performances of this year’s school production: Allen in Wonderland.  A crew and cast of staff, students and Old Maidstonians have been busy rehearsing over many months to now be in a position to stage this classic but contemporised pantomime to the masses.  The pantomime takes place in the Big Hall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, with doors opening at 7pm.

Also, this week a few students in years 12 and 13 who study A-level Classics are going to be enjoying a trip to the Bloomsbury Theatre in London to see Aristophanes’ Frogs: the political but satirical play about doing things conservatively, or "the old way," instead of progressing or finding a new way of doing things.  I am sure they will enjoy the performance.

In sport, congratulations to Johan of Year 12 and Corpus House who after successfully achieving U18 Table Tennis Kent Champion progressed to the National Finals in Wolverhampton in April.  Also, at the same competition Alexander of Year 8 and Tonbridge House became the U13 Consolidation Cup Champion.  Well done to them both.  Outside of individual performances, congratulations to the MGS Senior Rugby Sevens Squad for winning all of their matches at last Wednesday’s round robin against Sutton Valance School, Gravesend Grammar School and Dartford Grammar School.  And also, despite the MGS 1^st XI Football Squad losing to Hampton School in the National Cup quarterfinals, they continue with their success in the Kent Cup by playing Borden Grammar School in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

In maths news, congratulations to Ighodaro of Year 10 and Barton House and Gus also of Year 10 and Barton House who qualified for the Pink Kangaroo Mathematics Challenge after achieving Gold in the recent UKMT Intermediate Mathematics Challenge.  Well done to them both.

And finally, bon voyage to the students and staff who are taking part in the history trip to Venice and the senior football squad tour to Valencia over the half term break.  I am sure they will have a wonderful time and thank you to the staff who are accompanying the students in their own holiday.