6 October 2015

On Tuesday last week we said goodbye to Mrs Lindsey Evans who stepped down as Chair to the Governing Body after five years.  She has given unquestionable commitment to the School in that time and been a huge support to me in the last three.  I am pleased to say she is going to remain on the Governor Body and continue to sit on the Curriculum Committee, where she has immense experience.  Thank you again Lindsey for your service to the School and I look forward to continue working with you.  Mr Mark Rolfe, the Vice-Chair was elected as the new Chair, and Mr John Hoadly, the Chair of the Finance and Premises Committee was elected as Vice-Chair.  Last week all subject teachers gave their first set of grades to each student.  Following the first five weeks of the School year all students have been graded on their attitude and approach to learning.  These grades were introduced last year, and many parents particularly found them useful in addition to the Attainment grades.  This week they will be collated together and then available for parents.  I hope they give you a good idea in how your child has begun the year. On Wednesday last week the senior rugby squad beat Chatham Boys Grammar School in the first round of the National Cup 29 - 10.  It was their first win of the season too.  Well done boys and I now hope that this win will kick start a series of success in the weekly fixtures.  Also both senior football squads (the 1^st and 2^nd XI) won their matches in the East Kent Premier League beating Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar School 2 – 1 and Borden Grammar School 3 – 2.  Well done boys.  On Sunday a number of MGS students from Years 8 to 13 took part in the Maidstone Small Boats Head.  Every October Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club hosts a head race; a race covering a distance of 2500m from Allington Marina to Maidstone Town Centre, and many other rowing clubs are invited to compete.  Students from this school competed for Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club and Maidstone Grammar School.  Over 200 different sized boats took part, and MGS students were part of some of the individual wins throughout the day.  Congratulations to everyone who took part and thank you for making it such an enjoyable day.   Yesterday was an important day for the School.  It was the CCF Biennial Inspection in Folkestone, and many cadets from the CCF took part to represent their school and their unit.  The CCF is an incredibly important part of the School and so this inspection is taken very seriously.  Thank you to all of the adult volunteers who spent all weekend down in Folkestone preparing the cadets for the inspection, and well done and thank you to all of the cadets who represented their school, their unit and themselves with pride. This week on Friday is the School's first Charity Day led this time by Invincible and Endeavour Houses.  Charity Days are fundamental to MGS and part of our culture and ethos.  A lot of work goes on behind the scenes in preparing for them, and much of this comes from the students themselves.  Like every charity day students are invited to come to school in non-uniform contributing £1 to do so.  Throughout the day, particularly at lunchtime, a number of activities and events take place to raise money and awareness for the charity, which this year is the UN Refugee Agency.  Thank you in advance to everyone who takes part and a big thanks to members of the Student Leadership Team who are overseeing the day.