Tuesday 1 November 2016

Welcome back from the half term holiday and the well-deserved break.  Despite the event being over a week ago I must first thank everyone who was involved with the Year 6 Open Evening.  The event is the most important event in the school calendar and once again it went off with great success.  On the night itself and the following days via email, I have received many positive comments from parents and their sons on their experiences of the night.  Thank you very much for all of your efforts, particularly to the student body and prefect team who were, and are always, the ambassadors of the school.
That same week I visited the House of Commons as part of the Grammar School Heads' Association October Conference and had the pleasure of meeting Theresa May, MP.  Grammar schools have been discussed a lot recently in the media following the Prime Minister's vision for their expansion, so it was apt that she attended the reception at the House of Commons.  I was able to catch a brief moment with her before she continued moving around the room, but her attendance went down very well with us all considering her incredibly busy role. 
As we approach this period of remembrance I decided to spend a day during the half term in northern France visiting a number of memorial sites that remember those that lost their lives during The Battle of The Somme.  I visited four sites in the Somme region which included Thiepval Memorial: a memorial that commemorates the 72,000 soldiers who lost their lives and whose bodies were never found or were unable to be identified.  It was a reflective day and one that I felt important to do.  Our Remembrance Service takes place next Friday 11 November at about 10.40am culminating in the two minute silence at 11.00am; and this week Mr Smith, the Deputy Head, leads the assemblies on the theme of remembrance.
This week is the week when we begin opening our doors to perspective students who wish to join MGS in the sixth form.  Wednesday and Friday this week are our two Post 16 Open Mornings when we invite students across Maidstone to visit the school and see what we offer in the sixth form.  This is followed with our Post 16 Open Evening next Wednesday 9 November.  Once again many of our current students will be on hand to act as guides, and I thank them in advance for their support.  This Thursday 3 November is the Autumn Concert when a number of students perform and show off their talents in front of their friends and families.  It starts at 7pm.  Please do come along.
And finally, this Saturday 5^th November is the MGS Parents’ Association Fireworks Display.  Gates open at 6pm with the display beginning at 7pm.  Many hundreds of people come along each year to enjoy the display and their support raises a lot of money for the School.  If you are free this Saturday please do come along and bring your friends and family.  Wrap up warm!