Tuesday 24 January 2017

All of this week a group of Year 12 students are in Boston and New York to attend the Harvard Model United Nations Conference.  Each year the students on return speak very positively about their experiences and are always ready to promote the trip to subsequent year groups.  We look forward to hearing how they got on when they return next Monday.

Yesterday I was involved in interviewing a number of members of staff for a new role which we have created to start in September.  Part of the interview involved the shortlisted candidates taking part in a student led interview and an assembly.  It is always important to get a student perspective; young people are incredibly perceptive.  Thank you to them for their views.

Today is the Year 9 Parents' Evening.  Subject teachers will be available to meet parents and discuss the progress of the boys since starting their GCSE courses.  With some staff being fully booked, if parents are unable to make appointments then please do let us know.  There will be plenty of senior staff on hand to answer any questions or concerns, but I will be unavailable as I am attending a meeting elsewhere in Kent. I hope the evening goes well.

On Friday I am attending the first Kent and Medway Grammar Schools' Association meeting of 2017.  The meetings always provide opportunities to network with fellow Heads and discuss issues that affect us all. 

Following this meeting I will be commuting into London to attend an Old Maidstonian event.  With Neil Turrell, Headmaster of MGS from 1992 to 2009, being President of the Old Maidstonian Society this year the Committee felt it would appropriate to organise an event in London to encourage Old Maidstonians who work in London to meet over a couple of drinks before commuting home.  There will be a number of former students attending, and so I look forward to meeting them and sharing with them how their school has developed since they left.

Finally congratulations to Hamish Reilly, Bashri Ryan and Simon Coppard who have all been selected to represent Kent Schools at the English Schools Cross Country Championships in March.  All of them took part in the Kent Schools Championship at the weekend coming 2^nd, 4^th and 3^rd respectively in their respective races.  As well as these three boys Matthew Howson also competed at the weekend in one of the Maidstone District teams finishing 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, 8^th, 9^th and 28^th.   Well done boys.