Tuesday 26 June 2018

Firstly, I would like to thank the students and staff of both the art and performing arts departments for last week’s Art Exhibition and Summer Showcase.  After a busy day at work it was good to enjoy an evening of creativity and performance.  I particularly enjoyed the art work of Nathan Hutchins of Corpus Christi House and the performance from Charlotte Simmons and Matthew Hau of College and Barton houses respectively.  Well done all. 

With the public examinations almost over students from years 11 and 13 return to school this week to hand back their textbooks that they have used for the last few years.  On Wednesday, we also welcome Year 13 back for their Leavers’ Tea – an opportunity for the students to say goodbye one last time before they disappear to enjoy a well-deserved summer break.  Cake and punch will be enjoyed by us all in the Quad.  

Friday is the annual Pre-Sixth Form Induction Day.  Prospective sixth form students from MGS and elsewhere spend a day in school learning about life in the sixth form and what to expect with their A-Level choices.  We hope they all have an enjoyable and informative day.

This week also sees staff put the final touches to next week’s Extended Learning Week.  We always look forward to this week, and we hope the weather holds out to give an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all.  Good luck also to Year 12 and those students from Year 10 who have chosen to undertake a week’s work experience at that time.  

Finally, congratulations to Simon Coppard of Corpus Christi House who competed at the UK National U20 Athletics Championships last weekend at Bedford in the 800m. On the Saturday, he ran 1:52:93 in his heat and had the 3^rd quickest time which allowed him to qualify for the final.  As the only U18 left in the competition, he was the youngest athlete by two years. In a hard and tactical final on the Sunday, he ran 1:53:90 and placed 7^th.  As well as this competition, Simon ran the European Youth Championship qualifying standard in Brighton on the 30^th May with a new PB of 1:50:82 and finds out soon whether he will be selected to participate at these international championships in Gyor Hungary for Great Britain.  Well done Simon and good luck.

Tuesday 19 June 2018

Firstly, I would like to thank Year 12 for responding so positively to last week’s UCAS and PSHCE days; and to Ms Kruppa, Mr Holmes and all of the presenters for organising the event.  Two informative and productive days.

The main event this week is taking place tomorrow: the annual Art Exhibition, which this year is being called XI Hour, and the Summer Showcase.  Starting at 4pm in the School Hall there will be an opportunity to walk round and enjoy an art exhibition displaying students’ GCSE and A Level art work.  Jacqueline Davies is the guest of honour and will be speaking and making presentations at 5pm.  The exhibition will then be followed at 6.30pm with a performance from the Guadeamus Band and a showing by drama students of the excellent play DNA by Dennis Kelly.  Please be warned though that this play does contain some themes that are of a more adult nature.  Please do come along and enjoy an excellent afternoon and evening.  

For those who don’t know him I would like to acknowledge the incredible work that Sam Ghinn of  Barton House is undertaking.  Sam is in the GB Junior Men’s Gymnastics Team.  He trains 27 hours a week at the Pegasus Gymnastics Club on top of managing all of his school work.  He is currently training for the European Junior Championships and his ultimate aim is to compete at the Olympics.  On Saturday Sam competed in the U16 Gymnova Pegasus Open.  He had a good competition taking overall silver medal as well as gold on floor and pommel and silver on high bar, vault and rings.  His next competition will be the British Teams competition on 15th July and he will be competing at a senior level in a team representing Pegasus against the other top senior teams across the UK.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Thank you to Mr Holmes, Mr Goddard, Mr Chapman and a number of students who joined me on Sunday supporting the charity football match at Gallagher Stadium in aid of the Young Lives Foundation: a charity that supports vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Kent.  It was an enjoyable afternoon which raised a lot of money for the charity.  Thank you also to everyone who contributed a £1 at last Friday’s non-uniform day; another example of how charitable we are as a school.  We raised in excess of £1000.  Thank you and well done.

Today Year 12 are off timetable learning more about the UCAS process.  Ms Kruppa has put a very exciting programme together which includes outside speakers who hopefully will provide some motivating and inspirational words for the students.  The day follows last night’s Year 12 UCAS Evening where parents came in to hear from key staff about all things UCAS and the world of work, and follows yesterday afternoon’s Mock Results Day where students received the grades for their recent examinations. 

Tomorrow Year 12 are again off timetable to take part in a PSHCE themed day.  Students will experience a number of different workshops from first aid training and drug awareness to how to look after themselves financially. 

Also, today and tomorrow I am out of school attending the Grammar School Heads’ Association annual conference.  Each year all of the grammar school headteachers across the country meet in London to share thoughts and ideas about their roles and how they can all work together to support each other.  The conference is always very informative.  This year’s key note speaker is the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Education Minister, and in fact Old Maidstonian.

Tuesday 5 June 2018

Welcome back to the final term of the year; for those who were able to have the week off, I hope it was an enjoyable one.  Now term 6 has started, the GCE A Level examinations begin in earnest.  Year 13 students will now be joining students from Year 11 in sitting their examinations.  Examinations continue for the entire month of June.  Good luck to them all. 

Examinations in years 7, 9 and 10 are now complete.  Teachers are now busy marking them with results coming out soon.  Students in Year 12 receive their Year 12 UCAS exam results next week.  The publishing of them coincides with the Year 12 UCAS Evening next Monday: an evening for parents and students to understand the process.  We look forward to welcoming parents then.

Yesterday staff completed a day’s training on a number of things that included supporting students with diabetes and epilepsy, understanding the new data protection regulations and how they will affect what we do in school, and informing all staff on the new arrangements and processes for UCAS reference writing.  It was a good day.

This week we have our first Quad assembly.  With the weather being much better this time of year we are able to have the entire school at assembly outside in the Quad.  For me they are always enjoyable as it is rare to have the entire school community together. 

On Wednesday evening from 6pm we are inviting members of the wider school community to hear about our plans for an all-weather pitch.  Local residents, neighbours and parents are all welcome to attend the evening.  Please do let my PA, Mrs Friend know if you would like to come along.

On Friday this week we are holding a non-uniform day to raise money for the Young Lives Foundation: a charity that supports vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Kent.  The timing of the non-uniform day is poignant as the Young Lives Foundation is hosting a charity football match on Sunday 10^th June at the Gallagher Stadium, kick-off at 3pm.  Do go along and support.  Tickets can be purchased on the gate.