Tuesday 27 November 2018

I would like to start by saying that I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening last Thursday night at the annual Old Maidstonian Society London Event.  Each November the Old Maidstonian Society stages a reunion event in London inviting former students and staff to enjoy an evening together.  There were over 40 people at The George Inn, Southwark, who all had an affiliation to the school, including former students who left recently in 2014 to one who left in 1948.  Thank you to the Old Maidstonian Committee who organised the event and to Mr Paul Smith, the president of the society, for hosting.

Last Wednesday we said goodbye, temporarily, to Mrs Sissons who left to begin her maternity leave.  She is expecting to give birth in the next couple of weeks, so it is going to be an early Christmas present for her and her husband!  Best wishes Mrs Sissons and we look forweard to seeing her and the new baby next year.

At the weekend the rugby squads were out in force against St Olave’s.  The senior and U13A squads were at home and the U15 and U14 squads were away.  I am pleased to say that MGS had a clean sweep: all of the squads brought home a win.  Well done boys.

Also at the weekend MGS hosted the South East Region Cambridge University Schools’ Debating Competition.  A number of different grammar and independent schools across the region arrived at MGS at 9.45am for a day of rigorous debate and opinion sharing.  Thank you to Mr Ferguson and Ms Johnson who led the day and to the students who took part and helped organise.  It is hoped that we can host the event again next year and that high level debating becomes part of what we do at MGS.

Yesterday and today are busy days as we are interviewing candidates for the position of Deputy Headteacher.  Mrs Sewell is retiring at the end of the academic year so we are looking to fill her shoes with someone who can continue and further develop her work.  It is hoped that the governing body can appoint by the end of the day.  Many people are included in the interview process including governors, staff and students.  Not only do the senior prefects guide the candidates around the school but a sample of students across the seven year groups also form a Student Panel that asks each candidate a number of questions.  The student perspective is vital in such appointments.

Year 11 GCSE Mock Exams finished yesterday and now the students are back in the classroom continuing with their studies.  They will find out their results on Friday 14^th December.  Throughout the six days of exams the students have conducted themselves incredibly well indeed and were a credit to the School.  Well done boys and thank you.

On Friday I am attending the next Schools’ Funding Forum meeting and the Kent & Medway Grammar Schools’ Association Head of Mathematics Group.  The Forum is a group of people that represent all schools across Kent that discuss how the Local Authority should spend its money; and the Head of Mathematics Group is a group of mathematics teachers that meet to share good practice and discuss how best the subject can be delivered to our students.  Friday, therefore, will be a busy day.

Good luck to the U16 Football Squad who play in the next round of the English Schools’ National Cup on Thursday against Simon Langton Grammar School.

And at the weekend the CCF is going on their recruit camp: the weekend when the new Year 9 cadets enjoy their first camp.  Let us hope the weather remains in their favour.

 

Tuesday 20 November 2018

Firstly, I would like to thank those sixth form students who helped organise and took part in last Friday’s BBC Children in Need Charity Day.  Students arrived at school contributing £1 for wearing non-uniform, cakes were available throughout the day to buy, and the 12-hour crossbar football was enjoyed by many students and members of staff. Particular acknowledgement must go to Henry Warby and Daniel Little, this year’s School Captain and School Vice-Captain, who played for the entire duration.  The total amount raised is still being calculated, but I am sure we have beaten last year’s total of £1,500.  Well done all.

This week year 11 students are completing their mock examinations – an opportunity for them to see how they have progressed during their GCSE years and provide them with an experience of what it will be like next summer.  Good luck boys.

Oli Leyland of Barton House has, for the last few years, been playing rugby league with London Broncos.  He has just been selected for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Origin Squad to train with the England Academy in hope of playing against Australia on 1^st December.  This is a fantastic opportunity for Oli who strives to become professional after he leaves school.  Well done Oli and best wishes.

Old Maidstonian Steven Adamson, who left in 2013, is now the general manager of Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club.  On Sunday, 25^th November his squad faces Crystal Palace at their ground The Oakwood, in Crayford and Steven is trying to get the largest crowd he can get.  If you would like to know more then please visit Charlton Athletics’ website.

 

Tuesday 13th November 2018

 I cannot start this week’s blog without first acknowledging the conduct of every single MGS student at last Friday’s Remembrance Service.  Standing in front of the entire school community at this year’s special service was a very humbling experience.  I felt very proud to be able to call myself a Maidstonian.  Thank you to everyone - it was a very important day for Maidstone Grammar School.  This feeling was again felt at Sunday’s Remembrance Service in Maidstone when the entire CCF paraded past the town’s memorial.  78 members of the CCF paraded in Maidstone to commemorate the centenary of the end of WWI.  Flight Sargent Ben Roffe, Head of RAF section, laid a wreath on behalf of the Contingent. The wreath bore the inscription 'forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit'; and CSM William Hulme, Head of Army section, acted as assistant to The Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, accompanying him at the St George Memorial.

 

Also at the weekend the rugby squads were out in force this time against Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School.  There were three home wins from the U15 and U12A & B teams and one away win from the 1^st XV.  The boys responded extremely well following last week’s results against Dartford Grammar.  Well done boys.  

 

This week should a relatively quiet one.  Tomorrow, parents of year 12 students are invited in to attend the GCSE Certificate Presentation Afternoon.  Year 12 students, who attended MGS last year, will be presented with their GCSE certificates at a special presentation ceremony.  It is so important that their success is acknowledged, and it is pleasing that their parents will be present.

 

This Friday is the first whole school charity day in aid of BBC Children in Need.  The usual non-uniform arrangements will be in place, as well as the selling of cakes, but this year the sixth form students are planning a 12-hour non-stop game of cross bar football.  There will be tired legs on Saturday!  Thank you to everyone who has already helped organise the day.

 

Tuesday 6 November 2018

Firstly, I would like to thank the many students and staff who supported Saturday’s Parents’ Association Firework Display.  The weather was kind to us which added to a really good evening out.  Thank you to everyone who came along, and a big thank you to the Parents’ Association for organising.

 

Sadly, the delights of the firework display on Saturday contrasted with the results of the rugby earlier that day against Dartford Grammar School.  Seven games took place across all the different squads and we lost all of them!  The boys played well and in good spirit, though, and thank you to Ed Mead of College House who contributed to both the 2^nd XV and 1^st XV games.  Let’s hope for better outcomes next weekend.

 

Congratulations though must go to the U15 rugby squad who progressed through to the next round of the National Cup last Thursday beating Norton Knatchbull.  It was a tense game for most of it, but the team came through at the end to win 22 - 20.  Well done boys.

 

This week the year 12 geography students, accompanied by Mr O’Hanlon and Mrs Lynch, are away from school in Dorset completing their important A Level fieldwork.  We hope the weather is being kind to them.

 

This week we have two events: The Post 16 Open Evening and the Remembrance Service.  The Post 16 Open Evening takes place tomorrow.  The event is an opportunity for year 11 students from MGS and other local schools to come and see what we offer in our sixth form.  The evening starts at 4.30pm with talks at 5pm, 5.45pm and 6.30pm.

 

Friday is a very important and significant day for the school.  We are holding our annual Remembrance Service which this year marks the 100th Anniversary of the end of the 1st World War.  The entire school community will join together in a service to mark this special occasion, and we are pleased to welcome parents, governors, Old Maidstonians, friends of the school and relatives of the 46 Old Maidstonians who lost their lives in the war.  It is vital that MGS acknowledges the anniversary and ensures that it is recorded in our own archives.  It will be a very special moment.