Tuesday 29 September 2020

Thank you to the many members of the school community who supported last Friday’s MacMillan Coffee Morning.  Under the current circumstances we were unable to host the event in the Hall, but across the school site in the various year group bubbles staff and students came together, but at a distance, and enjoyed a slice of cake and a morning cup of coffee.  In total we raised £680, which is a fantastic sum considering the situation we were in.  Thank you.

Congratulations to the many year 11 students who completed the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition over the weekend.  The weather on Friday would have certainly been an element to deal with (!), but knowing the students, they would have not let that deter from their enjoyment.  Thank you to Ms Adams and Ms Alloy for coordinating the entire programme, and to the other members of staff who gave up their weekend to supervise.

Tomorrow is the School’s first charity day.  Again, under the current circumstances, we cannot run our charity days in the way that we would like, but hopefully we can raise awareness and money in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Thank you to the staff and students for organising the day. 

Finally, I wish to acknowledge and thank the 52 year 12 students who have stepped forward to support the School in the absence of Year 13.  With Year 13 needing to self-isolate at home we are currently without the entire prefect team.  The prefects play a number of different roles across the school, and the month of October is always a busy one for them.  These 52 students have illustrated once more how many of our students feel about their school and how they wish to support their peers.  Thank you so much to them. 

Tuesday 22 September 2020

We are now into the third week of school and already students and staff are settling into the new way of living and working.  Everyone has really appreciated the adjustments we have had to make, and for that I am extremely grateful.  The weather has been on our side, which has been fortunate, as we all know that the best place to be under these current circumstances is outside.  Sadly, this fine weather cannot last, so the four marquees that we have recently purchased will come in very handy.  A big thank you to all of the staff members who have worked hard erecting them, as well as constructing the many picnic tables and benches that are now around the site for students to sit on.

This week we will be speaking to years 11 and 12 about the Harvard Model United Nations Trip for January 2022.  Sadly, we won’t be able to go this January, but we are keeping our fingers crossed for the following year.  It is an amazing opportunity for the students to attend, so we are keen to continue to run the trip despite the circumstances we are in. 

And this Friday we are acknowledging the MacMillian Coffee Morning.  Sadly, we cannot deliver it in the normal way, but hopefully we will be able to go some way in supporting the charity and come together at a distance over a cuppa and a piece of cake.  Thank you to parents who are sending their children into school with a piece of cake!

Tuesday 15 September 2020

Firstly, I would like to thank the entire school community for the excellent start we have had to the new academic year.  With the many changes we have had to make, both the students and staff have adjusted to them extremely well and have already settled into a new way of living.  All credit to them. 

This week is the first full week for everyone, and so hopefully by the end of the week everyone has got used to things.  With it being the first full week, we have also been able to introduce year group assemblies to each day, with this week’s theme being, ‘It’s Good to Talk’.  This quite simple mantra is being used to re-brand and re-launch the work we already do in school in supporting students with their mental health and wellbeing concerns.  So far the assemblies have been positively received and very much appreciated.

Also this week, on Thursday, every student in the school is having their individual photograph taken; so parents be ready to make a purchase if you would like.  Seeing one’s child grow up can sometimes remind us how old we are getting!

Tuesday 8 September 2020

 Welcome to the first Headmaster Blog of the new academic year.  It is so good to be able to welcome all of the students back to their school and return to some form of normality.  School is going to be a different place for some time - we have had to make many adjustments to the school to be in a position to welcome everyone back – but those adjustments are worth it in order to bring life back to MGS.  I have missed the students, as it is the students, not the buildings, that define MGS; and already after only a few days, laughter has returned.  The induction days for years 7 and 12 went extremely well, welcoming over 400 students back last Thursday and Friday.  They were joined by years 11 and 13 on Monday, and will be joined by years 8, 9 and 10 on Wednesday.  I look forward to saying hello to many of them over the coming days and weeks. 

The main focus of the first few weeks is to teach the students how to be students again.  Some will not have been in formal school for 24 weeks, and so they are going to need our support in settling in as well as ensuring any gaps in their progress are filled.  We of course do not know how things are going to develop over the coming year. We still do not know what the public examinations are going to look like for years 11 and 13, and we don’t know if there is going to be a need to ask some students to work from home for a period of time if there is a local lockdown, but we are flexible and ready to make any required adjustments to ensure the students receive the best possible experience in any eventuality.  I was so proud in what we did achieve during lockdown - thank you again for the overwhelming positive feedback from parents - and we are ready to do the same again if required.