Tuesday 30 March 2021

It is incredible to think that we have reached the end of the Spring Term.  It started back on Monday 4 January, but that evening Boris Johnson made the announcement that we were to go back into lockdown and schooling would return to being delivered online.  Since then we have achieved so much – evolving and moving forward in what we have always perceived as being possible.  Despite the students only being back for four weeks, the Spring Term has come at a good point - we are all looking forward to having a well-deserved rest.  I wish to again thank the students, staff and parents for their ongoing support and appreciation during these challenging times.  Let us see what terms 5 and 6 bring!

Last week I had the great pleasure of interviewing the six shortlisted candidates for the School Captain and School Vice-Captain positions.  Being in the company of fine Maidstonians and hearing how they feel about their school is something I have really missed.  They were, and are, a credit to the School.  The two successful students will be announced at the final assembly on Thursday. 

Following the Comic Relief charity day on Friday 19 March, I thought you would all like to know that we raised an impressive £2484.29.  This is a fantastic amount and all credit to the prefects who organised the day.

Last Thursday and yesterday I enjoyed seeing a number of students and staff remain in school after the day to take part in some of our extra-curricular activities.  On Thursday last week about 70 year 7 students and six members of staff were enjoying playing cricket on the new all-weather pitch, and about 150 cadets and adult volunteers were taking part in the weekly CCF training programme.  And last night, nearly half of Year 12 took part in the Year 12 Inter-House Football Tournament.  It was so good seeing students being allowed to be children again – it has been a long time coming.  With the improving weather and lighter nights, it is hoped that more activities can take place after school bringing life back to the place. 

And finally, news of two recently successful Old Maidstonians: Oli Leyland (OM 2019) made his professional debut for London Broncos at the weekend and it was live on the BBC.  Oli was a fantastic rugby player when he played for MGS and it was always a matter of time before he made it professionally.  Well done Oli, and we look forward to seeing you play again in the near future.  And Andrew Rout (OM 2015) and his Warwick University team reached the final of University Challenge last week.  Andrew has captained the team throughout the entire series, and has pretty much led the way to reach the final.  Congratulations Andrew, and good luck in the final.

Tuesday 23 March 2021

Today’s date, March 23 2021, marks exactly one year since MGS went into its first lockdown.  Back on Friday 20 March 2020, I said goodbye to the entire school not knowing what the future would hold.  One year later, and after two significant lockdowns, life at MGS is still very different.  So much has happened over the last year, but overwhelming, I can say that it has been one of the proudest moments of my career, and I expect one of the proudest moments in the life of Maidstone Grammar School.  When the time came, we did right!

Looking specifically at the last two weeks of the last 12 months, I would like to thank the entire MGS Lateral Flow Test Team for the enormous efforts that were collectively given, particularly to the 28 parent volunteers who supported MGS at this very challenging time.  Testing over 1200 students, three times each, was no small task.  But, last Friday signalled the end of the school-based tests and the start of tests being carried out at home.  Our responsibility does not end there though.  The distribution of home test kits will now go on, and we will continue to be here responding to any positive cases and completing the process of tracking and tracing any contacts when required.

Outside of coronavirus matters, on Friday we saw the return of an MGS charity day: acknowledging the national Comic Relief campaign.  Students were once again enjoying being in school in non-uniform, buying Comic Relief-themed cakes, and taking part in numerous activities.  The highlight for me was listening to a group of year 11 students singing along to a Rick Astley song during our MGS FM broadcast.  A big thank you to the Year 13 Prefect Team who led the organisation, and thank you to everyone who supported the day.

Now some student news.  Two teams of Year 12 Business students recently competed in a national entrepreneurship competition hosted by Lancaster University Management School.  Up against schools from across the UK they presented their business plans, focusing on achieving their prescribed UN Sustainable Development Goals.  A tough group stage saw one MGS team knocked out, but the remaining group advanced to the final six, where they presented and answered questions from a panel of industry experts & university "entrepreneurs in residence."  A strong performance was not enough to win first place, but the team came away with the Student Choice Award for Best Presentation.  Well done to all participants, especially Sam Croucher and Euan Board, both of Year 12, for leading the two teams so effectively.

To end, and on the request of a few Year 13 students, I would like to share with you all my on-going chess game I am having with Mr Rivers, the Head of Sixth Form.  Over Christmas, I received a chess set as a present and so I set it up in my office.  On return to school on Monday 4 January, Mr Rivers walked into my office and decided to open up a game and so moved one of the white pawns forward.  Game on, I thought!  Since that point the two of us have been making, on average, one move each, per day.  Nine weeks later the game is still going on!  For those of you who are interested, I am up on points, have Mr Rivers in check, but still believe the game is equally poised.  One day we will finish it!

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 16 March 2021

I start this week’s blog by saying how pleasing it is to have all of the students back.  Over the course of last week we welcomed back year groups one-by-one, and by the time Thursday came we had everyone back.  The students were fantastic, and so I wish to thank them for appreciating the situation we were in.  They had to sit in the hall and wait for their Covid-19 test as well as waiting for the result – some were in there for a while.  Spirits were high, and it was so good hearing their conversation again.  By the end of the week we were able to begin the process of testing the students again for a second and subsequent third time; which will be continued during the rest of this week.  By Friday, those who have consented will have had three Covid-19 tests, and then the process of distributing tests to students to complete at home will begin. 

Last Tuesday will be a day that I remember for a long time.  With Year 13 back in school we were able to hold the inaugural inter-house football tournament on the all-weather pitch.  Despite the pitch being for all weathers (!) the weather last Tuesday was glorious.  After a year of disruption, it was so good watching nearly 80 Year 13 students run around together and, despite being young adults, were allowed to be children again.  It’s been a long time coming.  Congratulations to Barton House who won both the A and B competitions. 

At the weekend Ellie Breeze and Liam Turner competed in the national finals of the Oxford Union Debating Competition.  We can be so proud of them, as out of 128 teams, they came 30^th.  They did so well that they qualified for the novice final, and along the way they beat a number of prestigious private schools and colleges.  Well done Ellie and Liam.

Congratulations to Nicholas Cutbill of Year 7 who recently won the 3rd place cash prize in the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) ‘Paint Our Way To Peace' competition in the age 8-12 category.  The contest was open to anybody currently resident in the UK.  Well done to Nicholas.

This week Year 10 complete their long-awaited Year 10 exams.  These exams were supposed to take place back in January and form an important part of their GCSE studies.  Good luck to them all.  Next week it is the turn of Year 11 to sit their second set of mock exams, followed by Year 13 who will sit their mock exams after Easter.  Good luck to Year 10.

 

 

  

9 March 2021

I am so delighted to be writing my blog again – it has been a long time since my last one.  So, welcome back everyone, and welcome to the first blog of 2021.  Yesterday was the first day we welcomed students back to school, and from Thursday of this week the entire MGS community will have returned.  The last time we were altogether was back in December before we broke for the Christmas holiday so it is going to be so good having everyone back.  MGS has always been here, but the heart of the place has been missing.  This week, life will return; we will hear conversation again; and we will hear laughter again.  I am so looking forward seeing the students again, and I am sure they are happy that they are retuning too.

Despite the school being quiet over the last two months I know there has been lots of excellent work going on at home. The feedback from parents about the experience we have been providing has been overwhelmingly positive, and I thank those parents for sharing that with us.  A big thank you too, to the staff, who have put in a tremendous collective effort right across the school: to delivering online lessons to getting the site ready, as well as establishing from scratch our Covid-19 testing programme. Thank you.   also wish to thank the students who have approached their online learning so well.  It has not been easy for some, but the general feeling amongst those who I have spoken to has been an encouraging one.  As I have said a number of times over the past year, the responsibility for one’s learning has never been so great, and despite being overwhelming at times, it has taught our students a lot about self-management, how to be independent, and appreciating what is possible.  Well done to them all.

Whilst we have been in lockdown we have had a number of house competitions that have kept students and staff busy, and maintained the competitive spirit amongst the houses that we have seen develop over the past four years.  A big thank you to Mr Highsted who has overseen the coordination of them all and to the individual members of staff who have led them.  We have seen: The Great MGS Bake Off, This is Language, The Brands hatch Challenge, The English Competition, The Poetry Slam, MGS in the Spotlight; The MGS January Challenge, and MGS Superstars.  I look forward to presenting the House Cup to the winning house in the summer.

We have also had some fantastic news with our debating students.  Congratulations to Liam Turner and Ellie Breeze of Year 13 who recently won the Debating Matters National Competition and qualified for the Oxford Union Debating Society National Competition.  Also, congratulations to Toby Henley, Daniel Sowerby, Nathan Gray, Freddie Gache, Sam Luxton and Ben Collins, all of Year 12, who successfully won the Regional English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition just a few weeks ago.  Well done to them all.

So, the big focus of this week is getting the students safely back into the school, but also we are looking forward to opening up our new 3G all-weather pitch.  It has taken a massive effort to get to this point, but I am delighted that we can now make use of it; and make use of it we will.  Today we invite Year 13 to make use of it first with an inaugural inter-house football tournament.  They will be the first ever Maidstonians to set foot on the pitch, which will be followed by everyone else over the coming days and weeks.  I am sure the students are eager to get on it. 

It is so good to be back!