Tuesday 27 June 2023

Firstly, I would like to congratulate the MGS athletes who took part in an inter-school athletics completion last week at Oakwood Park.  11 schools attended, with MGS coming second in the Year 8 category and first in the Year 7, 9 and 10 categories.  A really good day for MGS.  Well done Maidstonians.

Continuing with athletics, two of our budding athletes have achieved significant recognition in their chosen disciplines.  Faith of Year 12 and Corpus Christi House was selected to join the GB & NI U20 Athletics Team for a competition in Mannheim, Germany last weekend, and Theo of Year 10 and Corpus House has been selected to run for Kent Schools at the English Schools Athletics Competition this weekend after winning the Inter-Counties Race last Saturday.  Well done Faith and Theo.

And finally, congratulations to Aoife of Year 12 and College House who received a commendation for her achievements in the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators run by Queen’s College, Oxford.  Over 15,000 students participated in the competition, and so Aoife receiving recognition is a fantastic achievement.  Well done Aoife.

Thank you to the Year 10 band, Corpus Christi House and to Cucina for putting on a fabulous ‘Queen and BBQ’ event in the Quad last Friday.  Over 400 members of the MGS community came together to enjoy some music whilst eating some freshly cooked BBQ food from our caterers.  It was a lovely occasion.

For three days this week we welcome back Year 11, as well as saying hello to some new students, who wish to join the MGS Sixth Form next year.  At this Post 16 Induction Event students will get a feel of what life is like at MGS being a sixth form student.  We hope they have a good time. 

At the end of the week our celebrations of Pride Month come to an end with a Lip-Sync Battle in the Big Hall.  Students and staff will show off their ‘no singing’ skills: miming to some of their favourite songs in front of a hall-packed audience.  I am sure it will be entertaining!  Thank you to the staff and students who are taking part.

Tuesday 20 June 2023

This week is the last full week of GCSE and A Level examinations.  Year 11 and Year 13 have been busy over these last few weeks, but the light at the end of the tunnel is now in sight.  For those students who have their last exam this week, then I wish them good luck, and for those students who have already finished, then I hope they are happy with their performance, and that they have an enjoyable summer break.

At the weekend the MGS cricketers enjoyed their fixture against Norton Knatchbull and the glorious weather with two wins.  However, despite reaching the semi-final of the Kent Cup beating Sevenoaks School along the way, the U15 squad lost their chance of reaching the final by sadly losing to Oakwood Park Grammar School by only seven runs.  Bad luck to the players, but well done for progressing well through the competition.

Tomorrow we enjoy the opening of the annual MGS Art Exhibition.  Artwork from students in years 11 and 13 will be on show, and I always enjoy wandering around the exhibition seeing the talents of some of our students.  Please do come along.  It takes place in the Big Hall and is open from 4pm.

This Friday MGS is proud to present Queen in the Quad. Members of the school band supported by our caterers will be supplying the rock music and BBQ as we celebrate 50 years since the release of Queen's debut album. The day will also be a free non-school uniform day, encouraging everyone to wear bright colours in celebration. 

Tuesday 13 June 2023

Firstly, I would like to thank Mr Hanratty for stepping into my shoes for the last three weeks and writing this blog.  His words allowed me to follow what was going on at MGS from a distance.  The reason for me being away from MGS was that I was on a three-week sabbatical, driving around the country visiting a number of different schools to see what we could learn from them.  I have now returned with lots of ideas and eager to continue developing the school.  As well as thanking Mr Hanratty, I would also like to thank my senior colleagues, particularly Miss Johnson, for stepping in during my absence.  It is good to be back.

Just before the May half term we held a non-uniform day to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation.  Thanks to Tonbridge House, led by Mr Holmes and Mr Taylor, we raised just under £900.  Thank you Tonbridge House, and thank you to everyone who supported.

At the weekend, under the glorious weather, the MGS cricketers played their first cricket match of the new term, and at the same time a large group of other Maidstonians completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Practice Expedition.  The cricket fixture was against Dartford Grammar School where MGS won two out of the three matches.  Well done to the players and thank you to the staff who supported both the cricket and the DoE.

Also at the weekend, I sadly was not able to enjoy the weather, as I attended the annual Kent Research-Ed Conference, which this year took place at Cornwallis Academy.  About 150 teachers from across Kent were in attendance, and throughout the day we heard from a number of speakers who presented their research on a variety of different aspects of education, including how to teach everyone in the classroom to the impact of technology. 

Yesterday we had our first Quad assembly: an assembly for the entire school community outside in the Quad.  I always look forward to the summer months, not only because of the warmer weather and lighter evening, but because it is a chance to bring every Maidstonian together in one place to hear a message for the day.  With it being Pride Month, the main theme of the assembly was, ‘What can we be proud of?’  Thank you to the four students: Noah, Ben, Jess and Rafe, who spoke with me.  They collectively shared with the school what they were proud of.

Next Wednesday, 21 June we will be enjoying the opening of the annual MGS Art Exhibition.   Each year we exhibit the artwork from students in years 11 and 13, and I always enjoy wandering around the exhibition seeing the talents of some of our students.  Please do come along.  It takes place in the Big Hall and is open from 4pm.

Finally, congratulations to Patrick of Year 7 and Corpus Christi House who is doing really well at the moment with his golf.  He has competed in three British junior U12 golfing events in the last two months, finishing in 5^th, 4^th and 1^st place.  Well done Patrick.

 

Tuesday 6 June 2023

Mr Hanratty, here.

It has been great to see our students return this morning, well rested, and in their summer uniforms, with most looking like they’ve seen the sun. It’s also been great to hear their stories and tales from the break, shared with each other and the staff. The same can also be said for our staff, who returned yesterday for our Inset Day, also looking sun-kissed and full of drive for the term ahead. Yesterday's Inset is a key date in the calendar where departments work together to review and adapt their curriculum for the year ahead. We also welcomed many of our new staff from September, and it was great to see them get to know and gel with their teams as the day progressed.

Today also marks the start of Pride Month at MGS, a celebration proudly spearheaded by Corpus Christi House. As a symbol of our commitment, the pride flag flies over the gatehouse. It signals not only to our immediate community but also to the broader one beyond our school gates, affirming our role as a welcoming, inclusive school that encourages students to take pride in their individual identities. Lots of exciting events are scheduled to take place, and I have no doubt the Headmaster will keep you updated when he returns to writing this blog from next week. One event I’m particularly looking forward to is the BBQ and Big Band in the Quad on Friday 30 June, where there will be an LGBTQ Icons LipSync Battle with staff and students participating.

Starting this afternoon and until next Monday, we will welcome Year 6 boys and their families to one of their welcome events known as the House Teas. This informal event allows Year 6 students to meet fellow students in their house, their Head of House, Assistant Head of House, their 6th Form Prefect Team, and current Year 7 students. Parents and carers will also join to socialise over a cup of tea. These events are such an important part of our transition programme, which started in April and continues through the next academic year.

Tomorrow, Year 12 are off timetable all day for their PSHCE Day. Throughout the day, Year 12 will take part in a number of carousel activities in small groups exploring a wide range of topics that include online behaviour, sexual health, financial advice, UCAS, drugs and alcohol. This day has been organised and delivered in partnership with a number of organisations, including the Kenward Trust.

This week is filled with several exciting cricket fixtures. Later today, our U15A team will be pitted against Dartford Grammar School at 1.30pm, followed by a match with our U14A team against Bennett Memorial Diocesan School at 2pm. The action continues tomorrow as our 2nd XI cricket team faces off against Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School at 2.30pm. On Friday, we round off the week with matches between our U12A and U12B cricket teams and their respective counterparts from Dartford Grammar School. We wish the best of luck to all the students representing our school in these games.

Of course, I cannot forget to mention the GCSE and A-Level exams that continue until the end of June. We’ve been impressed by the attitude and conscientiousness that our Year 11 and 13 students continue to show during this intense period, and we look forward to celebrating with them all in August. We wish them the best of luck in the rest of their exams this month.

Year 7 are in preparation mode for their end of year exams that begin in lessons next week. This is the first series of 'big exams' they have taken since joining us that assess everything they have learned this year. I know from my conversations with Year 7, their parents, and teachers that they are taking these exams very seriously and really want to prove how far they’ve come. We are all confident that they will do well, having seen how conscientiously they conducted themselves in this period leading up to their exams.

The Headmaster will continue to pen this blog from next week and will no doubt keep you updated on the numerous exciting things scheduled for this term ahead such as Extended Learning Week, UCAS Day, Year 9 and Sixth Form Induction Days, Sports Day, and many more. It’s been a pleasure keeping you all updated on life here at MGS over the past few blog entries. Until next time, take care.

 Mr H