HT Blog - Tuesday 24 June 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 24 June 2025

This week marks an exciting time at MGS as we welcome over 250 prospective students for our Sixth Form Induction Week. Students from MGS and other schools will join us for three days to experience life in our Sixth Form. During their visit, they’ll attend sample A-level lessons in their chosen subjects, explore the school through guided tours, spend time in the Sixth Form Common Room and Library, and take part in a range of ‘getting-to-know-you’ activities. We hope they find the experience valuable and choose to begin their Sixth Form journey with us in September.

While our future sixth formers are getting a taste of life at MGS, our current Year 12 students are in the midst of their UCAS examinations. Over the next two weeks, they will be completing these important assessments, which play a key role in determining their predicted grades for university applications. These are the most significant exams they’ve sat since their GCSEs, and we wish them all the very best.

This past weekend, 18 Year 10 students successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Assessed Expedition in the New Forest, accompanied by Ms Alloy and Mr Pinn. The hot weather presented an extra challenge, but with careful planning and early starts, the group had a safe and rewarding experience. A huge thank you to our staff for their support and encouragement throughout the trip.

Looking ahead to the end of the week, we’re excited to host our fourth annual Pride BBQ on Friday. This much-loved event brings together students and staff in the Quad for a lunchtime celebration featuring great food provided by our caterers, Cucina, and a soundtrack of music from iconic artists. Let’s hope the sunshine continues to make it a perfect day.

 

 

 

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 17 June 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 17 June 2025

After five weeks the GCSE and A-level examinations begin to wind down.  Years 11 and 13 can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and so look forward to a long and well-deserved summer.  We now wait a couple of months for the results to be released later in the summer.

This week we welcome students from our local feeder primary schools into MGS to enjoy two outreach activities.  On Tuesday the young students will be transported to Pompeii to learn about what life was like during the Roman Empire.  They will learn a little bit of Latin, make some authentic Roman food, and produce some artwork that would have been seen 2000 years ago.  On Wednesday we change tact somewhat and leave Pompeii to put on a morning of rugby.  Thank you to the staff for organising these two days.

On Wednesday we host the last virtual parents’ evening of the year, with year 10 parents being invited to hear from their child’s teachers on how they have been getting on.  This is a crucial time of year for Year 10 as within weeks of starting Year 11 in September they will be preparing for mock examinations and considering their futures beyond GCSEs.  I am sure the evening will be a positive one.  And on Thursday this week we welcome to the school our newest and youngest Maidstonians who will be in Barton House next year to the re-scheduled Year 6 Barton House Tea.  I am sure they will have an enjoyable time and have an opportunity to meet new friends.

HT Blog – Tuesday 10 June 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 10 June 2025

I am delighted to begin this week’s blog by sharing a lovely story about a Maidstonian and their kind actions which was featured on the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2 last week.  The story was about the difficulties of barcode train tickets.  A member of the public phoned into the radio show praising the kind actions of a student from Maidstone Grammar School who had kindly purchased a physical ticket when they were having trouble with their electronic one.  The fact that the person phoned into a radio show to share this story with the wider public illustrates that kind actions seen each and every day are being recognised and appreciated. 

At the weekend I enjoyed a couple of hours just south of Tunbridge Wells in the company of Year 9 and those staff accompanying them on the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Assessed Expedition.  The weather held for the day’s walking, but the heavens opened as the students returned to the campsite to pitch their tents.  There were a few damp tents.

Also, at the weekend Old Maidstonian Billy Leyland joined Hull Kingston Rovers at Wembley Stadium to win the 2025 Men’s Rugby League Challenge Cup.  Billy, as well as his brother Oli, both pursued careers in rugby league, and we have been following their successes since leaving MGS.  We are delighted for Billy and his Challenge Cup win.

This week is another busy week for MGS.  Year 10 geographers travel to Stratford to complete essential fieldwork as part of their GCSE studies.  Yesterday we welcomed BAE Systems into the school to share with some students their RAF and Navy Education Programme in the hope that it will inspire more young people to pursue engineering as a career.  Today a group of younger students take part in the UK Junior Mathematics Challenge.  On Wednesday we not only welcome some primary school students into MGS to take part in our Football Outreach Day we also invite the wider school community in to enjoy the annual MGS Art Exhibition.  The MGS Art Exhibition exhibits work from years 11, 12 and 13, and it takes place in the Big Hall from 4pm.  Do come along.  And on Friday a group of students, accompanied by the English Department, visit the Globe Theatre to enjoy a Shakespeare play.

This week, for me, however, means travelling into London to attend the annual Grammar School Heads Association Annual Conference.  Each year, over two days in the second week of June, all headteachers of grammar schools across the UK come together to share stories, learn about new educational developments, and understand more how they can improve their respective schools.  From previous experience, I am sure I will come back with some good ideas.

Finally, huge congratulations to art teacher, Mr Ashenfelter, who, with his team, became the 2025 GB Masters Over-60 Basketball Champions.  Well done Mr Ashenfelter.

HT Blog – Tuesday 3 June 2025

 

HT Blog – Tuesday 3 June 2025

Welcome back to school and to a new term - I hope you all had a restful half term break.  We start the new term with acknowledging Pride Month.  June is the month where we raise the profile of our equality, diversity and inclusivity agenda further by shining a light on the LGBTQ+ community.  I will be launching this month’s focus at the first Quad assembly of the new term: a chance to gather the entire school community together and remind ourselves of the importance and values of being a Maidstonian and acknowledge how proud we all are of being associated with Maidstone Grammar School.

Following on from my last blog in May when I mentioned the introduction of devices to Year 7, today is the first official day when Year 7 will get a chance to use them in the classroom.  During the first period of the day all of Year 7 will receive a lesson from one of our digital champions or digital leads where they will learn more about some of the ways they will be able to use their device going forward.  It is hoped by the end of the academic year they will be using their devices in many of their lessons.  A huge thank you to Mr Hanratty, Mrs Rees, Mr Young and Mr Steel for making all of this possible.

This week is also a big week for a newest Maidstonians as we welcome into the school those students joining MGS in September to attend their respective house tea.  It will be a chance for students and parents in each house to come together and make new friends and begin their journey in being associated with MGS.  

At the weekend a number of year 9 students will be walking the footpaths and country lanes of Kent as they complete their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Assessed Expedition.  Following their practice expedition earlier in the year it is now time for the students to do the real thing.  Best wishes to them all, let’s hope the weather is kind, and thank you to the staff who will be supervising them.