HT Blog – Tuesday 18 November 2025

 Firstly, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the staff and students of College House for organising Friday’s charity day in aid of BBC Children in Need. Despite the persistent wet weather, spirits remained wonderfully high and the atmosphere across the school was filled with enthusiasm. The delicious cakes were enjoyed by many, and the main attraction of the day – the Staff vs. Student Football Match – drew an impressive crowd. Thank you, Mr Musendo, for scoring the equalising goal to leave the final score 1-1.  I am delighted to share that College House raised £2278, bringing a welcome burst of cheer to the whole school community. Thank you to everyone who contributed, participated, and supported the event.

I would also like to thank the staff and students who accompanied me on Saturday’s first Everest Base Camp Practice Walk. Our route began and ended at Cobtree Manor Park, with a challenging 21km trek between the two points. The rain that had soaked us on Friday provided slippery and muddy conditions on the walk, but I was reminded of my mother’s wise words: there’s never really bad weather, only inappropriate clothing! The resilience and positivity shown by the group were fantastic, and it was a pleasure to spend the day with such determined young people.

This week, our Year 11 mock examinations continue and draw to a close. The bulk of the hard work is now behind the students; aside from a couple of whole-year examinations, the remaining papers are the smaller, subject-specific ones. Keep going, boys - your effort and focus will pay off.

Parents and carers of Years 9 and 12 will be logging onto our School Cloud platform this week for their respective parents’ evenings. These year groups represent the starting points of the GCSE and A-level journeys, making these evenings an invaluable opportunity to gain insight into how students are settling in, progressing, and preparing for the important years ahead.

In addition, Year 10 parents and carers are warmly invited to an evening of music and drama as our talented GCSE performers take to the stage for the Year 10 Music and Drama Presentation Evening. This event is always an enjoyable one as well as being a wonderful celebration of the creativity and confidence of our students.

In sports news, congratulations to the U15 Rugby Squad, who continue their exceptional season with a 46–0 victory in the National Cup, securing their place in the next round. Well done, boys, and thank you to Mr Cooper for your dedication and support. Looking ahead, our senior rugby players face the Duke of York School on Wednesday in their next national competition fixture. A win would see them progress to the quarterfinals, and we wish them the very best of luck.

Oh, and finally, good luck to the students who are talking part in GCSE Latin and Ancient World Olympiad on Friday. 

HT Blog – Tuesday 11 November 2025

 

As we have reached Remembrance Day, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to all the CCF cadets and adult volunteers who represented MGS so proudly at the Maidstone Remembrance Parade on Sunday. With many Old Maidstonians having made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, it is vital that we, as a school community, continue to honour their memory and recognise the significance of the Armistice.

Today, on 11 November, the whole school will come together for a special MGS remembrance service, pausing in silence at 11am to reflect and pay tribute to the fallen.

Turning to recent school achievements, I would like to congratulate our senior rugby players for an outstanding week last week. Not only did they take part in the eagerly anticipated MGS vs Sutton Valence School derby on Friday night (where we won both games), but they also secured a place in the last 16 of the National Cup after a 35–14 victory over Christ’s Hospital School on Tuesday. My thanks go to Mr Saunders, Mr Seymour, Mr Smith, and Mr Dadd for their continued dedication, and to all those who came to support the squad under the floodlights on Friday evening.  The success in rugby continued on Saturday against Sutton Valence School for many of our younger rugby squads. 

In other sporting news, our Girls’ Netball Squad enjoyed a competitive away fixture at Sevenoaks School last week, sadly losing though 21-16, the Senior Football Squad recorded a strong 5-1 win over Dane Court Grammar School, and our basketball players continued their success with another well-deserved victory. Congratulations to all involved!

This week marks the start of the two-week mock examination period for our Year 11 students. These GCSE-style assessments provide valuable experience and insight into what lies ahead next summer. I wish every student the very best as they put their hard work into practice.

Looking ahead to Friday, College House will be leading our next school charity day, supporting BBC Children in Need. As always, students are invited to wear non-uniform for a £1 donation at the gate, and there will be a range of additional fundraising activities throughout the day to support this important national cause.

Finally, on Saturday, I will be joining the students and staff preparing for the Everest Base Camp 2026 expedition on their first practice walk along the North Downs. While the Kent hills may not quite rival the Himalayas, the six-hour trek will certainly test stamina and serve as excellent preparation. Let us hope the weather is kind to us.

Oh, and good luck to the MGS Chess Team who will be competing in the National Chess Competition Qualifier at The Judd School today and congratulations to College House for winning this year’s Inter-House General Knowledge Quiz.

HT Blog – Tuesday 4 November 2025

 

Before looking ahead to the week to come, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to Mrs Hudson, the MGS Parents’ Association, staff, students, and friends of the school who helped to organise and support the MGS PA Fireworks Display. Thankfully, the weather held, allowing the large crowd from both the school and the wider community to enjoy a truly spectacular evening of fireworks and celebration.

The weekend also saw our rugby squads take part in the annual fixtures against The Judd School. Beginning on Friday with the U12 and 1st XV matches, all of our players rose to the occasion, demonstrating great determination and teamwork against one of the strongest rugby schools in Kent. Well done to every player for their effort, commitment, and sportsmanship on the pitch.

After a particularly busy week, the coming days will be somewhat quieter. Our Year 11 students are spending their final week in lessons before beginning their GCSE mock examinations next week, while our CCF cadets are preparing to represent the school at the Remembrance Sunday Parade in Maidstone town centre this weekend.

With a little more calm in the school calendar, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight our social media channels, where we regularly share updates, stories, and achievements from across the MGS community. Our newly established Development and Alumni Office has been posting a range of interesting features that we hope our wider community will enjoy. One of these is ‘Throwback Thursday’, a weekly post designed to take Old Maidstonians on a nostalgic trip down memory lane.  Do take a moment to follow our social media platforms to stay connected with all that is happening at MGS - past and present.