HT Blog – Tuesday 24 February 2026

Welcome to the first blog of Term 4. We have reached the halfway point of the academic year - a moment that invites both reflection and celebration. I hope that those of you who were able to enjoy a few days of rest over the break found time to recharge, reconnect and return ready for the opportunities ahead.

At the heart of our school is a strong sense of belonging - to our Houses, our teams, our classrooms and our wider community. Nowhere is that more evident than in this year’s House Cup competition. With over 66,000 house points already awarded, and just 600 points separating all four Houses, the spirit of friendly rivalry and collective pride is truly alive. Every contribution matters. Every effort counts. As we begin the second half of the year, there is everything to play for, and I look forward to seeing how each House continues to support one another on the journey towards the Cup this summer.

Over the half term break a small group of Royal Navy cadets accompanied by Mr Pinn and Mr Parish travelled down to Somerset to take part in the Royal Navy Cadet Force STEM Challenge Day at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.  The MGS cadets spent several hours working on their models in the STEM competition, competing against many other CCF RN, Sea Cadet and Sea Scout sections.  The day resulted in the MGS cadets gaining second place, narrowly being beaten by only 3 points out of a possible 500.  Huge congratulations to all involved.

We begin the term with some outstanding sporting achievements. Congratulations to Alex and Josh in Year 9, who were selected to represent Southeast England in the Inter-Regional Aspire Basketball Tournament. To be two of only twelve players chosen across the entire region is a remarkable accomplishment. Their selection reflects not only their skill and dedication, but also the teamwork, humility and commitment they show every day as members of our school community. We are immensely proud of them. My thanks also go to Mr Ashenfelter, whose coaching and encouragement continue to nurture both talent and character in our basketball programme.

The excitement continues this week as our U16 Basketball Squad compete in the quarter-final of the Kent Cup. We wish them every success as they represent the school with pride and unity.

Meanwhile, our 1st XI Football Squad travel to West London on Wednesday to face Hampton School in the semi-final of the National Cup. Reaching this stage of a national competition is an extraordinary achievement in itself. The opportunity to compete for a place in the final is testament to months of hard work, resilience and teamwork. We send them our very best wishes and extend our gratitude to Mr Hughes for his leadership and dedication throughout the season.

Beyond the sports field, excellence continues in the classroom. Several of our Year 12 students have qualified for the London Regional Round of the International Economics Olympiad - an impressive accomplishment that reflects intellectual curiosity, ambition and rigorous preparation. We wish them well as they compete for a place in the National Round. Their success reminds us that belonging to this school means striving for excellence together, supporting one another in academic as well as co-curricular pursuits.

Leadership, too, plays a vital role in sustaining our community. Yesterday, the eight shortlisted candidates for next year’s School Captain and Vice-Captain completed the final stage of a thorough four-part interview process. I was deeply impressed by the integrity, thoughtfulness and vision shown by each candidate. Their willingness to serve the school speaks powerfully about the culture of responsibility and belonging that defines our Sixth Form. The announcement of our new student leaders will take place today, and I know they will carry forward this tradition with pride.

Finally, this week all Year 12 geographers travel to Norfolk for three days of essential A Level fieldwork. This annual experience is a cornerstone of their studies, bringing learning vividly to life beyond the classroom. It also offers invaluable time together - strengthening friendships, curiosity and shared purpose. My sincere thanks to the Geography Department for organising and leading this important opportunity.

As we move into the second half of the year, I am continually reminded that our greatest strength lies not only in achievement, but in community. Every success - whether in sport, scholarship, leadership or daily acts of kindness - contributes to the collective story of who we are.

HT Blog – Tuesday 10 February 2026

I want to start by extending heartfelt thanks to Mr Hanratty and Ms Dansey for their wonderful contributions to our weekly blog while I was away. Their voices and reflections were greatly appreciated by our community.

Over the past week, I had the absolute privilege of accompanying 16 of our Year 12 students to the Harvard Model United Nations Conference. This remarkable experience brought out the very best in our delegates: confidence, insight and thoughtful diplomacy. A huge thank you to our students - and especially Mrs Van Mol and Mr Andrews - for making this such a memorable trip. The snow-covered streets of New York and Boston were magical to behold, even as temperatures dipped to -20°C! The enthusiasm and intellectual engagement at the conference truly embodied the spirit of MGS.

We are also bursting with pride for our 1st XI Football Squad, who have secured their place in the semi-final of the National Cup! Their journey up to Brentwood School last Wednesday resulted in a fantastic 4–2 victory - and they returned to school in high spirits, rightly celebrating this superb achievement. Congratulations to every member of the squad and to Mr Hughes for his leadership and dedication.

Continuing our sporting highlights, the U15 Rugby Squad travelled to Monmouthshire for their National Vase quarter-final. Though the final score didn’t go our way (26–12), this resilient group have had a season to be proud of - reaching the last eight and showing true grit and sportsmanship every step of the way. Thank you to Mr Cooper for his support all season and Mr Pettit for his invaluable Saturday morning refereeing.

In CCF news, our cadets returned to school on Monday with smiles (and maybe a few muddy boots!) after a brilliant day on Saturday at the Mereworth Woods training camp. This annual event gives many of our younger cadets their first real taste of life in the field and has sparked enthusiasm and confidence across the group. We look forward to seeing them build on this experience in the weeks ahead.

Our debating teams also brought their best to the Cambridge Schools Regional Debating Competition, hosted here at MGS. We were delighted to welcome Cambridge University back as organisers for another year - and once again, our students rose to the challenge with creativity and eloquence.

Looking ahead, this week offers valuable opportunities for parents and carers to engage with us. Year 8 and Year 11 parents and carers will be joining us for the second virtual Parents’ Evening on Wednesday - a great chance to connect with teachers and celebrate your children’s progress. And Year 12 parents and carers are invited to school on Thursday for an informative session with our Sixth Form Team on the upcoming UCAS process. We hope both evenings are enjoyable, supportive and full of positive conversations.

HT Blog - Tuesday 3 February 2026

 

This week’s entry is written by me, Ms Dansey. As the Development and Alumni Officer, I have the privilege of keeping students past and present connected with the school and with one another. It is my pleasure to share this week’s update.

As we move into the first full week of February, there is a renewed sense of focus and purpose around the school. The days may still be short, but the atmosphere across the community remains bright, with students and staff working with determination across all areas of school life.

This week marks the second half of the Year 10 Mock Examinations, and we would like to commend our students for the mature and thoughtful way they have approached the process so far. These assessments provide valuable insight into progress and next steps, and we are grateful to colleagues for the support and guidance they continue to offer throughout the week.

We were also delighted to welcome back our Year 12 students yesterday following their participation in the 72nd Annual Harvard Model United Nations Conference in Boston. HMUN is one of the most respected international relations simulations in the world, bringing together thousands of students from more than 50 countries to debate global issues, practise diplomacy, and collaborate across cultures. This year’s conference continues a proud tradition for MGS. We have been running a delegation for around twelve years, and it remains a privilege to be invited. MGS is the only school in England selected to attend, a testament to the dedication of our staff and the calibre of our students. Over four days, our delegates took part in high‑level committee sessions, stepping into the roles of world leaders and policy‑makers as they negotiated solutions to complex international challenges. The experience develops confidence, critical thinking, teamwork, and public speaking - skills that will serve them well far beyond their time at school. We are immensely proud of the way they represented MGS on this global stage and look forward to hearing more about their experiences in the days ahead.

The CCF Recruit Camp takes place this week in Mereworth Wood, offering our newest cadets the opportunity to develop their skills, build confidence, and experience the teamwork that sits at the heart of the contingent.

Rehearsals for Spamalot continue to gather pace as we look ahead to the performances on 24th–26th March. It is always a pleasure to see students committing themselves so fully to the creative process, and we look forward to watching the production take shape. Advance tickets are now on sale via ParentMail.

We also look forward to a full programme of sporting fixtures this week. On Tuesday, our 1st XI Girls and 2nd XI Girls face Sevenoaks School, while our Boys’ U14A team play Forest School and the U14B team meet The Malling School. Later in the week, our Boys’ U15A rugby team travel to Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, and our U16A basketball team take on Southborough High School. Friday also sees our Boys’ U14A football team play Cornwallis Academy. Alongside these, our previously scheduled fixtures continue across football, basketball, table tennis, and rugby. As always, we wish all students the very best and thank staff, coaches, and families for their continued support.

I would also like to take a moment to share some internal updates and extend our thanks to colleagues across the school. Thank you to the staff who supported the third Everest Practice Walk on Saturday. We also had an exceptionally busy week of sport, with 29 fixtures taking place - thank you to our PE and sport staff for making this possible. A special congratulations goes to our 1st XI, Mr Hughes, and his team, who have progressed to the quarter‑finals of the U18 National Cup following an impressive 4–2 win over Forest School away. They now face Brentwood School on Wednesday, and we wish them the very best.

Other major fixtures this week include the U14 Football National Cup Last 16 today and the U15 Rugby National Vase Quarter‑Final on Friday - both away matches, and we send our good luck to all involved. Our Basketball Programme also deserves recognition, as every year group from Year 7 through to Year 12 has qualified for the Quarter‑Finals of the Kent Basketball Tournament, taking place in March. This is a remarkable achievement, and congratulations go to all students and staff involved.

Thank you as well to Mr Calvert and the Maths team for supporting the UKMT Intermediate Mathematics Challenge on Wednesday, and to Ms Adams for her work with our senior debate team. Haydn C and Leo S in Year 13 represented MGS in the Oxford Schools’ regional final against more than two dozen teams, mostly from independent schools, placing an impressive third and progressing to the semi‑finals of this prestigious competition.

I would also like to extend my thanks to those members of our Alumni community who have offered to support our forthcoming careers events, donated memorabilia to our school archives, and to our Old Maidstonians and Parent Association for their continued support in helping to maintain and strengthen our MGS community. Your involvement makes a genuine difference, and we are deeply grateful.

As ever, we remain proud of the way our students embrace the opportunities available to them - academically, creatively, and through service and sport. Their commitment, alongside the dedication of colleagues, continues to strengthen our community and the values we share. We look forward to another purposeful and rewarding week at MGS.

I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t also mention that we are in the process of developing our new MGS Connect platform, designed to help alumni, students, staff, and the wider school community stay engaged and connected. If any MGS Alumni are interested in joining, they are warmly invited to sign up here, and I will be in touch in due course: https://mgs.kent.sch.uk/connect