HT Blog – Tuesday 30 June 2026

As we look back on the past week, I want to begin by recognising the remarkable resilience and good humour shown across our school community. The unusually high temperatures brought their fair share of challenges, yet students and staff alike responded with patience, positivity, and a shared determination to keep school life running smoothly. It was a reminder of what makes MGS such a special place: a community that supports one another, adapts when needed, and continues to thrive even when the weather has other ideas.

Amid the heat, the school was buzzing with energy as we welcomed our prospective Year 12 students for the Sixth Form Induction. Over three days, these young people stepped into the rhythm of Sixth Form life, sampling lessons, meeting staff, and beginning to imagine themselves as part of the Maidstonian family. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and it was wonderful to see them engaging so fully with the opportunities on offer. My sincere thanks go to the Sixth Form Team for orchestrating such a thoughtful and inspiring programme, and to all staff who taught, guided, and encouraged our visitors despite the warm conditions. We look forward to welcoming many of them back in September as they begin the next stage of their academic journey.

The week also saw a shining example of MGS creativity and talent: the Performing Arts Summer Showcase. Even in the heat, our performers delivered an evening full of music, movement, and joy. The range of acts reflected the depth of talent within our school, and the atmosphere in the hall was one of celebration and pride. Thank you to every student who took to the stage, and to the dedicated staff in Performing Arts who brought the event to life. It was a perfect reminder of how the arts enrich our school community.

This week marks an important milestone for our Year 12 students as they complete their UCAS examinations and return to their normal timetable. These assessments are a key moment in their preparation for life beyond MGS, and very soon they will have a clear sense of their progress and the steps ahead. Their focus and determination have been admirable, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue their UCAS preparation over the coming months.

While Year 12 look ahead to their futures, we are also preparing to welcome the newest members of our community. On Thursday, more than 200 excited Year 6 pupils will join us for the Year 6 Induction Day - their first real taste of life as Maidstonians. It is always a highlight of the school year: a day filled with curiosity, nerves, laughter, and the first sparks of new friendships. We hope they leave feeling inspired, reassured, and eager to return in September wearing their MGS blazers with pride.

Across all these events - from performances to inductions, examinations to work placements - one thing stands out: the strength, spirit, and ambition of our school community. Thank you to every student, every member of staff, and every family who continues to support and enrich life at MGS.

HT Blog – Tuesday 23 June 2026

As we move into the final stretch of the academic year, I want to begin by celebrating the remarkable achievements of our Year 11 and Year 13 students. After five intense weeks of examinations, and many months of preparation, they have reached the finish line. Their determination, resilience and commitment have been inspiring. I hope they now enjoy a well‑earned summer break, and we look forward to welcoming them back on their respective results days in August.

Before the holidays begin, however, this week brings two special moments that unite many of our students once more.

Over three days this week our school is buzzing with the energy of nearly 300 students taking part in our Sixth Form Induction Week. This includes both our own Year 11 pupils and a large number of prospective students joining us from other schools. They are spending time in taster lessons, exploring the study centre, discovering the opportunities available in our Sixth Form, and taking part in activities designed to help them build new friendships. It is always a joy to see young people imagining their next steps, and I am confident they will leave this week feeling excited and inspired.

For Year 13, Thursday marks a milestone event: the annual Leavers’ Prom at Leeds Castle. This celebration has become a cherished rite of passage for Maidstonians - a moment to say goodbye to MGS, to one another, and to the chapter of life they have shared. It is also, of course, a wonderful opportunity to dress up and enjoy an unforgettable evening. We raise a toast to our leaving students and all they have contributed to our community.

Meanwhile, Year 12 begin their UCAS examinations this week. After watching the dedication shown by GCSE and A level students, it is now their turn to shine. These assessments play a vital role in shaping future university applications and predicted grades, and we know Year 12 will approach them with maturity and ambition. We wish them every success.

We end the week with one of the highlights of our school calendar: the annual MGS Summer BBQ. For the past five years, this event has brought together students, staff and friends to celebrate the spirit of our community. With a little luck, the weather will be kind, and we will enjoy food, music and good company in the school quad. It is always a wonderful reminder of what makes MGS such a special place.

Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to the staff and prefects of Barton House for leading last week’s basketball event in support of our very own Mr Ashenfelter, who will be representing the Over‑65 GB Basketball Squad at the European Championships in Athens next week. The event not only raised nearly £1,000 but also brought our school community together in a wonderful show of support and Maidstonian spirit.

HT Blog – Tuesday 16 June 2026

This week marks a moment of real significance in the life of our school community. For our Year 11 and Year 13 students, the long journey of GCSE and A level examinations is finally drawing to a close. Over recent months we have watched them revise with determination, support one another with kindness, and rise to the challenge with admirable resilience. As they sit their final exams, we celebrate not only their hard work but the character they have shown along the way. I hope each of them steps into the summer with pride, confidence, and the deep satisfaction of having given their very best.

Beyond the exam hall, the school is alive with the energy that summer always brings. The sunshine promises perfect conditions for a vibrant week of sport, and our fields will be full of movement and ambition. Athletes from Years 7 to 10 will represent MGS in the Athletics District Final, carrying with them the spirit of teamwork and healthy competition that defines our sporting ethos. Meanwhile, our cricketers look forward to fixtures against Skinners’ School and Gravesend Grammar School - matches that always bring out the very best of skill, camaraderie, and school pride.

Adventure also calls to those undertaking their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Expedition. As they navigate the footpaths of the New Forest, they will be tested not only on their practical skills but on their teamwork, perseverance, and independence. We wish them every success as they work toward a fully assessed and completed expedition. At the same time, our Year 12 chemists will be stretching their academic muscles in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, a demanding and prestigious test that rewards curiosity, deep thinking, and scientific flair.

We are also delighted to share that Initiate Theatre will be visiting MGS this week to deliver a special performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for our Year 7 students. This engaging introduction to Shakespeare promises to bring the magic, humour, and imagination of the play vividly to life. Experiences like these not only enrich our students’ understanding of literature but also spark creativity and curiosity - qualities that sit at the heart of an MGS education.

While our students push boundaries in classrooms, laboratories, sports fields, and the great outdoors, the MGS Parents’ Association is preparing a very different kind of celebration. Their George Michael Tribute Night promises an evening of nostalgia, music, and community spirit - an opportunity for parents, staff, and friends of the school to come together and enjoy the timeless soundtrack of the 1980s and 1990s.

Amid all this activity, we also pause once again this year to celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 120th anniversary of the cadet movement at MGS. Few traditions run as deep or have shaped as many Maidstonians as the Combined Cadet Force. This week, Col. Highway will address the whole school during the Quad assembly, reflecting on the enduring importance of the CCF and the countless students who have grown in confidence, leadership, and service through their involvement. The celebrations will culminate on Friday with a CCF 120 BBQ in the School House Garden - a gathering of past and present cadets, staff, and friends, united in pride for a legacy that continues to strengthen our community.

HT Blog – Tuesday 9 June 2026

This week brings a slightly calmer rhythm to school life, even as several important strands of the summer term continue to unfold. Our sporting calendar remains in full swing, with cricket and athletics fixtures taking place throughout the week. Meanwhile, GCSE and A‑level examinations move into their fourth week, and I want to commend our students for the maturity, resilience and quiet determination they continue to show.

The highlight of the week is undoubtedly the annual MGS Art Exhibition, which opens on Wednesday in the Big Hall. Artwork from Years 11, 12 and 13 will be on display, showcasing the creativity, technical skill and imagination of our students. This exhibition is always a personal favourite of mine. Over the years, I’ve occasionally found myself so captivated by a piece that I’ve asked whether it might be available to purchase. As a result, two pieces of student artwork now hang proudly in my office, and three more have found a home on my walls at home. Like many people, I can’t always articulate why a particular piece speaks to me — but when it does, I know instantly.

Beyond MGS, I will be attending the annual Grammar School Heads’ Association Conference in London later this week. The conference provides an invaluable opportunity to hear from leading voices in education and to connect with fellow grammar school heads from across the country. On more than one occasion, I have returned from this event with ideas that have shaped my own practice or influenced positive changes within the school. I look forward to seeing what insights this year’s conference will bring.

HT Blog – Tuesday 2 June 2026

As we return to school for the final term of the academic year, there is a real sense of anticipation and excitement around the site. The summer term always carries a special atmosphere at MGS: a season of reflection, achievement and looking ahead, where every part of our community plays its role in shaping what makes this school such a remarkable place to belong.

Although students were still enjoying the final day of the half-term break yesterday, staff were back in school for our final training day of the year. It was a valuable opportunity to come together, reflect and continue thinking carefully about how we best support our young people. One of the key discussions focused on the upcoming changes to the use of mobile phones in schools and how we can establish clear, consistent procedures that work for MGS and, most importantly, for our students.

Alongside this, staff heard from our newly appointed Oracy Coordinators about the increasingly important role that speaking, listening and communication skills will play in education. There is a growing recognition nationally of the link between young people’s confidence in communication, their relationships with others and the influence of technology in their daily lives. At MGS, we are determined to ensure our students develop not only academically, but also as articulate, thoughtful and compassionate young people who can engage confidently with the world around them. This is an exciting area of development for the school, and certainly one to watch closely in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, examination season continues in earnest. GCSE and A Level students now move into Week 3 of the five-week examination period and, while there is still much hard work ahead, there is perhaps now the first small glimpse of the finishing line. We are enormously proud of the determination, resilience and maturity our students continue to show each day. Their approach reflects not only their own character, but also the support of families, staff and friends around them.

This week also sees Years 7, 8 and 9 begin their own assessment period. Across the school, classrooms, corridors and study spaces are filled with students testing themselves on all they have learned this year. We wish every student the very best and encourage them to approach the week with confidence and pride in the progress they have made.

One of the great joys of the summer term is the return of our weekly Quad assemblies. With the finer weather hopefully now upon us, these gatherings allow the whole school community to come together in one space - something that always serves as a powerful reminder of how connected we all are as Maidstonians. This year’s theme, humanity, asks the deceptively simple question: what makes us human? Through these assemblies we will explore identity, kindness, respect, empathy, responsibility and community - values that sit at the very heart of life at MGS.

We are also delighted this week to continue our Year 6 Transition Programme by welcoming our newest Maidstonians and their families to our House Teas. Across four evenings, each house will open its doors to new students as they begin their journey into the MGS community. These events are always a wonderful reminder that joining MGS is about far more than simply attending a school; it is about becoming part of a community, a tradition and a shared identity that connects generations of students past and present. We look forward to seeing new friendships begin to form and welcoming the next cohort into school life.

Finally, on Thursday and Friday, our Year 10 geographers travel to Stratford in London to undertake important fieldwork exploring urban regeneration. We are fortunate to have such a significant example close to home in the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics, and the experience will undoubtedly bring classroom learning vividly to life. Trips such as these are an important reminder that education extends far beyond the classroom and that curiosity, exploration and shared experiences remain central to what we value at MGS.