Welcome to the start of a brand-new academic year and to the first of my weekly blogs. It is wonderful to have the school community back together again, and I hope that everyone associated with MGS has enjoyed a restful and enjoyable summer break. The weather has certainly been marvellous, and hopefully the opportunity to step away from the routines of school, has given everyone time to relax and recharge.
There is always something special about the beginning of a new academic
year. The corridors come alive again, familiar faces are reunited, new
friendships begin and there is a renewed sense of possibility about the months
ahead. I would like to thank all of the staff and students who worked
throughout the summer, both front of house and behind the scenes, to ensure
that the school was ready to welcome everyone back. Their efforts are greatly
appreciated and helped make our return such a positive one.
The beginning
of a new year is also a time to celebrate the achievements of the year that has
just passed. Over the summer, we received, analysed and shared our GCSE and A
Level results, and we were delighted with both sets of outcomes. We were
particularly pleased to see 35% of all A Level grades awarded at A*/A, while 41
students earned their place on the school honours boards after achieving three
A grades or more. These are wonderful achievements, reflecting not only the
hard work and determination of our students but also the support and commitment
of the staff. Huge congratulations to all of our students from last year’s Year
11 and Year 13.
Our summer successes have not been limited to the classroom. We were also
delighted to hear about the achievements of Matthew in Year 13, who competed in
a prestigious UCI road race in Holland. Matthew finished second in the Hill
Climb, first in the Bunch Sprint and first in the King of the Mountains,
securing the green jersey. A fantastic achievement - and a wonderful example of
the talent, dedication and determination that exists across our school
community. Huge congratulations to Matthew.
Although last week consisted of only three school days, there was a real
sense of momentum as we began the transition back into school life. We were
delighted to welcome our newest Maidstonians and, through our first
whole-school assembly of the year, brought the entire school community together
to remind us all of what it means to be part of MGS. It was particularly
pleasing to see our youngest students beginning to find their feet and our
older students taking on the responsibility of welcoming and supporting them.
The week also provided opportunities to celebrate and build community. Our
Year 7 students enjoyed a team building and rugby day, while Upper School
Speech Day gave us the chance to recognise the achievements of our students
from the previous year. We were especially pleased to welcome Old Maidstonian
Professor Peter Brennan OBE as our guest of honour. Moments such as these
remind us that being a Maidstonian is about much more than the time we spend at
school - it is about belonging to a community that stretches across
generations.
This week, with our first full timetable of lessons, the academic year is
now truly underway. For our Year 12 students, this means beginning their A
Level journey while also taking part in activities designed to build
camaraderie and year-group spirit. Their parents and carers will also have the
opportunity to join us for the Year 12 Information Evening, where key members
of staff will share information and guidance about the years ahead.
For our newest Maidstonians, there is another important MGS tradition to
discover this week: the school song. Written in 1908 by the then Headmaster, it
is a unique part of the MGS experience and one of the traditions that connects
today's Maidstonians with those who have gone before them. I would like to
thank Miss Johnson for helping our new students learn the song and, I hope,
helping them to appreciate the sense of history and belonging that comes with
it.
As we look ahead to the weekend, we will also see the return of our rugby
fixtures, with our first matches against Gravesend Grammar School. The
exceptionally dry weather over recent months has led the RFU to introduce
restrictions on how much rugby can be played, so this weekend it will be our
senior and U15 squads taking to the field, making use of the all-weather pitch
facilities at both schools. I wish all of our players the very best of luck and
thank the PE Department for all of their work in preparing the squads for their
first games of the year.
Finally, our
thoughts this week turn beyond our own school community to the people of Nepal
following the recent devastation there. MGS has a large and valued Nepalese
community, and we feel it is important to show our support at this particularly
worrying time. On Wednesday, we will therefore be holding a charity day to
raise money for the Nepal Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. I hope that as
many members of our community as possible will support the event and help us
demonstrate the compassion, generosity and sense of community that are such
important parts of being a Maidstonian.