Tuesday 16 July 2020

Firstly, I wish to apologise for the tardiness of this week’s blog.  As you can appreciate my mind has been focusing on our return in September and ensuring we get as much done as possible before we break for the summer holiday.

This week a number of video presentations have been created and released.  My presentation on Monday provided more detail about the start of the new academic year, and will be followed on Friday with my final assembly.  The Heads and House and Senior Prefect Team put together a video to our new year 6 students; and the School Captain and School Vice-Captain, accompanied by some year 12 students, created an amazing video looking at the work we do in promoting good mental health and wellbeing, saying, ‘It’s good to talk’.  Do look out for these presentation as they get released.

The last thing to say is I do hope that you all have a pleasant holiday and a well-deserved rest.  See you all in September.

Tuesday 7 July 2020

The last week for me was filled with looking ahead to the start of the new academic year.  The Government released its guidance last Thursday illustrating what schools are going to look like in September.  There is plenty to do to make all of the necessary adjustments, and life for a while will be somewhat different, but it will be so good having everybody back together. 

This week we are running a new event: The MGS Virtual Sports Week.  With not being able to hold the normal Sports Day the PE department devised a virtual competition that everyone can get involved with but from the comfort of their own homes.  All participants will generate points for their house, and some houses really do need the points! 

Tuesday 30 June 2020

I cannot believe we are at the end of June and now in Week 12 of school lockdown.  We now have three more weeks before the end of the academic year and there is still plenty to do.  We are still delivering a variety of different subject related sessions to students from years 10 and 12 as well as making the necessary plans for fully reopening in September.  On this second point, yesterday I recorded myself deliver a presentation that will be sent out to students and parents in the next couple of days illustrating our plans.  More information about September was released in the press last night ahead of the Government’s announcement on Thursday.  We still have a long road ahead!

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting the six students who have been selected to lead the three sections within the CCF and the 18 students who have been selected to be next year’s Senior Prefect Team.  We are having to do things differently though.  I would normally gather the students in my office to congratulate them but this year I am speaking to them via Microsoft Teams.  Year 12 is a really good year, and so I am looking forward to working with these students who will now lead the student body.  The task ahead will be a challenge; the first part of their job being to establish how they are going to lead by example from a distance.  They are already full of ideas though.

Tuesday 23 June 2020

This week we continue to welcome more Year 10 and Year 12 students back into school.  Yesterday we delivered the last of the Year 12 UCAS sessions as well as running a drama workshop for Year 10.  We are now moving to more subject specific sessions for Year 12 as well as continuing to run sessions for Year 10 students studying more practical subjects.  It has been so good seeing the students again, and hearing more young voices about the place.  

Much of the focus now is looking towards September and putting a plan together for the new academic year.  We have established a set of principles we wish to follow, which include ensuring we welcome the students back in a phased and safe manner as well as preparing the students for a blended style of learning to enable them to work at school and from home.  Details of this plan will be published soon.

We now have some very good news about our all-weather pitch project.  All of the planning conditions have been signed off so we now have the green light to start.  It has been a long journey, but hopefully we can start very shortly.  The project will take about 20 weeks and will hopefully be ready by November. 

Tuesday 16 June 2020

We have now reached the point where we are able to welcome more students into the school.  Yesterday we welcomed a group of Year 12 students to begin looking at the UCAS application process and a group of Year 10 students to complete essential work in their Film and Media GCSE. The day went very well, and everybody understand the new way of working.  More similar sessions will continue during the rest of the week.

Yesterday we also completed some work on our new virtual Year 6 Induction Programme.  Supporting Year 6 boys during the transition from primary to secondary school has always been very important to us, and this mind-set has not changed during these unprecedented times.  Most of what we have done in the past is now being delivered virtually, and this has required us to think creatively.  We hope that the boys and their parents appreciate our new way of supporting them.

Tuesday 9 June 2020

We are now in Week 12 of lockdown and Week 9 of school closures, but this time next week we would have opened our doors to more students.  From Monday small groups of Year 10 and Year 12 students will be coming into school to receive face-to-face support.  We are starting with students who need to complete essential work that requires school equipment.  Subjects such as Film and Media, D & T, Art and Science are desperate to move their curriculum on but have not been able to.  As we do this we will then move to a position where we can invite other students into the school who require some one-to-one support - those students who may have been struggling at home.  Throughout all of this we will constantly review what we are providing and make any adjustments where necessary.  I am looking forward to seeing the students.

Tuesday 2 June 2020

Welcome back everyone, and welcome to the start of Term 6.  I hope you all had a good half term break and that you were able to enjoy the glorious weather.

Today is a very busy one.  It not only sees the start of the final term of the academic year and the continuation of online learning, it also signifies the start of our final preparations that we need to make to be in a position to reopen.  The aim is to reopen from Monday 15^th June for small groups of Year 10 and Year 12 students, and there is still plenty to do before we open the school gates.  Parents of those year groups will be informed very soon of our plans, but it is hoped that reopening can form the beginning of how we return to some form of normality.  This journey of returning to normality will be carefully managed and cautiously undertaken as it is important we review what we do at regular intervals and ensure we provide a level of confidence to everyone involved.

From today we also welcome back students from years 11 and 13 who are being invited in to return their textbooks.  This administrative task occurs every year, but this year we have had to things a lot differently.  Students will come into school in small groups over the next two weeks, and hopefully by the end of next week we will have everything returned!  Despite this all being very functional, it will be really good to see the students again and find out how they have been doing.

Also today, the School Captain and School Vice-Captain Handover Ceremony is taking place.  Jonah and Jack, the current incumbents, are coming into school to return their textbooks.  At the same time, Chris and Tom, the new incumbents, will join them to officially receive the roles.  This small ceremony usually takes place just after Easter, but again, we have had to do things differently.  I will be saying a few words, followed by some words from Jonah and Jack, before they both ring the school bell to signify the end of their tenure.  They will of course ring the bell separately, and after a clean with an alcohol wipe!  There will be tears.

Tuesday 21 May 2020

Firstly, I wish to apologise for the delay in publishing my weekly blog.  With the circumstances that we are in I have had my attention elsewhere!  I am sure you will understand.  My focus over the last week has been to digest the guidance I have been receiving in order to prepare for a potential reopening in June.  There is a lot to consider, but we are working hard to ensure we are prepared to welcome students and staff back, and that we get it right.  More details will be shared in due course.

This week marks a significant milestone in the current lockdown.  The school has been closed for longer than a normal summer holiday period.  I have never experienced schools being closed for this length of time – I have even gone eight weeks without wearing a shirt and tie!  Sadly, we are going to be closed, for the majority of the students, for much longer, but I am so pleased to know that the Maidstonians out there are progressing with their studies and that spirits remain high.  We will be together again one day soon.

Yesterday I attended the first ever virtual Old Maidstonian Committee meeting.  The Committee meets every three months, but sadly due to the current situation they had to do it via Zoom.  In the Society’s 136-year history who would have thought its Committee members would meet in this way.  It went surprisingly well!

Tuesday 12 May 2020

Welcome to the sixth week of school lockdown.  I hope you are all still keeping well and remaining safe.  Following the Prime Minister’s announcement at the weekend we now know that years 10 and 12 may possibly return to school before the end of the academic year, but other year groups it is unlikely that we will see them until September.  We now have something to work towards, and so we will be making plans accordingly.  I will keep you updated.

The archaeological work on the field is now complete.  One digger and two archaeologists were on site for three days last week looking at what is underneath the surface of the field.  We await their report before we can begin the all-weather pitch project.

For any Old Maidstonians out there, you will be pleased to hear that I have been in contact with former school captains and school vice-captains during my tenure as headmaster.  Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed catching up with as many of them as possible.  It is lovely to find out how they are all getting on and what they are doing.  I have still a few more to contact.

Tuesday 5 May 2020

Welcome to the fifth week of school lockdown.  I hope you are all keeping well and remaining safe.  After the last few weeks of closure, talk has now begun on when and how we may reopen in the future.  Obviously we are waiting for clarity from government, but please be reassured that when that arrives we will consider our options and keep you all updated.  Please watch this space.

This week we would have been saying goodbye to Year 11 and wishing them well in their up-and-coming examinations.  Sadly, this cannot happen, and so instead I have written separately to Year 11 to say that we are thinking of them at this time.  We look forward to welcoming many back in September and wish those who are leaving MGS the best in their futures.

Preliminary work has begun on the all-weather pitch project.  Archaeologists are on site investigating what is directly beneath the surface of the field, and will be on site for the next few days.  We wait to hear their findings before moving on to the next stage.  

Congratulations to Harvey Eldred of Year 10 who, with his family, ran 10 x 2.6km laps of Leybourne village to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association's Mid-Kent Branch.  Harvey ran solo laps or as a pair, and on the last lap some of the neighbours joined in to finish the challenge with him. He had amazing support from family, friends and neighbours, with the whole community cheering him on as he ran by each and every front garden.  He raised £1730.  Well done Harvey.  If you would like to show your support, please click on the link. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lynne-carl-and-harvey-s-2-6-challenge

And finally, thank you still to the staff for their continued and collective efforts at this time.  It has been pleasing and humbling to see.  Thank you.