9 March 2021

I am so delighted to be writing my blog again – it has been a long time since my last one.  So, welcome back everyone, and welcome to the first blog of 2021.  Yesterday was the first day we welcomed students back to school, and from Thursday of this week the entire MGS community will have returned.  The last time we were altogether was back in December before we broke for the Christmas holiday so it is going to be so good having everyone back.  MGS has always been here, but the heart of the place has been missing.  This week, life will return; we will hear conversation again; and we will hear laughter again.  I am so looking forward seeing the students again, and I am sure they are happy that they are retuning too.

Despite the school being quiet over the last two months I know there has been lots of excellent work going on at home. The feedback from parents about the experience we have been providing has been overwhelmingly positive, and I thank those parents for sharing that with us.  A big thank you too, to the staff, who have put in a tremendous collective effort right across the school: to delivering online lessons to getting the site ready, as well as establishing from scratch our Covid-19 testing programme. Thank you.   also wish to thank the students who have approached their online learning so well.  It has not been easy for some, but the general feeling amongst those who I have spoken to has been an encouraging one.  As I have said a number of times over the past year, the responsibility for one’s learning has never been so great, and despite being overwhelming at times, it has taught our students a lot about self-management, how to be independent, and appreciating what is possible.  Well done to them all.

Whilst we have been in lockdown we have had a number of house competitions that have kept students and staff busy, and maintained the competitive spirit amongst the houses that we have seen develop over the past four years.  A big thank you to Mr Highsted who has overseen the coordination of them all and to the individual members of staff who have led them.  We have seen: The Great MGS Bake Off, This is Language, The Brands hatch Challenge, The English Competition, The Poetry Slam, MGS in the Spotlight; The MGS January Challenge, and MGS Superstars.  I look forward to presenting the House Cup to the winning house in the summer.

We have also had some fantastic news with our debating students.  Congratulations to Liam Turner and Ellie Breeze of Year 13 who recently won the Debating Matters National Competition and qualified for the Oxford Union Debating Society National Competition.  Also, congratulations to Toby Henley, Daniel Sowerby, Nathan Gray, Freddie Gache, Sam Luxton and Ben Collins, all of Year 12, who successfully won the Regional English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition just a few weeks ago.  Well done to them all.

So, the big focus of this week is getting the students safely back into the school, but also we are looking forward to opening up our new 3G all-weather pitch.  It has taken a massive effort to get to this point, but I am delighted that we can now make use of it; and make use of it we will.  Today we invite Year 13 to make use of it first with an inaugural inter-house football tournament.  They will be the first ever Maidstonians to set foot on the pitch, which will be followed by everyone else over the coming days and weeks.  I am sure the students are eager to get on it. 

It is so good to be back!

 

8 December 2020

I am so pleased to be writing this blog with students back in school.  Last Wednesday was an extremely challenging day, and once again I am really sorry that I had to close the school for the majority of the students for the rest of that week.  Yesterday we were able to welcome back three year groups, and by the end of the week we will have everyone back.  It is always good to be in students’ company.

Yesterday, students in Year 11 completed their CAG exams and so return to normal school today.  Over the last six days the students in Year 11 have been exemplary – conducting themselves brilliantly and representing themselves and their school well.  The entire school community should be very proud to know we have a year group of fine Maidstonians.  Well done boys.

This week we host our first virtual parents’ evening. Parents of year 12 students will hopefully see and hear their child’s teachers via the internet, and at the same time hear some positive feedback.  Let us hope it all works!

On Friday we will be holding our annual You Can Help Christmas Appeal Charity Day where we ask students to bring in non-perishable food items to support the homeless.  Despite the difficult circumstance we are all in we still wish to continue to support this worthwhile charity, and so the day is still going ahead. It will be the usual non-uniform day, and we ask that students pay £1 for the privilege.  Friday is also National Christmas Jumper Day so students are welcome to wear a Christmas jumper to school.

Headmaster's Blog - 1 December 2020

This week we welcome year 11 students back from their self-isolation and study leave period to complete, what we are calling, their Year 11 CAG examinations.  These examinations will not only be the first real test for Year 11 following the long period of lockdown, they will also act as a big piece of evidence that we may use if we are in a similar position as this year.  Good luck boys.  It is nice to have you back.

Last Friday, Jon Sopel, the BBC North America Correspondent was involved in a video-call from Washington D.C. with three of our students. Jon Sopel is internationally-renowned; he has recently been covering the U.S. Election, making visits to the White House, and appears on TV regularly. He has interviewed the President on numerous occasions and is also the author of two brilliant books. Chris Haywood, Ellie Breeze and Liam Turner, all of Year 13, enjoyed asking questions on the students’ behalf, with their call being recorded and later broadcast to the rest of the school at a later date. This was an amazing opportunity for all, and thank you to the students who made all of the arrangements.

 

24 November 2020

We started the week yesterday welcoming back year 13 students from their two-week self-isolation period.  Their return followed the return of year 12 students last Friday.  It is now good to have the entire sixth form back in school - we have missed them.

This week we share some good news.  We are holding two edited down but socially distanced speech days for years 12 and 13 to recognise the students’ achievements from last year and award prizes and school colours to those students who have gone over and above in their commitment, service and leadership to the School.  We look forward to sharing their successes at the afternoon events.

Congratulations to the Senior Debating Team who qualified in the final of the Debating Matters competition. Thank you to Liam Turner and Ellie Breeze of Year 13 who led the team, and for Mr Ferguson for making it all happen.  It is so pleasing to be sharing such good news considering the difficulties schools are having at the moment running their extra-curricular programmes. 

Tuesday 16 November 2020

Firstly, I would like to thank those members of staff and students who helped organise the Children In Need charity day.  Collectively we raised nearly £1000, and enjoyed taking part in the virtual Children In Need duck race.  Over 300 members of the MGS community took part in the race, but sadly my duck, James Pond, came sixth.  Oh well!

Year 10 are now the eldest students in the school.  Currently, years 11, 12 and 13 are at home self-isolating so it is down to Year 10 to be the ambassadors of the school.  Teaching for years 11, 12 and 13 continues online, but nothing can replace the experience the students receive when in the classroom.  We look forward to them returning over the coming days.

The all-weather pitch is progressing extremely well and hopefully will be ready for use in December.  Being on duty each day in the Year 7 zone I have witnessed with my own eyes the gradual construction of the pitch, from the first hole being dug to now a completely flat tarmacked surface.  Over the coming days the shock pad, rubber crumb and then artificial grass layers get put down which will turn it from being a giant carpark to a 3G pitch.  We are all looking forward to it being completed.

Tuesday 10 November 2020

This week is a busy and significant week at MGS. 

Tomorrow is Armistice Day and so we will be pausing at 11am to acknowledge the two-minute silence and remember the fallen Maidstonians who lost their lives whilst serving in the armed services.  Around the school there are memorial boards that honour the Old Maidstonains that died in The Boar War, the First and Second World Wars as well as those who died since 1945.  The Remembrance Service will be somewhat different due to the circumstances we are in, but it is still important that we pause for two minutes and reflect for a moment on those Old Maidstonians who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Later in the week, on Friday, we are holding our second charity day of the year in conjunction with the annual BBC Children in Need appeal.  The theme for the day is ‘Come as Yourself’, and isn’t just about dressing to impress. It’s about showing it’s okay to let the world see the real you, so BBC Children in Need can help more young people feel better about themselves, and this is particularly poignant during a national lockdown and being restricted in who we are and what we can do.  Thank you in advance to everyone for supporting.

Also on Friday the MGS Parents’ Association is holding a virtual gin event where people who have signed up will experience a tour of a local gin factory as well as tasting a couple of different samples.  The Parents’ Association has been restricted in what it can do, so I am really pleased that the committee members, led by Mrs Hudson, have been creative, trying different ideas, to bring the wider MGS community together.  Enjoy the evening.

Tuesday 3 November 2020

Welcome back and I hope you all have had an enjoyable but restful October break.

This week sees the beginning of the autumn GCSE examination period.  Due to the National Lockdown year 12 students sadly missed the opportunity to sit their GCSEs, so a number of them have chosen to sit some of their examinations over the next three weeks.  We wish them all well.  Results will be released in January.

Today we welcome to MGS a representative from The Good Schools Guide.  The Good Schools Guide is a well-recognised guide that helps parents choose the best education for their children.  Today will provide an opportunity for us to showcase what we do and how we have developed as a school since they last visited four years ago.  Thank you in advance to the students and members of staff who will be supporting me during the day.

Friday will see the first set of assessment data published to students and parents following the first term of work.  The students have returned to normal school in good spirits and this data will help us understand how they have progressed since lockdown.

Tuesday 20 October 2020

This week sees the end of the A-Level examinations.  A handful of Old Maidstonians from last year’s Year 13 have returned to sit their A-Level examinations as they were unable to sit them back in the summer.  It has been good to see them and find out how their lockdown has been.  We wish them well for results day in December.  After half term the GCSE examination period begins with students from the current Year 12 choosing to sit some.  Good luck to them.

Tomorrow we welcome back Year 11 from self-isolation.  Last week we had to send them home after we received confirmation of a positive Covid 19 test from one of them.  They all appreciated the situation they were in and have all immersed themselves in home learning once again.  It will be good to see them again.

On Thursday our virtual Year 6 Open Event goes live on our website.  Thursday would have been the day when we opened our doors up to the hundreds of Year 6 boys and their parents to see the school for our Year 6 Open Evening.  Sadly, due to the circumstances we are unable to do this, but hopefully the video presentations that we have put together will go some way in illustrating what life is like for each and every Maidstonian.  Even if you are not a parent of a Year 6 boy do take a look. 

Tuesday 13 October 2020

Firstly, I would like to say how pleasing it is to have Year 13 back in school.  They returned last Thursday after having to self-isolate at home for the previous two weeks.  Lessons during that time continued virtually via Microsoft Teams, but nothing can replace being in the classroom and engaging with the learning there.  Welcome back Year 13.

Each week, as we progress through the term and our new way of working, we are looking to see if we can introduce some of the activities that would normally go on in and around school.  A number of them have evolved and moved to a temporary home on line, but senior rugby training for years 12 and 13 has started, CCF training and parade continues on a Thursday, and this week preparations for the next Harvard trip begin.  And also, very soon, peripatetic music lessons begin.  All of these activities are being risk assessed to ensure they can go ahead, with the long term aim being to bring back as many as possible, but as carefully as possible.  It is vitally important that we return to the MGS we remember.  

Just a quick update, the all-weather pitch is coming on well with a completion date around the middle of November.  As I do a lot of my duty in the Year 7 area up by the new pavilion, I have watched the progress of the pitch on a daily basis.  I was particularly impressed with the machine being used to ensure each level of hard core and gravel being laid are level.  Now the fencing posts are being installed right around the pitch as well as the retaining wall that lines the edge that runs adjacent to the school building.  We are all looking forward to it being completed.  

 

Tuesday 6 October 2020

 Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who supported last week’s charity day which was in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust.  Considering the circumstances, and the fact that Year 13 students were not here, we did extremely well, raising £1302.73.  We should all be very proud of this, and thank you to the Year 12 prefects who helped out.

This week, for the first time ever, MGS is staging autumn public examinations.  With there being no GCSE and A-Level examinations in the summer there is now a series of examinations for those students from last year’s Year 11 and Year 13 who wish to sit them.  A handful of students have made this choice, and so we wish them well.

This week we are continuing to make preparations for our Year 6 virtual open event.  Under the current circumstances we are sadly not able to welcome the wider community into the school, so we are having to do things differently.  So, students and staff have been working really hard to move what we normally do, online.  The open event, which will go live in a couple of weeks, will include a speech from me, a speech from the School Captain and a Year 7 student, and a virtual tour of the school.  We hope that perspective parents and their sons find the presentations useful.