Tuesday 2 May 2023

I hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend, and due to the King’s Coronation, we have another one to look forward to next weekend.  We could all get used to these four-day weeks!  To acknowledge the King’s Coronation we will be flying the Union Flag on top of the Gatehouse and we will be serving some coronation-themed food in the Refectory.  Enjoy the next long weekend.

From today, the summer season of examinations begins.  Year 12, for the next two weeks, will be completing their UCAS examinations.  These will be followed by six weeks of A Level and GCSE examinations.  A lot of work has gone on from both staff and students to reach this point, so good luck to everyone, and let us hope the hard work pays off.

On Wednesday this week I will be joined by five representatives from the MGS community, including governors, staff and students as we enjoy food served up from three companies who are tendering for the school meals’ contract.  I always look forward to this day!

Tuesday 25 April 2023

Yesterday we welcomed back the year 12 geographers and geography staff who had been away in Dorset for four days last week completing their A Level geography fieldwork.  From memory of my own geography fieldwork, I hope they managed to gather all the information they needed, and did not get too wet collecting it.

At the weekend a small number of students from years 10 and 11 took part in the DofE Silver Practice Expedition in and around the Tunbridge Wells and Ashdown Forest area.  They had an enjoyable few days and learnt a few things in preparation for their assessed expedition later in the year.  Thank you to Ms Adams and Ms Alloy for supporting them all.

On Wednesday this week we welcome the parents of our new Maidstonians who will be joining MGS in September.  The Year 6 Welcome Evening is the beginning of the transition from primary school to MGS, and so we look forward to welcoming the boys and their parents at the start of their seven-year journey.  Also at that event it has become customary to welcome in the new prefect team who will lead the student body for the next 12 months.  Rafe and Jess, the new school captain and school vice-captain, will officially begin their roles after Ethan and Sam, the current incumbents, ring HMS Maidstone’s Bell signifying the end of their 12-month tenure.  I am sure there will be a few tears.

In contrast to the Year 6 Welcome Evening, on Thursday this week we begin the process of saying goodbye to our oldest Maidstonians as they move to become Old Maidstonians.  Year 13 will be gathered together for the official leavers’ photograph: a photograph that I am sure many will want to cherish.  Following this photograph, and over the next couple of weeks, there will be an assembly to talk about becoming an Old Maidstonian as well as Leavers’ Day itself, when we officially say goodbye to the cohort.  But, before these students really step into their new lives, there is the small matter of their A Level examinations!

Finally, I would like to congratulate Mr Hughes, head of College House, who successfully completed the London Marathon at the weekend in a time of 4 hours and 7 minutes in support of the British Heart Foundation.  Well done Mr Hughes.

Tuesday 18 April 2023

HM Blog - Tuesday 18 April 2023

Welcome to the first blog of the new term; I hope you all had a good Easter break and that you were able to dodge the many April showers that we experienced.

Before I look ahead to this week, I just want to update you with a couple of pieces of charity news that we received right at the end of the term, to acknowledge the three wonderful performances of Shrek: The Musical, and to reflect on the funeral for Harrison, which took place on Wednesday 12 April. 

On Friday 17 March, we had a charity day to acknowledge both Comic Relief and Maidstone Mind.  Across the day, we raised over £1700, which will now be divided equally between the two charities.  As well as this, on Wednesday 29 March, we staged a staff vs. students touch rugby match to help raise more money for the British Heart Foundation.  Just at that one event we raised over £150, which will now be added to the money that we raised on the charity day back in January when Mr Hughes, head of College House, ran 30 miles during the day.  Thank you to everyone who supported both the charity day and the rugby match. 

In performing arts news, I wish to thank the cast and crew for putting on three glorious performances of Shrek: The Musical.  Over 70 students and staff were involved with this year’s production, and what we got on those three nights in March was truly amazing.  Thank you to everyone who came along to support, and thank you Mrs Brooks and Mr Bourne for leading the cast and crew since September.  A big thumbs up from the MGS community.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge the very sad day last week of Harrison’s funeral.  Over 40 members of the MGS community joined Harrison’s family and friends to pay tribute to Harrison and to remember his life.  I was so proud to see fellow Maidstonians embrace and offer support of each other, and show Harrison’s family that Harrison was a popular and kind young man who will be sadly missed.  A memorial assembly will be taking place next week.

This week we see the return of the Easter Ski Trip and Easter Classics Trip and the departure of a number of geographers from Year 12 who are going on the Geography Field Trip.  I hope the skiers return with no injuries and that the geographers have good weather to complete their fieldwork. 

Tuesday 28 March 2023

Welcome to the last blog of the Spring Term. 

This week, to end the term with a bang, we are going to enjoy three performances of this year’s production of Shrek: The Musical.  Over 70 students, supported by a number of members of staff, have been working hard since September to be in the position this week to stage the production.  This is one the biggest cast and crew team MGS has put together, so a huge thank you to Mrs Brooks and Mr Bourne for leading the entire ensemble.  Good luck and break a leg.

As well as Shrek this week, we are also staging a staff vs students sport event that will see old and young legs compete against each other for the most important prize: bragging rights!  Students always relish members of staff making a fool of themselves, so some unfit bodies running round the all-weather pitch one day this week will certainly give the students something to laugh about.  Thank you to my colleagues who have offered to take part.

Over the weekend, we enjoyed three events where we saw Old Maidstonians return to their school.  On Friday, the Hall was packed with over 70 former students who enjoyed an evening of good food and company at the annual Old Maidstonian Supper.  This was then followed the next day with the Old Maidstonain Sports Day: a day where former and current students enjoy the company of each other, playing either football or rugby together.  Then on Monday, we welcomed last year’s Year 13 to receive their A Level certificates at the A Level Certificate Presentation Evening.  It is always good having former students return to their school.

Finally, after another rewarding term, I wish you all a pleasant Spring break.

Tuesday 21 March 2023

It has been humbling to see how the MGS community has pulled together since hearing the news of the tragic death of a fellow Maidstonian last week. Our focus over the last 10 days has been to support each other and ourselves as we all come to terms with what happened. People have phenomenal capacity, and that has been evident all around the school.

Last Friday was another example of this, when we held a charity day to acknowledge Comic Relief. It was decided this year to split the money between Comic Relief and Maidstone Mind; and during the day sixth form students took park in a 300km rowathon as well as selling hundreds of cakes to the hungry masses. Thank you to everyone who took park and helped organise the day.

Last Friday we also welcomed back an Old Maidstonian who left here in 1978. He had kindly supported the resourcing of the new MFL department - a project that was completed last summer. His support at that time was greatly appreciated; it has already gone a long way to make a positive impact on the teaching of languages at MGS. Thank you.

At the weekend a number of the Royal Navy cadets had a wonderful time at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.  Whilst there they were trained to run a field gun, took small boats out onto the River Dart, learnt life-saving and man over board techniques in the pool, played water polo, and performed PLT’s on the low rope course.  Thank you to Mr Pinn and Miss Alloy for accompanying the cadets.

This week parents of year 13 students get to hear how their children are getting on at the Year 13 Parents' Evening. It is just under two months before the A Level examinations begin, so this parents' evening is an opportunity to hear what now needs to be done during this final push. 

Finally, this week, we welcome more Old Maidstonians back to MGS to attend the annual Old Maidstonian Supper. It takes place on Friday 24 March in the Big Hall, and is always a lovely occasion when seeing former students return to their old school to reconnect with one another. Shared memories, familiar faces, good food and the singing of the School Song will all be enjoyed throughout the evening.

Tuesday 14 March 2023

We started the week with the sad news of the death of a member of our school community.  The entire school has been deeply saddened by the sudden death of a fellow Maidstonian, and our deepest condolences and thoughts are with the family and friends at this time. 

On other matters, on Tuesday and Wednesday this week we will be interviewing for of a new deputy head.  Mr R Ferguson will be leaving MGS at the end of the academic year to take up his first headship position, and so over the last couple of weeks we have been in the process of finding his replacement.  That process ends this week as we interview the shortlisted candidates and hopefully appoint.  With a deputy head position it is important to gauge a variety of views, so joining me in the interview process will be a number of governors, staff and of course, students.  Thank you to everyone who is taking part in the process.

On Friday, MGS will be supporting Comic Relief in the usual way.  Students and staff will be allowed to dress down for the day; cakes will be sold throughout the day made by a team of students; and the prefect teams of Year 12 and Year 13 will be competing against each other in an all-day rowathon.  Thank you in advance to everyone who will be supporting the day.

Tuesday 7 March 2023

This week it is the turn of Year 9 to complete a set of examinations. After six months of studying for their GCSEs, it is a good time for Year 9 to understand where they are and what they need to be doing going forward. Good luck Year 9. 

Tomorrow is the Year 11 Parents' Evening.  Following the Year 11 mock examinations a couple of weeks ago it is a chance for the parents to hear about how their children are getting on and what they now need to do in these last few weeks of school. I am sure the evening will be a positive one for many; but I am also sure it will be a nudge for others!

Congratulations once again to the senior hockey squad who won their fourth consecutive match last week against a tough Langley School, maintaining their 100% record this season. Good job everyone. 

On Sunday, a few of the RAF cadets took part in the final of the prestigious RAF Air Squadron Trophy. In the past we have won the trophy, so the expectations on the cadets were high. Sadly the cadets did not place, but they did come second in the Command Task, being beaten by only one point.  Thank you to the staff who supported the cadets.

Over the last few weeks, the rugby players have been returning to school after doing well at the numerous Rugby 7s tournaments that take place this time of year. Beating schools such as Dartford Grammar School and The Judd School are significant wins, and are examples that illustrate how MGS Rugby has progressed over the last few years. Well done to everyone involved, and good luck to the senior players who take part in the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s im a couple of weeks.

Finally, I had the absolute pleasure last week in inviting Rafe Lamb and Jessica Riedl to be next year's school captain and school vice-captain. After a rigorous application and interview process, involving 25 applicants and eight shortlisted candidates, these two students demonstrated the qualities that were need to do well in the roles. Congratulations to them both, and well done to the other six shortlisted candidates who did themselves proud.

 

Tuesday 28 February 2023

Following last week’s school captain and school vice-captain interviews, I am delighted to announce that Rafe Lamb and Jess Riedl, both of Year 12, will be taking on the respective roles for the 2023-24 academic year.  Congratulations to them both, and well done to the other shortlisted candidates who did extremely well reaching the final eight. 

Congratulations must also go to the MGS Senior Hockey Squad who won their third game of the season beating Ashford School 5:0.  That is a 100% record so far.  Well done to the players and thank you to Mrs Cook for supporting them.

This week it is the turn of for year 13 students to complete their second set of mock examinations.  With only three months before the A-Level examinations, this set of mock examinations marks the beginning of the ‘business end of the year’.  Good luck to them all, and let us hope the revision for the summer is well underway!

 

Tuesday 21 February 2023

Welcome back to school and to Term 4; I hope you had a good half term break. 

Firstly, I would like to thank the entire school community for supporting the non-uniform day that we had on Friday 10 February in aid of the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.  Since that day we have watched the story unfold, seeing images of both hope and despair of the many millions of people who have been impacted.  Thank you MGS.

We return to school this week with three weeks of internal examinations.  Years 11 and 13 go through another set of mock examinations following their first set before Christmas, and Year 9 complete their examinations during the second week of March.  Good luck to them all.

It is at this time of year when I spend a couple of days interviewing candidates for next year’s school captain and school vice-captain roles. This week I am interviewing eight shortlisted candidates from an original group of 25 applicants to see who will take over from Ethan and Sam from April.  I will announce the two successful candidates in next week’s blog.

Tuesday 7 February 2023

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who attended the MGS Parents’ Association Quiz Night last Friday.  Fun was had by all, with the Hudson family beating the Senior Leadership Team by one point!  Congratulations to the Hudson family.  A huge thank you must go to the Parents’ Association, the sixth form helpers, and to Mrs Friend for supporting the event.

I would also like to congratulate College House for their charity day which I mentioned in last week’s blog.  The charity day on Friday 26 January was for the British Heart Foundation, and after adding up all the money a total of over £2600 was raised.  Well done to College House, and to Mr Hughes, Miss Dimmick and the College House prefects for their efforts.

But a huge congratulations must go to the Senior Hockey Squad who played their first game last Wednesday in over 15 years.  Not only was it their first game, it was also their first win, beating Gravesend Grammar School 4 – 3.  Well done to the players and thank you Mr Saunders and Mrs Cook for training them.

Yesterday, parents of year 12 students attended our UCAS Information Evening: an evening to learn more about the UCAS process that will begin in earnest very soon.  Thank you for coming, and I hope that the evening was informative.

This week we enjoy the Upper School Spelling Bee where our senior students compete against each other to find the best speller amongst them.  Good luck to everyone who is taking part; and thank you to Miss Wilson for once again organising the competition.

Wednesday is another evening for parents, but this time for parents of Year 8 at the Year 8 Parents’ Evening.  It is at this time of the year when year 8 students begin the process of choosing their options, and so Wednesday’s parents’ evening is suitably positioned to help parents and students make informed choices.

And, on Friday, a group of students in years 7 and 8 fly out to Italy to have a long weekend learning more about Pompeii and what life was like for Romans when Pompeii was destroyed in the eruption of Mt Vesuvius.  I am sure they will have wonderful time.  Thank you to Ms Adams for organising the trip.