HT Blog - Tuesday 10 December 2024

 

HT Blog - Tuesday 10 December 2024

Firstly, I must praise and give thanks to the brave rugby payers and staff who braved the dreadful conditions of Storm Darragh at the weekend.  Fortunately, I found shelter in the dug-out, but the players, coaches and referees all suffered the challenging conditions for the pride of their school.  A weekend we won’t quickly forget.

Yesterday we welcomed parents of Year 12 to attend our annual GCSE Certificate Presentation Afternoon.  It is an event where we issue Year 12 with their GCSE certificates and recognise their hard work and academic achievements from last year.  The students now need to look after them as those certificates will be needed in their futures.

Also yesterday, a number of parents spent an enjoyable evening together at the MGS Parents’ Association Christmas Wreath Making event.  At the start of the evening the school refectory floor was covered in Christmas-themed foliage, but by the end, every parent took away with them a hand-crafted wreath fit for any front door.  Thank you to the Parents’ Association and to Mrs Hudson for leading the event.

This week I begin delivering my Christmas assemblies to each house.  Over the next two weeks I will be speaking with each house and sharing with them my thoughts on the term that has passed and looking ahead to next year.  Joining me will be the School Captain and School Vice-Captain who will also share a few words of their own about the upcoming festivities.

On Friday this week we have three big events: the Christmas Jumper charity day led by Tonbridge House; the Band Evening; and the MGS vs. The Judd School 1^st XI football match as part of the National Cup.  The Christmas-themed charity day where we invite Maidstonians to wear a Christmas jumper has become a well-established event in the MGS calendar, but as well as the wearing of festive jumpers, this year a number of school bands (including a staff band) will be performing on stage in the Big Hall in front of an excitable audience.  Following the day, some of those same bands will be performing at our Band Evening to a larger audience of rock lovers; and just before that our senior football players take on The Judd School in the all-important match in the National Cup.  The match is at home and will be under the floodlights of the all-weather pitch, which always makes for an exciting event. Good luck to the players.

Huge congratulations to Dexter of Year 11 and Corpus Christi House who last week received the fantastic news that he has been selected for the GB Gymnastic Top Squad for 2025.  This is a wonderful opportunity for him to represent Great Britain!

Finally, well done to Tonbridge House who won the first Battle of the Houses Quiz that took place last Thursday.  100 house points go to them.  Thank you, Mr Holmes, for organising the event and acting as quizmaster. 

Tuesday 2 December 2024

 

HT Blog - Tuesday 2 December 2024

I cannot believe we have already reached the month of December.  The Christmas tree is up in the Big Hall, and we are beginning to make plans for the end of term.  But before we break for the Christmas holiday there are still three weeks to go.

This week Year 8 take part in two days of activities to begin thinking about what they might be interested in doing after they leave school.  I am sure, like me, the students have very little idea of what they want to do in the future, but the work they will be doing over these two days will help them consider what their strengths are and what they might like to study at GCSE.

Yesterday we welcomed again students and their families from outside MGS who are considering joining the school in the sixth form.  This open morning follows the two we had last week as well as the Post 16 Open Evening we had last Thursday.  At that evening event many people wandered the corridors of MGS to get an idea of what we do and how special it is being a Maidstonian.  Thank you to the many staff and students who shared their pride for their school with our guests.

On Thursday we are hosting a new house competition: Battle of the Houses Quiz.  Students across the four houses will be pipped against each other in a series of general knowledge rounds to see which house comes out on top.  Good luck to them all and thank you to the competitors for taking part and the staff for compiling the questions.

Tuesday 26 November 2024

 

HT Blog - Tuesday 26 November 2024

Following on from my comment in last week’s blog, I now am able to share the total raised at the recent BBC Children in Need charity day.  Putting together the non-uniform gate contributions, the cake sales, and the donations for the 24-hour sportathon, this year we raised a total of £2,415.72.  Huge congratulations to everyone and thank you again for everyone who took part. 

Congratulations to Dexter of Year 11 and Corpus Christi House who competed for England in the 2024 Artistic Gymnastics Austrian Future Cup.  Dexter performed brilliantly, securing silver in the Pommel and bronze in the Rings.  Well done Dexter.

Both last Wednesday and yesterday, MGS rugby squads took to the field to play Worth School in two National Cup matches.  The first match last Wednesday was another ‘under the floodlight’ game for the senior players.  Sadly, they lost 31 – 20, but they put up a really good fight to keep the scoreline close.  Yesterday the U15 players played the same school in their respective match, but this time away at the Worth School itself.  Sadly, we lost 17 – 12, but again, the fight and passion from the players, particularly near the end, was certainly something to see.

This week year 11 students return to normal lessons following their mock examinations but now have to wait a few weeks for them to be marked, moderated and graded.  Results will be released on Wednesday 18 December, so not too long to wait.

This week we also open our doors and welcome the wider MGS and Maidstone community to attend our Post 16 Opening Mornings and Post 16 Open Evening.  The mornings provide an opportunity to see the school at work, whereas the evening provides an opportunity to talk with students and staff about A-levels in more detail and to hear from key staff about what life is like for a Maidstonian.

On Wednesday we welcome the BBC to MGS to share their BBC Bitesize initiative with a group of students.  Over the course of the day students from across a number of different years will hear from representatives from the BBC about how BBC Bitesize can help, and how the BBC is funding new developments in how it supports education.  I am sure it will be interesting.  Also, on Wednesday the senior football squads play The Harvey Grammar School in their weekly fixture, which will be followed on Friday and Saturday with the rugby squads playing the always-strong Dartford Grammar School.  Good luck to all the footballers and rugby players.

Tuesday 19 November 2024

 

HT Blog - Tuesday 19 November 2024

Firstly, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the College Pastoral and Prefect Team for putting on last Friday’s Children in Need charity day.  What with the rowathon, the jumble sale, the cake sale, and guess the weight of a student, there was much for everyone to enjoy.  Alongside these, and the usual non-uniform gate collection, a number of staff and students also took part in a 24-hour sportathon which saw Mr Williams from Student Services play a variety of sports throughout the day and night.  Well done Mr Williams and thank you to everyone who supported him.

This week the Year 11 mock exams continue into their second week with many more exams still to complete.  Following numerous conversations with Year 11, the exams seem to have gone well so far with the usual ‘some good’ and ‘some not so good’ comments.  Continued good luck to Year 11.

Also, this week the entire student body will be shown the recently produced MGS 475 film that was commissioned last year to commemorate the school’s birthday year.  It was filmed and directed by Chris Haywood, Old Maidstonian and 2020-21 school captain, who back in April spent a week in school filming the school and interviewing numerous students and members of staff to capture life at MGS in 2024.  It is a beautifully crafted piece of film which I know will be received positively.

Three of our year 13 students Theo, Rafe and Emir recently took place in a coding competition completing the task in a sixth of the allocated time.  The organisers contacted the school to pass on their comments about the exceptional efficiency, combined with the quality of the students’ solutions, speaking volumes of the students’ technical capabilities and problem-solving acumen.  Thank you to these students for representing the school in such a positive way - a testament to the values of Maidstonians. 

Tuesday 12 November 2024

 

HT Blog - Tuesday 12 November 2024

Firstly, can I thank the staff and student helpers as well as Mrs Hudson and the MGS Parents’ Association for Saturday’s firework display.  This annual event has grown into one of the biggest community events MGS puts on, and it is with the help from everyone that allows it to go ahead.  The weather conditions were ideal for a November day, and with the food, music, and of course the fireworks themselves, it made for an enjoyable evening.  Thank you again, and thank you to everyone who came along to enjoy.

Also, I wish to acknowledge and congratulate both the 1^st and 2^nd XV rugby squads who played under the floodlights on Friday evening against Sutton Valence School.  Due to the fireworks and the need to set things up on the Saturday morning, it has become customary to play the annual fixture on the Friday night instead of the usual Saturday morning.  Both squads won their respective matches, and what made it more of an occasion, there was a large crowd of spectators who came along to watch. Thank you to those spectators and to the staff who made the evening a success.  As for the Saturday morning fixture, the U15 rugby squad also beat Sutton Valence School 17 – 14, which means we won all home matches against one of our closest schools.  Well done all.

This week the year 11 mock exams begin in earnest.  Over the next two weeks year 11 students will complete examinations in all of their subjects to provide them with a clear indication of how they have progressed and what they need to do in the coming months.  Good luck to them all.

Yesterday the MGS community came together to acknowledge the two-minutes silence at 11 o’clock to remember those fallen Old Maidstonians who lost their lives in conflict or who died during military service.  The theme for this year’s Remembrance Service was to remember those former students who died during WWII in Asia, particularly recognising Lieutenant Giovanni Arrigoni, who died in February 1944 serving in Burma.  Associated with this, I also wish to thank the 50 or so cadets and staff volunteers who represented MGS at the Remembrance Parade in Maidstone on Sunday. 

Also, yesterday four year 13 students took part in the south east regional heat of the English Speaking Union Schools Mace.  The students competed against St Edmunds School, Sutton Valence School and Dover Grammar School for Girls, and over four debates across the afternoon the MGS students successfully progressed to the next round.  Well done, and thank you Mr Andrews for accompanying them.

Today and Thursday, Year 7 and a few students from Year 12 are visiting Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire to understand more about what work went on there during the WWII.  This trip has been taking place for almost 10 years now, and it not only has an educational purpose, it also forms another occasion when our newest Maidstonians can get to know more of each other.  A huge thank you to Mr Gokool and Mrs Ridgeway for leading the trip.

Tuesday 5 November 2024

Welcome back to school and to the start of Term 2.  Here we are in November already, and whilst Americans vote in the US election, we begin the process of supporting year 11 students with their thoughts and ideas of life beyond GCSE.  Last night we welcomed parents of Year 11 to attend our Year 11 Information Evening: an evening where parents understand how we guide their children through the next couple of months as they consider what they want to do.  Part of that process are the upcoming Year 11 mock exams that start next week.  These mock exams will form part of what Year 11 will use to help them identify what their strengths are what they may wish to consider studying at A-level.  Good luck to Year 11 over the coming weeks.

On Saturday we can all look forward to enjoying a fine fireworks display put on by the MGS Parents’ Association.  Yes, this annual event always proves to be a popular one with many from the school and wider school community coming together to enjoy.  Thank you in advance to the many helpers who make the event possible, particularly Mrs Hudson, who continues to support MGS in her capacity as chairman of the Parents’ Association.

Finally, I would like to thank the many members of the school community who joined together just under two weeks ago at the 11+ Open Evening.  We opened our doors to the wider community on Thursday 25 October to welcome those potential Maidstonians and their families to see what life is like at MGS.  It was once again a very busy and popular evening with many positive comments being shared with us.  A huge thank you to the School Captain and School-Vice Captain for organising the prefects and many student helpers.

Tuesday 22 October 2024

Welcome to my last blog of Term 1 – I cannot believe it is eight weeks since we started the new academic year back at the start of September.  Firstly, I would like to thank the year 7 guides, sixth form prefects and all the staff for their contributions to yesterday's and last week’s 11+ Open Mornings.  Many prospective students and their families came round the school to see what we do and get an understanding of what it is like being a Maidstonian.  The big day for MGS is however this Thursday when those same families visit the school once more and attend the 11+ Opening Evening.  Usually, over 1000 people come round the school on the night to see more of what we do and hear from me about what life is like being associated to MGS.  Thank you in advance for everyone associated with the school and the contributions they will make.

Last Thursday after school I had the pleasure of enjoying the U16 football match where we beat Tunbridge Wells Grammar School 4 – 2 on penalties.  At full-time it was 1 – 1, and so the gathered crowd, as well as the players and coaches, had to endure a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out between the two teams.  Fortunately, we came out the winners, mainly due to the two fantastic saves by Spencer, the U16 goalkeeper.  Well done to the entire squad.

Also, well done to the senior rugby players who came through a difficult Saturday rugby fixture against Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School.  Both the 1^st and 2^nd XV squads won their respective matches, but did cause the watching fans to go through a few tense periods when we were up against it.  Good job boys.

Tuesday 15 October 2024

I must start this blog by recognising and acknowledging the amazing camaraderie and support seen right across the school during last week’s Ofsted inspection.  I was in my office on Monday morning when the phone call came in, and straight away the school rose to the occasion and stepped up to show the inspectors the many reasons why being associated with this school is very special.  The feedback from the inspectors was incredibly humbling to hear, and the views from staff, students and parents were extremely positive.  Thank you everyone for what ended up being a very positive experience.

Well done to the 1^st and 2^nd XV rugby squads who beat Cranbrook School at the weekend.  It was a fine display of rugby, and it was made even better with a few Old Maidstonians making the journey back to MGS to watch their fellow Maidstonians.  Thank you to the staff who continue to support the players.

This week is the beginning of a two-week period where we open our doors to the wider community and invite them in to see what we do. Thursday is the first of two Year 5 & 6 Open Mornings that we are holding before we break up for the October half term.  Prospective Maidstonians and their parents will be coming round the school and getting a taste of what life is like at MGS.  Thank you in advance to the prefects and year 7 students who will be acting as guides.

Also, this week we are going to be enjoying an evening of performance at the MGS Autumn Showcase.  Many of our budding musicians and actors will take to the stage and offer the audience a variety of performances that I am sure they will enjoy.  Do come along on Wednesday at 6.30pm.  Thank you to Mrs Brooks, Mr Bourne and Mrs Edwards for supporting the students over the last few weeks whilst they rehearsed.

Tuesday 8 October 2024

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Owen of Year 13 and Barton House who, over the last few days, has been competing in the 2024 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in South Africa.  I am delighted to say that he achieved second place in the 93kg Junior category securing a silver medal.  Owen has been weightlifting for a few years now, and to be selected to compete for England in the Championships was an achievement in itself, but to win a silver medal illustrates not only his ability but his commitment to the sport.  Well done Owen - we are very proud of you.

At the weekend we saw the first home game for the senior rugby players as the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd XVs took on Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical School.  Results were mixed, but it was good to have a large crowd watching, and the bacon and sausage sandwiches supplied by the Parents’ Association went down well.

On Friday last week our newest Maidstonians from years 7 and 12 joined together to learn the history and words of the school song, Gaudeamus.  Led by the Prefect Team, the students gave a fine rendition of our school song that has been part of MGS since 1908.

Throughout this week we will be launching to the school community how MGS is acknowledging Black History Month.  Miss Johnson, the deputy head, will be leading four house assemblies on the theme of Reclaiming Narrative.  In addition to this our library staff have created a huge display of books that might be interesting for our students to read: books that have been written by Black authors as well as books that feature stories associated with Black history.

Tuesday 1 October 2024

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Toby of Year 12 and Tonbridge House who has successfully passed his audition for the National Youth Orchestra (NYO). This is a huge achievement as it is where the top young players in the country play at events such as the BBC Proms.  Well done Toby.

Congratulations to the 1^st XV rugby squad who won their National Cup match last week against The Duke of York School 19 – 13.  The squad has had a good start to the year, and so let us hope the players continue this good start and have more success as the season progresses.  Also, well done to the U16 XI football squad who played in the first round of the National Cup last night beating Tunbridge Wells Grammar School 4 - 2.  It was a well-fought game and played in good spirits and was supported by a number of staff and students who stayed to enjoy the game.  Good job.

Thank you to the many parents and friends of the school who came in last Friday to enjoy the Macmillan Coffee Morning with us.  Over 50 people from the wider school community joined the many Maidstonians, staff and students who took part in our first charity day of the year.  Lots of cake was eaten, and, with the non-uniform contributions, we raised just over £2000 for the charity.  Thank you to all the staff and prefects who helped organise the day.

This week will be the fourth training session for the students wishing to go on next year’s Harvard Model United Nations Conference.  Each week about 25 year 12 students remain in school until about 5pm undergoing essential training to help them prepare for the conference.  They debate an array of global issues such as healthcare across the world to the causes of the recent UK riots.  Thank you to the School Captain as well as Mr Andrews and Mrs Van Mol for supporting.

On Thursday this week we welcome to the school parents and carers of Year 7 to attend the Year 7 Welcome Evening.  After five weeks, our newest Maidstonians have settled in well and got used to the MGS way of doing things, and so this event is for the parents and carers of Year 7 to understand what those four weeks have looked like, and what things they can look forward to.