Tuesday 13 December 2022

Welcome to the last blog of the term and of 2022 and what has proved to be a challenging end of year.  Thank you for understanding the very difficult situation we found ourselves in with the extreme weather conditions.

Firstly, I would like to thank Major Highway and the cadets for inviting me to the annual MGS CCF Dinner on Friday.  About 30 people, including some Old Maidstonians and invited guests enjoyed an evening together over a lovely two-course meal cooked for us by our catering team.  Thank you CCF.

This week, as we approach the end of term, each house will have an assembly where it has become accustomed to hear from the School Captain and School Vice-Captain about their Christmases, and what they look forward to at this time of year.

I would like to wish you all a pleasant Christmas and peaceful and quiet New Year.

Tuesday 6 December 2022

Firstly, it is always good hearing from Old Maidstonians and how they are getting on after leaving MGS.  Hamish Reilly (OM 2019) took part in the U23 World Triathlon Championship in Abu Dhabi last Friday and won Bronze!  It was Hamish’s first time racing not only at this level championship but also at the Olympic distance, in what was an incredibly hot climate.  We are delighted for Hamish and wish him continued success.

This week we welcome back Year 11 from their mock examinations for the last two weeks of term.  Their examination papers are now being marked by their teachers, and so very soon we should find out how they got on. It is good to have Year 11 back.

Yesterday we enjoyed an hour with Year 12 and their parents at our annual GCSE Certificate Presentation Afternoon.  Students were presented with their GCSE certificates following three years of hard work as well as hearing from key staff and students about the School’s achievements.  Thank you to the parents who were able to attend as well as to the many Old Maidstonians who returned to see their old school once more and to sing the School Song.

The Year 10 Virtual Parents’ Evening is taking place on Wednesday providing an opportunity for parents to hear how their children are progressing through the GCSE years.  Let us hope the evening is a positive one.

Students in Year 8 are involved in two days of activities that will help them think about future careers, and in doing so get them to consider what GCSE subject choices they wish to make.  We have run these two days of activities for Year 8 for a number of years now and we have found they really help the students think about what they want to do after they leave MGS.

And on Friday we are hosting our Christmas Charity Day where students will be encouraged to wear a Christmas jumper, buy goodies from the MGS Christmas market, and bring donations in for a number of local homeless charities.  The usual £1 contribution on the gate for non-uniform will also apply.

Tuesday 29 November 2022

Firstly, I would like to thank the four Old Maidstonians who delivered a Harvard Model United Nations training session at the weekend to those current Maidstonians who will be attending the conference in January.  20 students attended school on Saturday for the four-hour training session, with all being very appreciative of the former students coming along to share their knowledge and giving their advice.  Thank you Freddie, Hugo, Allen and Daniel.

At the same time as this Harvard training we also welcomed Dartford Grammar School for the weekend rugby fixture.  Dartford Grammar School has traditionally been a tough school to beat, and there were mixed fortunes across all of the squads, but the senior squads led the way with two victories: the 2^nd XV winning 14 – 5, and the 1^st XV winning 22 – 10.  It was certainly a good day at the office!

In more sporting success, basketball is probably now the third most competitively played team sport at MGS after rugby and football.  Thanks to Mr Ashenfelter and the commitment of a number of players, the MGS team convincingly beat Thamesview School last week to secure a place in the quarter finals of the Kent Cup.  Well done to the team.

This week is a slightly quieter week for the School.  The Year 11 mock examinations continue into their second week; a group of year 12 art students enjoyed a day out on Monday visiting the Emmanuel Centre in London; and Year 7, as well as some year 12 students, will be visiting Bletchley Park to learn more about the Enigma machine and all things coding.

Tuesday 22 November 2022

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who supported last Friday’s BBC Children in Need charity day.  The weather allowed us to have an enjoyable day, which included an eight-hour badmintonathon, a soak the teacher event, and the sale of hundreds of cakes.  We have yet to understand the total amount raised, but it is hoped that we achieve over £2000.  A huge thank you to Year 12 for leading on the day due to Year 13 being out of normal school completing their exams.

At the weekend we enjoyed a rugby fixture against St Olave’s School with a number of good wins.  As always, it was great seeing the camaraderie and spirit amongst the players and the manner in which the games were played.  Well done to the players and thank you to the staff who support them.

Also at the weekend the RAF cadets successfully competed for the Royal Air Squadron Trophy, placing second overall qualifying for the National Royal Air Squadron Trophy next February.  Many thanks for everyone who took part in the team, bringing the RAF competition team back to the top, beating a number of their school rivals.

We started the week welcoming Year 13 back from their mock exams and wishing Year 11 good fortunes with the start to theirs.  Year 11 will be completing their exams over the next two weeks, and both year groups will be receiving a report showing the progress they have made since the start of the year.

On Thursday, we welcome a new evening event to the MGS calendar: the Year 9 Performance Night.  We will be entertained by a number of year 9 students in the Performing Arts Building, so do come along.  The evening starts at 6.30pm.

Finally, I wish to congratulate the MGS basketball and football players who have seen lots of recent success. The basketball players have won three of their league games this season as well as beating the organisers of the Kent Cup.  They now progress to the next round.  The MGS football players have also been having a good run over the past few weeks, which I have thoroughly enjoyed watching when the games have been played at home.  Well done to all involved.

Tuesday 15 November 2022

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Hadyn of Barton House for taking part in the UK Youth Parliament on Friday 4 November at the House of Commons.  It was an incredibly prestigious event for Hadyn, gaining some fantastic experience in the world of politics. Well done Haydn.

Huge congratulations also must go to the 1st XV rugby squad who beat Skinners' at the weekend 22-21. It was a nail-biting match to watch, but the players remained calm and brought home the win to the delight of the large crowd. They should be very proud of themselves. 24 hours earlier the U12 rugby squads on Friday afternoon set the tone for the Skinners' fixtures by winning five out of the six matches. Well done all.

Also at the weekend a number of cadets and adult volunteers took part in the Maidstone Remembrance Service on Sunday.  This followed the MGS Remembrance Service that we had on Friday where the entire school community stood for two minutes at 11 o’clock to mark the Armistice.

This week Year 13 are completing their first set of mock examinations in preparation for their A level examinations next summer.  These examinations will provide an idea to all involved where the students are and what they need to do to position themselves well.  Good luck to them all.

On Friday we acknowledge BBC Children in Need.  With Year 13 being out of school completing their mock examinations it is a chance for Year 12 to step up and lead the rest of the school in raising money for the charity.  The usual £1 on the gate for non-uniform will take place as well as seeing the return of the 8-hour Badmintonathon.  Thank you to everyone for their support.

Tuesday 8 November 2022

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who came along to enjoy the fireworks on Saturday night at the Parents’ Association Firework Display.  The weather was slightly inclement, but it did not dampen our spirits and enjoyment.  A huge thank you to the Parents’ Association and to all the staff, student and adult volunteers who made the event possible.

Thank you also to the students and staff who took part in the weekly rugby fixture against Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, and to the many parents who came along to watch.  Results were mixed, but it was once again an enjoyable occasion particularly because a number of Old Maidstonians came to watch whilst they were on leave from university.

This week we are launching our anti-bullying month in school.  The theme coincides with Anti-Bullying Week, which takes place nationally from Monday 14 November.  Mr Highsted, head of Barton House, will be raising awareness of the campaign in house assemblies all week, and he will also be sharing with the students what we as MGS will be doing to recognise it.  In addition to Mr Highsted, I will also be speaking at the house assemblies to launch the MGS 475 logo competition, as from next academic year MGS will be celebrating its 475^th birthday.

On Thursday we welcome parents of year 7 students to attend the Year 7 Virtual Parents’ Evening.  It will be a first opportunity to hear from their child’s teachers about the progress their child has made since they started their journey as a Maidstonian.  I am sure the evening will be a positive one.

In addition, on Friday, it being 11 November, we will be having a Remembrance service to recognise the Armistice and the many fallen Old Maidstonians who lost their lives during conflict.  It is always a reflective occasion and one that MGS will always acknowledge.

Tuesday 1 November 2022

Welcome to the first blog of Term 2.  I hope you all had a wonderful half term break and a well-deserved rest.

We return to school to a busy week.  Over the course of this week, students will be told in assembly about a new opportunity with our food provider, Cucina.  From this week, we will be issuing every student and member of staff an MGS-branded reusable drinks bottle, because by Christmas it is our intention to remove all single-use plastic bottles in the school.  Two new drinks fountains have been installed into the Refectory, and so students wishing to purchase a drink can do so by using their drinks bottles and paying for how much they have.  We hope that this new way of doing things will be appreciated.

Tonight is our first virtual parents’ evening, this time for Year 12.  Parents of year 12 students will have a first opportunity to hear from their child’s teachers about the progress their child has made since the start of the academic year.  I am sure the evening will be a positive one.

On Wednesday evening, it is the turn of parents of year 11 students to attend the Year 11 Information Evening.  The evening is to hear form key staff about what is to come over the next eight months, particularly with GCSE examinations on the horizon, and more pressingly, the process in which students will need to prepare themselves for the sixth form.  Following Wednesday, on Thursday afternoon, Year 11 will have an opportunity to speak to their teachers directly about all things A levels and what they should be doing this year to position themselves well.

Saturday is our biggest event: the MGS Parents’ Association Firework Display.  The PA has run this event for almost 20 years, and during that time it has grown in size and popularity, so much so that last year was the largest yet.  Many members of the MGS community come together to ensure the event goes ahead, so I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to those people and to everyone who will be coming along to support.  If you are keen to come along, and haven’t yet purchased a ticket, please do so online.  There will be no ticket sales on the night.  Gates open at 5pm with the display starting at 7pm.

And finally, congratulations to Jake of Year 11 who was selected to represent England at the World Karate Championships in Turkey over the October half term.  Jake sadly did not medal, but did amazingly well getting through three rounds which a huge achievement at this level.  Well done Jake.

HM Blog - Tuesday 19 October 2022

Welcome to the last blog of Term 1.  It does not seem we have been at school for seven weeks.  The term has been a good one, and one where we have seen a number of success stories that have been worthy of acknowledging.  Only on Saturday were we able to welcome many parents and visitors on site to enjoy the annual rugby fixture against Cranbrook School.  With it being the last game before the half term we made it more of an event, offering refreshments and conversation after the games.  A huge thank you to the players, staff, parents, and Old Maidstonians who made it an enjoyable morning.

As well as acknowledging the rugby at the weekend, I also wish to thank the performers, staff and parents who supported the Autumn Showcase last week.  It was an evening full of high quality talent with students eager to shine in front of their peers and their families.  Well done to everyone, and thank you to Mrs Brooks, Mrs Edwards and Mr Bourne for hosting.

Today we again open our doors to the wider community and welcome families of prospective students to see the school at work at our Year 6 Open Morning.  Last Friday, at our first open morning, we were incredibly busy, so I am sure today will be no different.  The week of open events culminates on Thursday when we welcome everyone in again at our Year 6 Open Evening.  At that event the entire school will be open to walk around, see the many exhibitions that we put on, as well as hearing from me and our school captain about what life is like at MGS.  As always, the people who sell MGS are the students.  They are a credit to their school as well as to themselves, and are our ambassadors.  Thank you to everyone who will be helping.

Tuesday 11 October 2022

This week we begin the process of looking forward to September 2023 and welcoming perspective year 6 boys and their parents to our first Year 6 Open Morning.  On Friday, we open our doors to those families wishing to consider MGS as a viable choice for next year, and helping at that event will be the current Year 7 who are best placed to talk about the School and what it is like being a Maidstonian.  We look forward to welcoming everyone then.

At the weekend, we enjoyed a glorious day of sunshine watching our rugby squads compete against Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, Rochester.  Once again, the results across the squads were mixed, but the senior 1^st XV squad led by example bringing home a win 22 – 5.  Well done to the players and thank you to the members of staff and volunteers who continue to support the players not only on match days, but also throughout each week at training.

Today we wish good luck to a number of Maidstonians who are taking part in the first round of the National Cross Country Competition.  If you recall, last year we had three Maidstonians progress to the final of the competition, which took place in Devon.  Best wishes to them all.

And, on Thursday we look forward to the first performing arts showcase of the year.  Our budding musicians and actors will be performing at the Autumn Showcase: an event that celebrates the talents of a number of Maidstonians.  Included in the showcase will be: Pirates of the Caribbean from the MGS Concert Band, Gabriel’s Oboe from the MGS Strings, Seize The Day from the MGS Singers and Blinding Lights from the MGS Big Band. Do come along; the showcase begins at 6.30pm in the Big Hall.

Tuesday 4 October 2022

I cannot believe we are already in October.  This is the time of year when some of us start to put the heating on!

Last Friday we all enjoyed our first non-uniform day to acknowledge MacMillan Coffee Morning.  Staff, students, parents and friends of MGS came together to enjoy a cuppa and a slice of cake.  It was a wonderful day and one that illustrated our community spirit.  And at the end of the day we collected £1,857.93 for the charity. Thank you to Mrs Cook for leading the day, and for the prefects for their support.

As well as MacMillan Coffee Morning we also ran a team building day for Year 12.  Students from Year 12 spent the day completing a variety of activities and challenges to further strengthen new friendships and relationships amongst the year group.  I hope the students enjoyed themselves.

Within sport, we saw some upsetting results across both football and rugby last week, but at the same time we saw great team spirit and pride.  Sadly, for Year 10, both our U15 XI and U15 XV teams lost against Oakwood Park Grammar School in football and rugby respectively, and the 1^st XV lost in the National Cup against Skinners’ School 34 - 29.  This last result, even though not in our favour, reflects how close the game was – in fact we were leading at one point 24 – 22.  The players played incredibly well, and was a stark difference to the 60 – 5 loss at the start of the season.  At the weekend rugby fixture against Beths Grammar School, only three squads were playing: the U13A squad sadly lost at home 45 – 25, but the away teams of the U14A and U15A brought back two wins, 65 – 0 and 22 – 5 respectively.

This week we welcome parents of year 7 students to attend their respective Year 7 House Welcome Event.  Tomorrow we welcome parents of Barton and College, and Thursday will be for Corpus Christi and Tonbridge.  The events are designed to give parents a flavour of what their sons have experienced in the first four weeks of the year.