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The Newsletter December 2015
End of Term Message By Miss Stanley, Headteacher As I write Rag Week is ahead of us. However, by the time this is read by students, parents, carers and staff, Rag Week will or will almost be over. I am pleased that again this year half of the money raised from Rag Week will be going to our partner schools in Nepal. I was touched this autumn to receive a bundle of letters from the students in one of these school. In the letters they talk about their lives, the earthquakes earlier in the year, and how grateful they are for the support they have received from MGGS. We hope to send letters back to these students as well as aiming to use Skype to video conference with this school in the new year. MGGS has a very long history of supporting others in need. I was recently shown a copy, from our school archives, of the Headteacher’s Annual Speech for the school year 1915-1916. This record of Miss Kidd’s speech of 100 hundred years ago shows that what we continue to value now, was also valued then. Miss Kidd was writing during The First World War, and reflected on the impact the dark events in Europe were having on the nation. She was adamant that it was only right that MGGS should continue to maintain what it did, even under restrictions. She lists all the charitable events the school was involved in. The girls had dressed dolls to give to the poor children of Maidstone for Christmas, prepared hospital bags for those in need and held monthly house collections to raise money for the War effort. The amounts of money raised were significant, especially given the restrictions all families were under at that time. This Christmas, we have continued this tradition and have sent food to Maidstone Homeless Care and gifts of toys to The Salvation Army to distribute to children who otherwise would not have presents this Christmas. Miss Kidd in her speech also talked about the school House Cup, which we still have. In 1915-1916 the cup was awarded to Danes for the best all round conduct, work and games. A hundred years later we still have the same House Cup, though our House year runs from Easter to Easter. House Arts this autumn was Drama and was won by Saxons. It was a real privilege to be able to watch all six performances, something I have not ever had the opportunity to do before. It was part way through House Arts this year that I learnt that the building firm responsible for constructing the sports hall had gone into administration. We have been very fortunate that W W Martin have now taken this project over. They know the school well, given that they built Buckland House, and we are extremely thankful that there has been minimal delay in the construction. I will, though, be very thankful once it is completed at Easter. I am pleased to inform you that from January Mrs Binks will be Assistant Headteacher, with particular responsibility for KS4. Dr Doyle will therefore be taking over as Head of Science for the rest of the academic year. In term 5 we will be welcoming Mrs Ransom to MGGS as Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for KS5. May I take this opportunity to wish all students and staff together with their families a very happy and peaceful Christmas and my very best wishes for 2016.
a tradition of excellence Buckland Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 0SF
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