NEWS@MGGS Summer Newsletter
July 2013
MGGS CELEBRATES 125 YEARS Saturday June 29th 2013
Term 1
Term 2
Monday 2nd September - Start of Term 1 Inset Day No Students In School Tuesday 3rd September - All Students In School Friday 25th October - End Of Term 1
Monday 4th November - Start Of Term 2 Friday 20th December - End Of Term 2
www.mggs.org
Welcome
Dear Students, Parents, Carers and Friends This has been a year when, as well as continuing to prepare all our students for their futures, we have all paused and taken time to look back at the past. Our 125th anniversary celebrations have produced moments which have been often thought-provoking, sometimes surprising, and occasionally powerfully moving. The most thought-provoking moments have come from our realisation of just how much harder it has been in the relatively recent past for the girls of Maidstone to secure a good quality education. We are proud that 125 years ago, the opening of this school at last started to tackle the inequality of educational provision for girls in the town. MGGS‟s first headteacher, Miss Pope, was a pioneering woman, believing right from the start, for example, that girls should study Science. MGGS has played a significant part in the development of girls‟ education and is one of the very oldest girls‟ grammar schools. The most surprising outcome from the celebrations has been the opening up of our WW2 air-raid shelters. This was prompted by students in Year 7 who examined records of wartime at the school in their English lessons and asked two recurring and insistent questions: “Are the shelters still there?” and “Can we go down into them?” Stirred to investigate, we discovered that the answer to both questions is “Yes”! There is more about this on page 3. The most moving part of the celebration was the 125th anniversary open afternoon, held on 29th June. We were genuinely overwhelmed by the numbers of old girls who returned to visit their old school, and, most particularly, by their outpourings of affection for the school and their inspiring and rewarding interest in what we are doing now. I had not expected the afternoon to be so emotionally powerful. The current students who came to help that afternoon were truly fabulous, a real credit to the school, and so many visitors wrote to thank us for the afternoon and to praise the students for their welcome and their hospitality. I hope you have all enjoyed the commemorative mug, the booklet on the history of the school, and the whole-school photo. My abiding realisation from the celebrations has been that, although educational initiatives may come and go, and styles may change, there is more that remains constant. I have no doubt now that the headteachers and staff in the past valued the development of scholarship, intellectual curiosity, knowledge and skills as much as we do now. We also share with them a desire to see the young people in our care moving on to lead happy, fulfilled and productive lives. This is also the time of year when, sadly, we have to say goodbye to some members of our staff. We would like to thank Michelle Stagg (Art) for all her hard work at the school as she retires and wish her all the best in retirement. Leaving this year to take up new positions or opportunities are Paul Kromm (MFL), Victoria Cork (Careers), Rhona Mackie (RS), Dale Shepherd (ICT), Shelley Edgar (Physics) and Simon Barr (Media). We wish you all the very best for the future, thank you all for all your work for the school and for your contribution to its success. Finally, thank you to everyone who supports the work of the school so consistently whether as parent, member of staff, governor, PFA member , or student. We are as always immensely grateful. Have a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. Mary Smith Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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World War II Bunker World War II Bunker opened up to celebrate 125th year Anniversary This year we have literally opened a door to our past as a school. It was the fascination of Year 7 students, that led us to investigate the air-raid shelters lying under the tarmac, grass and canteen at the back of the school. They had been reading some of the wonderful accounts from past students of lessons in underground air-raid shelters and had seen the evocative paintings of the experience created by the schoolâ€&#x;s Art teacher in the 1940s. Once Mr Browne had prised open the sealed door, we discovered a stunning complex of tunnels and underground chambers. The whole shelter stretches for 100m and was designed to accommodate 180 children and their teachers while war raged overhead. We know that sometimes girls spent up to 7 hours in the shelter. The opening was timed to coincide with the 125th anniversary celebration on 29 June when past pupils returned to visit the school. A visit to the air-raid shelters became one of the prime attractions, with Mr Browne conducting guided tours throughout the afternoon. 26 past pupils who had lessons in the shelters during the war were among our guests. One of the pupils who had lessons in the bunkers, Pat Wilmshurst, was interviewed by Meridian TV News. She remembered the lessons taken there very clearly, saying that when the bombing was heavy the girls used to keep themselves upbeat by singing. Rather poignantly, she remembered the German classes singing German songs during the Battle of Britain. The shelter consists of six tunnel-shaped classrooms arranged in a zig-zag pattern and three annexes. We found three original benches left behind in the tunnels. The girls sat on these in long rows with their backs against the walls and their knees almost touching the row facing them. There were no doors between the classrooms, so they must have been able to hear the other lessons. The annexes were used to store emergency rations, and as one past student said, rather disconcertingly also contained pickaxes and
shovels in case they were entombed in a raid. One annex room appeared to have some curtain rails which probably sealed off some rather primitive toilets. Etched in chalk on one of the walls is an original algebra lesson, the last one written before the end of the war.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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School Uniform Maidstone Grammar School for Girls celebrated its 125 th anniversary and its 75th anniversary on its current site. The school was opened in 1888 in a Victorian building called Albion Place on the Sittingbourne Road in the centre of Maidstone. The project was funded by the Bridge Wardens of Rochester. There hadn‟t been a girls‟ school in Maidstone at all before that time. There were 18 pupils when the school first opened. Current and former students of MGGS from 1934 – 2013 including Margaret Amos who was a pupil between (1934 and 1942) and Pat Wilmshurst who was a pupil between (1938-1945).
Left: A current student modelling the old school beret.
Right: A former student reminisces about the old school uniform.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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School Archive Archive Display Display MGGS 125 years Archive Display By Jane Brooker, Librarian When an event to mark the 125th Anniversary of MGGS was first planned Mr Down and I discussed putting on a display of archive material to illustrate the rich history of the school. We also wanted to give visitors, staff and students the opportunity to see some of the many items which are stored in the archive collection. Aided by a team of year 12 students we were able to create a display in 6 th Form Central which brought together the past and present as a memorable experience for all our visitors. We are very lucky to have a wealth of interesting items which give an insight into life at MGGS. We could not display everything but hope that the items we chose reflected the diversity of school life over the decades. It was lovely to meet „old‟ girls, younger ex-students and ex-members of staff. I think it is fair to say that the day exceeded our expectations. I have found working with the archive material and researching the history of the school an enriching experience. There are two items in particular which I believe are our greatest assets. Firstly, we have the Admissions register from 1888 which lists the first pupils to be admitted to MGGS at Albion Place. The names of some of those listed can be linked to some accounts of school life which were recorded on paper for the 50th anniversary in 1938 when those women would have been in their sixties. These reminiscences enable us to visualise what life was like at Albion Place in the very early days of the school. They include numerous details about life at MGGS some of which have been included in the booklet „A Short History of the School‟. Secondly, we have the War Diary which was created by Art teacher Miss Keen as a lasting memorial to life at MGGS during the Second World War. This is a book of beautiful drawings, paintings and handwritten poems recording the impact of the War just a short time after the move to the present site in 1938. The pictures include one of a girl doing her Latin exam under the desk when a “doodle-bug” went over. We now know that the girl was Pat Wilmshurst, a previous school governor and long-standing friend of the school, whom we were delighted to welcome back on Saturday29th June. You may have seen Pat being interviewed for Meridian TV News. Although the school has always had an archive collection it is only in recent years that we have devoted time and space to storing, keeping and collecting items for the future. If anyone would like to donate or loan any items to the school for the archive please do get in touch. Finally, did you know that in 1989 a time-capsule was placed under this building? The contents included: form lists; a Safeway till receipt; coins; a magazine; a newspaper and speech day programme dating from 1988. There are also photos of the demolition of Albion Place, various views of Maidstone town centre and a whole school photograph. All of these were contained in a metal box and placed in the ducts under the main building. A duplicate is stored in the Archive cupboard. How fascinating to think that one day in the future someone will find the box and that the contents will add to their understanding of the history of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls.
Far right: Margaret Amos, a former pupil and teacher at MGGS enjoying the archive display with fellow expupils.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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125 Year Celebration Photos
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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All Ages 125 YearEnjoy Celebration the Day! Photos
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Normandy Trip Notre Voyage en Normandie Last May Mme Fourmy, Mrs Farnham, Mr Kromm, and Mr Ansette took 40 students to Normandy for 5 days. The students stayed in a comfortable French youth hostel and enjoyed taking part in lots of interesting and varied activities. The high point of the visit was a guided ecological walk across the bay of Le Mont Saint Michel. Students also visited some or all of the following: the city of St Hilaire, the Bayeux Tapestry, Arromanches and the D-Day landing beaches. They also enjoyed the opportunity to visit smaller places of local interest independently, and tried out their knowledge of French by visiting the local markets and shops.
Quelques témoignages… I think that Normandy was a fun experience in which the students were able to practise their spoken French. We also had opportunities to learn more about French history, for example, in the visit to the Bayeux Tapestry. During our trip we had many chances to improve our teamwork skills - as we had to work together for things such as orienteering. The youth hostel that we stayed at was pleasant and our instructor made our stay very fun. We visited plenty of places, and definitely had enough time to buy souvenirs and presents. Normandy presented us with lots of unforgettable memories and it is a trip I would recommend. Chloe Mitchell 9A
I very much enjoyed the trip to Normandy. It really improved my French and I tried lots of new activities that I would never have done normally. It was really fun and we had lots of laughs! I would definitely recommend it to anyone considering going. Molly Perry Clark 9N The Normandy trip was lots of fun… it was interesting to learn lots of French vocabulary….. My best memory would be walking to the Mont St Michel; I really enjoyed the picturesque views. Chloe West 9C For me the trip to Normandy was unforgettable and very enjoyable. This is because I did a lot of things that I never thought of ever doing: I had a very muddy orienteering session where I kept on sinking in mud until my clothes were splattered with it, and I walked to the Mont St Michel for around two hours with a part where water reached to my waist. All of these moments were extremely fun and I made lots of great memories that I will always remember. Namita Gurung 9C
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Normandy Trip On the week trip to Normandy my favourite activity was the Bay walk across to Mont saint Michel. Even though it was extremely cold and wet, it was a new exciting experience. The best part was making the quick sand by jumping up and down. The rows of shops that we went in after the walk were great and I practised some French. The other place we went to that I liked was Saint Hilaire Market with a wide variety of stalls. My favourite stall was one selling recycled bobble head animals and handmade bracelets. It was a fantastic trip which gave me an insight into French culture. Rachel Adams 9C The school trip to Normandy was very enjoyable for all of the students who took part. The activities were fun and the teachers also took part in everything. The food was delicious, especially the desserts. All in all, I had lots of laughs with my friends (and the teachers!). Charlie Paige 9N Les Escargots!...
Recently the school took us on a trip to Normandy, a county in north-west France. We spent a week there in a youth hostel. I enjoyed our trip to Normandy, because it was interesting to see more of the French culture, compared to what we learn about in school textbooks. We ate traditional food when we went out into the town, and spent a fun amount of time in the Château de le Baudonnière. Getting to spend time with my friends by staying in a room with them was great too. Overall it was a really interesting trip, and I‟m glad I was a part of it. Beth Mills 9A
I really enjoyed the trip to Normandy! It was a great experience and it was a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends with people I don‟t normally talk to. The activities were really fun, especially walking along the clay to Mont St Michel. It was a really unique, exciting experience! The accommodation was really nice, and staffs were amazing. Our instructor (Séb) looked after us and he made the trip really fun. It was such a great time and I really enjoyed myself. Sophie Moule 9C Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Aachen Christmas Market Trip Quelques témoignages… Aachen Christmas market trip 2013 by Frau Gibson It is the middle of summer, my children are splashing around in the paddling pool in the garden in 26ºC heat and here I am looking forward to the next Year 8 German trip to the Aachen Christmas market in December! Letters have been sent out recently via Parentmail giving all the details but just in case you haven‟t had time to read it, I thought I would write a little about our experiences last year to give you a taste of what is to come… It was the last two days of the Christmas term and Mrs Gibson, Mr Cook, Mrs Hart and Doris Eckerl, our German language assistant, took 30 budding Germanists on their first trip to the Vaterland. We travelled by coach to Aachen and it took most of one day but the girls were all in excellent spirits and were excited by the fact that we were able to cross four countries in a few hours. The group singalong to the Grease DVD was good fun too, but perhaps not much appreciated by Mr Cook! The traffic jam we hit going around Brussels was sweetened somewhat by our first „comfort break‟ at a Belgian chocolate factory shop, recommended by our extremely helpful coach driver, who knew all the best places to stop! Actually, chocolate became a bit of a recurring theme as you will see.
Our youth hostel on the edge of Aachen was modern, spotlessly clean and with really well-furnished rooms. We took over the whole of one floor with the girls in rooms of four or five. As they settled in and argued over who was sleeping on the top bunk, I visited every room to give a demonstration of how German windows work – the tilt-and-turn window was a new experience for many! There weren‟t too many disturbances during the night so we were able to rise early for our day‟s sightseeing around Aachen. After a hearty breakfast in the hostel dining room, including Nutella in tiny wafer cones, we hopped back onto the coach for the short drive to the coach park on the outskirts of the town. We were due to do a walking tour of the sights first, but our ever helpful coach driver suggested we visit the Lindt chocolate factory first as it was right next to the coach park. As you can imagine, I had to drag the 30 girls plus teachers to the factory shop so that they could feast their eyes (and purses) on the hugest range of chocolate Santas, reindeer and baubles they had ever seen – all at knock-down prices. It was the day that the Mayas had foretold would be the end of the world, so it was quite apt when Katie told me in the shop that she thought the end of the world had actually happened and that we were all now in Heaven! Chocolate purchases over, we returned to the original plan of the sightseeing tour and trekked around Aachen for the next hour or so whilst I pointed out a few hopefully interesting facts about the history of the town. You can see a photo‟ of us at the spa fountain where the pongy, sulphurous waters are pumped still warm from the ground. Many emperors, popes and noblemen and women have come to Aachen in the past to bathe in the waters with their special healing powers, and then there was Maidstone Grammar School for Girls….
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Aachen Christmas Market Trip Then on we went to visit Aachen cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Northern Europe, final resting place of Charlemagne and a UNESCO world heritage sight. It is breathtakingly beautiful inside and we enjoyed a few minutes of awe and wonder before stepping out again into the noise and hustle and bustle of the Christmas market in full flow. The Christmas market takes over most of the town centre and everywhere you go there are beautifully decorated little wooden huts selling handicrafts, toys and lots of delicious things to eat. There is music too on many street corners as the buskers and little school groups keep everyone in the Christmas mood by singing and playing Christmas carols. In the photos you can see the shop windows filled with Aachener Prinzen, the local gingerbread delicacies. So whilst the teachers stationed themselves in a typically German café and enjoyed Kaffee and Kuchen, the girls went off to discover the market and the surrounding shops in small groups for the rest of the day. We all met up again at around 4 pm– thank you everyone for being on time – and exchanged stories of all that we‟d seen and heard and tasted and we compared purchases on the journey back home. Our trip back was really quick so we actually arrived home about an hour and a half earlier than we thought we would. I hope your appetite has been whetted for our next Year 8 trip on Thursday12th - Friday 13th December 2013. If you have any questions about it, please contact Mrs Gibson at school.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Science Science Club By Beth Adams and Victoria Watts At the beginning of the year we discovered that Science Club was being organised by our very own Science teacher – Miss Edgar! We began by researching outer space including attempting to use our telescope in the grounds; however this didn‟t go to plan. Instead we used the big telescope in Hawaii and Australia via the computer. We took some brilliant picture of galaxies and clusters. In addition we created our own miniature Mars Rovers that were propelled forward by fans. Next we started to create exciting Mother‟s Day gifts. Firstly, we made lip balm where we could choose the flavour we thought our Mums would like. Secondly, we made clutch bags out of plastic bags by weaving them in and out of each other. Some people found it difficult so we all helped each other. Then we made some bath bombs which was really fun because some groups decided to shape theirs as hearts. Finally, we wrapped everything up in fancy tissue paper making it look as professional as possible. After we finished this topic we began to prepare for a special competition called „The Big Bang Fair‟. We all decided to create different aspects of the project we had invented – „Mission to Mars‟. We spent many weeks imagining what our display will look like and adjusting our work to fit the presentation. When the big day finally came, we all travelled up to the Excel Arena playing fun games in the minibus. We were given special ID cards so we pretended we were VIPs. When we reached our stall we began to set up. We had to take it in turns manning the stall while the others had a look around at other stalls. On the second day we went to see a show. We had a choice of which show we wanted to see but they were both science based and were very interesting. They included bangs and experiments which were very informative; we came out knowing a lot more than when we went in. Sadly, the trip had to come to an end which left people feeling sleepy and many fell asleep on the second journey back. Seeing as the trip had been extremely exciting we had to come up with an idea for a new topic that was just as interesting. We decided on forensics which included learning about fingerprints. We had to investigate who had committed a crime. We then decided our final topic would be explosions. We spent two weeks on rockets – filling the rockets up with 100ml of water and pumping in air. Then…..3….2…..1….. Blast off! We squeezed the trigger and the rocket flew into the air nearly every time. The very last thing we did was volcanoes! This was very exciting as some people decided to put loads of the mixture in and it went everywhere leaving a lot of cleaning up to do. It‟s all part of the fun though!
Biology Challenges In February this year, a small group of gifted and talented Year 13 biologists competed in the „British Biology Olympiad‟, organised by the Society of Biology. This national competition is designed to challenge and stimulate students with an interest in biology and to expand and extend their talents. In offering a wider syllabus than A-level, it allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and to be suitably rewarded and publicly recognised by the award of medals, certificates and other prizes. Congratulations to Lauren Dennis and Anannya Kumarvel who achieved a certificate of commendation, and to Stephanie Skipp who achieved a bronze medal. Some Year 10 students also took part in junior version of the Olympiad in March. Congratulations to Alice Shepherd and Madeleine Brown who achieved gold medals; Melissa Seabrook, Jennifer Trevarthen and Kira Michel who achieved silver medals; and Abigail Head, May Ahmed, Kara Brooker, Chloe Farrington, Molly Haigh, Holly MacMahon and Anna Wright who achieved bronze medals.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Science Eco Group Waste that could be recycled in our rubbish bins.
This term year 8 has been working on their enrichment project. Each class has been learning about which crops are planted, grown and harvested at which times of the year. They investigated the food miles their dinner had to travel and the carbon footprint that this would have created. Lastly they produced a plan of how to plant the vegetable garden. This was all achieved through the financial support from the “Growing Scientists” bid that was successful at the beginning of the year. In Eco group student carried out a survey of the bins in all rooms around the school. The number of recycling bins and normal waste bins was recorded. Students then photographed the waste that was being put into classroom bins and recognised that it could have been recycled. The group designed posters to put onto mixed recycling boxes which we hope to have in all classrooms by the end of the school year. A form assembly was made and delivered by form tutors to inform the school about the improvements in recycling. All results of our studies are shown on the Eco notice board in T block. Eco group are currently planting new fruit canes in the vegetable garden along with pumpkins ready for Halloween.
Stem Cells - Our Future? On 17th April 2013, a group of year 11 and 12 biology students attended a series of lectures by the British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy at the University of Royal Holloway. The day began with Dr Tassos Georgiadis‟ lecture on using stem cell therapy to cure blindness. We were surprised to learn that gene replacement can develop viral vectors for clinical trials to treat inherited blindness. Videos showing real-life experiments gave a true insight into the improvements witnessed in the sufferer after the use of gene replacement. Following this were two further lectures by Dr Morris and Dr McKay which focused more on what stem cell and gene therapy actually are, and the techniques used in the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells. During the lunch hour, we were able to take part in the many hands-on activities such as making bracelets representing the DNA double- helix to show the complementary base pairs with beads of different colours. They also got the opportunity to meet some of the expert scientists who gave career advice and shared their experiences as scientists which inspired us to pursue life sciences or medicine at university level. After lunch, Dr Adam Jones- a lecturer in physiology for Sunderland University- shared his personal experiences with haemophilia, giving students a moving insight into what it is like to suffer from a genetic disease. Furthermore Ed Yong- an award winning science writer whose blog „Not Exactly Rocket Science‟ appeared in a number of newspapers and discovery channels talked about some of his awe-inspiring work to finish off the informative day.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Science MGGS and Primary School Links By Mr Cook We have continued our links with local primary schools this year and have increased the number of schools visited to five. These are Roseacre, Allington, Brunswick house, Madginford and Palace Wood. Mr Cook and Miss O‟Connell have visited each of these schools to give science lessons to Year 5 classes. These lessons, with the topic of sound, have been full of exciting fizzes, whooshes and bangs as louder and louder sounds were created. The science of sound was also investigated with tuning forks, slinky springs and making our own musical instruments. The lessons were well received by the students and staff, although I don‟t know what some of the neighbours thought about the really loud bangs. Links with local primary schools will continue next year and I would like to thank the schools involved for their cooperation. Three local primary schools were invited to take part in the annual primary school science quiz: Roseacre, Allington and Brunswick House. This took part during Science Week and was designed, written and presented by Mr Cook. Questions covered topics including identifying animals, identifying everyday technological objects, solving anagrams and space exploration. As always, there were few points between the schools at the end and prizes were given to the winning school and both runners up. An enthusiastic audience of primary school students led to an exciting atmosphere. Thank you again to the schools for taking part. The primary schools then stayed to watch the final of the annual MGGS Inter-House Science Quiz, again, designed and written by Mr Cook. After this, they then had the great fun of taking part in the Big Reptile Show. This was a change from the usual Big Bug Show and allowed the students and staff to have hands-on experience of various amphibians and reptiles, including tree frogs and chameleons. I was most impressed with the mature way in which the primary students behaved with the various creatures, even when the tree frog tried to hide in someone‟s bag! I look forward to continuing our links between MGGS and the primary schools next year. I would like to thank Miss O‟Connell, one of our science technicians, for all the help she has given with these visits. It would not be possible without this support.
Notre GCSE Astronomy By Mr Ried 22 year 10 students took on the challenge this year of studying GCSE astronomy. They attended after school lessons for two hours every Wednesday, with attendance and enthusiasm being very high at all times. The students studied a diverse range of topics including the Solar System, Stars and Galaxies, and Cosmology. As part of their study of practical astronomy students learnt how to tell the time using a sundial (rather more complicated than you might think!) and sketched a range of constellations, estimating the apparent magnitude of the stars within each constellation. This proved something of a challenge in what may have been one of the cloudiest Kentish winters on record. All the students sat the GCSE examination in May after 8 months of study.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Science Biology Trip to Kent Science Resource Centre Group On 5th July 2013, a group of A level Biology students had the exciting oppurtunity to visit the Kent Science Resource Centre where they were given a chance to carry out a series of practical experiments in some high technology laboratories. These practicals included a technique very similar to that used in real life paternity testing and extracting and analysing their own DNA. The students particularly enjoyed using the equipment which they were previously unfamiliar with, such as adjustable pipettes with disposable tips, casting trays to prepare agarose jelly and incubators. This allowed the students to develop a better understanding of the dealings of scientists with DNA and protein molecules- a vital part of their A level course. Many students felt that they gained many new skills from the different experimental techniques such as being able to use adjustable pipettes. Overall, many of the pupils felt that it was a thoroughly enriching trip which must be repeated in coming years for new A level students! Ahsen Ustaoglu, Biology Prefect
Year 9 Up-Cycling Workshop Year nine were lucky enough to have an Eco-expert come into school to teach us about Eco-friendly products available. We had to bring in juice cartons which we then used to make our own purse. The purses turned out great and we never would have thought your empty juice cartons could be made into something useful. We also learnt that you could make shoes out of car tyres and mirrors out of sardine tins. We didn't think that such everyday products could be made into long lasting new creations. The Eco expert showed us a house completely made from recycled products or old products being reused. The house had car tyres for insulation. It also used solar panels to provide energy. However, the house had to be south facing for this. We were very lucky to have had this session as it showed us how wasteful we can be and how changing our actions could benefit ourselves with lots of new products to keep. By Rebecca Stone and Rachael Knatchbull 9N
Year Working with Electra Polymers Throughout the course of this year, four Year 12 chemists have been working on two projects with industry as part of the CREST initiative. Starting with a visit to Electra Polymers, who manufacture the green coloured coatings for circuit boards, we were able to understand more about the work of the company and their avenues for development in the future. We were then able to see their equipment in use and have a go ourselves, allowing us to understand both manufacture and quality control processes. Since the visit, we have been looking at finding photo initiators for new methods of application (compounds that initiate the reaction process). We are also investigating a method to identify monomers. We are all finding the projects to be very interesting and they are definitely stretching our knowledge far beyond what we learn in class. Carolyn Rogers
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Thinking School Thinking Flexibly and Creatively By Mr Harris
Are we alone in the Universe? At a recent assembly, I explored with students the question ‘Are we alone in the Universe?’ and the work of the astronomer Dr Frank Drake in this field. Dr Drake has been at the forefront of scientific research into finding extraterrestrial life for many years and is a founding member of SETIthe ‘Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence’ Institute. SETI is a serious attempt by scientists to explore this question and is a really good example of how thinking flexibly and creatively can help solve (or go towards solving) an incredibly difficult question. As a Thinking School we want our students to have the confidence to tackle questions like this and to show imagination and flair in going about finding possible answers. One of the things that Dr Drake developed has become known as the Drake Equation. This is an equation which attempts to estimate the number of possible advanced civilisations in our Milky Way galaxy. The equation is shown in the box below!
To find out what all the symbols mean go to http://www.seti.org/drakeequation
The equation itself is not so important but it illustrates the point that the thinking behind it is the vital thing. Of course if the answer to the equation is more than one then we will know that we are not alone!
Our work as an accredited Thinking School with the University of Exeter continues to grow and we are now part of a wide community of schools within the UK and overseas who have this as a key focus in student learning. Next academic year we will be building further upon this work and helping to make sure that effective thinking is at the heart of good scholarship. MGGS is proud to be one of only three Thinking Schools in Kent.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
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Work Experience 2013 “One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.” ARISTOTLE By Mr Harris During the summer term many of our students have been out and about completing their work experience (WEX) placements. For Year 11, the placements have usually been for a week and have ranged from being based in businesses, schools and hospitals. WEX is a great opportunity for students to learn about the world of work in a real life Just some of the setting. In many cases students have arranged placements in 2013 their own placements to reflect their particular A range of hospitals, primary interests. What is learnt from this experience & secondary schools, theatre cannot be underestimated. Sometimes it confirms & arts centres, animal the career path that a student wishes to take. sanctuaries, hotels, travel Other times the experience may suggest that this agents, solicitors, is not the right type of work to do. Either way, the supermarkets, high street experience of finding out more about the shops and an art gallery workplace, meeting people, working as part of a team and communicating with the public all helps to inform and guide career pathways. Many of our Year 12 students also completed a three day work shadowing placement after their AS examinations with equal success. We are very grateful to Education Business Partnership Kent who ‘risk assess’ all of the placements and provide the important support and guidance about health and safety. It will not be long before current Year 10 students will begin to arrange their placements for next summer - this is a good time to start thinking about what you would like to do.
A SAD FAREWELL Miss Cork is leaving MGGS at the end of this term. In her time with us she has done an outstanding job in her role as the Careers and Higher Education Coordinator and played a major part in supporting all our students. We wish her every happiness and success for the future. Mr Harris Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2013 2013 | Page | Page 1717
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award DofE Bronze Expedition By Anantha Kumarvel On the 28th of June 2013, my DofE group and I began our assessed DofE Bronze expedition. The expedition involves 6 hours of project work and walking, sleeping two nights in a tent, cooking our own food using trangias and navigating our way through routes. We had been planning our route weeks beforehand and each of us were well and properly trained on using maps, route cards and tracings. After a long day of school on Friday the 28th, we were ready with packed and heavy rucksacks to begin our assessed expedition. It had been raining for almost the whole day and it was miserable and wet when we arrived! For the Friday night, each of us was allowed to bring whatever food we wanted. Our group settled for a meal of KFC, fish ‘n’ chips and pasta. It was absolutely delicious and we were in good spirits for the rest of the weekend. Once we had pitched our tent and eaten our food it was time to meet the assessor. Our assessor briefed us on all of our routes and gave us all the emergency numbers and contact details. We were very fortunate to have such a nice assessor as he gave us lots of points on what would help us and what we needed to do. The next morning everyone was very tired and half-asleep whilst trying to pack away our tents. We had a nice warm breakfast and by around 8 o’clock we were awake and raring to go. So we got ready and left but within the first two minutes our group was lost, wandering up and down a road searching for a foot path for 45 minutes which we later found out had been abolished in 1967! We had to improvise and were en route to our first checkpoint, almost 1 hour behind schedule! The rest of the day was fun-filled as we orientated our way through the course. Our route led us through multiple woods, a beautiful little field where we could see the coast of Herne Bay and a small farm, a golf course and more woods! It was a very fun day as we all got along very well and I thoroughly enjoyed our time out and about! When we returned to the campsite, we again pitched our tents and played a game of cards as we could not find any other entertainment! We cooked ourselves soup, noodles and had a nice swiss roll for dinner. We gathered up a group of students and had a brilliant game of manhunt in the campsite! This was excellent fun as we all enjoyed it but we were dead-tired the next morning! „A massive herd of cows came towards us‟ On the last day, we decided we would leave early so we could come back early. The second day was also very enjoyable as the sun was shining bright and we had nice, warm weather. Halfway through the course we got lost again as we could not find a foot path, so we again had to improvise and when we were finally on course at a farm we sat down for an early lunch just next to a fence. About 5 minutes after we sat down, a massive herd of cows came towards us. Some of us were really scared as they all just stopped what they were doing and stared at us! The farmer came out and told us about how only one cow (Annie) had a name and the rest were just called numbers! On the course of the second day we passed a burnt down car, an abandoned farm, multiple crop fields and woods. On the second half of our journey, it was beginning to get very hot and we were very grateful to see Mrs Harding and Mrs Smith with water supplies. When we finally arrived at the campsite, we were all very tired from walking with the heavy rucksacks in the heat but were very happy to be home and there was a real sense of pride in ourselves. The whole weekend was brilliant and very enjoyable. My favorite moment of the whole weekend was the hilly field we came across on the first day. It was a beautiful scene and I really enjoyed my stop there. Our group worked on our project through the course of the weekend and I was very proud and happy with ourselves at the end. I am really glad I did Bronze DofE and look forward to doing Silver next year! Group E: Anantha, Nitya, Abby and Colette
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 18
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Silver DofE Expedition By Jude Shorter For me, D of E was the best thing I have done since I started school at MGGS in 2008. It has had its lows, but equally and most importantly, I have great memories with some of my best friends which will remain with us for life... I personally found Bronze D of E really hard, not being very good at anything you need to do and everything was so new and different to me, other than put up the tent; I couldn’t even cook the pasta for dinner properly. However, I still managed to successfully complete me Bronze Award and only went onto do Silver purely so I would have done more than my sister!. Ms Starns had nothing to do with it really! I don’t know if you remember the snow we had over Easter, but I do. That was the weekend of my practice expedition for Silver D of E. It was freezing and now nothing is cold compared to that experience. Everyone was snuggled in their sleeping bags by 8.00pm doing sleeping bag exercises in an attempt to keep warm. Think sit-ups. We went to bed wearing literally all our clothing and we were still cold. The second morning of Silver expedition was the worst for everyone, as you were no closer to finishing than you had started, it seemed like you had a lifetime to go before you finished. Never the less, I persisted, and that is what DofE is all about. I was determined to complete the practice expedition even if it killed me. However, with a variety of emotions and flying about the group, many issues arose in the space of two hours of packing away leaving to us being the last ones away from camp. We did the days walk and, impressively, we were the second group back that night. The next morning, we decided to wake up at 4.30am to make sure we were not the last away. I personally didn’t think we needed to be awake quite so early, but never the less, we did. It was the last day and the teachers had warned us that this day was the hardest, mentally and physically. I personally didn’t find this, wandering along at my own pace talking at my other group members as they didn’t listen to me wittering away about anything and everything. Occasionally I burst into song with Crystal who then sung Taylor Swift every time we saw any form of livestock, I cannot fathom as to why. But we did it and had one lovely weekend off before the real expedition…
‘This was, undoubtedly, the cutest thing I had ever seen...’ For the real one (the assessed Silver expedition), we were more prepared, due to the hard practice. We knew what was coming and we prepared ourselves by taking double the amount of clothing than suggested because we knew it would be cold. The walk was no different to the practice, only a bit hillier, however one of our group members had to drop out due to an injury, leaving us with four people and where she was our main map reader, we all thought that we were not going to be able to do it. So Abi and I stepped forward and became the main map readers, anyone who knows me, knows that that is a normally a bad idea. Yet somehow, through focus and determination, we completed the three days without getting massively lost and when we went off our route, we still knew where we were, which I was very impressed at personally. The last day of our expedition was Easter Sunday and most of us just wanted to be at home indulging ourselves in our Easter eggs. But we woke up to find a small bag of mini Easter eggs in a little bag with a tag from the ‘Easter Bunny’. I got out of our tent to see who had put them there, and I saw Ms Starns, Miss Couves, Mrs Harding and Mrs Smith running about delivering these little parcels to all the D of E tents wearing rabbit ears! This was, undoubtedly, the cutest thing I had ever seen. This alone, made Silver D of E worthwhile and when we finished our last day walking in high spirits. The staff also set up a little Easter egg hunt for us at the final destination. Looking back on D of E, it has honestly been some of the best moments of my life. Yes, it seemed awful at the time but I can’t remember a bad bit about it and whenever I talk to anyone about it, I always end up laughing and making it seem like the best thing I have ever done, mainly because it was!
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2013 | Page 19
Duke of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Award MGGS DofE Unit - A Selection of Photos from this years Expeditions!
Above and Right: Bronze Participants
Right: Team Building on the Silver Training Day
Silver Participants in the sleet in Canterbury.
New DofE Supervisor Report By Mrs Harding, DofE Silver Supervisor I was at first apprehensive about exactly what I would be taking on when I was appointed as the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Supervisor at MGGS. I knew I had a passion for the award and appreciated its value to students. My own daughter successfully completed her Bronze level, but this was my only experience of DofE. I am now proud to report that I have learnt very quickly and the school has supported me fully in attaining my DofE Supervisor qualification: mini-bus driving clearance, expedition emergency medical procedures, and I have embarked on my Basic Expedition Leaders Award (BEL). Without the support of the school I would not have been so prepared for my additional role at MGGS, neither would I have been able to assist the students nor enjoy my role in the way I do. I have now experienced all types of weather on expedition from the freezing cold, snow and heavy rain on the Silver practice expedition in Canterbury this year, to the gale force winds and then hot sun during the Bronze expeditions thus far. The students have been wonderful throughout, truly inspirational and a real credit to MGGS and their parents/carers. One of the most important things for me is seeing the girls succeed in challenging situations, solving their problems and their happy faces and the true sense of achievement at the end of an expedition. I have forged brilliant relationships with the students, met some really interesting people involved with DofE and really pushed my own boundaries. Staff also camp, just like the students! I have utterly enjoyed every moment and I am now looking forward to more challenges next year! Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2013 2013 | Page | Page 2020
Duke of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Award MGGS has had a very successful season with the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We do hope that your daughter will consider taking part in 2014 and we have pleasure in detailing below the key dates that your daughter will need to keep free, as she will need to attend all of these dates in able to achieve either her Bronze or Silver. We have worked hard to identify the best times for each year group to take part in expeditions. Bronze Dates Year 10 Saturday 8th February 2014
Bronze Training day at MGGS*
Saturday 1st March 2014
Bronze Training day at MGGS*
Saturday 5th April 2014*
Bronze Training Walk in Snodland (all)
Saturday 3rd at 9am – Sunday 4th May 2014
Bronze Practice Expedition (all)
Friday 18th July pm – Sunday 20th July 2014*
Bronze Qualifying Expedition (all)
* Your daughter will need to attend one of these training sessions and we will advise you which date once we have final numbers. If you are considering booking a holiday, please also note that Friday 18 th July is the last day of term. If you are considering booking a holiday over the Easter holiday period please be aware that Saturday, 5 th April is at the start of the Easter holiday period. In addition to the above there will be fortnightly Bronze training sessions lasting approximately 1 hour from 3.30pm to 4.30pm; these will be held on Mondays after school in the Engine Room. It is compulsory that your daughter attends every session as she will need to learn the skills required to achieve her Bronze award.
Silver Dates Year 11 Saturday 25th January 2014
Silver Training Day at MGGS
Saturday 22nd March 2014
Silver Training Walk in Sevenoaks
Thursday 17th – Saturday 19th April 2014*
Silver Practice Expedition from Whitstable
Friday 27th June – Sunday 29th June 2014
Silver Qualifying Expedition from Barham
* If you are considering booking a holiday over the Easter break please be aware that Friday 18 th April is Good Friday. In addition to the above there will be weekly Silver training sessions lasting approximately 1 hour; these will be held every Wednesday after school in the Engine Room. It is compulsory that your daughter attends every session as she will need to learn additional skills to achieve her Silver award. Gold Award Year 12 Students will be advised of an initial information meeting in September. In September there will be a Bronze Award information evening for interested students in year 10 along with parents/carers. I would encourage you to come along, even if you have not yet made a decision if this opportunity is for you. We hope to be joined by the KCC DofE Team and this promises to be a very helpful introduction to DofE. I am proud to say that MGGS is one of the largest and most successful cohorts of DofE participants in the South East and I would fully encourage students to enrol. I would ask that students and parents/carers investigate what DofE is about during the summer, in order to base their decision which will be required early on in September. The DofE website is: http://www.dofe.org/ This is a real opportunity to take part in something very special and I would encourage any student to embark on the DofE route. More and more employers and universities see this type of award as a very positive indication that individuals are equipped for life and more grounded individuals.
Michelle Starns DofE Unit Leader Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 2121
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Gold in the Cold - Finland 2013 By Melissa Cooke After completing both my Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards and hugely enjoying them both it was not a difficult choice for me to decide to continue on to Gold. Once I knew that I wanted to undertake the Gold Duke of Edinburgh I also knew that I wanted it to be in a unique and exciting location. Therefore when we were offered the opportunity to complete our expedition in Finland, I jumped at the chance. After we had been accepted onto the expedition we had an initial training weekend in order to get to know the rest of the group, who had all come from different schools. We then later carried out our practice expedition to gain better knowledge of each other, the equipment we were to be using and the dangers we were to be facing. It was not really until we landed in Inari, which is located in Lapland 300km north of the Arctic Circle, that I realised how challenging the conditions were going to be. Although it had been fully explained to us beforehand, the scale of the difficulties we were to face was not apparent to me until we had arrived. Whilst we spent a lot of time training for the expedition we also took time out to experience some Finnish culture. We visited the Siida museum in order to learn about the history of the area, a husky farm on which we were able to drive the sleds and the reindeer racing championships on the frozen lake that ran through the centre of the town. We were even lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on multiple occasions. The expedition however still had to be completed. Our expedition took place in Lemmenjoki National Park and lasted for four days. The terrain was very challenging both in that the snow made it difficult to navigate as we could not use conventional footpaths and that in many places it was waist deep which made it difficult to manoeuvre both ourselves and the sledges. Despite the fact that the conditions were difficult and the days were long, both groups managed to complete and pass the expedition. I think that my expedition to Finland is worth more to me than the certificate I will get to state that I have completed my Gold Award. Duke of Edinburgh as a qualification makes you as a person much more employable as you gain key skills in teamwork and communication. However, on a more personal level I learned much about the culture of a different country and I was able to strengthen old as well as make new friendships. I would encourage anyone who is considering D of E at any level to take part. It will give you life experiences that very few other opportunities can offer.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2013 | Page 22
Duke of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Award Gold in the Cold - Finland 2013
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2013 2013 | Page | Page 2323
Rowing Club By Mrs Gilham The year 8 rowing club has taken to the water for 10 lucky students. Most of them have had the opportunity to row in quads, doubles and singles. There has been a lot to learn in a very short space of time in terms of routine, technique and terminology. They have found it challenging at times but even the heavy showers on 2 nd July did not wipe the smiles off their faces. They have all performed extremely well and the rowing instructor has commented several times on how well they listen to instructions. On Saturday 29th June we held our 125th anniversary open afternoon. The glorious sunshine allowed us to set up the rowing machines outside by the picnic area and they were very popular with our younger visitors. Thank you to everyone who came along to help out. Ella Knight, Louise Holt, Alice Munro and Ceilidh Monaghan are competing for Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club at Kingston on Sunday 14th July. Good luck to you all!
Carrying the quad down to the river
Setting off for Tovil
Lifting the boat safely from the water
Washing the boats down before storage
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2013 | Page 24
Open University Open University Modules By Mrs Owen Since 2008 MGGS has offered sixth form students the opportunity to study for an Open University module alongside their AS studies in year 12. Despite a significant increase in the fees this year, 25 students were supported through their first venture into undergraduate study. The variety of courses available now is largely limited to science based topics and includes Human Genetics and Heath Issues, Living without Oil, Galaxies, Stars and Planets, Elements of Forensic Science and The Frozen Planet. On 19th June Ms Mary Rowland, Corporate Business Manager for the Open University visited MGGS to present the students with their certificates. She remarked on how well the school promotes the OU single module scheme noting that MGGS is the largest centre in the South of England providing a fantastic opportunity for students to extend their A level studies. Mr Philip Horstrup, Head of Sixth Form, spoke of his pride and delight in the studentsâ€&#x; achievements. Charlotte Daniels who studied Understanding Human Nutrition commented “Although my OU module was not directly related to what I want to study at university I found it an enriching experience. It helped me to develop my independent learning skills and was very rewarding.â€? Charlotte is pictured below with her fellow OU scholars and Ms Rowland.
Students receiving their certificates with Ms Mary Rowland, Corporate Business Manager for the Open University together with Mrs Owen (centre) and Mr Horstrup (back centre)
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 2525
House News Firstly we would like to introduce ourselves: Bethan Cooper, “Little Miss Sporty”, Grace Ransley, “Little Miss Drama Queen” and Esme Walker, “Little Miss Arty”. We feel very privileged to have been given this opportunity of responsibility to be the new Britons House Leaders, taking over from Ross, Hannah and Kayleigh. Filling their shoes will be a hard task, but it is a challenge we are willing to accept. In addition, we would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all Britons who contributed and supported our house on Sports Day, leading us to victory for the first time in over 20 years! It has made our first task as new House Leaders very enjoyable and extra special, something which we will remember for the rest of our lives and we look forward to future events such as House Arts and inter-house rounders. Thank you to all the Britons!
Hi Guys. We are Amy, Georgia and Joe and we are the new Romans house leaders. We were really sad to see Lizzie, Pierre and Tariq leave; however we hope we can be as good house leaders as they were. Thank you to everyone that took in sports day we may not have won but we were extremely proud of everyone that took part and for your support. Also Well Done to Harriet Day for breaking the Year 10 100m record gaining us 50 house points! We are also really excited for house rounders and we have got lots of ideas lined up for house arts.
Hi there lovely Normans! We are so happy to have been selected as your new house leaders and are really looking forward to working with you all over the coming year. We are brimming with ideas and enthusiasm for house arts. We‟ve already had a glimpse of what a fantastic team we have to work with in sports day when we came first in the field events and joint second overall, an achievement we are immensely proud of. Thanks must be given to Reece for being our Olympic torch. We really enjoyed the whole day and it was a great experience for us. Betony, Courtney and Rachel.
New Viking house leaders are in town! Luke - I joined the school at the start of this academic year and have since been involved in many of the school‟s well known events such as rag week and sports day. I am a very enthusiastic person and like to think of myself as a role model to others. Sport is a passion of mine, football in particular, and I feel privileged to have been given this role by fellow students of the school. I am hoping to transfer my passion and enthusiasm into the house and make it a fun year for everyone. Abbie - I have been a student at MGGS since year 7 and have thoroughly enjoyed my many years at the school. I‟m very active and always have a smile on my face. I am looking forward to the variety of events in the upcoming year and hope to lead the Viking house to a second consecutive house cup. Jess - I‟ve been at MGGS for almost 6 years now and have always wanted to have a bigger role in the school. Being a house leader is something I am extremely proud of. This year is dance in the House Arts Cup and I hope that my experience of up to 10 years of dancing will help our house come through as house arts winners. Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 26
Food Technology Masterclass Science Specialist Status Year 10 Food Technology Masterclass By Mrs Meek On Monday 20th May our year 10 Food Technology students had the opportunity to spend the day working with Mr Peter Chapman who is a renowned local chef. This proved to be an exciting, rewarding and exhausting day for the students who, following demonstrations of each stage, made:-
Warm new potato and spinach terrine with a chorizo dressing Irish soda bread Chicken breast with a wild mushroom stuffing and a wild mushroom ragu Vegetarian alternative - chickpea and chestnut burgers Damian Allsop‟s “water” chocolate mousse
The most challenging part of the day was learning how to prepare and bone a whole chicken. After quite a bit of squealing, all the students managed to bone their chicken (some very proficiently) and then used the leg meat to stuff one of the breasts, which was then cooked and sliced for lunch and served with a delicious wild mushroom ragu. The highlight of the day for the students was making chocolate bowls using balloons which were then coated in melted chocolate – most of which burst covering Peter (or Chef as he was known for the day) in chocolate! They then made a very unusual chocolate mouse made with water rather than cream and agar agar as the setting agent. The water gives a really clean taste to the mousse and a smooth light texture. Chef tweeted a picture of one student‟s mousse (Emma Murphy) to Damien Allsop, who has now set up his chocolate production in Spain, and Damien was very impressed with her very professional looking dessert. It was a fantastic day for the students and the staff with some very important skills learnt which I hope that the students will continue to practise at home. Thank you to Peter Chapman for again spending the day with us and imparting his skills, knowledge and experience to our students.
Kate MacMahon, Bethany Randall, Sarah Karam, Briony Lovegrove, Maddison Wills, Nicola Garland, Isobel Meek and Abbie Smallwood
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2012 | Page | Page 2727
Food Technology Business Studies Economics Returns to MGGS A Level Economics returns to MGGS in September. This A level provides an exciting opportunity for students to develop their understanding of the world in which they live, and the impact the economy has upon all of us.
IFS Student Investor Challenge Do you think that if you were given ÂŁ100,000 to invest in the stock market that you could make a profit? This competition, run by the IFS, gives students a virtual ÂŁ100,000 to invest in shares in businesses that they think can give them the best return. Students compete against other teams here at school to see who the best traders are; and against teams from around the country for the chance to win a trip to New York. The competition is open to students from year 9 to year 13. More details to follow in September.
Young Enterprise 1,000,000 young people have run a real business for a year with the UK's largest enterprise education charity Under the Young Enterprise flagship Company Programme students set up and run a real firm for a year under the guidance of a business volunteer. They get practical experience of the joys and pitfalls of creating a truly functioning enterprise. This renowned programme has been running since 1963 and in that time a million 15-19 year olds have taken part. Independent research shows it helps develop key skills that enhance young peopleâ€&#x;s employability and enterprise capabilities. The company programme is open to students from year 10 to year 13. If you think that this would be something that interests you, see Mrs Hodges.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer SummerNewsletter Newsletter--July July2012 2012||Page 2013 Page27 28
News Your donations are worth more with Virgin Money Giving!
Not-for-profit = more for MGGS Development Fund Virgin Money Giving is 100% not-for-profit. In their first year, they helped charities raise £25 million – and because they‟re not-for-profit, an extra £1 million reached charities like us compared to using JustGiving. MGGS seeks to deliver an outstanding education in an outstanding environment. We are able to achieve this by the prudent use of ever diminishing funds from central Government, combined with the financial support of parents and friends of the school. The MGGS development fund is used to invest in the current and future development of the school and, more importantly, its pupils. We are enormously grateful for all gifts both large and small, for legacies, gifts in kind, as well as sponsorship and naming opportunities. MGGS is eligible to take advantage of the tax efficiencies of Gift Aid. Our Virgin Money Giving (VMG) online facility allows you to setup a regular giving programme or donate a lump sum amount. Either way, your gift can be with or without Gift Aid. VMG is a not for profit, secure fundraising portal and the most efficient form of giving. You’ll find a link to our VMG homepage on the MGGS website. Please visit to learn more about our past and current fundraising projects.
Trips and Visits The summer term is always busy with trips and visits, and this year has been no exception! Since the May half term, there have been 36 outings, ranging from sporting competitions to university taster days. There‟s an exciting range of excursions already planned for the new academic year, including a year 8 visit to Aachen‟s Christmas market, a year 9 French and culture trip to Normandy, and an AS/A Level week long trip to Berlin. Please note that electronic versions of current trip letters can be found on SIMS Learning Gateway. +Pay is the school‟s preferred method of payment for school rips, and provides a secure, easy and convenient way for parents and carers to make online payments using a credit or debit card, and to review their payment history.
Maidstone Grammar School Girls Maidstone Grammar School forfor Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 2929 Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page
PE All Stars and Rounders All Stars 7 & 8
The Year 7 & 8 All Stars have had the opportunity to experience a range of sporting activities within their extra-curricular club. Students have experienced and developed skills in traditional sports such as netball and cricket as well as new and exciting activities such as ultimate frisbee and handball. Some of the students have also been fortunate enough to have Olympic hockey bronze medallist Alex Danson lead a workshop session in skills and game-play. The All Star students have represented the school in different sporting activities and have made great progress in curriculum PE. The Year 7 All Stars competed in the Super 8s athletics competition and performed exceptionally well, placing 2nd overall from all of the schools in the Maidstone and Tonbridge and Malling partnerships. The All Star students are now looking forward to attending an ice skating trip at the end of Term 6 as an enrichment activity which will develop skills such as balance and co-ordination. The students have been an absolute pleasure to teach and I look forward to working with them next year. Mrs Cass.
All Stars 9 & 10
This year the girls have taken part in a variety of different sports to stretch and challenge their knowledge and skills. During National Sports Week they participated in pop lacrosse, stoolball and ultimate Frisbee. As a rewards trip this year for all their hard work and dedication they learnt a new skill at the Alpine Centre in Chatham. Congratulations to all of the girls: E. Brady, S. Osmond, T. Smith, M. Palmer-Pilc, K. Startup, R. Stone, H. Wallace, D. Bartlett, Z. Moyler, A. Fearon, R. Galligan, M. Gibbons, L. Morton and H. Bradford.
The girls have had an excellent year and I look forward to refining their skills and techniques next academic year.
Miss Relph Rounders Year 7
The Year7 Rounders team have had a fantastic first season at MGGS. In friendly matches they beat Invicta 4 ½ - 3 and Aylesford 7 -3 ½. On Thursday 11th July they played in the district rounders tournament. In the group stages they successfully won all matches beating St. Simon Stock 5 ½ - 4, Cornwallis 8-3 and Holmesdale 5-4 ½. They progressed through to the overall final to play against Valley Park who won their group stage. The girls were on top form with some individual brilliant bowling and batting from Megan Edwards to comfortable win the final 8-5 and take the crown of Year 7 Rounders Districts Champions! Miss Relph and Mrs Marrs are extremely proud of all players. Well done! Team: M. Edwards, L. Hammond, L. Jones, A. Tickner, G. MacMahon, E. Mitchell, J. Lock, L. Reading, C. Alner and K. Li
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 30
PE Rounders Rounders Year 8
The Year 8 rounders team have once again shown commitment and dedication throughout the season. They have played some fantastic matches with excellent performances against Valley Park, Invicta, St. Simon Stock and Aylesford. Going into the district tournament the team remained undefeated. Again some fantastic batting and efficient fielding led them to the final against Invicta which they won comfortably 6-3. District Champions! On Wednesday 5th July the team travelled to Benenden School to compete in a tournament. They played fantastically well, winning 3 games, drawing 1 and losing 1. We believe that we finished 5th overall out of twenty, mostly private schools; a brilliant achievement. The girls have not only been a credit to themselves but also a credit to the school; they are fantastic fun to be with and deserve our congratulations. Team: R.Wallace, R.Phipps, B.Palmer, S.Gibbons, L. Willacy, E. Knight, K. LeLion, M. Isaac and D. Arney.
Rounders Year 9
The U14 Rounders team have had a successful season placing well in the district competition against Year 10 teams. The highlight of their season was the Beneden U14 tournament. Here they finished third in their group of eight beating teams such as Beneden B team and Kent College. They went on to the final rounds and finished 5th overall, a fantastic achievement being one of only a few non-private schools entered. Mrs Smith
Rounders Year 10
The Year 10 rounders have once again become District Champions. The team played some fantastic matches in the District tournament beating MGGS Yr 9, Maplesden, Valley Park and Wrotham in their league. The team batted superbly hitting the gaps and kept the fielding really tight with few rounders being scored against them. MGGS outplayed every team and faced Invicta in the finals. Invicta took to the field first and played well, keeping the MGGS batting score low with only 4 rounders being scored. However, MGGS fielded brilliantly by stumping the Invicta players out and keeping the rounders scored to a minimum. Invicta struggled against the variety of bowls and close fielding, scoring only 1 & a half rounders. The Year 10 team also travelled to Benenden School to compete in a tournament, facing numerous teams that we had never played before. MGGS were the only state school in the tournament and faced some extremely strong competition in their league. The team played fantastically well, beating Beechwood and Cranbrook Schools to win their league. MGGS had qualified for the finals against the strongest teams in the competition - Walthamstow Hall and Claremont. MGGS played their best game in the tournament drawing with the eventual winners Walthamstow Hall but lost to Claremont by only 1 and a half rounders. The MGGS team came 3rd overall and should be really proud of their achievements. Congratulations should go to the following students who took part: District Champions: Harriet Day, Annys Fearon, Rosie Galligan, Madeleine Gibbons, Laura Howard, Danni King, Katie Locks, Zoe Moyler, Rebecca Pagden. Benenden Squad: Amanda Beeput, Holly Bradford, Annys Fearon, Rosie Galligan, Madeleine Gibbons, Laura Howard, Danni King, Katie Locks, Zoe Moyler, Rebecca Pagden.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 3131
PE Sports Day 2013 Sports day this year was sensational with many records broken and more people participating than ever before. It was a lovely sunny day with everyone making the most of the weather and demonstrating the MGGS team spirit.
Harriet Day - Y10 100m
Milly Isaac - Y8 Shot Putt
Bethan Cooper - Y12 Long Jump
Archery was very successful this year thanks to the Falcon Archers and Mr Cook, and Normans were the overall winners for this event. Next year we might see the new Robin Hood. Another popular event was rowing run by Mrs Gilham and special guest star Sarah Judd, a previous sports captain. Big congratulations to Esme Walker for breaking her Personal Best in the Year 12 2000m rowing race, finishing ahead of everyone else. The other winners were Tegan Gumsley-Read (Normans) in Year 7, Ceilidh Monaghan (Vikings) in Year 8, Abi Kimber (Saxons) in Year 9 and Sophie Taylor (Saxons) in Year 10. Following on from last yearâ€&#x;s magnificent opening ceremony, this yearâ€&#x;s blew it out of the water. The dance troop choreographed by Amy Thomas performed exceedingly well allowing everyone to get into the spirit of things. The flags and torches were very creative with Britons showcasing a spectacular flag in homage to the queen winning them 50 House points. The torch winners were Vikings with an impressive horned torch also winning them 50 House points. Special mention to Reece Elder and the Normans house for their brilliant interpretation of the torch. Records that were broken included, Sean Adams (Danes) winning the 100m boys with a time of 12.03s, Harriet Day (Romans) winning the Year 10 100m in 13.16s and Persia Armstrong-Russell (Britons) throwing 7.38m in the Year 7 shot putt, each gaining 50 House points.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 32
PE Department The first ever 800m for Year 12s was run this year with Jessica Kiddie, Danes House leader, winning helping to boost her Houseâ€&#x;s points up even further. Well done to every girl competing as this was a hard event. Britons house was riding on this event as this gave them the points they needed to take the Sports Day cup. We would like to thank the hard work of the PE department and MGGS staff for running all of the other athletic events. Well done to everyone who took part and to Britons for winning finally breaking Danes success streak. Bring on Sports Day 2014! Sports Captains Chloe Green, Elisabeth Morris & Holly Warmington
Athletics In athletics MGGS has experienced great success this year culminating in their clean sweep at the Maidstone District Championships at the Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford. The Junior team consisting of Year 7 and 8 students won the overall Junior Girls title and the Intermediate team consisting of Year 9 and 10 students won the overall Intermediate Girls team title. The Junior Relay team won the Relay award for their brilliant record breaking time of 57.1 seconds in the 4x100m relay final. In addition to this, Year 10 student Harriet Day was awarded the Individual Achievement award for her championship record breaking Triple Jump distance of over 10m.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 3333
Dance G-Fix Perform at The Brook Theatre, Chatham On Sunday 21st April, the MGGS dance company G-Fix travelled to the Brook Theatre Chatham to participate in the Loop Dance Company „Into the Loop‟ performance platform. Our dancers were accepted to perform two routines in the showcase which were choreographed by Lily Vincent-Frankland, Tanya Foy and Chloe Stevens. These routines were taught to the group as part of their extra-curricular dance opportunities at MGGS. This event allowed students in Years 10-13 the fantastic opportunity to perform at a professional dance venue.
Picture: Tanya Foy, Elle Arbury, Eloise Ball, Chloe Stevens, Danielle Startup The girls performed brilliantly and the event organiser commented that “They danced beautifully and were an inspiration to the other young dancers.”
Well done to all those involved! Picture: Hannah Gundry, Annabel Keppel-Palmer, Chloe Stevens, Danielle Startup, Eleanor Dench, Tanya Foy, Sinead Ferguson, Harriet Day, Emilie Saunders, Eloise Ball.
Dance Showcase On Monday 29th April MGGS presented their third annual Dance Showcase evening. The event was a great success with stunning performances from students. (Spectrum Dance Academy: Tia Faraday, Abbie Watts, Allanah Martin-Judge, Lauren Oram, Erin Dent, Bethany Mills, Maya Leagas, Elli-Ann Tebbutt, Victoria Roots, Grace Burwood, Morgan Syers, Lucy Fitzsimons, Esme Dench). The evening was a celebration of students‟ dancing ability and allowed parents and friends to celebrate students‟ excellent work. The showcase consisted of routines from talented and committed performers who regularly attend the school‟s dance clubs along with A-level Physical Education students who were assessed in Dance and performed their assessment routines. Eighty students from Year 7 to Year 13 performed at the event.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 34
Dance Picture: G-Fix Dance Company: Eleanor Dench, Hannah Gundry, Annabel Keppel-Palmer, Danielle Startup, Kayleigh Ivey, Anna Wright, Hannah Noble, Eloise Ball, Sinead Ferguson, Tanya Foy, Harriet Day, Eleanor Arbury, Isabelle Slater, Jessica Kiddie, Chloe Stevens.
Picture: Eleanor Dench, Kayleigh Ivey.
South East Dance Studios Trip
On Thursday 30th May, fifteen MGGS students travelled to the South East Dance Studios to watch a performance by the professional dance company Lila Dance. At this relatively small venue the girls were very close to the performers and commented on how „brilliant‟ and „amazing‟ and „bendy‟ they were. The story was gripping; a bittersweet tragedy that had the audience laughing one moment and on the edge of their seats the next. The students from the Spectrum dance academy at MGGS, thoroughly enjoyed the show and represented the school brilliantly with the Programme Manager commenting on how lovely it was to meet the group. (Ellie Fawcett, Hannah Gundry, Victoria Roots, Anna Wright, April Bellchambers, Grace Burwood, Bethany Mills, Morgan Syers, Emily Baker, Erin Dent, Maya Leagas, Lauren Oram, Elli-Ann Tebbutt, Tia Faraday, Abbie Watts).
South Spectrum perform at Youth Dance Event
On Saturday 6th July, the MGGS dance company Spectrum travelled to K College, Tonbridge to participate in the Cascade Dance Company „Cascade Youth Platform 2013‟ performance platform. Our dancers were accepted to perform their contemporary routine in the showcase which was choreographed by Mrs C Smith and the girls themselves. These routines were taught to the group as part of their extra-curricular dance opportunities at MGGS. This event allowed students in Years 8-9 the fantastic opportunity to perform at a professional dance venue. As part of the event the girls participated in a workshop led by International Choreographer Joss Arnett; this was greatly enjoyed by the students and allowed them to extend their dancing ability.
Picture: Allanah Martin-Judge, Abbie Watts, Erin Dent, Lucy Fitzsimons, Lauren Oram, Chelsea Read, Tia Faraday, Maya Leagas.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 35
Wimbledon Trip Wimbledon Trip 2013 On Monday 1st July, 9 of MGGSâ€&#x;s tennis stars travelled to the world famous Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club. As we left school the sun was shining and we realised we were in for a fabulous day of tennis. Once at the venue we made our way to court 2 to watch the match between David Ferrer and Ivan Dodig. Despite Ferrer taking his time to arrive on court the match was amazing; serves at 130mph, end to end rallies and outstanding net shots. The two men battled it out for a place in the next round taking most games to deuce. In the end the match was won by David Ferrer. After a trip to the strawberries and cream stand and collecting a few autographs we settled down to watch the match between Agnieszka Radwanska and Tsvetana Pironkova, which was eventually won by Radwanska. Unfortunately we had to leave at the start of the third set. But good job we did; because as we were leaving we bumped into Nick Grimshaw. It was an excellent day of tennis and made even better by the exemplary behaviour of the students that attended.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 36
Drama News Drama Workshop By Mrs Shand and Miss Johnson On Wednesday 1st May, 25 MGGS students took part in a theatre workshop run by Chickenshed Theatre Company. This was a really memorable and enriching experience for our students who worked alongside students from Five Acre Wood Special School to create a mini performance in an afternoon. The workshop was led by performing arts leaders from Chickenshed in London and members of a Kent based team who are setting up a local inclusive theatre company called Hopshed. All the girls who took part were a fantastic credit to MGGS; they participated with enthusiasm and sensitivity and many are now intending to join Hopshed Theatre Company.
Comments from some of the students: I thought it was inspiring to work with all the children and the leaders. They are a great group of people and I would love to work with them again. I highly recommend it! I thought it was just an amazing experience and I loved it. I will probably be joining the company, the leaders were so lovely and made sure you joined in. I also thought it was great how they included those with disabilities and we all mixed well; it was amazing. It was a great experience and it has helped with my drama skills. I was also fun working with all age ranges. We also held an hour and half improvisation workshop on Saturday 29 th of June for the 125th celebrations. A small, exceptionally passionate group of Year 8 and 9 students were expertly led by A level Theatre Studies students: Jessica Kiddie, Kyle Davies and Ellie Hays, in an exploration of a student‟s time at MGGS from the Second World War through to today. Using music and sound effects stimuli the 3 groups created and performed pieces of physical theatre that were original and exciting to watch. Thank you to all involved. Plans for next February‟s production are well underway and all will be revealed in September! We would like to thank and commend all our Drama students for their exceptional dedication and thought-provoking pieces they have created this academic year and their high standards of behaviour and collaboration. You have all earned your summer holiday – enjoy!
Specialist Status Activities in Design Technology The Design Technology department have continued to work with two Local primary schools this year to deliver specialist workshops in Food Technology and Product design. On the 24 th and 25th June Pupils from Roseacre and Palacewood primary schools attended workshops designing and making pizzas and gift boxes. In Food Technology they learnt skills in preparing a pizza base and a range of toppings to make two pizzas: one to eat and one to take home. The pupils were also able to use new technology software to create a design for a giftbox and keyring which was cut out using the laser cutter. Health and safety and hygiene factors were also covered on the day and the visiting pupils all commenting favourably on their experiences.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 3737
News Year 7 Enrichment Project By Hayley Atkinson 7C
In January 2013, year 7 did a project about insulation, the environment, and recycling. We had to do some research and then present our ideas in a power point presentation, a poster or both. We presented it to the rest of the class, and they decided with the teacher whose was best. I learnt a lot from this project, including that there are many types of insulation such as foam in walls. I also learnt that birds like honey coated crackers!!!! I really enjoyed this project, mainly because I like nature and recycling and science in general, but also because it was great fun to do. I enjoyed presenting in front of the class, but my favourite part was judging the other groups.
Forte This year has been one of Forte‟s busiest! We started the year by performing in the Year 7 Concert where we sang our most popular songs such as Hallelujah and Pop Medley from Young Voices 2012. Then all too soon came the Christmas Carol Concert where we sang Mrs Wood‟s arrangement of I Saw Three Ships which included a group of soloists from within the choir. After Christmas we realised that Young Voices 2013 was fast approaching. In January came the day we had all been waiting for: Young Voices at the O 2 in London! Along with thousands of other student choirs we sang our hearts out with professionals such as Connie Talbot and Randolph Matthews, and we even had the honour of joining the African Children‟s Choir in performing Sing by Gary Barlow. And now another year is almost over, but the fun hasn‟t stopped! Forte is currently recording its debut album which is a collection of all our best and most enjoyable songs from over the years. More details about the album will be released shortly and auditions for the choir will be held in September.
AS Spanish in Year 10
Starting AS Spanish in Year 9, 2 years earlier than most people, was an exciting opportunity and one I was keen to take. Having taken the Spanish GCSE this year I think my whole class felt proud of our hard work, even though we are still nervously awaiting our reading and listening results. Being put into fast track Spanish showed my classmates and I that we are talented linguists who are quick to grasp new languages as we all coped with not only taking our GCSE early, but also in one year instead of two. Although this was a daunting task at times, I enjoyed it because I could focus on my Spanish, as I didn‟t have other GCSEs at the same time. Having started AS Spanish I have not been disappointed. Although we have only taken this course for a couple of weeks we are already working at a higher level, looking at things in a different way and approaching problems differently. We started the course looking at Spanish culture and giving presentations and my group had the topic “el cine” (cinema). This helped us not only to learn more about Spanish culture but also to be more interested in what we are learning, and we are encouraged to do lots of “Aprendizage Independiente” (independent work) at home. So far I have enjoyed reading the news in Spanish and watching Alvin and The Chipmunks in Spanish (with subtitles!). In conclusion I have enjoyed the start of my AS Spanish course and even though I know I will have to work hard, I believe it will help me with my A Level courses in the future as I will have the advantage of having already taken one, which is an opportunity I feel lucky to have been given. By Chloe Mead The exciting move from KS3 to KS4 was, I have to say, a little daunting. But the leap from GCSE into AS subjects was even more so. The thought of getting an extra AS Level and to do it 2 years early was a real opportunity. Not only would I have four A Levels but I‟d be able to continue studying a subject that I was so passionate about. Unlike GCSE, the A Level course consists of four different topics with no examinations throughout the year, another advantage I have to admit. Also the new style of learning has proved to be exciting. I love the independent work that we can continue studying at home. I now have the chance to develop my learning and to expand my range of vocabulary in the comfort of my home, by watching Spanish films or reading Spanish books. The start of Term 6, after a tiring year, wasn‟t looking great. Another term, seven weeks, harder subjects ...., but it wasn‟t like that at all. This term the school has slowly introduced us into the new lessons. We have been progressing our grammar and working in groups to extend our knowledge of Spanish culture. Not only did we learn about new festivals and food, but we found out about the history behind our language and develop our understanding. The GCSE course, admittedly, was difficult but I rose to the challenge and have been predicted an A grade. This was great and I was so proud. I have to admit I was worried about the A Level course at first, but I am passionate about the subject and am unbelievably proud to have the privilege of studying AS Spanish over two years, with extra time. By Olivia Griggs
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 3838 Summer Newsletter - July 2013 | Page
Vegetable Patch Black Eyed Peas – Our Vegetable Patch Report Our science project this year was to create a vegetable garden and present our ideas to the class. We would need to include information about the vegetables – some groups, including ours, did this in the form of a booklet and power point. We approached this project with great enthusiasm which I think really helped when working on our project. We really enjoyed this project as we had the choice of making a model to go with our information. When Dr Doyle first told us about the project we had so many ideas we decided we should come up with a plan. We thought we should do the research first; however, we couldn‟t start the research as we didn‟t know what we wanted to grow, so we created a visual plan of the garden. Here is what we included: A Tree - For plants that may need less sunlight and shade for the animals in the pond. A Pond – To attract pest control animals such as frogs to eat pests such as flies. A greenhouse – For Plants that need extreme heat and light and for germinating seeds. A water butt – to collect water for our plants. A cheap and easy way to collect water. A compost bin – To put in decomposable rubbish such as egg shells and boxes. We will use the compost as a natural fertilizer. It won‟t harm any animals. And lastly a fence – to keep out rabbits that could eat our crops and other animals that could eat our frogs. Next we had to think about the vegetables. They had to be fairly easy to grow and right for the conditions in England. We chose: Beans , Peas, Pumpkins, Lettuce, Strawberries, Potatoes, Carrots and Raspberries As we didn‟t have enough time in the lesson to finish the project we divided the jobs equally in our group so we all did some research and some making. Sophie had the board at home so we decided she should make the fence and the tree as well as researching beans and carrots. Hester was to make half of the vegetables and the other objects in the garden (e.g. greenhouse) and research Peas pumpkins and raspberries. Mila made the frog, pond and the rest of the vegetables as well as researching lettuce, strawberries and potatoes. Although we knew what we were making and researching we didn‟t know how to lay the information out or how to make the vegetables. We had tried in class making them out of paper but they didn‟t look right in the garden. So at the weekend we exchanged emails and managed to decide we would make the vegetables out of play dough. This way they were easy to make and looked fairly realistic. We also decided that we would keep the objects simple so they were easy to see. To get inspiration for the objects we found a number of images off the internet and put them together. An example could be with the fence. Hester immediately thought of a mini garden border fence that people put around their garden. We could buy one and it would look really effective! We soon realized we didn‟t have the time or the money to get one. So Sophie decided she would make one. She found an image off of the web and recreated it using cardboard and paper. Once we had finished the garden and put the booklet together we practised the presentation. It didn‟t feel much like a presentation so we made a power point including all our facts, our plan and pictures. Watching everyone‟s presentation was great fun as every group had approached the project differently. We particularly liked the idea of each of the stages of the food growing that Ella‟s group had incorporated into their model. We also liked Emma‟s group with the flaps with information on. Our group was voted as one of the best presentations and chosen by the science department to repeat our presentation in front of year 8! We are very excited that we got through! Overall we had a fantastic time making our gardens and producing a presentation. We worked really well as a group all of us did an equal amount of the work and we produced something great!
The Black Eyed Peas: Mila Laurenson 8A, Sophie Gibbons 8A and Hester Shaw 8A Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 39
News A view from the English corridor Reading has been an important part of my life from a very young age and will continue to be for many years to come. Sadly, there are far too many people who once found reading exciting but now seldom indulge in a good book, instead preferring to turn instead to technology for their entertainment and information. Yet books have values that technology would struggle to replicate. One of the many reasons that books are so important is for the development of language skills. With each book new words and phrases are discovered, culminating in a more articulate speaking and writing style. The ability to describe your thoughts precisely is invaluable in situations such as interviews and job applications as well as being useful in a social sense. The increased vocabulary can also make it easier to write creatively. Although reading is often a solitary practice, it can help to engage readers socially as books can be a good starting point for conversation. Also, emotional intelligence can be increased through reading. If we are as readers able to sympathise with a character this may make it easier to sympathise with a person or situation in real life. Whilst books have all sorts of value as far as self improvement is concerned, ultimately the main reason you should take up reading is because it is enjoyable. To be able to submerge ourselves in fictional worlds and not have to worry about the trials and tribulations of modern day life is the foremost reason that reading is so important. I would encourage everyone to try to read a book this summer. For more on the importance of books I would suggest „Fahrenheit 451‟ by Ray Bradbury. Two more contemporary books that I would recommend are „The Fault in Our Stars‟ by John Green and „Wonder‟ by R.J Palacio. A good historical read is „The Book Thief‟ by Markus Zusak, one of my personal favourite books. For older readers I suggest „The Art of Fielding‟ by Chad Harbach - this is the best book I have read so far this year. Summer is the perfect time to read a more classic book such as J.D Salinger‟s „The Catcher in the Rye‟ or Margret Atwood‟s „The Handmaid‟s Tale‟. Whatever the book you read this summer, contemporary or classic, I hope that you see the value it holds but most of all I hope that you enjoy it.
Melissa Cooke English Prefect
In Year Transfers to MGGS We have held admission testing days for years 8 to 10 over the last year and have had several successful students join MGGS through this testing process. We also cater for late access into year 7. If you have any interest in future testing dates for siblings, or have friends moving into the area, please telephone the school for advice. There are a few limited spaces available.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 40
Head Students Head Students By Elliot, Honor, Jo, Megan and Molly After the rigorous process of being selected for MGGS' new head students, we are so excited for the year to come. The application, interview and presentation were all daunting at first, but it was worthwhile to be selected. So far, we have had two major duties, first of which was the new Year 7 parentsâ€&#x; information evening, which eased us into the regular duties of a head student and gave us the opportunity to work together to make visitors welcome in our school. Molly was chosen to speak at the Mayor making ceremony; she found this a good chance to congratulate the Mayor, promote the school and practise her public speaking. Now we are looking into prom venues and thinking up ideas for Rag Week 2013 which we hope will be as incredible as last year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the previous head students for their extensive help and support. We enjoyed making cupcakes for them before our hand over assembly, which not only added a personal touch, but gave us time to get to know each other better. We understand that the year ahead will be challenging, but with our optimistic outlook, team work and help from our peers, we are sure that we can make it an enjoyable and memorable final year at MGGS. We hope you all have a relaxing and well deserved summer holiday.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter - July - July 2012 2013 | Page | Page 4141
Oxford University Trip Raising Aspirations - Oxford University Trip In May, ten Year 10 students had the opportunity to visit St Hugh‟s College, Oxford. The purpose was to encourage students to think that going to Oxford, or indeed Cambridge, is a real possibility for them in the future. It was a chance to see an Oxford College and to find out what life is like there for undergraduates. This is what our students said: “Four current students at St Hugh‟s gave us an overview of their experiences in different subjects, followed by the chance for us to bombard them with our questions! ” “We briefly visited other colleges, stunned by the scenery and the buildings. In particular, the trip to Oxford was useful as it enabled us to gain a taste of its general atmosphere and spirit.” “St Hugh‟s College seemed like a brilliant place that I hope to study at in the future. There are certain systems put in place that only places like Oxford offer, like tutorials where you write an essay on your given topic, and the expert in your field will offer advice on it and talk through the subject.” “When looking around St Hugh‟s, it was made clear to me that there was a strong sense of community in the college, just by the way the students interacted with each other. I think this is due to the college system, as there are only a small number of students in each college...I think St Hugh‟s offers great opportunities to its students and it carries with it a sense of home and tradition. We saw students going to exams in sub fusc, which was voted in by the students, so I feel this clearly displays tradition. I think that I would like to study at Oxford in the future. We also got to see other colleges, and I think that any of these would offer amazing opportunities to anyone considering studying at Oxford.” “I think that visiting St Hugh‟s College was very beneficial for me because it gave me a broader understanding of university life and the steps you can take to get there. I thought that the introduction talk at the beginning of the day was especially helpful as it allowed me to gain more information about the whole application and interview process .... I also thought that the facilities, community spirit and grounds at the college were lovely - everything that a student would hope for in a university.”
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 4242 Summer Newsletter - July 2013 | Page
Careers
Civil Engineering Talk By Becky Foxell, 12M
On 25th July an outside speaker, Adrian Chandler (a civil engineer for natural disasters) came to talk to a group of year 12 students thinking about studying engineering and also one textiles student- me. In the talk Adrian Chandler gave an insight into the world of civil engineering and how people like himself help others by constructing buildings to help withstand the force of a natural disaster. He explained all the possible areas of civil engineering: the water resources, structure, transportation, materials, environmental issues, urban planning, geo-technology and construction processes that go into making a withstandable building. Using previous natural disasters he explained how civil engineers have developed new technologies to help prevent the same levels of destruction occurring again. There were also discussions about the geography behind the natural disasters and he explained how the geography coincides with civil engineering. We were also shown some staggering figures about the cost of repair after natural disaster. Above all his message was that a civil engineers main priority is the social aspect of natural disasters, as at the end of the day his job comes down to how he can help save peopleâ€&#x;s lives when tragedy strikes. This social message was the reason why I was in the room. As part of my textiles A2 project I have decided to create a clothing kit for survivors, specifically orphans after a natural disaster. Although the link between a civil engineer for natural disasters and an A-level student studying textiles isnâ€&#x;t immediately obvious it is the social issues behind the natural disasters that is our common interest. I found the talk beneficial to my textiles course as it provided me with a greater insight into natural disasters and the social issues surrounding these tragedies. I also know that the year 12 students who are interested in studying engineering found this talk inspirational and helpful in pursuing their future careers.
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Summer Newsletter - July 2012 | Page 43
Art Exhibition Art Exhibition 2013 The Art department held the annual exhibition of artwork on Tuesday, 2 nd July this year. The work displayed celebrated the achievements of students in years 11, 12 and 13 and a lovely evening was had by all who attended. Our special guest for the evening was Deputy Mayor Richard Thick and Rachel Ashenden in year 12 gave him and his wife a special tour around the exhibition. Our judges for the prizes this year were Carole Robson, Louise Francis and Laura Knight. Carole Robson is a local artist who uses the Kent countryside as inspiration for her watercolour and mixed media pieces. Louise Francis and Laura Knight organise a variety of arts events in the county and provide links between artists and the community.
The Junior Art Prize was awarded to Georgia Heath. The judges commented upon her use of colour and expression within her work.
Left: The Senior Graphic Prize was awarded to Harriet Kelly (year 13) and the judges were extremely impressed by the quality of her illustrative skills.
Maidstone Maidstone Grammar Grammar School School forfor Girls Girls
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MGGS Art Exhibition 2013
The Art department held the annual exhibition of artwork on Tuesday, 2nd July this year. Bethany Colley was awarded the Senior Art prize, her work photographed above. All judges praised her considerable skills and the excellence she achieved within her drawing and painting.
MAIDSTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Buckland Road Maidstone Kent ME16 0SF Tel: 01622 752103 Email: central@mggs.org Fax: 01622 681947 Website: www.mggs.org