GCSE Results Day 2023

24 August 2023

Maidstone Grammar School is delighted to announce an excellent set of GCSE results this year.  43% of all subject grades were graded 7 to 9, 25% of all subject grades were graded 8/9 and 95% of students gained five 9 to 4 grades including English and Mathematics.  27 students out of a year group of 208 achieved at least eight grades at Level 8 or higher, with 15 students achieving at least a Level 8 in ten of their subjects.  One student did outstandingly well achieving a Level 9 in every one of their subjects.

Mark Tomkins, headteacher, commented that ‘the School is delighted that the students have performed so well considering the many challenges that they experienced during the pandemic.  We are immensely proud of the achievements of Year 11, which is a result of a combination of hard work by the students and dedicated staff’.

Click here to read our full table of results.

17 August 2023

Maidstone Grammar School is delighted to announce an excellent set of A Level examination results. 61% of all grades were graded A*- B, 29% of all grades were graded A* – A, and 37 students achieved at least three A grades or better. Particular recognition must go to the four students who gained three A* grades and the one student who gained four A* grades.

The excellent performance across the School means that many of the students have achieved their university offers.

Headteacher Mark Tomkins commented that ‘these excellent grades represent the enormous and collective efforts put in by both students and staff following a year of uncertainly considering the year group did not sit their GCSE examinations two years ago.’

Click here to read our full table of results.

By Taylor Smithers, Year 12, College House

Last month from the 18^th April to the 21^st April, Year 12 geography students ventured South West to Swanage in Dorset with the main aim of completing data collection to help construct our coursework.

Here’s a run down of what our week entailed:

Day 1 — Tuesday:

A gruelling 6:15 am meet at Mote Park Leisure Centre came as a shock for most as we prepared for the long journey to begin soon after at 6:30. The coach journey was slightly relieved by an hour break at a services before it resumed as we made our way to our first destination – Boscombe beach. At Boscombe we met with the Leeson House staff and began to gather an insight of how the following days would pan out. Initially we got the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque beach enlightened by the positive weather, eventually we trekked towards the seemingly lifeless high-street where we began to conduct some human geography data collection. After wandering around Boscombe by our guide and main tutor, Matt, we returned to the coach to complete our journey to Leeson House, taking just under an hour as we passed the impressive properties that inhabit Sandbanks before passing Poole Harbour on a small ferry. Once we had arrived at Leeson House we started to settle in going through the tedious process of unloading luggage and being directed into rooms. It was from there where we got a formal introduction and welcoming to the premises, where we were soon shown to one of the classrooms situated on site to learn more about our objectives of the week and how things would be structured. This was to be followed by dinner in the evening, which for sake of trying to put a good image on Leeson House I’m not going to comment any further…

Day 2 — Wednesday:

Our first full day at Swanage began with another early start, which was soon to be the norm for us all. Breakfast was consumed and it was soon time to make our way to Studland Bay so we could learn about how to use the data collection equipment appropriately to measure sand dune profiles. Our next stop was to Swanage Bay where contrastingly there are no sand dunes present, but we conducted practice on measuring the beach profiles in between different groynes taking a stratified approach to sampling. After completion, we headed back to Leeson House for the remainder of our evening, in which we had to make some important decisions about how we would structure our coursework and what data we were planning to collect from either Swanage or Studland. Myself, as well as the majority of the group opted for Swanage, and more specifically, the physical data collection concerning beach profiles, groyne measurements and measurements of longshore drift. This preparation in the evening enabled us to plan out the most important day of the trip; the following day which concerned the construction of the essential basis of our coursework.

Day 3 — Thursday:

As previously mentioned this day was extremely important for us all to capitalise on, to ensure we could gather a variety of data to perform analysis on within our coursework. We wasted no time hanging around in the morning as we headed straight to our desired location to gather the required data. The weather was vibrant and the vast bay of Swanage was impacted upon aggressive waves contrasting to its usual conditions expected, due to its geographical positioning. Aware of the challenge ahead of us we all began to start our data collection focusing on a range of different measurements (mentioned previously) which unsurprisingly ended up taking a long period of time. However, despite this task at hand we all managed to accumulate valid results after enduring the rigorous process involved in collecting some of these measurements — especially when reviewing the North and South side of multiple groynes, whilst battling against the incoming tide. A well earned rest was needed as we headed back to Leeson House to review the data we had collected and later write it up into table formats, or other appropriate research displays. Onwards into the evening, we all ensured some  relaxation and went on to enjoy our last night at the residence, prepared for a slightly more chilled day to follow.

Day 4 — Friday:

Our final day in Dorset had arrived quicker than we imagined, but we made no rush to hit the road back home to Maidstone. Our experiences weren’t finished just yet as we travelled towards Durdle Door, gradually descending down the steep gradient to get a better view of the geographical arch and pristine beach below us. Soon after witnessing the sites Durdle Door had to offer, we advanced to Lulworth Cove where many more geological features were present, surrounding the tiny West Lulworth village. We took the time to enjoy the local village and the holy triple scoop ice cream they had to offer (which we were all desperately flocking towards). Unfortunately, time creeped upon us and and we made our way to the coach to embark on our journey home to Mote Park, rounding off a remarkable week in Dorset.

By Sebastian J, Year 9 College House

On Saturday 8th April, 42 students and 5 teachers arrived at MGS for our skiing trip. We subsequently boarded the coach and left for Italy. When we reached Dover, there was still time to stop off at a service station on the docks. The whole journey took around 16 hours, and we stopped for breakfast on the way there, at about 8am on Easter Sunday!

We arrived in Aosta Valley at about lunchtime and went to our rooms to get unpacked. There were four people to a room, and the hotel was nice. We then went out to rent the skis, boots, and poles before returning to the hotel for dinner and bed.

The next day, we were up at 7am, and got dressed and had breakfast, then left for the ski hire at 8:30am. We collected our equipment before going up the mountain in a gondola. There were five groups. On the mountain for the first two days, it was warmer than back in England! After 5 hours of skiing and a bite of lunch, we returned to the accommodation, having returned our equipment. We showered and ate dinner, then went bowling. There was also an arcade, which was in popular use among all the students. We returned to the hotel, and most of us went to sleep quickly.

The following day, we had another 5 hours of skiing, and in the evening, we went to a nice restaurant in the centre of Aosta, where we had plenty of delicious pizza.

The day after, we skied once more for 5 hours, and, in the evening, we had dinner in the hotel as usual, then had a quiz in the breakfast room, which was great fun, featuring several rounds, one of which concerned Italy. I learnt that the start of a Marvel film was filmed in Aosta valley!

The next day was our last full day skiing, and there was an awards ceremony at the end. The ski instructors came down to give certificates based on skill level and achievements, once more from 1 to 5, each level having merit or distinction available as well. This was followed by awards from teachers, for each group, in addition to awards such as “best bowler”, reminiscent of the bowling that we had done on Monday. In the evening, we packed all our bags ready for the trip back, and went to the supermarket to stock up on supplies (i.e. water and an inordinate quantity of sugary snacks).

On the last day, we had between 3-4 hours of skiing, and then went to the hotel and had an early dinner at 3:30pm, having loaded up the coach with our bags and hand luggage. Straight after dinner, we were back on the coach, on our way out of the Alps, with an incredible view of Mont Blanc. The next morning, we had a (very) early breakfast on the ferry, with bacon rolls and croissants, and orange juice. At about 8am that morning, we arrived back at MGS, after an incredible, rewarding experience skiing in Italy.

By Luca M, Year 10, Corpus Christi House

In the first week of Easter break, a group of students from Years 9 to 13 embarked on a trip to Greece for 5 days to explore the sites of importance for the ancient Greeks, and absorb the great amounts of culture these places had to offer. But, it was so much more than that. Let me give you a breakdown of this excursion, and the fun we had.

First, we had to start at the heart of Greece, Athens. Unfortunately, a dreary 9 hour wait at Heathrow airport following our flight being cancelled, with only a vanilla milkshake from cafe Nero to make it all better, meant we did not arrive until the evening. The next morning we headed out and visited the Acropolis museum where we saw some assorted pots and votive offerings to the goddess Athena, as well as architectural sculpture from the Parthenon on display. Our lunch consisted of us having a pretty decent souvlaki, and an ice cream that blew my socks off. In the afternoon, we saw the most important site of all, the Parthenon and the Acropolis. For those of us who had studied this significant site for GCSE classical civilisation, it really helped in truly appreciating the statement of power the ancient Athenians were trying to make in constructing a vast and highly ornate temple overlooking the bay of Salamis where they had defeated the Persians.

After our whistle-stop tour of Athens we boarded the coach for our next destination – Delphi. The travel between sites was stunning. Over the 5 days we drove along coastlines, through valleys packed with olive trees and around winding mountain passes. Everywhere we the views of Greece’s natural beauty was a feast for the eyes. Despite the journeys being long, there was much conviviality on the coach; a mixture of pre-downloaded films, guessing games and the occasional nap passed the time. At Delphi, we got to see the ‘omphalos’ (belly-button) of the world, the location of the ancient oracle and more beautiful views over a quiet and leafy mountain range. The museum was very busy and the room stewards were rather stressed, but we were able to catch a glimpse of some archaic statues, the impressive bronze statue of the Delphic charioteer and more pots for good measure. A personal highlight of the trip was our lunch stop at the picturesque village of Galaxidi where we were welcomed into restaurants to indulge in more souvlaki, while I imagined my life there.

Our third stop was Olympia. We took an evening “volta” along our hotel’s boulevard, where all manner of souvenirs were purchased including a rather expensive Greek hoplite helmet (absolute stunner), a novelty T-shirt and a lot of honey. In the morning we began our excursion the site of the temple of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, of which one column is still standing. Very nice. A great race was held in the ancient stadium and on this occasion, nobody was made to pay for the Zanes (statues of Zeus funded by cheats!). Then, we paid a visit to its museum, which consisted of, you guessed it, more pots, but also some amazing sculptures we had studied for GCSE classics that took my breath away. Following an impromptu visit to the museum of the history of the Olympic Games, we returned to the centre of town for another souvlaki for lunch, followed by ice creams. We then boarded the coach for Hotel Tolo where the group stayed right next to the sea for 2 days, a truly scenic location (even though the whole high street had been dug up!).

On our penultimate day, we visited Mycenae. We spent the time admiring the ancient city where we looked down on some incredibly fertile land in the alluvial floodplain. The Lion gate stood to amaze, and so did the tholos tombs, which we were able to enter but smelt of damp. Then, the museum. Short and snappy, we saw two swords kept in amazing condition and lots of gold…and pots! Next, we headed to a theatre, which had been modified by the Romans and onwards to lunch for the final souvlaki and ice cream by the sea (undefeated combo). We finished the day at one of the best sites of the trip, the theatre at Epidaurus, where the acoustics were so accurate, you could hear a penny-drop from 15 meters away.

Next morning, (our final day) we began the demanding walk up the citadel of Acrocorinth, where unrivalled views were enjoyed, across both the Peloponnese and Attica from this singular spot, joined by the Isthmus of Corinth, the sea shining blue under the baking morning sun.

Overall, the trip was amazing: incredible cultural remains, good food accompanying the stunning views, and good company to share it all. This trip comes highly recommended!

On Friday 17th of February, 40 lucky students in Years 7 and 8 set off from school to Heathrow Airport. We  were going to Italy, to visit Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum, furthering our knowledge of Roman civilisation and seeing some Italian culture as well. We were all so grateful for the opportunity and had an amazing time. 

On Saturday morning, we travelled to the other side of the bay, with our eyes set on the towering Mt Vesuvius. First on the itinerary was walking up to the crater, because only then could we understand the area that Vesuvius destroyed and would destroy if such a violent eruption occurred today. I think it made us realise the magnitude of the impact if the volcano erupted in such a way again and helped us in understanding what the residents of Pompeii and Herculaneum experienced in 79 AD.

In the afternoon, after Vesuvius, we entered the ancient town of Pompeii. We had all studied this in Latin lessons, but although we had seen the photos it was so interesting to see everything in real life. As close to what those in Pompeii would have seen, as possible. We saw some amazingly preserved buildings, including the house of Caecilius (who the first Latin textbook follows), an amazingly well preserved house known as the house of the faun and many others. However, some of the most impressive things we saw were structures like the theatre and the temple of Isis because it gives so much more of an insight into the lives of Romans 2000 years ago. We all really enjoyed Pompeii because it felt like a moment of history that was frozen when the volcano erupted.

The next day we visited Herculaneum. Herculaneum was a more residential town compared to the industrial, busy Pompeii. It was affected by the volcano, however it was impacted in a very different was. Pompeii was crushed by the ash and pumice, whereas Herculaneum was destroyed by the lava. The lava cooled off very quickly and as a result some wood was left charred instead of totally destroyed. There were also more more wall paintings – depicting Roman and Greek myths, the theatre or simply floral and decorative patterns – which really characterised some of the houses. We got to see amazing statues and also saw and discussed the remnants of those who tried to shelter from the volcano in the boathouse as it was an important part of history. We all really enjoyed Herculaneum as we got to see how houses and homes would have looked like 1,944 years ago.

Another amazing experience we had was visiting a virtual reality museum. None of the staff had visited before so it was new to all of us, however we would all recommend it. Firstly, we were plunged into 79AD when the volcano was erupting. The film took us to through the streets and up to the volcano when lava was bubbling in the crater and a large cloud of ash started to emerge. Many of us in Year 8 (who had translated the story when Vesuvius erupted) were taken aback at how violent the eruption was and how distressing it must have been having nowhere to go, where you could truly be safe. It was eye-opening, because you thought of the real people who had died praying to the Gods, instead of characters in a story. We also got to see an amazing exhibition, which had many videos to watch, QR codes to scan and information to read. We found out about how the architects excavated Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as some of the finds that have been most influential in our perception of Roman culture. One of these finds was the “House of the Tragic Poet”. It was one of the most richly decorated houses in Pompeii. Its name originated from a mosaic of a theatre rehearsal by a choir of satyrs, and it also had many frescos (wall paintings) depicting scenes like Ariadne being abandoned by Theseus.

On the Monday morning, before we travelled back to England in the afternoon, we visited many amazing places. We went down a ancient tunnel that was considered as an entrance way to the underworld. We discussed many Roman Myths about the heroes who had entered the underworld, including Heracles/Hercules, Theseus and the man who Romulus and Remus (the founders of Rome) descended from, Aeneas. We also got to visit one of the best preserved amphitheatres in the area, which was in Cuma. We got to go below the amphitheater, into where wild beasts and gladiators were kept before a fight. Our last event of the trip was visiting the Naples National Archaeological Museum. We saw amazing wall paintings, mosaics and statues, many of which were from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Thank you so much to all the staff, tour guides and hotel staff. We had such a brilliant time and are so lucky to have the opportunity of such an experience.

Henry M (Year 8 College House)