This week would have marked the end of the public examinations, so we have said a heartfelt “see you soon” to our Year 13 students. We’re not ready to say goodbye yet, having sadly missed many of the leavers’ events that were planned. However, as outlined in a letter to parents and students this week, the school is making plans to ensure there are some celebratory events in the near future to ensure this year group of fantastic students has the send-off they deserve! We are in the final stages of proofing the Yearbook which we hope to distribute on Results Day (Thursday 13th August). We look forward to seeing students on that day and will share further information regarding this in due course. We are also asking students to ‘save the date’! We hope to make sure that our Speech Day event on the evening of Monday 14th December 2020 is one to remember!

You haven’t heard the last of us, Year 13, and we hope the feeling is mutual! In the meantime, though, we wish you health and happiness in the coming months as you prepare for whatever is next. Thank you for all you have done for our school – once MGGS, always MGGS!

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This week at MGGS we have continued to see small groups of Year 10 and Year 12 in school. It has been very hot and students have continued to work hard for the lessons they have received.

We are delighted to invite each Year 7, 8 and 9 form groups into school for a one-off 90 minute session between 29th June to 10th July. Each form group will be split into 3 smaller groups, and have a PSHE style session. Please see the ParentMail information for full details.

Staff have a special video message for all students, parents and carers. We hope you enjoy it! MGGS Summer 2020 (lockdown special!)

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We have some scrubs that we’d like to donate; perhaps dentists or other care workers might be in need of them? We have the following available, all in black made from 65/35 polycotton (perfect for this weather!): Large x 6, Medium x 2, Small x 4.

Please email to indicate your interest via central@mggs.org

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The 8th July 2020 is World Oceans Day and the theme for this year is #ProtectOurHome. The #MGGS Geography department decided to celebrate this day by creating a competition for our Year 7 and 8 students, creating something to inspire us to #ProtectOurHome. We asked students to be as creative as they could be and we have been amazed by their entries. There were so many amazing pieces of artwork, poems, posters and videos that we have put together a video to show some of them. Well done Year 7 and 8 Geographers; we are very proud of your hard work!

Video can be found here:- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zJnnPx0CCz4cgOVTC8Ao11gCqi_4b_Gv/view?usp=sharing

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On Wednesday 1st June Years 7, 8 & 9 took part in a Wellbeing Day. Students undertook a range of activities based on personal wellbeing, physical wellbeing and making connections. Among the activities on offer were baking, making hair scrunchies, meditation, dance, mindfulness, sport, journaling and many more.

Here are some of the activities on offer if you want to try them out yourself!

• Gingerbread People
• Scrunchie
• 17 minute Rainbow Yoga
• 10 Minute ‘Calm’ meditations
• Mindfulness colouring

Also in the afternoon session, as the annual trip to Waterstones with Year 7 could not happen this year, all of the year group were invited to choose a book from the Amazon website as a gift from MGGS. We hope that you enjoy your choice, Year 7, and we look forward to giving you your book when you return in the new academic year!

*Gingerbread People by Daisy D in Year 8 and scrunchies by Madeline Brown in Year 7 – good work girls!

In the afternoon, students were able to have online conversations with members of their form and their tutor about their general wellbeing, their experience of lockdown, and also to review the day.

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Current Year 12 and 13 students and staff have been planning for our first ever virtual Sixth Form Induction event next Wednesday. We are looking forward to welcoming students into our Sixth Form community from home, and sharing experiences with those who will join us in the Autumn. We are obviously very sad not to be able to meet with students face to face this Summer, but we hope that Year 11 and our external offer holders enjoy what we have prepared and make contact with us during the day. Look out for more information in your inbox on Wednesday morning!

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During the last few weeks the new House Leaders have been setting challenges for students across the school, providing a much-valued opportunity to keep earning precious house points in the quest for the coveted House Cup! This week we celebrated the winners of the MGGS House Bake Off. The overall winners, judged by our Head Students, were Maddie W (Y11 Romans) in third place with a Lotus Biscoff cake, Millie R E (Y10 Danes) in second place with a beautiful Unicorn cake, and Isabella H A (Y8 Vikings) in first place with a Black Forest Gâteau. It is such a shame we couldn’t try them, but we are sure they were enjoyed at home! Thank you to everyone who took part and to the House Leaders and Head Students for coordinating and judging this fantastic event. It is really great to be able to do something together as a community, even while apart (and to earn house points at the same time!).

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We are very pleased to present a special lockdown edition of the MFL magazine, in which our contributors share their thoughts on lockdown as well as what they have been doing in recent months to occupy themselves. The MFL department would like to take the opportunity to thank all the students who have contributed to the MFL magazine this year, with particular thanks to the editorial team (also known as the MFL Subject Prefects), Rashmi K, Isobel R and Anna C, for their stellar efforts over the last year. We wish you all the very best for the future!

https://issuu.com/mggs/docs/mfl_lockdown_mini-magazine

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Around this time every year, the Art Department put on an exhibition in the school celebrating the work of our GCSE and A level students who have just finished their courses. Obviously, this year it has had to be cancelled due to the school’s partial closure, but we thought it would be remiss of us not to celebrate their work, so here is the exhibition in a virtual form. We hope you enjoy it and can join us in congratulating this year’s cohort on creating some beautiful artwork.

https://issuu.com/mggs/docs/2020_gcse_and_a-level_exhibition

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It has been very good to welcome small numbers of Key Stage 3 students into school this week, as well as Year 10 and Year 12 students. As has been widely announced the Government has issued guidance that all students will return to school at the start of the school year in September. We will be publishing detailed information for parents/carers and students before the end of term on how we will be looking to facilitate this, whilst continuing to ensure the school remains a safe working environment for all.

We have a large number of items that were left in lockers when we were required to close at short notice, together with items of lost property. These are currently in the school gym. If students left items in school, they need to arrange a time (preferably when they are already due to be in school) to collect these items before the end of this academic year.

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Big O notation is a fundamental tool used in Computer Science to compare algorithms. This webinar will use Python to explore what is meant by complexity and Big O notation, why it is important and how to find the Big O notation for algorithms.

Isaac Computer Science booster events are for A level students who either want to revise A Level Computer Science or are less familiar with the material and want a primer. Each session focuses on a different Computer Science topic and gives students the understanding and confidence to use the concepts involved during their studies. For more information and to book your place go to https://isaaccomputerscience.org/events/20200716_booster_westsuffolkcollege

Isaac are running a series of online seminars for A-Level Computer Science students. See the full programme here: https://isaaccomputerscience.org/events

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MGGS has a fantastic relationship with Queens’ College, Cambridge outreach team, and this week we were delighted to welcome Maria to speak with our students about personal statement writing. We were obviously unable to do this in person this year, but instead twenty students joined Miss Hodges and Mrs Ransom on a Google Meet to hear Maria’s expert advice. The session was fantastic, offering lots of hints and tips and generally encouraging students to get started and practise talking about their passion! Our thanks to Maria and Queens’ for their ongoing support of our students, and to the students who attended and so bravely participated!

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We are so proud of our DofE students here at MGGS. Today we received an email from The Award Scheme notifying us of the exceptional figures for the overall hours that they have collectively given to the local community. An outstanding 3,341 hours with a social value of £14,533.35.  This is an amazing result, well done to each and every one of you.

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Please use this week as a time to complete any remaining tasks that are set by your teachers, reflect on learning that you have completed in term 6, organise work ready for Year 11 and ensure you are in a position to have a rest during the summer holidays. Please use this time wisely, be productive and remember to ask for help if you need it.

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Each year the Trust for Sustainable Living runs an essay competition which the Geography department at MGGS has students enter. In this year’s essay competition students had to write an essay of 600 words under the title ‘My vision: Partnerships for a sustainable future’. This year, students from 146 different schools in 43 countries took part with MGGS being one of 5 UK schools that entered. Students worked very hard on their essays and we are proud to announce that the following 6 students gained ‘Honorable Mentions’ from the judges:- Bethan KP, Ellen P, Erin E, Evie M, Iris O and Lauren M, all in year 10. We then had 2 year 10 students:- Holly A and Rebecca P who were finalists, with Holly A gaining tenth place overall!

Holly A was also chosen by TSL to take part in their debate this year. She was the only student to take part from the UK and she had to work with students from a range of different countries to put together a presentation on a topic provided by TSL. This year the debate had to take place virtually on 6th July and Holly had the following to say about the experience:-

On Monday I had the privilege of taking part in a TSL debate. Around two weeks before the debate, I ‘met’ my teammates, who were from all over the world. We frequently contacted each other over Zoom in the weeks leading up to the debate to discuss our argument, which was “global partnerships are more important than local ones in order to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals”. It was quite difficult to find a good time to call on Zoom as the time difference between two of our team members was 13 hours! At the start we were all nervous but then we soon got to know each other and spent our Zoom calls preparing our video and arguments. On the day, we had one last preparation meeting before the debate. We were all very nervous, but overall it was an incredible experience. I feel honoured to have participated in such an amazing event and have met such extraordinary people from all over the world.

We are pleased to announce that Holly’s Team won their debate and the video they created to accompany the debate can be viewed here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcRrF1NyGvs&t=1s

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On 3rd July, 33 students attended the live Medical in Action Online event. Students heard from medics from a wide range of specialties and at various stages in their careers. We discovered the life of a doctor, uncovered incredible scientific and technological breakthroughs that have enabled transformation of healthcare, and discussed the ethical and societal issues that the next generation of medics will encounter.

We learnt how to stop a heart attack, and what cardiologists actually do, and found out why cardiology is a great specialty in medicine and how we should care for the heart. We also looked at what makes us healthy and how economic and social conditions influence the health status of children both at home and abroad.

We had an inspirational journey through the work of surgeon and oncologist Tim Underwood and discovered his route to and through medicine, giving us a day in the life of a surgeon with cutting edge research allowing better detection and improved prognosis for oesophageal cancer patients.

A fantastic event full of very insightful case studies and life stories!

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There is an exciting conference happening on the 14th July for all students from ages 11+.

Join in with Big Bang Digital 2020 – science, engineering & Covid-19 and celebrate the amazing work of scientists and engineers in a pandemic.

– Take an inspirational, uplifting look at the amazing work of scientists and engineers in a pandemic. We’ll be celebrating their achievements, looking at the challenges, innovation and collaboration and exploring some upsides to lockdown. Meet the inspirational scientists, healthcare professionals, engineers, technicians and students who have been doing incredible things while we’ve been staying at home.

– Hear from the people using their skills and experience to fight Covid-19 on the frontline, to keep things moving, keep the lights on and keep food in the shops. Discover how people have been supporting the environment and promoting wellbeing.

It is a free conference with live streaming and you are welcome to dip in and out as much as you would like. Get involved on the day with interactive polls, live Q&A sessions with guests and associated activities – there are even prizes to be won!

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With information shared this week about plans for results day, we want to remind students and parents/carers in Year 13 that we are still here to offer support and advice on next steps. We have been delighted to hear from a number of students and their families about their confirmed plans so far, which include places at a range of universities, gap years and some very impressive apprenticeships. However, if you’re still concerned (for yourself or your daughter/son) please do get in touch.

Money Box Live on Radio 4 this Wednesday was focused on discussion around the question “Should I go to university this year?”. This might be a useful listen for anyone who is feeling unsure. Find it on BBC Sounds here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000kpvm

The show features a representative from the National Careers Service (https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/) – they are available for online chat and over the telephone advice from 8am to 10pm, 7 days per week for anyone over the age of 13.

Many universities are also offering advice. The University of Essex have contacted us with the following information – they are hosting a webinar for parents/carers of Y13 students as detailed below:

We know the transition to university comes with a lot of questions and COVID-19 has caused disruption and uncertainty amongst students and families around the world. We would be delighted for you to join us to learn more about helping your students prepare for their next steps. We’ll offer information, advice and guidance on everything from preparing for results day to accommodation, finance and what to expect in Autumn 2020. We will welcome questions, to ensure we can provide the information your family needs to make informed decisions and feel confident in supporting your student in their academic journey.

When: Monday 20 July 2020 at 10am & 5pm BST
The live session will be repeated at both 10am and 5pm BST, so you can join us at the time most suitable for you.
How: Click here to register your place!

Students thinking about using Clearing or Adjustment for university choices (or who just want to find out more about what these are!) might like to look at this Prezi from Cardiff University: https://prezi.com/view/6sCzghfSUblipsGL06hy/.

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On Wednesday our prospective Year 12 students participated in a range of activities organised by our Sixth Form Management Team and Student Leaders. It was absolutely fantastic to see that students had been watching the videos, reading the stories and interacting with us via an MGGS Quiz and ‘getting to know you’ Google Form. Our Head Students also enjoyed chatting to both internal and external offer holders over email and remain available if you have any questions, concerns or simply just want to chat about Sixth Form life.

We were obviously devastated not to be able to invite you into school this week, but we have been really pleased by the engagement in our virtual resources, and we have lots planned for September to ensure everyone can settle in and put their best foot forward as they start Key Stage 5. Don’t forget the Transition Work on the website at https://www.mggs.org/our-school/sixth-form/y12-transition-work, and we look forward to seeing you on Results and Enrolment Day! Information about enrolment has now been sent to students and please keep an eye on your inbox for further information about September next week.

Our thanks must go to the Student Leaders and Network Team for their help and technical support in running this event.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Cooper, jcooper@mggs.org.

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As we approach the last week of the academic year I want to thank all our parents and carers who have continued to support us, particularly with virtual working, during this year. I am also very grateful to the many parents who have taken the time to ensure that their daughter/son has attended school during term 6. It is pleasing to report that we have had a significantly high percentage of students in Years 10 and 12 attending lessons as well as a high turn out for the KS3 pastoral sessions. All of this will help ensure the best possible start to the new academic year in September.

Letters to parents will follow next week regarding the start of term in September. This will be followed with further guidance for students at the end of the summer holiday.

During the last week of term work will be set to conclude, summarise and complete work covered in recent weeks. As is normal for the end of the summer term we will be finishing slightly earlier at 2pm on Friday 17th July.

May I wish each family linked with MGGS a happy, safe and enjoyable summer holiday.

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