MGGS - Building for our Future

MGGS BUILDING FOR OUR FUTURE

OUR PROJECT

BUILDING FOR OUR FUTURE

Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (MGGS) has been on the Great Buckland Site since 1938 During that time, the school has developed and expanded and work has now commenced on our newest building.

The new building will give us the opportunity to replace two temporary buildings: T and N Blocks and will also house a visitor centre to enable more of our local community to experience our unique Second World War tunnels These tunnels are a key historical site within the borough of Maidstone with high demand created from the sale of over 10,000 copies of our book, A Schoolgirl’s War, detailing what school life was like at MGGS during WWII. It will enable the school to create more outdoor facilities for students, without altering the current view of the 1930s building at the front of the school.

A reconfiguration of some of our current spaces, in particular for Design Technology, will allow us to continue to offer a broad curriculum for all students. The History department, currently split across two buildings, will be located in one place. The new building will also enable the current M Block to be repurposed with a significantly enlarged canteen and more space for student services.

Science at MGGS is a strong academic subject and our new building will have five Science laboratories to replace those in T Block, which are no longer fit for purpose The new building will also have a new Music suite with, in addition to classrooms, five dedicated music practice rooms and an ensemble room. Many of our students use music to support their wellbeing, mental health and for relaxation, as well as studying Music within the curriculum

The school's motto is ‘non sibi sed omnibus'- not for one ' s self but for all. This expansion of the school will enable MGGS to support the local community by providing additional places for students from this locality, as well as proactively engaging with our community, both young and old, in the development of its visitor centre.

SCIENCE

An outcome of this project is that the school will be able to replace its current T (for temporary) block which has been in use since the 1950s and is no longer fit for purpose. Science at MGGS is a strong academic subject and our new building will have five Science laboratories to replace those in T block and ensure we can cater for additional students

MUSIC

The new building will also have a new Music suite with, in addition to classrooms, five dedicated music practice rooms and an ensemble room Many of our students use music to support their wellbeing, mental health and for relaxation, as well as studying Music within the curriculum. The new building will enable the current M block to be repurposed with a significantly enlarged canteen and more space for student services.

HISTORY

The History department, currently split across two buildings, will be located in one place Being split between different parts of the school without a shared space makes it difficult to enhance our curriculum with active History.

COMMUNITY

The school's motto is ‘non sibi sed omnibus'- not for one's self but for all This expansion of the school will enable MGGS to support the local community by providing additional places for students from this locality, as well as proactively engaging with our community, of all ages, in the development of its visitor centre.

Miss Deborah Stanley Headteacher

Thank you for considering a donation to our Building for our Future Campaign, which will make a real difference to our students' working environment, by providing state of the art Science laboratories and music rooms....

...It will also enable the wider community to engage with both the history of our school and its current students. Your support is greatly appreciated, thank you

Our Biology department is currently housed in T Block which was only meant as a temporary building back in the 1950s. Although it has had a few makeovers since, it is desperate for its new home in the new building. Alongside three new Biology laboratories there will be one Physics laboratory and one KS3 Science laboratory. Science will be able to increase the level of practical lessons they provide, ensuring students have the most enriched and rounded learning experience possible.

The new building will allow the Science department to evolve and develop into the future, aiming to use the most economical and environmentally friendly methods. Using up to date technologies we are aiming to become as close to carbon neutral as we possibly can within the new building.

SCIENCE

Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science

Edwin Hubble

MUSIC

The plan is for our music department to move to the third floor of our new building, where it will have a dedicated, purpose- built music suite. In addition to classrooms there will be a rehearsal room, practice rooms and an ensemble room It will also provide much needed storage space and just as importantly, it will mean that all music lessons will be able to take place in the same block. No more moving musical equipment around the school!

This project will provide a great boost for MGGS Music students, giving them the opportunity to be taught, rehearse and perform in specialist rooms with outstanding facilities.

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything Plato

HISTORY

The History department is looking at GRIT (see page 8) throughout history and has been working with Year 7 enrichment students to compare their experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic to those of the older generations who lived through World War Two This has involved reflecting on personal experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic and then researching life on the home front in World War 2 to identify the similarities and differences The students then created a piece of work to symbolise the comparisons. As part of this project, students have visited the school's World War 2 tunnels to get a feel for what it would be like to attend MGGS 80 years ago.

Our History Department is currently split over 2 buildings. Being split between different parts of the school without a shared space makes it difficult to enhance our curriculum with active History For example, when teaching Jack the Ripper we would love to have a shared space to create a crime scene to inspire and develop student inquisitiveness about the past. This includes combining copies of original primary sources with modern-day technology and would be accessible to all students rather than just a few classes As part of this shared space, we are hoping to create a giant timeline to enable us to explore ways of further developing students' understanding of chronology and time In the classroom, students find the concept of time in history (i.e. if a topic of study is covering 20 years or 300 years) particularly difficult to process The timeline would allow students to actively and physically follow the story of British and World History enabling them to understand how different units of study fit together and what events were happening at the same time. This will help them to to build up a more accurate picture of how the modern world came to be what it is today.

George Santayana

THE GRIT

PROJECT

Buried beneath Maidstone Grammar School for Girls lie World War 2 air-raid tunnels. First-hand accounts tell of lessons learned underground and drawings on the walls illustrate that nothing could prevent the girls from receiving their education, not even air raids or bombs Now, MGGS is creating an immersive, educational visitor centre where stories of yesteryear's adversity will be explored alongside today's tales of the Covid-19 pandemic, celebrating what both generations have in common: Growth, Resilience, Inspiration and Togetherness - to put it simply, GRIT.

Community:

We would like to involve as many of the community as possible in the GRIT Project; recording stories of World War 2 and the Covid-19 pandemic as well as making comparisons between the two. The visitor centre will also house a replica World War 2 classroom where our own ts and visitors will be able to experience a e lesson, complete with a visit to the s.

exciting project will provide learning unities for us all now as well as creating a to educate future generations

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

We are offering benefactors to the campaign the opportunity to name part of the new building in recognition of their generosity In line with our Naming Policy, the Board of Governors will endorse each ‘naming opportunity' to ensure that it is appropriate to the ethos and culture of MGGS However, every gift to the campaign will be acknowledged, gratefully received and commemorated in some way. However, please note that anonymous donations are always welcome.

Whilst larger donations are gratefully received, we appreciate that it is not possible for everyone to contribute in such a way We are extremely grateful for any contributions that you are able to make. Some alternative ways that you can help us are as follows:

If you can spare £18 88 per month or per year (£1.57 per month), please consider joining our 1888 Society.

In addition to room naming opportunities, we are offering you the chance to sponsor furniture and equipment within the rooms, with the option of a plaque to thank you for your donation

Equipment for the Science and Music departments is also available for sponsorship via the link below. If you would like more information about any of these opportunities, or you would prefer to donate to another department within the school, we would be very happy to discuss options with you. Please contact Mrs Lila Brewer at dto@mggs.org

GOLD - Donate at least £18 88 per month to the MGGS Development Trust and receive:

The MGGS Development Trust badge Free, priority seating at all MGGS productions VIP school tour with refreshments

SILVER - Donate at least £18 88 per year to the MGGS Development Trust and receive:

The MGGS Development Trust badge VIP school tour with refreshments

All donations made through The MGGS 1888 Society will go towards future school developments, including the Building for our Future Campaign

If you would like to make a donation, please scan the QR code to reach our donation page!

or visit the link below:

www.mggs.ptly.uk/donate

Development Trust Office

Maidstone Grammar School for Girls

Buckland Road Maidstone ME16 0SF

Telephone: 01622 752103

Email: dto@mggs org

Registered Charity No 1141948