E-weekly Issue 261 - 21 March 2024

Farewell from Jonathan

Dear Parents, Staff and Cornelians,

Today is my final day at Mayfield. As many of you know I arrived last April to help out at a difficult time in the school’s history. We have spoken on many occasions about Miss Beary and her legacy; once again I would like to pay tribute to all that she achieved through her dedication and love of the school.

Mayfield is without doubt the most joyous school on earth! And as I write I can hear the cheers of the girls as they enter the final assembly of the term, celebrating Muck Up Day. Mrs Bligh and the senior leadership team take over on the 1^st April and I cannot speak highly enough of Mrs Bligh and her senior team. Indeed, the whole staff, both inside and outside the classroom, are extraordinarily dedicated to enhancing the lives of the girls. I pay tribute to them all and thank them all for their support over the past year.

And finally, to parents and Old Cornelians: your support of this school will ensure that the school continues to thrive despite a sometimes difficult political environment.

I hope to keep in touch with Mayfield over the coming years and hear of the School’s continuing success. In the meantime, with very best wishes,

Jonathan Forster

Welcome from Deborah Bligh

What a wonderful final week of term we have had! A real highlight has been our visit from Dr Lin Zi , Master of Blue on White porcelain, kindly introduced to us by OC Amber Lei. Many a girl and some parents enjoyed master classes from Dr Lin.

Our week commenced with a heartwarming rewards assembly, where we celebrated the outstanding achievements of our girls. It was a privilege to award Bracken with our inaugural Cornelian Values award—a ‘Joy’ enamel pin, symbolising one of the seven values our students strive to embody throughout their time here. Many students also reached significant milestones, earning silver, gold, and platinum stars for their house points achievements.

The Scholars' Evening proved to be a resounding success, showcasing the diverse talents and endeavours of our students. Actress Kathryn Pogson's keynote speech left us all feeling inspired and motivated.

Tuesday saw Bakhita House raise an incredible amount for charity whilst having enormous fun at the expense of some 'good sports' amongst the staff body - I am sure you have been told all about it! In the evening, Dr. Weddle's enlightening talk on Mayfield's history preceded an uplifting Spring Concert.

On Wednesday, staff held a 'thank you and a fond farewell' to Jonathan Forster who I am sure you will agree has been a wonderful support to Mayfield and who I know will continue to champion the work of the school and remain a friend of our community.

Thursday rounded off proceedings with a very imaginative year 13 Muck Up Day and Inter-House Drama.

I wish all of our students a restful and rejuvenating break over Easter. I will write at the beginning of the new term with my vision for Mayfield as I embark upon my first term as Headmistress. Rest assured, I intend to cherish all that is special and unique about Mayfield whilst ensuring that we continue to flourish and secure only the very best outcome for every girl.

With my very best wishes for a peaceful Easter break,

Deborah Bligh

Dance Show

Last week saw our annual Dance Show take place, with each show a sell out! It was fantastic to see so many different styles of dance represented in the show, with Commercial, K-pop, Ballet, African, Jazz, Chinese and Contemporary. There really was something for everyone. The Musical Theatre dances from the workshops led by Kirsty Ingram and Lewis Starr were spectacular, showcasing the amazing talent we have within the school, followed by the diverse range of pieces choreographed by our regular visiting teachers, Anita Gunn and The Catherine Bellinger School of Dance. Many of the girls choreographed their own dances and worked with Miss Clark to style their lighting. The standard of performance was incredibly high this year and all the dancers must be commended and congratulated for their hard work, and commitment to the show. The whole PE department were as usual, blown away, and cannot wait to see what next year’s show looks like!

​For those who were unable to attend, a recording will be made available to watch next term and we would like to thank all the parents and guardians who came to watch for their support.

Finally, a big thank you to Sophie in Year 13 for the amazing photos!

Scholars' Dinner

Mayfield Scholars enjoyed an inspiring evening at their annual dinner this week, during which they were able to appreciate the achievements of their peers in all the different scholarship areas including music, drama, sport, riding, art and academic, as Sixth Form Scholars gave updates on the highlights of the year from their respective areas, providing a really impressive overview of their collective achievements. Frances in Year 9 gave a beautiful performance of Schubert's ‘Sonatina in D major’ and the cast of 'The Addams Family' revived their performance of 'Happy Sad' to great applause. Ionna & Mabel in Year 11 gave a stunning and extremely moving performance of an extract from ‘Antigone’ by Sophocles, while Cosima in Year 13 presented her EPQ project, ‘Does gendered language lead to gender inequality?’ The Mayfield Festival of Ideas was also celebrated in a short film made by Katie in Year 12 and Echo in Year 13. 

The presentations were rounded off with a talk by our keynote speaker Kathy Pogson. Kathy, an award-winning English film and stage actress, who appeared in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film Brazil amongst many other films, plays and TV shows in a long and successful career, gave a truly inspiring talk to the girls about her life and the importance of 'finding your bliss', a fantastic message that left us all - scholars, staff and parents - feeling motivated and full of positivity.

The scholars' year is not yet over and we are looking forward to another Scholars' Tea in April, further meetings of Scholars' Society, the launch of the Oxbridge Discussion Club, receiving entries for the 150th Anniversary Competition and a three-day Model United Nations conference at the Royal Hospital School in Ipswich.

Kasia Kilvington, Director of Scholars

Oak Knoll Visit

Following some of our Year 12 students visiting Oak Knoll School last October, for the past two weeks, five girls from Oak Knoll School in New Jersey have been visiting Mayfield as part of their Year 12 exchange programme. Immersed in the rich history and vibrant culture of England, their experience was nothing short of exhilarating.

The group visited the iconic Battle Abbey and Hastings, where the girls gained a deeper understanding of England's past and its enduring influence on the present. Their exploration continued as they ventured to the original St. Leonard's School site, founded by Cornelia Connelly. With two trips arranged to London, one taking in the capital’s iconic landmarks, exhibitions at the Science Museum and the collections of the V&A Museum, the second to visit the lively Covent Garden and some shopping!

The girls also dedicated time to attend A-Level lessons and A1 and A2 activities at Mayfield, broadening their horizons in a new educational environment and delivering an assembly to some of our pupils. They got to see both the Dance show and our Spring Concert and even experienced their first ever ‘Muck up’ day.

As the girls prepare to bid farewell to Mayfield and return home, they carry with them a treasure trove of memories and experiences; the bonds of friendship and learning forged during their time in Mayfield hopefully will stay with them into the future – they have already been planning their 10 year reunion!

The exchange programme between Oak Knoll School and Mayfield is a testament to the enduring bond of the Holy Child Network of schools. Led by Mrs. Fletcher, alongside Mrs. Mull from Oak Knoll, it serves as a beacon of collaboration, enriching the lives of students on both sides of the Atlantic.

If you have a daughter in Year 11 and would like her to be considered for next year’s exchange with Oak Knoll, please click on the link below to take you to the letter previously sent out:

Letter re Oak Knoll exchange

Bakhita Charity Day

This week Bakhita House raised over £1,000 for Maggie's on their Charity Day. The house raised money by remembering the 600 mile journey Bakhita herself made on foot when she was only a child, by placing loose coins around a map detailing her journey. Further funds were raised by hosting various activities including a mufti day, a 'name the pig' competition and a homemade cake and jam sale. A big thank you from Bakhita House to everyone who contributed.

Inter-House Drama

Today we rounded off the term with the annual Inter House Drama competition. The girls were set the challenging task of creating a 10-15 minute performance telling the life story of their House name's sake - Assisi, Avila, Bakhita & Stein. We were treated to four carefully constructed devised performances which were judged by visiting actor, Josephine Rogers. Prizes were awarded in the following categories:

• Best overall drama production - Stein
• Best overall performer - Janie (Year 7)
• Best costume - Assisi
• Best Lighting & Sound - Bakhita
• Best programme - Avila

Well done to all the cast and crew from all Houses who really showed the wealth of talent that we have at Mayfield!

Maths Feast

On Wednesday we were delighted to host the AMSP’s Maths Feast. It is a fun educational challenge for Year 10 students which tests problem-solving and teamwork skills. Teams of four students test their maths skills with an all-you-can-eat feast of problems! Teams from Mayfield were joined by teams from Beacon Academy, Skinners School, Tonbridge School, The Judd School, Uckfield College, Skinners Kent Academy and Bede’s.

Questions for Round 1 were modelled on TV quiz shows such as ‘House of Games’ and the ‘1% Club’. Round 2 was a Calculator Cross-Number where teams worked in pairs on either the across or down clues. Maths-Hatters was the theme for Round 3 which comprised of seven logic questions. In Round 4 students were challenged to make a Rhombic Dodecahedra.

The Judd School scored the most points followed by Tonbridge and Uckfield. Mayfield girls were delighted to receive a prize for scoring the highest points in Rounds 3 and 4.

Andrianna Demetriou, Teacher of Maths

DofE Presentation

Congratulations to our latest DofE Award Holders who received their certificates and DofE badge at Monday's Presentation Assembly.

Bronze DofE Award - Alex H, Gabrielle, Anna H, Eleanor, Annalise, Holly, Ava, Sarah, Skye

Silver DofE Award- Eleanor, Cordelia (Year 11), Phoebe (Year 12), Abigail (Year 13)

Gold DofE Award - Isabel  (OC)

Between these 14 girls, nearly 350 hours was spent volunteering in a wide range of activities such as helping in charity shops, coaching younger children, assisting at school mass, helping at Park Run and litter picking. Nearly 400 hours were spent on learning new and/or improving physical activities such as tennis, ballet, badminton, horse riding and climbing. An equal amount of hours - 400 hours - were spent on learning new and/or improving skills like dressmaking, cooking, instrument playing and coding. 

A special mention to Isabel whose Gold DofE Award was approved last month by the DofE HQ. She is eagerly awaiting her invitation to a Gold DofE Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace. Everyone at Mayfield is very proud of your achievements.

Mary Saunders, DofE Manager

The Week in Sport

U18 Football
The U18 Football team faced Buckswood on Monday for their last game of the season. See below for a student perspective and see SOCS for a fuller match report.

“On Monday we travelled to Buckswood to play a first XI football match. All the girls were extremely excited to have the opportunity to play . We had a great intensity and played very impressively throughout. The first half saw some great game play and link up play towards goal. In the second half the same intensity was shown as we tried to get that goal, and in the final minute we were rewarded; after some excellent teamwork  carrying the ball up the pitch, Siena slotted the ball into the bottom corner, resulting in a 1-0 win.

I was very proud of the effort that the girls gave and the enthusiasm. As for the Year 13s and Ines, it was our last game and I am so happy we were able to get the win. I’m so proud of you all, well done girls !!!!”  Harriet, Y13

Netball Triangular
We finished the season off with a long but fun journey over to Seaford College for the annual triangular against Seaford and Worth. The three teams played some lovely Netball and the results were as follows

1sts v Worth- Won, 1sts v Seaford- Lost
2nd v Worth- Won, 2nd v Seaford- Lost
3rd v Worth-Lost, 3rds v Seaford- Lost

The final standings: Seaford 6 points, Mayfield 2 points, Worth 1 point

A special mention must go to our Year 13 Leavers for their amazing contribution to Mayfield Netball over the years; we are so grateful for all they have done.

Maria, Lizzie, Rachel, Bella, Emma, Rachel, and Esme - a huge THANK YOU for your dedication to the Mayfield Netball teams. You will be missed!

Year 9 Glass & Ceramics Club

Year 9 students in the glass and ceramics club have been exploring a variety of techniques, from pottery wheel throwing to creating stunning stained glass window pieces!

Emily Taylor, Ceramics

Making Noise in Music!

This term the girls have had lots of fun making music in the department. In Year 8 the girls have been learning about Samba drumming and its origins before having a go and creating their own bateria ensemble and bringing Samba to Mayfield. Whilst the Year 9s have been creating their own cover songs, some learning new skills and some showcasing their hidden talents.

It has been a fun term in the music department and I look forward to seeing what they produce next term!

Lynette Le Riche, Teacher of Music

Leeds House Vision Boards

Last Saturday, the boarders in Leeds House took part enthusiastically in a 'Vision Board' afternoon activity, bringing to life their dreams and future goals using a collage of images and inspiring words taken from magazines.

Easter Activities in Gabs

For our last weekend in house before the end of term, we had an Easter themed activity that doubled as an edible treat! We assembled Easter Tomb Biscuits. Some looked a little more like tombs than others, as some girls could not quite resist the temptation of chocolate eggs!

Saturday night saw our termly House leadership Activity. After filling up on popcorn, lemonade and muffins, the girls all competed in a Kahoot! quiz written by the leadership team. There were questions on topics such as music, Easter, world flags and general knowledge, and everyone laughed a lot.

Sunday was a more relaxed day, with Brunch, before packing for the Easter break.

Mrs Helen Lavery, Assistant Housemistress

Year 9 Day of Recollection

Reflections from the recent Year 9 Day of Recollection:

“This year’s day of recollection was an amazing learning experience and a time of peace and reflection which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were many fun activities, but my favourite was making the mud bricks and having the wild nettle and garlic soup. The ‘capture the flag’ game was very fun too, and I hope that we do another day of recollection day like this again”. Hester

“The day of recollection was really enjoyable, it was filled with many fun things to do such as mud brick making for bees, foraging for wild food, ‘capture the flag’ game, and some philosophical questions to discuss. We were focusing on the word ‘integrity’ as that is Year 9’s Cornelian principle this year, and I feel I learned more about what integrity actually is. My favourite activity was the foraging in nature, as I never knew that there could be quite so much flavour next to our feet! I really hope that we do another day like this in the future”. Pippa

Culinary Skills - Easter Treats!

It has been an Easter themed series of lessons in Food and Nut this week!

• Year 12 Culinary Skills girls opted for decorated red velvet cupcakes for their Easter themed practical.
• Year 8 and 9 have made Easter cupcakes (very impressive in 55 minute lessons!)
• Middle School Club opted for either summery strawberry scones with cream or "hot cross" cookies.
• Year 10 have focussed on Food Science in their lessons this half term, so we finished the term with lemon meringue thumbprint cookies, which demonstrates a variety of food science concepts ... shortening, coagulation, gelatinisation, denaturation, aeration and caramelisation!

Happy Easter!

Mrs Sue Smeaton, Head of Food and Nutrition

Book your PLACE

Sport Next Term

Please note that after the easter holidays our main sports become Cricket, Athletics and Tennis. Please ensure the girls have hats, suncream and water bottles with them for PE.  Any tennis racket or cricket kit should be named before being brought into school. Thank you.

Early Season Fixtures and Events

• Thursday 18th April - U15A Cricket vs Bede’s
• Saturday 20th April - U13 & U15 Cricket workshops - open to all in each age group, see SOCS for further details
• Saturday 20th April - Athletics at Hurst
• Tuesday 23rd April - U14A Cricket vs Bede’s
• Saturday 27th April - 1st, U15A, B, C Cricket vs Eastbourne College
• Saturday 27th April - Athletics in Eastbourne

Eating Disorder Training

As part of our ongoing staff training, we have an external speaker, Caroline Drummond-Smith from Zest Health Coaching coming into school on Monday 22nd April at 16:45 to deliver training on disordered eating.

We are happy to offer this out to any parents who would like to join. If you are interested, please email Katie Towers at ktowers@mayfieldgirls.org to let her know you would like to attend.