E-weekly Issue 262 - 19 April 2024

Welcome

It was wonderful to welcome the students back this week. I have led 'welcome back' assemblies to all students and it was particularly lovely to introduce our new Prefect Team. These incredible young women provided their first act of service by presenting a £700 cheque to the CEO of Warming Up the Homeless, money we raised during our Live Simply Days. It is so important for students to see the impact of living out our motto 'Actions not Words.'

I have been impressed with how well students have settled back to their studies, enrichment activities and of course friendships, while I've been particularly pleased with how well year 12 have approached their summer exams.

I am looking forward to meeting with some of you next week, either in person or online. I mentioned these informal social events in my recent letter to parents and guardians, but if you haven't responded yet and would like to attend, please let us know using the form below:

Meet the Headmistress

I hope you all have a restful weekend.

Warm regards,
Deborah Bligh, Headmistress

Ski Trip

We took 43 Mayfield girls to Italy for this year's ski trip. It was a fantastic week, where the girls completed five full days of skiing in the Dolomites. It was a joy to watch them in action and see how they progressed and faced their fears over the course of the week. As well as the skiing, the girls kept themselves busy with some quiz and games evenings, as well as a cinema night and many trips to the supermarket. Well done to everyone who truly made the most of what the week had to offer. It was a wonderful experience and we are already looking forward to next year! Finally, a big shoutout must go to the staff members for getting involved and making it such a special trip for our girls: Miss Starr, Mr Ferguson, Miss Gilpin, Miss Ruival and Mr Downing. 

Miss Jones

Business Studies Competition Success

Pippa, Kseniia and Julia, Year 12 Business Studies students, are taking part in a worldwide simulation business competition.

‘Teams can take on the challenge of running virtual companies in the Travel Agency Revas Business Simulation Game. They make realistic managerial decisions and solve lifelike business problems in the areas of investments, HR, marketing, sales and finance.’

In the first round, they came second out of 24 schools managing an online virtual travel agent and will therefore move onto the next stages of the competition. Congratulations ladies!

Ania Cox, Head of Economics and Business Studies

History Trip to London

On Thursday, Year 10 Historians set out with Mr Meek and Mr Ferguson on a most excellent adventure into the past. Building upon our unit on Elizabethan England, we delved into the government's official archives in a very educational workshop. Alongside seeing the actual documents from Elizabeth herself, we were treated to see the famous Tidal Letter from Elizabeth to her sister Mary. It has been valued at £24 million pounds, so needless to say, we were very careful. After a very quick lunch, it was on to Westminster Palace after a lovely little drive through central London. The girls were particularly impressed to see the Coronation Chair and to stand on the very ground where a young Elizabeth I stood on the day of her coronation.

"It was amazing. It's really different to stand in the spot rather than just read about it in books."

Leeds House Welcomes Visiting Students

This week, Leeds House welcomed a group of Thai students who are studying at Mayfield for the summer term. They found a common language in dance with our girls from Spain, as they taught each other their national dances.

Petra Kotesovska, Housemistress

Brianna’s Football Triumph

On Sunday 7^th April, Brianna played in the FA Merit Kent County Cup Final at the Gallagher Stadium in Maidstone and her team, Langton Green, were victorious against Rising Stars.

Brianna scored two goals and assisted one as well; the final score was 4-1 with Brianna being awarded Player of the Match for all her efforts!

As part of the team profiles shared in the programmes available on the day, her Langton Green coaches said the following about Brianna:
“Another newcomer for the 23/24 season and one who has added a different dimension to our attacking play. Frighteningly quick and with natural talent on the ball, Brianna can score from anywhere.”

Well done Brianna!

Emilia’s Ski Success

Emilia has finished her first U14 ski season on a high. Having qualified for the British Championships back in January, skiing a personal best in the Anglo Scottish Cup held in Les Crosets, Switzerland, Emilia was targeting a top 20 finish at the British Championships in Tignes over Easter.

After the races were postponed and, in some cases, cancelled due to poor conditions, Emilia kicked off her week with a super slalom performance, placing 16th over the two runs in the U14 girls category. Unfortunately, she crashed out in her first run of the giant slalom course but was given the opportunity to forerun the U16 race the following day, where she acquitted herself admirably, completing both runs.

Given that the field includes several international racers and a number of girls who train in the mountains for the full season, we are very proud of her performance. Well done Emilia!

News From the Learning Support Department

Recently I was fortunate to attend an inspiring course on Inference Training and I am now using this training when helping our girls develop their reading comprehension skills.

In addition to working with students in their Learning Support lessons, I have set up a reading group where we are practising the skills required to be an active reader. The girls are being encouraged to be detectives in their approach. When meeting a piece of text they make predictions, suggesting what the text might be about and use their background knowledge to say what they already know about the topic. We then identify any difficult words or phrases and use a range of strategies to work out the meaning. We have lots of chat and fun, and the sessions are accompanied by sweet treats to keep us going!

If you would like your daughter to be considered for this reading group, please do not hesitate to contact me at mcurran@mayfieldgirls.org

Ms Maria Curran, Learning Support Teacher

Mayfield Festival of Music & Arts

Well, there is no doubt about which is the hot ticket at this year’s Mayfield Festival. The concert by The London Community Gospel Choir on Saturday 4^th May sold out about two weeks ago, although at the suggestion of the Choir themselves, an additional 30 seats on the tiered seating behind the stage have been created. An option to transfer to these additional seats is being provided to existing ticket holders for one week only and if any are left at the expiry of that period, they will go on general sale on Friday 19^th April (as will seats vacated by transferring ticket holders). So, if you do not already have a ticket to see this outstanding musical group and want to be part of the audience you will have to be quick!

Also selling fast is the Festival’s closing concert on Sunday 12^th May, which features the double delights of Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Elgar’s Cello Concerto. This event is of particular significance to the Mayfield School community because as well as being dedicated to the memory of Antonia Beary, the concert features the school’s Schola Cantorum, who will be performing the Messa di Gloria in conjunction with the Mayfield Festival Choir and Ripieno Players.

The school chapel will be hosting a concert by one of the world’s leading interpreters of the baroque repertoire, Rachel Podger (described by The Times as “… the unsurpassed British glory of the baroque violin”), who will be performing works by some of the principal originators of solo composition for the baroque violin (including, of course, J. S. Bach). Many of the compositions that Rachel will be performing on Tuesday 7^th May feature on her album Tutta Sola, awarded the title of Recording of the Year in 2023 by BBC Music Magazine.

The school also plays host to a talk on Mayfield’s medieval great hall (which is now the school chapel) on Saturday 27^th April, Liz Grand’s one woman play about the life of Enid Blyton on Thursday 9^th May, a recital by pianist Martin Roscoe and horn player Richard Watkins on Friday 3^rd May, a lunchtime concert given by students at the school on Wednesday 8^th May and the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition, which runs as part of the Festival from Wednesday 1^st May to Sunday 5^th May, when the finals will be held in the concert hall. 

But the most important thing is that all but one of the events being held during the Festival are free to attend for students at the school (the exception is Gin and Phonic, which is over-18s only). Bookings can be made using the booking methods described below and selecting a ‘25 and under’ ticket (except for Macbeth, where the specific ‘Mayfield Girls’ option should be selected). 

News From the Library

Welcome back to the summer term full of reading. We have had new fiction and non-fiction books arrive for both libraries that are now available to borrow. These are some highlights from Main School:

The Simpsons and their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh is a tongue-in-cheek look at the hidden maths within episodes of The Simpsons. A great read for fans of maths and The Simpsons alike.

If you are seeking answers to more global questions, How Women Can Save the Planet by Anne Karpf is both informative and positive.

Following his visit to Mayfield just before Easter and for the quizzers out there, you can borrow Bobby Seagull and Eric Monkman's The Monkman and Seagull Quiz Book.

Re-written and modern twists on ancient myths are very popular in fiction generally, and YA fiction is no exception. Recent additions to the main library are The Boy Lost in the Maze by Joseph Coelho (shortlisted for the Carnegie 2024 Award), Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai and Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald.

Book your PLACE

Mayfield Climate Action Event

We are hosting an event organised by Mayfield Climate Action on Monday 22^nd April at 4:45pm in the Concert Hall. This is aimed at students and adults, so parents and other local people have been invited. There will also  be some local schools attending.

A talk will be delivered by Matt Whittaker (CEO Pro-Bono Economics) entitled 'From Quantity to Quality: Targeting Happiness and Sustainability Instead of Growth at All Costs', and we will be launching this year's Mayfield Climate Action Schools Competition which has a £100 prize. You may remember that one of our students, Annabel, won this last year. The talk should be interesting to all who have an interest the environment, Geography, Economics and Ethics.

If your daughter wishes to attend the talk, they should email me directly and use the QR code on the event poster to sign up. If non-students wish to attend, there is no need to email me, just use the QR code which will register your attendance with Mayfield Climate Action.

Please see below the poster advertising the schools competition. If you would like to find out more information about this, please do get in touch with me.

Mr Christopher Adams, Head of Geography

Sports News

The PE Department would like to welcome you all to the summer term. We are very much looking forward to our girls getting involved this term, during which we have fixtures in cricket, athletics and tennis. Please make sure that all students have the correct kit with them, particularly hardball cricket kit if appropriate, tennis rackets, hats, sun cream and water bottles.

Cricket Workshop
Please be aware that we have our U13 and U15 cricket workshops this Saturday 20th April at 9:30-11:30am. If your daughter is keen to participate and has not currently signed up to attend then please do feel free to send them along.

Upcoming Fixtures and Events
Saturday 20^th April - Hurst Athletics
Saturday 20^th April - Cricket Workshop
Tuesday 23^rd April - U15 Cricket vs Bedes
Saturday 27^th April - Eastbourne College Block
Saturday 27^th April - Diamond League Athletics

We look forward to seeing what the summer term can bring in sport and wish all the girls in every competition the best of luck! Long may the lovely weather last.

Ronan’s Reflection

'On Easter Day'
"On Easter Day the lilies bloom,
Triumphant, risen from their tomb;
Their bulbs have undergone rebirth,
Born from the silence of the earth
Symbolically, to tell all men
That Christ, the Saviour, lives again.
The angels, pure and white as they,
Have come and rolled the stone away
And with the lifting of the stone,
The shadow of the cross is gone!"
—June Masters Bacher

Mass on Sunday is at 11:30am, and on Tuesday at 6pm. All are welcome to attend.

New Dining Hall Layout

This week, the Catering Department launched the ‘new look’ dining room layout.

Where previously students choose their hot selection first before moving onto the salad bar, we have switched it around, placing the salad bar first. This enables and encourages students to choose healthy salad items first, and means that, by taking their hot selection last, it will still be hot for them to eat once sat down. We have also changed the display of the salad bar from side-by-side uniform dishes to a variety of serving dishes and plates.  This not only looks more appetising but is helping to stop cross contamination.

We have introduced a ‘water infusion jar’ with infusions such as watermelon and mint, lemon and cucumber and mango and pineapple, with the hope of encouraging the non-water drinkers to try something a little less boring. This has already proved to be very popular! Finally, we moved around the tables and chairs to allow more room to move around the dining room. Monday lunchtime was met with ‘oh’s and ah’s from the girls as they entered the dining room, all showing their excitement on seeing the salad bar and all trying at least one of the salads to go with their hot main course.

We hope that this will make for a more pleasurable dining experience.

From the School Shop

Welcome back to Mayfield for the summer term.

Sunscreen
In anticipation of some warmer weather hopefully arriving soon, we do carry a limited amount of sunscreen (30 or 50 SPF) and some after sun lotion. There are also navy sport caps and sweat bands featuring the Mayfield logo for those of you who would like them.

Lost Property
Please see below pictures of lost property. The items in the first two photos are un-named and are situated on the shelf outside the school shop. The items in the third picture are being held inside the school shop – please collect from there. All items have been previously emailed to students and were correct as of Thursday morning.

Exams
Revision aids are available in the school shop as well as clear pencil cases, maths sets, calculators, pens, etc. If you think there is something we can carry in the school shop that will assist you at this time, please email sbowles@mayfieldgirls.org with your ideas.

Regarding all purchases from the school shop, please remember to have the bill payer’s permission.

Boyfriend Shirts and Pyjama Bottoms

For those that ordered the striped pyjamas with the Mayfield waistband, they should arrive in the next 1-2 weeks. We will then re-order them, so if you missed the last order round you will have another opportunity! See below the colours available in the pyjama bottoms and boyfriend shirts and the size charts for both. Please email me your order, including the item, colour and size required, and make sure you have the bill payer’s permission first.  These take approximately six weeks to make and cost £30 each.

Mrs Susan Bowles, School Shop Manager

Please note: not all colours may be available and are dependent on a minimum order.

Be Crowned Mayfield's May Queen 2024

Would you like to be our village May Queen for this year?

Enter the draw and if you are chosen, you will have the opportunity to represent our village as the May Queen at this year's Mayfair event. Crowning will take place at the Mayfair on Saturday 11^th May. Anyone who wishes to be entered into the draw should pop into Hair Studio in Mayfield High Street to get your free ticket. Tickets will be available from Wednesday 17^th April and the draw will take place on Monday 29^th April.

The winner will become May Queen of Mayfield village 2024 and will be able to have their hair styled by Hair Studio for the event. If you have any questions please contact nmorson@mayfieldgirls.org.

OCs Running London Marathon for Miss Beary

Remembering the legacy that our foundress Cornelia Connelly left behind when she passed away 145 years ago this week, ‘Actions Not Words’ is never more prevalent with OCs Alice Reynolds and Caroline Cardozo running the London Marathon this weekend in memory of our former Headmistress, Antonia Beary.

Please support Alice and Caroline and give generously to the wonderful and worthwhile cause of Maggie’s, a charity that provides free expert care and support to those living with cancer and their loved ones in centres across the UK and online.

Donate here