E-weekly Issue 274 - 13 September 2024

Welcome

It has been wonderful to see the girls settling into their clubs and enrichment activities this week. I especially enjoyed listening to our Year 7s try out a range of instruments during their 'Rare Beasts' afternoon yesterday. Other highlights included hosting an afternoon tea for our 200+ House Points Award winners from the summer term and hearing how well the year has started for them, as well as attending the first Prefect’s Supper of the academic year. Our prefects, a group of inspiring young women, wowed everyone in assembly this week as they shared their plans for the coming year.

With great excitement, we will welcome Olympian gold medalist Emily Craig back to school on Wednesday next week. Emily will be speaking to all scholars and members of our first and second sports teams. She will also be launching a new fitness challenge for the school during PE lessons for Years 7 and 8. Perhaps most excitingly, Emily will officially open our new wellbeing centre, 'Raph’s', with all students and staff in attendance. We are thrilled that Emily has agreed to do this, as I’m sure you’ll agree, she is a fantastic role model.

Parental Tours of the Wellbeing Centre
We warmly invite parents to tour Raph’s from Monday 23^rd September to Thursday 26^th September, anytime from 4:30 - 6:00 pm. There’s no need to book—just come directly to the centre, where Mrs Stone and staff from Raph’s will be on hand to provide tours and share how the centre is evolving.

Yesterday, we sent out a parental survey in preparation for this year’s Catholic Schools Inspection. I would be very grateful if you could take five minutes to complete it. Your feedback is highly valued and will be carefully considered during the inspection process.

As always, thank you for your support, and I wish you a lovely weekend.

Warm regards,

Deborah Bligh, Headmistress

In the News This Week...

Summer Trip to Lourdes

Sustainable Menu - Created by Students!

Lower School News

'Rare Beasts' Trial Afternoon

Girls On Board Training

News From the Sixth Form

Boarding News

Photo of the Week

Rewards and Consequences Update

MESSy - Mayfield Environmental and Sustainable Society

Chaplaincy News

Sports News

Welly Walking with Mayfield Dogs

Equestrian News

Mayfield Festival - Autumn Events

Mrs Bligh Gifted Mayfield Painting

Library News

From the School Shop

The Wellbeing Hub - What's On This Week

Summer Trip to Lourdes

I had the honour of accompanying a Year 12 student and four new OCs on their Lourdes Pilgrimage with Ampleforth in July - a week spent in prayer and service to Our Lady of Lourdes. 

Lourdes is the site where Mary appeared to a poor girl called Bernadette Soubirous aged just 14 years old while she was out collecting firewood. Mary appeared to Bernadette 18 times. During one apparition, Mary asked Bernadette to drink at the spring beneath her feet. Even though this area was muddy, she kept digging and the next day, there was clear water. Bernadette was then told to have a chapel built in the exact spot where the vision had taken place. Pilgrims now visit and pray in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and worship at the grotto where the visions took place. They follow the instruction of Our Lady of Lourdes to "drink at the spring and wash in it" in the belief that they may be cleansed of their sins, and millions of visitors come to Lourdes each year in the hope of being cured because it is believed that spring water from the grotto can heal people if they are sick.

We accompanied Ampleforth with their ‘Assisted Pilgrims’ - Pilgrims, just like us, but who may need some medical attention. Our students helped the pilgrims with personal care as well as joining them for ice cream and coffee in the cafes after Masses and Processions. The schedule was full, in order to experience all that Lourdes has to offer. Most mornings started at 07:30 to get the Assisted Pilgrims up and ready for the day; this included assisting in rooms, helping in the dining room and cleaning the bedrooms. We accompanied the Assisted Pilgrims to all services including Mass of Anointing, Lectio Divina, Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament, Passage through the Grotto and a visit to the baths at the Grotto.

We were lucky to have the opportunity to have a service of reconciliation for all volunteers in the Underground Basilica St Pie X, where we got to experience Ampleforth’s amazing choir, while being offered the chance for confession. However, it was not all work. There were a few rooftop celebrations and even a talent show where our very own Abigail showed off her ballet skills. There were many, many glasses of Orangina drunk, croissants consumed, and ice creams devoured in the July heat!

Our Mayfield students joined together to light a candle and pray in Mayfield’s name, for the intentions of all Mayfield students past, present and future; our Staff, including those no longer with us; and all our friends and family. 

The students get so much out of participating on the Pilgrimage. Rachel had this to say about it:

"Our week in Lourdes with Ampleforth College was one of the most incredible experiences I have had. It was packed with activities focused around the spirituality of the place, from taking the assisted pilgrims to the Sanctuary Baths, having daily Mass in various locations, going along to late night grotto visits, and the torchlight procession. What I particularly enjoyed was making friends with the other student pilgrims from around the world, especially at our students' ice cream night! I am so grateful for everyone at Mayfield who made the trip possible, it was unforgettable and I can’t recommend it enough to anyone who is thinking of going."

The Sanctuary's theme this year is 'Come here in Procession'. As such, it concludes the triplet of themes taken from Our Lady's instructions to Bernadette: 'Go tell the priests - to build a Church - and come here in Procession'. We have had the privilege of helping to lead a few processions in Lourdes including the Torchlight Procession, Blessed Sacrament Procession and Mass at the Grotto. I read a lovely piece in our Pilgrimage Prayer Booklet that stayed with me. ‘Forming a procession is an act of consecration in itself. We choose to walk with others, along a common path, at a common speed, towards our common goal. And while we do so, we pray together, and we care for each other. So when we are in procession, we form a unique community, we become a model of the Church, that ‘pilgrim people’ of god. No wonder Our Lady made such a strange request!’

Mrs Helen Lavery

Sustainable Menu - Created by Students!

On Thursday, students and staff enjoyed a special lunch featuring the winning menus from Year 9's sustainable menu competition, held during their Cross-Curricular Day last term. These eco-friendly dishes were thoughtfully created by the students, with a focus on sustainability and nutrition.

For the main course, Udochi, Bea, Darcy, and Cristina served up delicious beef burgers, while Issie, Tilly, Immy, and Sophie provided a tasty halloumi burger for vegetarians. 

Salads included a creamy potato salad by Elsie, Carolina, and Maisie, and a fresh coleslaw from Lola, Roberta, and Emma, alongside a mixed leaf salad. Dessert was a delightful apple and blackberry crumble with cream, created by Chloe, Liza, and Emilia.

Congratulations girls on your fantastic menu, and thank you to our catering team for making such a delicious lunch! 

Lower School News

Year 7 and New Year 8 Parents' & Guardians' Information Evening
Just a reminder to all relevant parents and guardians about this event in Lower School on Monday 16^th September. The evening starts at 18:30; drinks and nibbles will be provided! If you're the parent/guardian of a day girl and would like her to have supper at school that evening, please let her form tutor know via email.

Year 7 Teambuilding Trip to Bowles Rocks
Last Saturday, the Year 7 girls attended their teambuilding trip to Bowles Rocks. They participated in a range of games that tested their collaboration skills and the Cornelian Principle of Joy was evident throughout the afternoon. Congratulations to Mr Walser's group for completing all the games in the fastest time! Many thanks to Ms Demetriou, Ms Garcia (and Cola!), Mrs Parrett and Mr Walser for accompanying the girls on this enjoyable trip in which many new friendships will have formed.

Mr Daniel Smith, Head of Lower School

'Rare Beasts' Trial Afternoon

On Thursday afternoon Year 7 had the opportunity to hear and try out some of our Rare Beast instruments. Mrs Le Riche led a group of our amazing Visiting Music Tutors and senior students in demonstrating some of our less-often played instruments, and then during Periods 5 and 6 the girls were able to try the instruments out for themselves. The instruments available for try-outs were the oboe, the viola, the harp, and a whole suite of brass instruments including trumpet, cornet, French horn and trombone. Thanks especially to Canice in Year 11 who demonstrated the drumkit for the girls.

Parents of girls in Year 7 will soon receive a follow-up email outlining the Rare Beast scheme supporting girls who wish to take up one of these rare instruments this year.

Dr Matthew Ward, Director of Music

Girls On Board Training

For all our new parents this year, we would like to introduce you to Girls On Board. We are a Girls On Board school, which means we have staff members trained in delivering these sessions as and when we feel the girls need some support in using the tools they have developed to navigate the choppy waters of friendships. All new girls will be doing a Girls On Board introductory session over the next few weeks and once your daughter has completed this we will send you the parent handbook.

News from the Sixth Form

This Week in UCAS 

• In-school practice UCAT tests

• Personal Statement writing Assembly on Monday 9^th September

Next week in UCAS

• Year 13 Assembly – 'completing my UCAS form'

• Tuesday 17^th September - Year 12 Girls attending Tonbridge Oxbridge Entrance evening, 7pm

• Thursday 19^th September - Year 13 UCAS Talk for girls and parents, 6.30pm

Boarding News

All the House teams enjoyed welcoming back their girls after a long summer break and getting to know the new girls joining their houses. We were blessed with some sunny weather to make those girls from sunnier climes feel more at home. We do now seem to be breaking through to autumn as the weather has turned a bit this week. Each house has had their own settling in period coupled with various activities to get to know new houses, new staff and in many cases a whole new school.

The Leeds girls have had a big focus on bonding with our youngest members of the community starting with a Year 7 trip out to Bowles for outdoor activities while the Year 8s played games at school. A birthday was celebrated and then the girls braved the rain on Sunday to pick blackberries and I was able to witness an enthusiastic attempt to make blackberry lip balm with their spoils on Monday night. I'm not sure how successful the final effort was!

The girls in St Gabriel's have enjoyed personalising their house, producing a small written piece about themselves, including things like their favourite food, their families and where they enjoy travelling to; these have now all been displayed in the Gab's foyer for all to admire. Over the weekend the girls relaxed in front of a movie and visited Tunbridge Wells to explore the shops. After two weeks of settling in it is great to see their confidence blossoming and the new routines starting to stick. 

In St Michael's our Year 11s have enjoyed settling in to a house where they are the sole year group and are already studying hard whilst enjoying the opportunity to share rooms with their close friends or in some cases have a room to themselves. Last weekend saw girls visit the local Sainsburys to stock up on snacks as well as shopping in Tunbridge Wells whilst others played badminton and used the fitness room. 

Our eldest boarders in St Dunstan's have settled in well and, although are less keen on the camera, did allow us to snap a few pictures of them in their common room. Various ice breaker activities as well as takeaway pizza started off a relaxed weekend last week, helped along by some trips to Tesco for supplies to help keep them going whilst studying and to get a few bits they had forgotten to bring. A few of our returning Year 13 girls did a great job helping out at the boarders' BBQ on Saturday night, creating a Kahoot quiz which kept all the girls entertained and got their competitive side up and running. 

As I roam around the houses in the evenings it has been lovely to see the girls getting along, helping one another, as well as studying hard and trying out new activities. We look forward to a great first term with them. If you have any questions about boarding or if your daughter is keen to try it out please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

Mrs Pippa Whitby, Director of Boarding

Photo of the Week

Many thanks to Roger, one of our minibus drivers, for sending in this beautiful photo of St Raphael's at sunset! 

We would love to receive submissions for future 'photo of the week' stories. Please send your chosen photos to jtompsett@mayfieldgirls.org.

Rewards and Consequences Update

If you were unable to attend Thursday night's presentation on the latest changes to Mayfield's reporting, rewards and consequences system, please find a link to a recording below. There are also links to the presentation slides and the new Reporting and Assessment webpage which has lots of information such as reporting and assessment dates as well as explanation of the grading systems across all year groups.

Rewards and Consequences Video

Presentation Slides

Reporting and Assessment webpage

Lifeskills News

Engaging with RSE Content and Delivery – Your Input Matters!
We highly value the involvement of parents and guardians in the children's education, particularly in the important area of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). As part of our commitment to transparency and collaboration, we would like to invite you to explore the key policies and an overview of when specific RSE topics are taught. These resources are available on our website at the following link:

School Policies

Please take a moment to review these materials. We welcome any feedback, comments, or suggestions you may have regarding the content or delivery of RSE. Your insights are invaluable as we continue to shape a program that best supports our students.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the RSE curriculum further, I would be happy to speak with you directly. Please feel free to reach out via email at akasina@mayfieldgirls.org

Additionally, there will be opportunities to engage in conversations about RSE during curriculum evenings, as well as our parent breakfasts and dinners scheduled this term. We encourage you to attend these events to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with tutors and staff.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment for our students.

Dr Angeline Kasina, Lifeskills Coordinator

MESSy-Mayfield Environmental and Sustainability Society

I'm Chloe (Year 13) and this year I am the Mayfield Environmental and Sustainability Society President. I am pleased to announce that after MESSy’s first meeting of the year we already have a good bank of ideas working towards making Mayfield more environmentally sustainable. Here is just some of what’s in the works:

• Challenging Climate misconceptions

• Second hand sales

• Focusing on wildlife, in particular hedgehogs and birds involving the design and construction of hedgehog homes and potential bird feeders around the school

• Taking an interest in where our food waste ends up

• New ways to reduce your carbon footprint, hopefully some of them you haven’t heard before!

Heidi (Year 12) has been researching using environmentally friendly apps and browsers, and ways in which we can make a change:

Ocean Hero is a search engine working towards a cleaner ocean; for every five searches made in the engine one plastic bottle is recovered from the ocean. Every year 18 billion pounds of plastic flow into our ocean, allowing microplastics to enter the food-chain. This is becoming a more and more renowned problem as we are seeing microplastics enter the bloodstream, and even placentas, potentially causing damage to foetuses’ brains. It is said that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish, to combat this ever-growing problem, you can start now, slowly but surely.

Another environmentally beneficial search engine is Ecosia. Working towards a greener earth, the search engine is powered by solar energy and uses 100% of its profits for the planet, supporting endangered ecosystems and animals. The website states that around 214,831,516 trees have been planted by the Ecosia community so far and this number can only increase with your help.

These search engines are free to use and can be added to your normal browser, allowing you to access the internet like normal. We have linked the websites below.

Furthermore, study apps and other apps such as Flora, can help you and the environment at the same time. By using the study timers and to do lists, Flora can plant real trees all whilst helping you stay off your phone. It includes challenges as to how many trees you can plant versus your friends and helps you focus on tasks and homework. It’s a win win!

Flora - Green Focus (appfinca.com)

OceanHero - the search that saves the oceans

Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees

If any girls would like to join MESSy, please speak to Mr Adams. 

Chaplaincy News

In our new Young Christian Women’s group, which first met this Thursday, we have chosen (no pun intended!) to follow the 'Chosen' video series, as we explore our relationships with Christianity, with God, and with the world. The fundamental question we are asking is: ‘what am I looking for?’ Please keep this group in your prayer over the weeks ahead, and remember- it’s for anyone, of all faith backgrounds and none. It’s a place to ask the tough questions about faith, and a place to find an open and welcoming community (and a pretty decent hot chocolate too…).

'Chosen' Video Series

Please find below the prayer slides which we’ll be using to guide morning prayer next week (among other resources, such as the school prayer book, which you can find here. Next week is psalter week 4, if you’d like to use this resource in your own prayer life.)

Daily Prayer Slides - Week Beginning 16th September

Liturgy this week focussed on the prayer of St Francis of Assisi, make me a channel of your peace. We began our time in the chapel with this beautiful rendition, although the sudden Range Rover ad half way through spoiled the effect a little bit! Why not take some time this weekend to listen to, and pray the words together with St Francis and with the Mayfield community - Lord, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace…

Mass on Sunday is at 5pm; it has been changed from the previously advertised 11:30am, due to the priest’s schedule. All are welcome.

Finally, Tuesday sees the return of the weekly parish Mass in the school chapel at 6pm. This short weekday Mass takes around 20 minutes (so nobody need be afraid about missing out on supper!), and again, all are welcome!

Mr Ronan Lavery, Lay Chaplain

Sports News

It has amazing to see the returning girls back on sport but also to see all our new students introduced to hockey, football and netball this week after a restarting of clubs. We look forward to seeing the progress they make throughout the term.

Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 14^th September - Sutton Valence Block

• Mayfield 1^st XI v Sutton Valence 2^nd XI - 10:30 start at Sutton Valence
• Mayfield 2^nd XI v Sutton Valence 3^rd XI - 10:30 start at Mayfield
• Mayfield U15A v Sutton Valence U15A - 11:45 start at Sutton Valence
• Mayfield U15B v Sutton Valence U15B - 13:00 start at Sutton Valence
• Mayfield U14A v Sutton Valence U14A - 11:45 start at Mayfield
• Mayfield U14B v Sutton Valence U14B - 13:00 start at Mayfield

Tuesday 17^th September
U14A v Dulwich Prep @ 15:00 - Away

Wednesday 18^th September
U13A + U13B v Burgess Hill Girls @ 16:30 - The Triangle
U13C + U13D v Burgess Hill Girls @ 17:00 - Home

Thursday 19^th September
U15B v Burgess Hill Girls @ 16:45 - Home

Welly Walking with Mayfield Dogs

The girls enjoyed a fun walk in their wellies with three of our beloved Mayfield dogs - Luna, Cola and Pickle.

Equestrian News

Jemima - Dressage Success
Jemima in Year 12, along with her horse Barney, featured in a recent ‘Horse and Hound’ article celebrating their dual Area Festival wins. Having only owned and been partnered with Barney for 10 months, she was delighted with their success, remarking: “I devised my floorplan and music myself, using music I thought went with Barney’s rhythm. It felt really good to not only ride with music I made myself, but to win with it really was incredible”.

Jemima is due to compete next at the British Dressage Petplan National Championships in October. Congratulations Jemima, and good luck!

Flo - Eventing Competition
Flo in Year 13 will also be competing soon with her horse William. They will be representing Great Britain as part of a youth squad travelling to Ballindenisk in Ireland, for the annual Great Britain vs Ireland youth eventing competition. Good luck Flo!

Mayfield Festival - Autumn Events

The Mayfield Festival may have finished for another two years but the music goes on. Four events in Mayfield during the autumn provide something for lovers of classical music to look forward to with world class performers once again to the fore.

Mrs Bligh Gifted Mayfield Painting

This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming local artist Brenda Barratt to the school. Brenda presented Deborah Bligh with her magical watercolour painting of Mayfield, a piece she has been carefully crafting over the summer. You can now purchase this beautiful artwork as a framed print directly from Brenda's website—details below.

Purchase Framed Print

Library News

Welcome back to the new-look fiction area in the main library. The fiction has been re-shelved by genre making it easier to find the type of novel you enjoy and hopefully encouraging you to try a genre you may not usually choose. We have rearranged furniture to create a cosier 'reading for pleasure' area with soft seating.

The library gave the new Year 7 girls a reading challenge over the summer. It was ‘6 for 7’, exploring six different forms of literature, fiction and non-fiction, as the girls move from Year 6 to Year 7. A big ‘thank you’ to the girls who took part for their creative and personal reviews on the 6 areas of the challenge. Their mini projects can be seen on display in the lower school library.

Book of the Week for lower school is from pupil librarian Leonie (Year 7). She has chosen 'October, October' by Katya Balen, which won the Carnegie Award in 2022.

From the School Shop

Shop Closure on Monday
The school shop will be shut for one day on Monday 16^th September. We will re-open at 07:30 am on Tuesday 17^th September – apologies for any inconvenience.

Lost Property
Please see pictures below of lost property in the school shop or on the bench opposite the school shop. If anything is yours, please collect as soon as possible. Jewellery and glasses are in the school shop. 

Mrs Susan Bowles, School Shop Manager

The Wellbeing Hub - What's On This Week