E-weekly Issue 305 - 20 June 2025

Welcome

In the News This Week...

Cultural Day 2025

On Monday Mayfield celebrated its annual Cultural Day!

The day began with a parade of different nations in assembly followed by a short film celebrating some of the many different cultures at Mayfield. At lunch time the whole school gathered on the Chapel Lawn to sample food, music and dancing from all of the nations represented in Mayfield's community.

A huge thank you to all staff and students who took part; a particular mention must go to the key members of our Year 12 Diversity Forum: Leona, Daisy, Millie, Onnae, Siana and Mabel who were the driving force behind the event and without whom none of it could have happened.

Mr John Doy, Deputy Head Academic

Year 12 Enjoy Literary Day in London

Last Wednesday, girls in Year 12 had a literary day in London. In the morning, we explored the British Library; the girls learned about the building and its resources, taking a tour around the different reading rooms and admiring the King’s Library. We also enjoyed visiting the Treasures Collection, where we were able to read a letter written by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra, and admire a rare copy of Shakespeare’s first folio.  

In the afternoon, we whizzed to the Old Vic to see Conor McPherson’s new play ‘The Brightening Air’. We were all entertained and moved by this tale of an unconventional family in 1980s Ireland. A few tears were shed in the final act!

Mrs Laura Parrett, Second in English

Year 9 & 10 Summer Ball

On Friday 13th June, we welcomed Tonbridge School for the Mayfield Summer Formal with our girls in Year 9 and 10. The girls arrived in beautiful outfits and were treated to a feast by the catering department, a photobooth and a night of music.

It was fabulous to see the dance floor jam packed, thanks to DJ Mendes on the decks as well as some top quality moves from Mr Ferguson, Mr Meek and Mr Blaxall who joined forces to deliver a rendition of Backstreet Boys, 'I Want it That Way'. Definitely inspiration to keep the party going!

The girls looked wonderful and had a lovely evening to wind down and enjoy the end of year celebrations. 

Thank you to everyone who made it possible and an evening for the girls to remember.

Mrs Le Riche, Miss Auer & Mrs Baker

Year 11 Celebration: A Joyous End to GCSE Exams

On Wednesday on the chapel lawn, following the final GCSE exam, Year 11 students gathered for a delightful celebration. Tutors and teachers joined in the festivities, creating a warm and supportive atmosphere. The event featured a variety of garden games, including badminton, Jenga, and Connect 4, allowing students to unwind and enjoy each other's company.

The wonderful catering team provided a delicious spread, followed by refreshing ice cream, making the day even more special.

Congratulations to all Year 11 students for their hard work and dedication throughout their GCSEs. Your perseverance and achievements are truly commendable! 

Mrs Georgina Fletcher, Head of Year 11

Lower School End-of-Year Social

To mark the end of their end-of-year tests, the girls in Lower School enjoyed their social on Tuesday, celebrating their superb efforts this term. The girls were treated to a disco from our resident DJ Mr Mendes, fun and laughter on the bouncy castle and a tasty BBQ provided by our amazing catering team. As you can see from the smiles in the photos a fantastic time was had by all.

Mrs Eva Garcia Claramonte

Maths Junior Kangaroo Success!

Janie and Serena in Year 8 scored so highly in the Junior Mathematical Challenge earlier in the term that they were invited to take part in the follow-on round: The Junior Kangaroo. The Junior Kangaroo is a 60 minute, 25 multiple choice challenge.

The Maths Department are pleased to announce that Janie received a silver and Serena a bronze certificate. A mathstastic result!!

Well done girls.

Mrs Sally Howie, Deputy Head of Mathematics

Summer Music Concert - Wednesday 18^th June

Our Summer Concert this year was a special one. The newly-configured Concert Hall was full of audience and performers and the atmosphere electric before our first big ensemble concert in the new acoustic.

The concert began with the Lower School Choir, who were in fine voice and were accompanied variously on the piano, by themselves on the ukulele and by the Session Band. The Session Band then continued without the Choir in performances of 'Isn't She Lovely?' and '500 Miles', Mrs Le Riche fronting the group for the latter in her final concert. Chamber music followed in the form of a Year 9 piano duet, our two flute groups, chamber music for piano trio (with and without voice) and string quartet, and the Mayfield Pop Choir and Schola Cantorum. The concert ended with the Orchestra performing two highly contrasting works - the beautiful second movement of Brahms' Double Concerto for violin and cello performed by Charmeine and Trinity (Year 12) and the lively first movement of Marianne Martines' Sinfonia in C. The fifty-eight girls performing this year were joined by staff from the Music Department and wider School, and we are grateful to them for their help in working alongside the girls to produce such exceptional performances.

At the end of the concert, Mrs Bligh led tributes to Dr Ward and Mrs Le Riche, followed by our Sixth Form leavers Maddie and Izzy and Year 12 musicians Anna, Charmeine and Trinity. Dr Ward ended the concert with thanks to all involved, and an emotional farewell as he and Mrs Le Riche move on to pastures new.

Sports News

Football at Steyning
On Saturday and Sunday, Mayfield took two teams to the Steyning Town FC Football tournament, giving girls across Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 the opportunity to play against some strong club players.

On the Saturday, Mayfield took an U15 Squad, in which the girls had a fun day and played some good football. The girls improved as the morning went on and came away with 1 win, 1 draw, a few 1-0 defeats and a couple of defeats by a bigger margin. On the Sunday, it was the U13 squad's turn. It was a productive day as they came away with 2 wins and 1 draw from their 7 games. There were plenty of positives on what was a very warm day.

All the girls involved should be proud of their efforts, well done!

Mayfield Doubles Tennis Tournament
Last Saturday, Mayfield hosted the annual Doubles Tennis Tournament. The morning consisted of a Triangular between Mayfield, Bede’s and Lingfield for the U13 event.

Katya (Year 8) and Clara (Year 7) played their first doubles match together and grew in confidence as the games went on. In the first match, the girls were beaten 4-2 by a strong Bede’s pair, but there were some positives to take into the next match. Against Lingfield, Katya served excellently, hitting several aces throughout the match. Clara was able to add good depth to her returns and make it difficult for the Lingfield pair. The score finished 4-0 to Mayfield, which meant they finished in 2^nd place overall. Well done girls!

In the afternoon, the U15 event got underway, and it was a great opportunity to cap off a good term of Tennis and face some new opponents. Mayfield entered two pairs into the event, with Emma and Kitty (Year 10), and Fabiola and Savannah (Year 9 and Year 10) involved. Both pairs played some good tennis and developed their confidence and dominance at the net, as well as their positioning as a pair.

After the round-robin phase, Kitty and Emma faced Lingfield in a third-place play-off, which ended 7-6 (7-3 in the tiebreak) to Mayfield, meaning Kitty and Emma were able to claim third place!

Fabiola and Savannah made it through to the final against Hurst and after having previously lost 2-6 to Hurst in the round-robin phase, were able to keep their nerve and win the final 6-3!

Well done to all four girls involved and it was great to see Mayfield claiming the U15 Doubles Trophy for this year!

Cricket News
The U15A girls finished their school Cricket season in style as they beat Bede's to bring to an end an incredibly impressive campaign.

In the final league game of the season, Mayfield won the toss and elected to field first. The girls were sharp and energetic in the field, making Bede’s work hard for every run. Erin and Emilia combined brilliantly to produce two run outs, setting the tone early. Isla bowled superbly, finishing with two wickets, while Flo and Eliza also bowled well, each taking one. A final piece of smart fielding from Carolina, combined with quick work from Emilia behind the stumps, helped restrict Bede’s to 132 for 7 from their 20 overs.

With the bat, it was a decent start from Erin (10) and Flo (6) but after Claudia was dismissed for 5, we were up against it at 41-3. Emilia and Imogen L came together in the middle and flipped the game in our favour. A partnership of 59 meant that when Imogen was dismissed (17), we were 100-4. Lucie was run out (1) but another good partnership of 28, this time between Emilia (23*) and Isla (6*) ensured that we got over the line with 8 balls to spare.

The girls finish their league campaign with 3 wins having played some incredible Cricket at times. We will await the outcome of the final league position. They should be immensely proud of their commitment to improve not only their technical ability, but their tactical knowledge and they should compete well in their upcoming tours at Ampleforth and Millfield.

Batter of the game: Claudia - for showing good signs of intent.
Bowler of the game: Flo Y - for turning the ball round corners and deserved more than 1 wicket.
Coaches’ player of the game: Emilia R - For contributing to 4 wickets (3 run outs and a catch) and finishing on 23 not out to win us the game.

Regional Athletics
The Inter team competed in the Regional Round at K2 following qualification from the county stage (and what a day it was!) The team delivered a strong, cohesive performance, with many athletes overcoming season-long mental blocks and several delivering personal bests and record-breaking efforts. Mayfield approached this round with the ambitious goal of surpassing their previous county score of 270, and they certainly rose to the challenge. While just shy of their target of 300 points, the team achieved an impressive 297, showcasing not only their athletic ability but also their determination and team spirit.

A huge congratulations to the Inter team for an outstanding season. A special mention goes to Deborah (Year 10), who has had a phenomenal year—breaking two school records with 26.3 seconds in the 200m and 4.81m in the long jump, as well as equalling the school record in the high jump with 1.51m.

Well done to all the girls involved!

Inter Athletics Team 2025
Year 9 - Blanca, Cece, Emilia, Emma, Gigi and Hannah
Year 10 - Amelia, Deborah, Emma, Lily, Lizzie, Lola, Mimi, Savannah and Tia

Individual Success
Over the weekend, Emilia (Year 9) had success in Ski Racing, winning the Chatham Club National! After 2^nd place finishes in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, Emilia showed her incredible desire to build on her performances and managed to win it this year. Brilliant work, Emilia!

Gigi in Year 9 had the opportunity to compete at the Sussex Schools Athletics Championships last Saturday at Crawley.  After qualifying in second place in her heat, she went on to finish in third place in the final with a time of 28.12sec and won a Bronze medal. Well done Gigi!

We now turn our attention to Mayfield Day this Saturday and are extremely excited to see so many girls representing their houses and competing in a variety of events!

Year 10 Geography Field Trip to Tunbridge Wells

Year 10 Geographers spent last Friday in Tunbridge Wells investigating whether it was a sustainable town or not. They completed environmental surveys, land use surveys and questionnaires across five sites. This gave some girls the chance to investigate a place that they did not know well, but also gave interesting insights into the varied views of residents and visitors. Final conclusions are still to come!

Mr Christopher Adams, Head of Geography

Year 9 Students Enjoy Synagogue Visit

On Thursday afternoon the Year 9 students visited Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue. They have been studying Judaism this year as part of their GCSE Religious Studies, so this was a great opportunity to experience some of the things they have learned about.

They were able to handle various Jewish artefacts, including prayer shawls and ram's horns, and to see some very old (and very expensive) Torah scrolls! We had the privilege of tasting Challah bread and watching it be made by Jürgen Krauss, a Great British Bake Off star whose wife is a member of the synagogue. We also sampled the elements of the Seder (Passover) plate and a Purim treat made from pastry and poppy seeds. 

Mr Andrew Colquhoun, Teacher of Religious Studies

Teatime Concert - Thursday 12^th June

The Teatime Concert was the very first music event to take place after the restoration of the Concert Hall to its original configuration and glorious acoustic. With solo and ensemble performances from twenty-two girls, it was a testament to the ongoing flourishing and high standards of Mayfield music.

Performances included our MayPops Choir, two string duos, vocal and instrumental solos and a performance of Steve Reich's challenging 'Clapping Music'. All the girls performed beautifully and it was a wonderful way to inaugurate the Concert Hall in its new incarnation.

Dr Matthew Ward, Director of Music

Year 7 Media Cross-Curricular Day

Last Thursday our Year 7s took part in a Media Cross-Curricular Day. Their brief was to make a two-minute film capturing Mayfield's spirit of adventure.

In the morning our Sixth Form Media Students delivered workshops on storyboards, shot composition, script-writing and editing software. After a quick ideas session, it was out into the grounds for filming. The afternoon was spent editing the footage with a special showing at 4 o'clock to round off the day! Please enjoy the girls' efforts below.

Mr John Doy, Deputy Head Academic

Year 10 Food & Nutrition Practical

Year 10 did a fabulous job this week completing a three-hour practice NEA practical, showing off their planning, organisation, practical skills and presentation. A fantastic effort for their first extended practical. 

Dishes included: homemade lasagne, ravioli, paella, enchiladas, lemon tarts and tiramisu tarts. Well done girls!

Mrs Sue Smeaton, Head of Food and Nutrition

Leeds Boarders' Laser Tag Adventure

A couple of weekends ago Leeds House took a trip to Laser Tag at Bewl Water. We played lots of different games and enjoyed ice creams and cool drinks afterwards. Lots of fun had by all! 

Mr John Doy, Deputy Head Academic

Car Wash Fundraiser - Thursday 26^th June

On Thursday 26^th June, we are hosting a charity car wash event to raise money for WEFA (water and education for Africa). Their current aim is to drill bore holes in drought stricken communities in Zimbabwe. All the money will go towards financing water pumps. 

Student volunteers will be washing cars during A1 and A2. Teachers and other staff are required to sign up beforehand, please follow the link below to sign up!

Sign up for car wash fundraising event

On the day, staff will need to park their car in the lower car park and then go to the Friends' Folly between 8.00am and 8.30am with their car keys and money - both cash and card will be accepted. Paul Tracey will be in charge of all the keys for the day - please liaise with him to get your keys back when you need to go home!

Hemei, Year 12

'Cosmic' Theatre Trip for A Level Course

On Thursday evening Grace, Tamsin and Yasmina travelled to Finsbury Park Theatre to watch 'Our Cosmic Dust' as part of their A Level theatre course. This award-winning play was a feast for the senses with its blend of live action, puppetry, animation and screen projections to create a visually arresting and immersive experience. The use of a huge LED screen as backdrop onto which a range of drawings and animations were displayed, brought the narrative to life in a breathtaking style, creating moments of 'Wow!'.

Ms Victoria Nash, Director of Drama & Media

SPoKE Competition 2025

'Age is Revolting' Mayfield Drama Production

Mayfield School invites you to our Year 7-10 Drama Production of 'Age is Revolting'.

Date: Monday 23^rd & Tuesday 24^th June
Time: 19:00
Location: The Concert Hall

Drinks and nibbles will be available from 18:30.

'Age is Revolting', a new play by British-Armenian playwright Abi Zakarian, sees a class of rebellious teens who have no desire to respect their elders, respect their classmates or respect their choir class gain some important perspective as they suddenly find themselves 80 years old and living in a care home. Through their experience they learn more about the stories their grandparents have to tell and the importance of listening to them, as well as a lot about the value in having fun.

With ideas about living forever and never appreciating the real lives of their grandparents, the play toys with ideas about feeling like the same person whatever age you are but also explains the physical toll on the body as the 14-year-olds discover achy backs, dodgy knees and a love of bingo in their 80s. There is a lot to keep track of with escape plots, discarded toys coming to life and a merging of worlds when Nina, Arpi, Barney and Mo relive scenes they have played from a younger perspective.

Seats are limited and will be on a first come first served basis, so please book early to avoid disappointment!

Click here to book your seats

Chaplaincy News

Last Sunday we finally came to our Confirmation Mass. Our thirteen students, after ten long months of prayer, preparation and community, gathered in the school chapel with their families, sponsors, godparents and friends, to make a public declaration of their faith, and to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Bishop Richard was a wonderful and warm celebrant, Dr Ward's music was beautiful, the liturgy was profound and at times very emotional. It was an absolute privilege to be present at the baptisms of Claudia and Lucia, the Reception of Hope, the First Holy Communions of Claudia, Lucia, Hope and Haniel, and the Confirmations of all 13 girls. The Sacraments were the focal point of the liturgy, as is proper.

The sense of community we are blessed to enjoy here at Mayfield was very evident on Chapel Lawn after Mass, where Bishop Richard posed for photographs with our newly-confirmed and their families, and where everybody enjoyed canapes and drinks in the sunshine.

It was a proud day for Mayfield!

Primary School Retreat Day
On Wednesday, we welcomed the year 6 pupils from St Philip's Primary School, Uckfield, for a retreat day at Mayfield. The theme was 'Moving On', with opportunities for the children to reflect on their journey through St Philip's, and how their experiences might have equipped them for the big move to secondary school. Like every time St Philip's comes to Mayfield, the boys and girls were a credit to themselves, their school, and their families. The day was incredibly fun, with relatively few mishaps during the blindfolded trust walk, and one of the most competitive games of Rock, Paper, Scissors I've ever witnessed (the girls won comfortably, of course...!).

Huge thanks to Rachel, Sophia and Iris, who helped lead the retreat, and were phenomenal role models and representatives of our school. We look forward to welcoming St Philip's back here next year, to do it all again!

Mass on Sunday is at 11, Holy Half Hour is Tuesday at 6pm. Once again, everybody is welcome to join us.

From the School Shop

Year 11 and 13 - Second Hand
As we approach the end of term a reminder that if you wish to send uniform back to the school shop for second hand, please do the following:

1. Make sure all the items are washed and ironed before bringing them to the school shop. Unwashed items will be considered a donation.
2. Please make sure they are the current uniform. We do not take back obsolete uniform.
3. We do not take back things like white shirts, swim caps, hockey socks etc, but you can send them in and they will be responsibly recycled.
4. All items must be in good condition, have no holes, rips, broken zips, or stains and not be faded.
5. You may leave the names on them; we can remove these for you.
6. If you are in doubt, send it all in and what we cannot take for second hand we will recycle for you.
7. Items taken in (and not sent for recycling) will be credited to your school shop account straight away. Therefore please make sure all items you wish to sell are with us by the last day of term. After 4^th July, any items received if you are leaving will be considered a donation as your account will be shut. For those in Year 11 going into Year 12, if we receive items after term has ended , we will credit you on the next available bill run.
8. For Year 11 moving into Sixth Form - please remember to keep your sport bag, house polo and any sport kit you know you will need for next year. If you are unsure of your sport choice yet, please keep all your sport kit and then bring items you will not need to me in the Autumn term once you have chosen your sport.

Name Tapes
If you are leaving us, and you had the naming service please come to the school shop and collect any surplus name tapes towards the end of term.

Lost Property
Please see pictures below – these items are un-named and in the school shop. If you think they are yours, please collect as soon as possible. Please note that these pictures were also sent to all students on Thursday 19^th June, so some items may already have been claimed.

Mrs Susan Bowles, School Shop Manager