E-weekly Issue 309 - 12 September 2025

Welcome

In the News This Week...

Year 9 Hidden Leaders: A Day of Challenge, Teamwork, and Triumph

Last Saturday, three Year 9 tutor groups came together for an exciting and energetic team-building event held on school grounds. The "Hidden Leaders" day was designed to uncover leadership potential and strengthen communication skills through a series of fun and challenging activities. 

From constructing catapults to testing their aim in axe throwing, students were pushed out of their comfort zones and into collaborative problem-solving. Each task required teamwork, strategy, and determination. 

The day culminated in a competitive tutor group challenge, where all three groups showcased the skills they had developed throughout the day. It was an incredibly close finish but congratulations must go to 9YJM, who just edged ahead to claim victory! 

A huge well done to all participants for their enthusiasm, resilience, and teamwork. And a heartfelt thank you to the tutor team who gave up their time to organise and run such a memorable event. 

Mrs Georgina Fletcher, Head of Year 9

'Beauty and the Beast' Launches!

This week we completed the auditions for Beauty and Beast and were treated to a huge array of singing/acting talent from students from Years 7-13. The standard was so high that we made the decision to use double casting for some of the larger roles, giving more girls the opportunity to be shiny! This year I am excited to be joined by Miss Hunte, Head of Dance, who will be leading on the dance sequences, and Mr Frazer, Director of Music, who will be leading the musical direction. Mrs Demetriou will be doing her usual wizardry with a couple of the dance duets. We are so excited to start rehearsals with the girls to bring this musical to Trinity Theatre in early February 2026 (tickets will go on sale from December).

Girls can still get involved by volunteering to support the production technically, assisting in a range of technical options (lighting / sound / set / props / hair / make-up / costume). Please send an email to vnash@mayfieldgirls.org to express an interest with production support.

Ms Victoria Nash, Director of Drama & Media

Sports News

As always, there’s a great deal happening in sport, and it’s increasingly clear how much development and success is taking place beyond school — achievements that deserve to be celebrated and are also enriching and influencing what we do within school.

Skiing Success for Emilia and Lottie
Last Saturday, Emilia (Year 10) won the U16 Regional Skiing title and Lottie (Year 9) won the U14 Regional title. Congratulations girls! We are looking forward to further skiing success as the year goes on.

Running Success for Lottie and Emily
Congratulations to Lottie again (who had an incredible weekend!) and Emily (Year 9) who took part in the Kent County Relay Championships last Sunday, at Norman Park, winning a bronze medal for U15 4 x 300m. Emily also won another bronze medal for competing in the U15 3 x 800m. Congratulations to both girls! We're looking forward to our Cross Country and Athletics events during this academic year!

Dance Success for Milly
As the school community may be aware, we are looking to enhance our Dance provision in the school and there is no doubt that we are in good hands with MIss Hunte, our new Head of Dance, leading the way. We have some incredible dancers within the school already, but one of our new Year 7s has been very busy already.

Last Saturday, Milly started as a Mid-Associate of the Royal Ballet School, where she will take classes on Saturdays alongside her other dance training. She is one of only 15 girls selected to be part of a new ‘enhanced’ programme, after successfully auditioning from thousands this Spring. This is her fourth year of training with the Royal Ballet School after completing their Junior Associate Training programme this summer. Previously she has been selected to perform with Birmingham Royal Ballet in their performances of The Nutcracker at The Royal Albert Hall, as well as attending both spring and summer boarding intensives at The Royal Ballet School White Lodge. Congratulations to Milly on her accomplishments and we are excited to see how her dance journey continues to progress!

An Encouraging Start for U14 Football Season
In the first football match of the season, our U14s hosted Crowborough FC. The first half was a half of few chances with Crowborough playing the better football and probably having the edge.

However, the second half was a great improvement from the Mayfield girls with Mae and Isobel linking up brilliantly and creating a lot of chances. The Crowborough goalkeeper made four or five important saves which sadly prevented us from winning the game.

Coach's player: Mae and Isobel

Special mention must also go to Ana and Alice in defence who were solid all game.

A Tough Start to the Senior Hockey Season
In a tough first match for the newly formed Senior Squad, the girls came up against an incredibly strong and well drilled Cranbrook 1^st XI. The defence held strong for the first 12 minutes, showing great resilience, before the first goal went in. Cranbrook kept attacking and the second goal was sublime, right in the top of the net. The girls went in at half time 3-0 down.

In the second half,  with the sun in their eyes, it was difficult to get the ball out from defence, and with the umpire admitting to an error that led to one of the goals, the final score was a 6-0 loss. However, in the second half Mayfield did make a number of useful attacks into the Cranbrook circle, forcing the goalkeeper to make a save. Well done girls.

Boarders Enjoy Annual BBQ and Games

Our boarding community gathered for our annual boarders' BBQ and games on Saturday evening. We were treated to a delicious BBQ by our catering team, followed by ice cream. We had the opportunity to relax and mingle on the Concert Hall lawn before moving down for the games part of the evening.  

The Sixth Form Prefect team had arranged an obstacle course for the girls to move through and were surprisingly strict in getting girls to start over when they dropped the ball! Finally we moved inside for a Kahoot quiz where it was confirmed that William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet and not Ms Staunton! 

It was lovely to see all the boarders mixing and to hear their shrieks of laughter as they cheered each other on. Here's to another fun filled year!

'Rare Beasts' Afternoon for Year 7

Our Year 7 girls took part in an afternoon of music discovery and opportunity on Thursday. As part of the Year 7 provision for music education at Mayfield, girls are given the opportunity to learn a specific, usually orchestral, instrument for a heavily discounted rate for nearly a year's worth of lessons. The scheme includes instruments at no extra cost and the opportunity to learn an instrument that they otherwise may not have learnt due to the cost of buying/renting an instrument or lessons.

Instrument choices ranged from the brass section of trumpets, French horns and trombones, to woodwind including clarinet, saxophone and oboe, with the scintillating strings of viola and cello and the angelic harp, followed by imposing orchestral percussion including the drum kit. It was a music school in full voice from every window and room; music was bursting through and bringing the school's musical heart to life. The girls were enthusiastic and enjoyed the opportunity to make sounds and have fun in 30-minute sessions on each instrument, before a final showcase demonstration took place in the concert hall.

The girls were then sent a form on Friday to complete, outlining their favourite instruments from the session and what they most enjoyed about the day. Parents have also been sent a further information letter with more information about what their daughter has taken part in and the next steps should they wish to take the offer of becoming a rare beast musician. There are limited places and it is on a first come, first served basis.

It is a special opportunity that Year 7 have had this week: a chance to try something new, to be ambitious in their learning, to be courageous to take that brave step learning a new skill and from that to have joy in the music that they make and the achievements they will attain on this programme. The future school orchestra leaders may have just had their inspirational moment this week and blossoming home-grown musical talent is a standard that Music at Mayfield will encourage and champion.

Mr Theo Frazer, Director of Music

News from the Equestrian Centre

Our Equestrian Department have hit the ground running this term, welcoming lots of new faces, both horses and riders. We have had horses come in from Germany, Spain and France as well as various corners of the UK.  Everyone seems to be settling in well. 

On Sunday we took a huge squad of 18 riders, some with more than one horse, to compete at Felbridge. It was a busy day. There was a lovely camaraderie throughout the team, with everyone supporting each other. We had some fabulous results, and several wins meaning many of the teams have qualified for classes at the up and coming National Championships in October. 

All our day to day activities and competition updates can be found on our Instagram page @Mayfield_equestrian.

Welly Walkers Make a Splash

The welly walkers donned their boots and walked to the nearby woods enjoying the glorious autumnal sunshine on Tuesday.

Many were newcomers but really enjoyed themselves walking with the dogs and escaping their classrooms for some well deserved fresh air and exercise.

Let's hope the weather holds for next week....

Mrs Turner, Teacher of International English

Summer Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Once again I was given the opportunity to chaperone three Year 12s on their Lourdes Pilgrimage with Ampleforth and I jumped at the chance. Another week spent in prayer and service to Our Lady of Lourdes. I have done it many times and it never gets old. Having been travelling out since my late teens myself, it is lovely to experience it again through the eyes of a first timer.

We accompanied Ampleforth with their ‘Assisted Pilgrims’; Pilgrims, just like us, but who may need some medical attention. Our students help the pilgrims with personal care as well as join them for ice cream and coffee in the cafes after Masses and services. As usual the schedule was packed in order to experience as much as possible - early mornings to get the Assisted Pilgrims up and ready for the day, helping at mealtimes or being on cleaning duty. We were involved in all services alongside the Assisted Pilgrims including many Masses, Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament, Service of Reconciliation, Passage through the Grotto and a visit to the baths at the Grotto. We balanced this out with many trips to cafes for ice cream, crepes, coffee, croissants and more.

We lit our annual Mayfield candle across from the grotto. It was lit for the intentions and prayers for all student, staff, family and friends, both past and present.

The students get so much out of participating on the Pilgrimage. This is what a couple of our students thought about it:

"Going to Lourdes was one of the most moving experiences I’ve ever had. I quickly felt part of a community united by a shared purpose… The week deepened my faith and gave me space to think about how I can live it out more fully in daily life. I formed lasting friendships with the assisted pilgrims, the Ampleforth helpers, and even the Sacred Heart girls from the US, and I learned so much about service, compassion, and the story of St Bernadette. I came home grateful not only for the experience but also for the lessons it taught me about kindness and faith, though I’ll also never forget the tasty ice cream and crepe breaks! I would recommend the pilgrimage to anyone who loves helping others and wants to grow in faith." - Anna

"It gave me the opportunity to give back to the community by helping assisted pilgrims with simple tasks, such as bringing them tea. This experience made me reflect on how fortunate I am to be able to do everyday things, like walking freely — something I often take for granted. One of the highlights of the pilgrimage was visiting the grotto and drinking water from the spring, which was a peaceful and memorable moment. I also appreciated the strong sense of community throughout the trip and it was inspiring to be surrounded by people who were all working together to support one another.

 Although the pilgrimage was quite tiring due to the busy schedule, it was a truly meaningful experience and a great way to begin my summer." - Rachel

The Sanctuary's theme this year is 'With Mary, Pilgrims of Hope'. We can continue this theme into our new school year and be Hopeful for a year filled with endless possibilities and remarkable achievements!

Mrs Helen Lavery, St Michael's Housemistress

World Challenge Trip to Sri Lanka

At the end of last term, a group of intrepid Year 11s and 12s undertook a World Challenge Trip to Sri Lanka for 16 days.  

After flying to Colombo, the team travelled to work on a community project in the rural outskirts of Kandy. The girls spent three days working at a local village school: repainting and clearing the children’s play area; cleaning and painting classrooms; and building a containing wall. The team learned how to mix cement, lay bricks as well as how effective a coconut husk can be as a scrubbing brush - all under the watchful eye of the local children and a curious troupe of monkeys. The team was also treated to a delicious lunch prepared by the schools’ parents as a thank you for their hard work. 

After visits to a tea factory and The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the next stop was the Knuckles Mountain range for two days trekking and camping under the stars. On the last night our guides gave us a traditional Sri Lankan music and dance show; when asked to return the favour, our girls stepped up with a spirited version of ‘Be Thou my Vision’ and the ‘Cup Song’ from ‘Pitch Perfect’ rounding off an eclectic but enjoyable evening of cultural exchange. 

After that, there was more hiking, this time up Adam’s Peak or Sri Pada, a traditional pilgrimage route consisting of over 5,000 steps up a mountain in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea plantations. An amazing view of the surrounding hills was the reward for a tough but satisfying climb.  

Then it was time for some R-and-R in Galle on the island’s beautiful southern coast. A swim in the sea, cooking demonstrations on the beach, and a sobering visit to the area’s tsunami memorial were just some of the highlights from a wonderful stay in this historic fortified city. 

The team flew back from Colombo having experienced a quite wonderful time in Sri Lanka. One of the features of a World Challenge trip is that the students are given genuine responsibility for organising budgets, accommodation, meals and activities – our girls stepped up admirably and learned a great deal about themselves and this beautiful country.  

Final thanks must go to all the Sri Lankan people we met along the way who, without fail, welcomed us with such warmth and kindness.  

We look forward to the next World Challenge adventure, more of which coming soon… 

Mr John Doy, Deputy Head Academic

Mayfield Postcards Available to Buy

A collection of Mayfield-themed postcards designed by our Mayfield Scholars is now available in the school shop. Priced at £5 per set, all proceeds will support the Hub refurbishment project.

Please note that this is a cash-only purchase.

Wear House Colours on Monday!

This coming Monday, 15^th September, we have our first Competitive House meeting and girls are therefore expected to wear their house polo tops for the whole day. This is to be worn instead of white shirts, but kilts, blue v-neck jumpers, tights/socks and school shoes are still to be worn as normal. Please ensure that normal PE kit is worn for PE lessons.

House hoodies are not to be worn on this occasion.

Please ensure you arrive at the correct location for your house's meeting at 8:20am:
Assisi (red) - Concert Hall
Bakhita (green) - Lower School
Avila (navy) - Dance Studio
Stein (purple) - Gresham

Save the Date - Michaelmas Fair 2025

Careers Fair - Wednesday 1^st October

Chaplaincy News

I'm sure many other contributors to this e-weekly will have written the same thing, but I'm going to say it anyway - what a great start to the school year! As the extra curricular activities kicked in this week, the fullness of what makes Mayfield special was on display. A particular highlight for me was Tuesday evening's meeting of Young Christian Women. The chaplaincy was overflowing with mature, intelligent and articulate young women, debating quite difficult topics with compassion and wisdom. They listened respectfully, waited their turn to speak, and found common ground even as they disagreed. It was a privilege to be a part of it - despite being neither young nor a woman...

I'm also over the moon with the amount of young ladies volunteering to contribute to the liturgical life of the school - dozens have volunteered to be readers (training for which will begin shortly), altar servers (or monaguillas, for our Spanish families!), and chaplaincy ambassadors. It's yet another testament to the spirit of Actions not Words within our community.

There is still time to sign your daughter up for our Confirmation programme, which will begin this Wednesday 17^th September.

And finally, it has been a joy to welcome some parents to morning prayer with us, as they drop their daughters off at school in the morning. Prayer takes place in the chapel at 8:10, and lasts no longer than five minutes. This ensures that girls aren't late for tutor time (and that I'm not late for breakfast...!).

You are warmly invited to join us in the chapel at 8:10 for morning prayer every Monday-Friday.

You are also, I hope you're aware, more than welcome to join us for Mass each Sunday morning at 11am in the chapel. And if you have any intentions or prayers you'd like the school community to pray for, please feel free to let me know.

God bless,

Mr Ronan Lavery, Chaplain

Library News

Thank you to all the girls who have joined the pupil librarians this year. I look forward to working with you all.

This year, the pupil librarians in Lower School decided to take part in the School Library Association’s National Information Book Award, championing quality information books across three school age groups. They will be voting in the Children’s Choice Award and have selected the category 8-12 years in which to vote.

The librarians have until half term to assess the books against strict criteria before we decide which will be the Mayfield choice and we cast our vote.

Will other schools choose the same book as us? Will our choice be the overall winner? Watch this space!

Well done to all the Year 7 girls who took part in the summer reading challenge this year. The entries were well thought out, full of detail about the books read and all provided very different interpretations of the challenge. Pop along to the main library to collect a book prize: Lyra, Milly, Solenne, Tallulah, and Felicity T.

Thursday 2^nd October is National Poetry Day! We will be celebrating with a competition Poetry Trail around school. Please look out for the posters that will appear in the next few weeks. The theme for this year is ‘Play’ so I hope you will all join in and Play along!

Ms Jan Blagden, Librarian

Photo of the Week

Our photo of the week comes from the Sixth Form Centre, home to the Mayfield guinea pigs Connie and Nelly! They have been entertaining visitors with their sharing of (and fighting over) delicious dandelion leaves.

If you wish to submit a picture for any future 'Photo of the Week' stories, please send your selected image to jtompsett@mayfieldgirls.org.