E-weekly Issue 313 - 10 October 2025

Welcome 

In the News This Week...

Celebrating Excellence at Bede's III MUN Conference

We are proud to share that Mayfield students recently took part in the Bede’s III Model United Nations Conference, engaging in high-level debate and diplomacy around the theme: “2030 Under Threat? Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Congratulations to Emma in Year 13, who was awarded Best Delegate for her exceptional performance representing Denmark in the Health Committee. Emma tackled the complex issue of infant and child mortality with insight and collaboration, stating:

“The debates I had as the delegate of Denmark in the Health committee were intriguing and engaging, allowing me to collaborate with many delegates from other schools to tackle the issue of high infant and child mortality rates. Bede’s III was a very enjoyable experience – thank you so much to Mrs Kilvington for taking us on this wonderful trip!”

We'd also like to celebrate Annette in Year 11 and Ava in Year 13, who were commended for their strong contributions across the event. Annette commented:

"Taking part in Bedes MUN was an incredibly exciting and inspiring experience. Researching the topic of securing employment for the youth and disabled in depth, and finally being able to present a resolution, broadened my understanding of this global issue. I also really enjoyed debating with other delegates, which boosted my confidence and strengthened my communication skills."

Throughout the day, students participated in committee debates addressing global challenges such as famine relief, gang violence, education, employment, and environmental protection. The afternoon culminated in a dynamic UN General Assembly crisis session, testing students’ ability to respond to unfolding international events.

Thank you to Bede’s for hosting such a thought-provoking and enriching experience, and to Mrs Kilvington for supporting our students in their diplomatic journey.

English Literature Students Hit the Theatre

Year 12 and 13 English Literature students, and some keen Year 11s, went to 'Troilus and Cressida' at the Globe Theatre, Southwark, on Thursday 2^nd October. All agreed it was thrilling to see this rarely performed, brilliantly produced play, which felt exciting and topical. Well done to the Year 13s for getting close to the action as 'groundlings' and to all for sharing this Shakespearean mini-adventure.

Miss Joanna Staunton, Head of English

Year 13 Day of Recollection

"Our final Year 13 Day of Recollection, albeit a bittersweet occasion, presented us with an opportunity to reflect upon all the lessons, friendships, and memories we have formed during our time at Mayfield. 

Led by Ronan and the wonderful staff at Ashburnham Place, we then enjoyed an array of activities including fabric painting, apple strudel making and an intensely competitive balloon popping race.

With fortuitous timing, we were also lucky enough to bump into a fellow Old Cornelian visiting the grounds! She warmly shared with us some of her own cherished school memories, while ultimately proving testament to the saying “Once a Mayfield girl, always a Mayfield girl”. This certainly echoed our theme of ‘journeys’ throughout the day, serving as a reminder to find joy in each step as we begin to pave our own paths beyond school."

- Dom

"Yesterday was the perfect final Day of Recollection at Mayfield, bringing our year group together through Ronan’s classic games and giving us the opportunity to simply be ‘silly’. The day began with some intense Muck-up day planning - be prepared everyone - fuelled by Ashburnham’s delicious cookies and a very competitive apple strudel bake-off. To finish, we of course played the mandatory game of ‘fruit salad’ and had a go at some encaustic wax painting, learning to embrace the uncontrollability of the wax while both laughing over and creating fond memories of past days of recollection and our overall Mayfield experience. Thank you everyone for such an unforgettable day!"

- Alexa

"This Year 13 day of recollection was filled with time for laughs, and time for reflection on our past years at Mayfield. 

Our year bonded over some silly games to start off with before coming together as a group to create some exciting MUD plans. Everyone voiced their ideas to make sure our day was fun for everyone involved! 

We then had a lot of fun rolling and pulling pastry to make apple strudel. I personally learnt a lot about all sorts of pastry techniques (if people couldn't already tell by the holes in ours!!). Once cooked, it turned into a delicious desert shared between all the pupils and teachers alongside some vanilla mascarpone! 

Then we went on to create some expressive art that showed our journey at Mayfield and how much we all value the school. We were also lucky enough to run into an OC who also shared her story about Mayfield and told us about all the laughs she used to have. 

All in all it was an amazing day; we connected and enjoyed each other's company, grateful for the hospitality and kindness of everyone there. 

Not to mention the amazing weather! So thank you so much to everyone who organised it, it was a day to remember!"

- Sophia

Sports News

Sailing
Rose and Katherine had another successful sailing excursion last week in Weymouth, it's fantastic celebrating their achievements and hopefully adding a few more budding sailors into the mix too. 

Emily Achieves a PB at Tonbridge 5K
Congratulations to Emily in Year 9, who finished as the 3^rd female overall in the Tonbridge 5km race last weekend and was also the 1^st female in her age category. Whilst not quite feeling 100% she went on to achieve a Personal Best performance of 22 minutes 28 seconds, an incredible effort. Well done Emily!

Hockey

U14 vs Lewes Old Grammar
This was a fantastic and well-matched fixture against LOGS, played in a slightly different format consisting of three 12-minute thirds.

Despite the final scoreline, it doesn’t reflect the nature of the game at all. LOGS' first goal came from a break at the halfway line, during a moment when the Mayfield defence was slightly disorganised, leaving Ana exposed. The first third ended 1-0 to LOGS.

After a quick team talk, the defence made significant improvements and implemented the pendulum defence brilliantly. This restricted LOGS’ space and limited their attacking opportunities, keeping the score at 1-0. At the same time, the Mayfield girls were clinical with their spacing and worked tirelessly to stretch the pitch both high and wide. This tactical adjustment made a noticeable difference, giving Mayfield more space to play with.

The team responded well to feedback, moving the ball intelligently and avoiding unnecessary contact, showing real progress in the areas they’ve been focusing on in training. Their ball speed and passing accuracy also saw marked improvement. The second third ended goalless, with Mayfield showing great control and discipline.

Heading into the final third, spirits were high, and the girls played with growing confidence. This resulted in some fantastic play out from the back, leading to real scoring opportunities. Poppy and Lottie both came incredibly close-only missing the target by centimetres.

The girls should be incredibly proud of the progress they are making. Their focus, teamwork, and willingness to adapt are really starting to show on the pitch. It's a great reminder that success lies in the process, not just the outcome.

U13A vs Burgess Hill
9-0 win

The U13As made an incredible start to the game with Betsy making a forceful and skilful run up the pitch and passing the ball to Josie, who scored within the first 30 seconds of the game. Mayfield kept piling on the pressure, and even when players were moved to different positions, the goals kept coming, which is a huge boost for the girls; their movement of the ball was impressive. Further goals throughout the game saw hat tricks for Josie, Romilly and Isobel.

U13B vs Lewes Old Grammar
2-0 Loss

In a really well-matched, competitive game of Hockey, Mayfield started the game positively and were able to use the good ball pace of Maisie and Macarena at the back to get the ball high. LOGS grew into the match and were able to score two goals before half time, after Mary had made some strong saves.

In the second half, Mayfield's focus was to look up to pick their passes and have a little more composure when in possession. This improved as the game went on, and Mayfield were able to take their time to send the ball into space out wide, rather than rushing their passes. There were some nice patterns of play and a few good chances in the D, but unfortunately Mayfield could not turn their offensive pressure into a goal.

Mary was awarded Defensive Player of the Match, for some brilliant saves with her feet and Sofia was given Attacking Player of the Match, for her good work in the midfield and driving Mayfield up the pitch. Well done to all the girls who played, and we look forward to their next match after Half Term.

U15 vs Lewes Old Grammar
2-1 Loss

In a closely fought contest, Mayfield started strongly and had much of the play, creating a number of goal scoring opportunities before Lewes hit back, somewhat against the run of play. Mayfield continued to push forward but got caught on the break, leaving a number of the Lewes players unmarked, leading to the second goal. However, Mayfield did not lose hope and continued to press well into the second half, creating a number of short corner opportunities too, and finally with a burst forward from Emilia Pop, who found Rose in space to start a comeback. The Lewes goalkeeper also made a couple of very important saves to keep Mayfield out, especially in the dying seconds on the game.

Annabelle's Dance Performance for Prep School Heads
Huge congratulations to Annabelle, our first Dance Captain at Mayfield, who showed tremendous dedication, courage and professionalism whilst preparing for and performing a dance solo, for the Prep School Heads' event, on Wednesday. Her hard work and positive attitude were evident throughout, and the result was a beautiful performance. 

Staff v Parents Football
Last Friday, the staff once again hosted the parents in the latest instalment of the Staff v Parents sporting series as the staff looked to win the first Football game after three failed previous attempts.

The wet weather should have allowed for slick and crisp passing, and it did just that for the parents! The staff struggled to contend with the passing patterns that you could have mistaken as ‘something from the training ground.’ The staff found themselves 3-0 down at half time and facing complete humiliation.

The second half however was a lot more evenly contested after the Staff started brightly and then survived an onslaught of chances from the parents. Suddenly, out of what seemed nowhere…the Staff scored two quick goals to bring the score back to 3-2 and to give them a fighting chance. Once the parents had survived the scare however, the game was quickly put to bed with two more goals being added to the score and despite a consolation and confirmation of the second half victory, and the game finished 5-3 to the parents.

Mr Walser would like to thank all Staff and Parents who braved the weather to play and assist with the event but also, thank the girls who stuck around to watch and support (whether they had the choice or not was another matter!).

Keep an eye on your emails as the annual Netball, Cricket and Golf dates will be out in due course, as will the newly formed Rounders event. Let’s get as many people involved in each match as possible!

Mayfield Poetry Day

Next, Jess introduced and judged the Eisteddfod for the Lower School.

Almost every pupil took part, performing a poem they had memorised. The range of poets chosen was extraordinary – from Michael Rosen to Ann Bronte; from John Clare to Maya Angelou and we were all treated to expressive performances conveying so many ideas and emotions.

Jess was so impressed that she created lots of awards to recognise the achievements of the girls. The prizes were purses with a coin inside, in keeping with the Eisteddfod tradition.

The overall winners were Ina-Mae and Isabella for a funny and dynamic performance of ‘Strict’ by Michael Rosen.

Runner-up was Netanya and Highly Commended, Florence.

Other winners were:
Overall Year 7: Felicity
Overall Year 8: Willow
Best Group: Cece and Cyra
Best mash-up and innovation: Annabella
Best performance with actions: Deya and Sakura
Best poem using props: Sofia and Marian
Best feel-good poem: Narissa

Mrs Jane Leslie, Teacher of English

A Celebration of House Spirit

Next week sees the start of the Competitive House competitions - eagerly awaited opportunities for each house to pit their wits and talents against the others to see who will come out victorious.

On Monday we have competitive house assemblies, and all girls are encouraged to wear their house polo tops with their normal school uniform.

Wednesday is Foundation Day, where again the girls will wear their house polo tops with pride. Following Mass celebrating Cornelia Connelly's foundation of the society, the girls will embark on a packed day of events. All girls will participate according to strength and talent. With competitions such as inter-house football and hockey to challenges ranging from spatial logistics to problem solving, teamwork and communication will be key. The day will culminate in a 'Song in a Day' - which house will come out victorious?

Parent Breakfast and Student Talks with Katherine Baldwin

Today, the school was delighted to welcome Katherine Baldwin, wellbeing speaker, author, and coach, to our Parent Breakfast event.

During the breakfast session, Katherine delivered a thoughtful and informative presentation on healthy coping mechanisms and the signs to look out for in eating disorders and self-harm. Her talk offered parents valuable insights into supporting young people through the challenges of adolescence, encouraging open communication and proactive wellbeing strategies at home.

Katherine went on to deliver age-appropriate workshops to students in Years 7 and 8, and Years 9 and 10, addressing emotional resilience, self-care, and the importance of seeking support when facing difficulties.

The talks were warmly received by both students and staff. One Year 8 student commented:

“It made me realise that it’s okay to talk about your feelings and ask for help.”

Another student from Year 10 reflected:

“The talk was really engaging and helped me understand how to recognise when I’m struggling and what I can do about it.”

We are grateful to Katherine for sharing her expertise and for fostering such open, compassionate discussions within our community.

Dr Angelina Kasina, Life Skills and Personal Development Coordinator

Congratulations to Gabriella! 

We’re incredibly proud of Gabriella in Year 13, who was shortlisted in the Theology Category of the John Locke Institute 2025 Global Essay Prize. 

Last week, she attended the prestigious Awards Ceremony & Gala Dinner in London, celebrating her outstanding achievement alongside other talented finalists from around the world.

STEM Hero - October 2025

MESSy's Half-Term Highlights

This half-term MESSy has been working on bug and hedgehog houses. 

In the first activity slot we discussed our ideas and aims for the year. We then went on to planning and thinking about how and where these houses would go and what materials we would use. This included a hunt for good materials on one of the sunnier days and designing our own bug hotels on another day, which we are hoping to build eventually. 

Last week we went down to the greenhouse and started on growing some flowers from cuttings. They are now safely in the greenhouse, and we are hoping they will start to show signs of growth in the coming months.  

Our future plans include growing more of our own flowers and vegetables which we could sell to raise money for charity, as well as other charity days such as selling second hand clothes. 

We also talked about regenerating Paradise - the courtyard next to the cloisters - and doing some weeding and planting there. 

Another idea for more rainy days was to raise awareness of climate issues by watching some of the latest David Attenborough documentaries. 

Heidi, Sustainability Prefect

Rainbows Support Group

Rainbows is a national and well-respected charity, which offers a programme of support for young people navigating grief of all kinds, such as death, divorce, incarceration, abandonment and many others, through facilitated peer groups within their communities. These groups provide a safe environment that encourages communication while identifying, navigating and discussing difficult feelings that accompany loss. Our trained staff host small, informal sessions in St Raph’s, for the duration of the programme.

Confidentiality, which is at the heart of all Rainbows Programmes, is always kept, unless a young person is at risk, in which case the school’s safeguarding procedures are followed. 

Rainbows supports self-esteem, trust, confidence and resilience, whilst promoting positive emotional/mental development and healthy relationships. If you feel your daughter might benefit from attending the Rainbows group, please feel free to contact me, Helen Lavery at hlavery@mayfieldgirls.org or your daughter's form tutor.

‘100% of headteachers agreed that the Rainbows programme is a valuable resource for supporting vulnerable children in school.’ 
‘96% of parents and carers would recommend the programme to others.’ 
‘79% of children agreed that they felt more confident and less worried about their problems after attending a Rainbows Programme.’ 

Please do not hesitate to contact us via email if you have any questions regarding this.

Mayfield Charity Fashion Show - Dresses Wanted!

Library News

Thank you to all the girls who took part in the Mayfield Poetry Trail celebrating National Poetry Day. I hope you enjoyed searching for the first lines around school.

We had a tie for first place between two teams, both in Year 11: Amantha & Charlotte and Winnie & Jasmine.

In lower school, Deya in Year 7 won the prize for the most correct answers by a solo entry.

Well done girls! Please come to the library to collect your prize if you haven’t already done so.

The titles of the poems were;

Photo of the Week

Our photos this week are shared by Mrs Misiewicz and Mrs Cox, who have sent in beautiful photos of Mayfield - mushrooms sprouting outside the chapel (please don't go and eat them!) and the beautiful dusk colours looking out over court meadow from the school grounds.  

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