E-weekly Issue 173

Message from Mrs Green

This week saw the start of Autumn with a change in the weather and a drop in temperature, but luckily the rain stayed away on Wednesday for the Michaelmas Fair. A big ‘thank you’ to The Friends’ of Mayfield for organising the Fair, and also to parents for completing a Covid test and wearing masks so that we can continue to keep our community safe. 

Last week we held the first two parent webinars of the term, one from Elevate on ‘Study Skills’ and the other organised by the Girls’ School Association (GSA) on ‘Gaming and Gambling’. Both very different topics but relevant to your daughter’s world today and it was interesting to learn how bargaining for a unicorn in a game can lead to so much more.  

The next webinar from the GSA is titled ‘Everyone’s Invited’ and will be held from 18:00 to 19:00 on Thursday 14th October.  Please follow the link here to register.  

Yesterday evening Year 11, joined by many parents, enjoyed learning more about what they will experience in the Sixth Form at Mayfield. We were also delighted to welcome a number of girls from other schools who are keen to move to Mayfield for their Sixth Form studies.  Many thanks to Mr Doy, Head Girl, Tatum, and the Prefects and Sixth Form pupils for their insights into life in the Sixth Form, the wide range of academic and extra-curricular opportunities available, the Enrichment Programme, and the extensive support offered for university and career preparation. The girls are looking forward to their taster lessons and experiencing all the Sixth Form has to offer them. 

This weekend will be busy for the girls with hockey fixtures against Ardingly and a trip to Eastbourne for the boarders, and with four busy weeks already completed this half term, the girls will look forward to a quiet Sunday. 

Christmas Card Competition Reminder for the girls
Following on from my notice in assembly, please see the details below for the Christmas Card competition:
·         Your card design needs to represent the spiritual side of Christmas
·         The design should be on A4
·         The design should be portrait
·         It can be made in any medium
·         We will choose one design each from Lower, Middle and Upper School and these will be made into our School Christmas cards
·         The deadline is Monday 17^th October
·         Please hand your designs into Mrs Balboa (Head’s PA)

Mrs Niamh Green, Acting Headmistress

Invitation to Cornelian Lecture with Katie King

Parents and pupils are invited to join us on Tuesday 19th October (from 19:00 – 20:00) in the Concert Hall to hear our first Cornelian Lecture of the academic year.

We are delighted to welcome Katie King, an expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI), who will be talking about harnessing AI for good and how it will shape future careers. Katie is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group task force for the adoption of AI and has delivered two TEDx talks. She has also written a book– ‘Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: How to harness AI and maintain the competitive edge’.

Please RSVP here if you are planning to attend. This will help us to manage capacity on the night.

Thank you.

Mr John Doy, Head of Sixth Form

The Friends’ Virtual Michaelmas Fair

Many thanks to The Friends for all their hard work and enthusiasm in organising the Michaelmas Fair on Wednesday. There was a plethora of exciting stalls for guests to peruse and, for those of you who were unable to attend in person, we are delighted to announce that the Michaelmas Fair continues online!

Please click here if you would like to take a look at all the wonderful stalls available and to get a head start on your Christmas shopping!

Finally, many congratulations to our entrepreneurial Year 13 Alice who set up a stall selling her own jewellery designs in The Hub.
 

Art and Design Trip to Hastings Old Town

On Friday 24^th September the Year 10, 12 and 13 Art and Design students spent the day sketching and taking photographs of the beach, fishing boats and Old Town as part of their GCSE and A Level course work. They sat in the sun sketching in their hand made sketchbooks and took exciting photographs based on the themes such as the seashore, seascape/landscape, boats, water-reflection and distortion, sea life and fish markets, texture/surface, funfairs/arcades, street photography, typography of shops and street signs, graffiti and portraits.

In School, the students will then continue exploring their theme through techniques such as Photoshop, drawing and painting as they experiment with different ways of working developing their ideas and art work.

Mrs Alison Sivyour, Teacher of Art

Arts Hero for October

Dr Joanna Weddell, Head of History of Art

Potters’ Day

On Saturday 25^th September, Ceramics students in Years 10 to 13 were treated to a fantastic online lecture by Phoebe Cummings. ‘Potters’ Day’ has always provided our ceramists with fresh ideas and processes, and an insight into how artists work and develop.

We were all inspired by Phoebe’s approach to clay as a material and her numerous residencies around the world.

Mr Tim Rees-Moorlah, Head of Ceramics

MESSy Honey

Mayfield’s bees have had a busy Summer making lots of delicious honey and we have a limited edition of 13 jars now available for £10 each (cash only please) from the School Office.

All proceeds from the sale of the Mayfield honey will go to MESSy (Mayfield Environmental and Sustainability Club) and the upkeep of our bees.

Thank you!

MESSy

News from the Chaplaincy

Year 7 Day of Recollection
"God whispers, he doesn’t shout…"

That was the theme for the first of this year’s Days of Recollection which took place on Tuesday. Year 7, sporting their funky socks, left School for Holy Cross Priory in nearby Cross-in-Hand, where they spent the day praying, learning, working together, and occasionally bumping into tables, blindfolded…

45 girls and their tutors began the day in Holy Cross Parish Chapel, before moving to the meeting room. After a brief introduction, the girls found themselves being blindfolded and guided around an ever-changing obstacle course by their partners. It was a challenging, fun activity, with some girls ending up outside on the patio, and some mysteriously losing shoes along the course… Once the noise subsided, the activity did lead to a good discussion on the presence of God in our lives, offering us guidance as we attempt to navigate the various obstacles we face in life.

After break, we split into small groups and explored the lives of some inspirational people, the impact they had on the world, and the whisper of God in each of their lives. Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Cornelia Connelly and Malala Yousafzai all featured in the conversation.

After lunch, David’s story demonstrated the potential we each possess - the potential to change the world. All we need to do is trust ourselves, listen to the whisper of God, and we will change the world for everyone we meet.

It’s important to balance work and play so once the meeting room was spotlessly tidy, we finished the day with a particularly loud round of 'Fruit Salad'. A short visit to the chapel later, a happy group of Year 7’s were en route back to Mayfield in time for afternoon tea.

From  the moment they left the School until the moment they returned, the girls were a credit to themselves, the School and their families. We are very grateful to the tutors for their support and guidance, to the minibus drivers who made the day possible, and to the staff of Holy Cross Priory, who could not have been more welcoming. The whole day exemplified the Year 7 Cornelian Principle: Joy!

Mr Ronan Lavery, Lay Chaplain

Boarders Go Stargazing with Dr Corvan

This week, the boarders have been stargazing with Dr Corvan. They looked at the various constellations in the night sky and used the School telescope to find Jupiter. They were able to see its coloured bands as well as its four Galilean Satellites - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

Dr Darragh Corvan, Head of Physics

Buzz Active Adventures for Leeds House Boarders

Year 7 and 8 boarders had a real adventure at Buzz Active in Eastbourne last weekend. They were able to try out windsurfing and sailing, and a great time was had by all!

History of Art Ambassador, Year 13 Alice, reports on the trip to Tate Modern and Tate Britain:

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to London as part of our History of Art A Level. We were able to visit incredible exhibitions such as my personal favourite, ‘The Making of Rodin’ exhibition at Tate Modern. We saw his famous sculptures such as ‘The Kiss’, ‘The Thinker’ and ‘The Walking Man’.

I was personally inspired by Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’ as it portrayed a sense of tranquillity yet power. The heroic scale of the figure created a sense of hierarchy but the fact he appeared so still against the movement of the other viewers in the exhibition created a sense of peace which was really interesting.

We also saw ‘The British Library’ by Yinka Shonibare, which was also interesting to see after having studied it in Year 12, retaining all of its important details, which were even more prominent in real life.  

The last part of our trip consisted of the Tate Britain galleries where we saw many paintings from the Pre-Raphaelite movement. We saw ‘Christ in the Carpenter’s Shop’ by John Everett Millais, which caused a great deal of controversy in its time, and other influential paintings such as a triptych by Augustus Egg, following a woman cast out by her husband as a result of adultery, and showing the consequences for her and her family.

This was an extremely inspiring trip which will continue to influence not only my academic pursuits but my approach to my creative subject. 

Year 13 Alice is studying History of Art, Religious Studies and Ceramics.  

Le Petit Café Français

The European Day of Languages is celebrated every year on 26^th September and, this year, to mark the occasion, the French Department organised a French Café experience for the girls in Years 7 to 11.

Rooms 22 and 23 were set out as cafés, with tablecloths, napkins, menus and decorations, and relaxing café music was played in the background. Our Sixth Form French students kindly offered their waitressing services for the lunchtime experience, and endeavoured to encourage all the girls to order their snacks and drinks in French.

On offer were typically French cheeses and paté, saucisson, baguette, pains au chocolat, crêpes au Nutella amongst other things, and despite the fact that most girls had only eaten lunch an hour or so previously, they successfully managed to devour the majority of what was available!

A fun time was had by all and special thanks go to all the waitresses, (including Yueshi for her exceptional outfit!) and to Mme Richard for all the organisation and shopping beforehand!

Mrs Rachel Testa, Head of French

Micks Girls Make Sushi

The girls in St Michael's House really enjoyed making sushi on Saturday evening - and they enjoyed eating it even more! 

Miss Josefina Ruival, St Michael's Housemistress

PE Department Update

U12 Hockey 
Last week saw Year 7 head to Burgess Hill for their first hockey fixture. The girls played well and worked hard to defend and attack as a team. As the matches went on, they got better and better, finding space, making good runs off the ball, and successfully defending short corners. Both teams showed huge amounts of potential and will only grow in confidence and skill over this term! Well done girls! 

U13 Hockey
The U13A and B teams thoroughly enjoyed their first-ever Mayfield hockey fixture against Burgess Hill last week. The U13As got off to a great start and entered half time with the score level at 1-1 following Anna’s goal, which won her ‘Player of the Match’.

Even though we created some chances early in the second half, Burgess Hill ended up scoring a late winner and the game finished 2-1. This was a very close game which could have gone either way. Unlike the 13As, the Bs had a rocky start conceding three goals in the opening 10 minutes. They recovered well at half time and ended up keeping a clean sheet for the second half. A tough 3-0 loss to take, but a shout out to our defenders Holly and Fleur who kept their heads high and produced a very strong second half performance. Special mentions also go to ‘Player of the Match’ Maria for her brilliant debut performance, and to Cordi M for an impressive first game in goal.

U14 Hockey
On Tuesday, the U14s played in the Sussex County Hockey Tournament. They did not get the luck of the draw being pooled with very strong Eastbourne and Bede’s sides. The girls started a little tentatively but grew into each game and should be really proud of the progress they made throughout the day, especially considering the warm weather we experienced. A special mention must go to Cordi E who made some outstanding saves and kept the score line down in both games. 

Lord’s Trip 
On Friday, 16 of our Sports Scholars visited ‘the home of cricket’ - Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The girls were treated to a marvellous tour of the ground including the Media Centre, Warner Stand and the historic pavilion.

The girls were able to experience both the home and away changing rooms, as well as walking through the Long Room. The girls also visited the museum which featured a Women's Cricket Exhibition. The girls enjoyed learning about the history of the sport as well as seeing some of the world’s most famous trophies up close and personal. To top off the day, the girls even spotted a familiar face pictured in the museum, our very own Miss Starr!

Netball Training Success 
Miss Jones and Miss Auer had a super Saturday morning training the girls in preparation for selecting the U14, U16 and U18 squads for the upcoming National Schools tournament on Saturday 9th October.

A special ‘thank you’ to all the girls who attended and especially to the dedicated Sixth Formers who were up and out on the courts by 08:00 for an hour’s training before Open Morning.  

Tonbridge Netball League cancellation
Unfortunately, the highly-anticipated first Tonbridge Netball League match was cancelled last minute by the opposition due to a shortage of players and petrol, but we are optimistic the next fixture at 20:30 on Tuesday 12th October will go ahead - watch this space! 

County Netball Success for Year 8 Sofia
Many congratulations to Sofia for successfully gaining a well-deserved place on the U13 Kent Netball Development Squad. A fantastic opportunity which will only elevate her game further. 

The PE Department

News from the School Shop

Found at the Michaelmas Fair
Please see below a pair of Roberto Cavalli sunglasses found near the Lower School Car Park on Friday 29^th September. If you think they are yours please contact sbowles@mayfieldgirls.org or call 01435 873175 to arrange pick up.

Lost Property
Please see below pictures of lost property currently in the School Shop. If you think any of the items are yours, please come to the School Shop to claim them. Many of these items were left in School last term and anything unclaimed by Half Term will be sold for charity.

Swimming Hat Issues
It has come to our attention that swimming caps seem to be ripping at the seams. If this happens please do not throw away the cap – please bring it into the School Shop and we will exchange it free of charge for a new one. This is very important as we have an issue with the quality of the new caps and need to return faulty ones to the manufacturer. If your cap has already ripped in the first three weeks of term and you had to buy another one, please email me at sbowles@mayfieldgirls.org and I will credit your account if you were charged for the replacement one.

This applies ONLY to caps sold over the Summer holidays 2021 and this term. Caps sold prior to this are the heavier latex materiel and are not faulty.

Christmas Ted Competition
Please ensure you return your entry form for the Christmas Ted Competition to the School Shop by Half Term (Friday 22^nd October at 15:30) or email your entry to sbowles@mayfieldgirls.org as the design will be created over Half Term.

All you have to do is think of a Christmas/Winter-themed scene featuring the Mayfield Teddy that we can re-create in the School Shop, and either describe or draw your design using the application form here.  We will create the design and provide any props that are needed.

The prize for the winning idea is a £10 voucher for a shop of your choice and a box of chocolates.

Mrs Susan Bowles, School Shop Manager

Menu

Reminders

Car Park
You will have noticed a new one-way system in the Car Park.  To ensure that traffic flows freely and for safety, please do not wait for your daughter in the line of traffic but park in a space and wait for her there.
Thank you.

Absences
If your daughter is going to be absent from lessons, please email absence@mayfieldgirls.org

Contacting Staff
If you need to contact a member of staff, please do so by email. If you do not have the member of staff’s email address, School emails follow this format: first initial and surname@mayfieldgirls.org  e.g abunce@mayfieldgirls.org
Please do not come into School unless by appointment.
Thank you for your understanding.