E-weekly Issue 148

Food Bank Collection

Between now and Thursday 17th December, the School we will be collecting items for the Foodbank in Crowborough. This Foodbank helps prevent hundreds of local people, who live below the poverty line, from going hungry. You can find out more about their work here.

If you would like to assist them in their work, please could you bring in and donate non-perishable items of food and drink from the list below. It would also be great to provide some Christmas treats for families in need if you are able. If boarders would like to contribute, they can donate money in their Houses and items will be bought on their behalf.

We have Collection Points in Becket Hall, Lower School and in the Sixth Form Centre so please leave your donations in one of the designated areas. Last year we managed to collect over 20 boxes of items. Let's try to do even better this time!

Shopping List:
-        Instant mash potato
-        Washing pods/capsules
-        Washing up liquid
-        Nappies size 4/5/6
-        Toothpaste
-        UHT milk
-        Tinned potatoes
-        Cartons of fruit juice
-        Sponge puddings
-        Tinned vegetables
-        Tinned meat
-        Tinned fruit
-        Tinned rice pudding
-        Tinned custard
-        Tins/packets of soup
-        Spaghetti in sauce
-        Tea
-        Coffee
-        Sweet biscuits
-        Jam

Mrs Karen Sunderland, Head of RS

Scenes from Alice in Wonderland

The Mayfield Theatre Company is very pleased to be able to share October's production of ‘Scenes From Alice in Wonderland’ with the School community. The play was due to have been performed at the end of the last academic year, but this obviously became impossible. Undeterred, we removed some scenes and re-staged others so that a Covid-safe performance could go ahead.

A live audience of Year 8s were treated to this promenade production, in which the White Rabbit led them around the School grounds. We then filmed the scenes in the afternoon/evening to be edited together by the talented Miss Clark. The girls worked exceptionally hard on this and are proud to be able to share their work here.

Happy watching!

Mr Daniel Smith, Teacher of Drama and Media Studies

News from the Friends and Year Reps

Mayfield Virtual Christmas Michaelmas Fair
Don’t forget to check out all the latest stallholders at the Mayfield Virtual Christmas Michaelmas Fair as they are selling a plethora of wonderful Christmas gifts and treats!

Year 13 Statistics Workshop

Last Saturday morning, 15 Year 13 A Level mathematicians turned up bright and early to participate in a Statistics Workshop organised by Mrs Howie. The morning started with a fun, competitive Kahoot Quiz to identify gaps in knowledge. The Workshop was then split into three sessions: Interpreting Data, The Large Data Set, and Sampling Methods, with a particular focus on applying these skills to exam questions.  A re-run of the Quiz at the end of the workshop indicated an improvement in knowledge from everyone.

Delicious tiffin made by Mrs Howie and chocolates provided by Miss Demetriou kept everyone focused and cheerful! Comments from students after the session included:
“Enjoyed the Kahoot and it was a very useful session!”
“It was good and I liked the tiffin!”
“The most useful thing about the workshop was building the basic knowledge of the large data set.”

Miss Andriana Demetriou, Head of Maths

Year 12 Virtual Biology in Action 2020

This year, the annual Year 12 Biology trip to ‘Biology in Action’ in London took on a different form, and was delivered virtually from Mayfield. We heard lectures from a range of eminent doctors and professors from a wide range of fields, which extended the A Level curriculum and enabled students to put some of the subject matter into context.

First was Dr Rohin Francis from University College London, who had come straight from a night shift at the hospital to speak about the development and design of the heart, heart disease, and medical advances in the treatment of heart disease. My favourite lecture was by Professor Nessa Carey who leads her field in epigenetics. She discussed how our environment can influence gene expression. Our final speaker was Professor Tim Spector who has investigated the human gut biome and its influence on everything from our weight to mental health.

It was a thoroughly rewarding day and, if any of you are stuck for a Christmas read, I can recommend the following books by those who lectured at the conference.

Mrs Jocelyn Mahon, Head of Science

In Physics this week..

Dr Darragh Corvan, Head of Physics

Festive Feast for Micks’ Girls

On Saturday night, Year 11 boarders enjoyed a delicious festive feast with the House staff and Mrs Stone. The girls voted on what they would like to eat ahead of the evening and so we began with mozzarella sticks and pigs in blankets, followed by steak, mash and green beans, topped off with brownies and ice cream for dessert.

We were also lucky enough to have some entertainment during the evening. A couple of girls performed Christmas songs on the piano, and another group performed a dance. Everybody had a great time relaxing after their mocks! 

Miss Essie Mitchell, Graduate Assistant

Lower School Climate Change Competition

Last week, Lower School pupils took part in a competition to design three slides for the Science Department screens on the subject of climate change.

Year 8 Heidi was the overall winner and she depicted the effect that using disposable face masks is having on sea life, as well as a creating a clear list of some of the causes of climate change. The runners up were Eleanor, Mia, and Alice – who each received a chocolate prize. Well done all!

Mrs Jocelyn Mahon, Head of Science

Art History presentation on Artemisia Gentileschi

On Monday, Year 12 and 13 History of Art students gave a presentation in Assembly on the Baroque artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, currently the subject of a major exhibition at the National Gallery. The students discussed several paintings, including her 'Self-Portrait as St Catherine of Alexandria' (1615), recently acquired by the Gallery.

At Mayfield, we have our own St Catherine, with wheel and martyr's palm, in a panel of the late 15th century Paduan School polyptych, kindly donated by Lady Russell of Killowen in 1950. This blog explains some of the 'attributes' associated with the Saint:

Wheels, books and swords: how to spot Saint Catherine in art | Art UK 
Artemisia Gentileschi | Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria | NG6671 | National Gallery, London 
Artemisia | Exhibitions | National Gallery, London 

Mrs Joanna Weddell, Head of History of Art
 

News from the Chaplaincy

Gaudete in Domine Semper (Rejoice in the Lord Always)
The third Sunday of Advent is called ‘Gaudete Sunday’ which means ‘Joy’ or ‘Rejoice’. Today, on our Advent Wreath, we light a pink candle to mark this day of joy.

St. Paul’s advice and encouragement from the first reading today gives this third Sunday of Advent its traditional name, ‘Gaudete Sunday’. Joy is the central message of our readings and prayers this Sunday, and indeed the whole of Advent and the celebration of Christ.

The first words that Mary hears when she is told that she is going to be the mother of Jesus are: “Rejoice, so highly favoured.” Mary is to be filled with joy because God has called her by her name and her son will be the long awaited Messiah. When she goes to see Elizabeth her cousin, she breaks into song, singing out loudly, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my saviour”. Mary does not keep her good news or her joy to herself, she freely shares them with Elizabeth and the whole world. When the angels appeared to the shepherds they heard this life-giving message, “Do not be afraid, I bring you news of great joy.” The good news of Jesus’ birth is meant not only for the shepherds, it continues to be good news for each of us today.

Up until recently we prayed these words after the Our Father, “as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ”. Although no longer used, this is still the central message of Advent. We are called to wait for the birth of Jesus and we are to wait in hope joyfully. As we wait, we are not to be afraid, anxious or worried; we are to wait in joyful hope. Why? Because, as the opening antiphon tells us, “The Lord is very near.”

Like Mary who shared her joy with Elizabeth, today each of us is asked to be a person of joy and we are asked to share our joy with others. There are many people, some of whom we may even know, who have little reason to be joyful at this time of the year. As Mary did with Elizabeth, may we follow her example and share our joy with all those we meet during these last few days and weeks of Advent. May we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.   (Br Michael Moore, OMI)

Mr Ronan Lavery, Lay Chaplain

Clay Pigeon Shooting for Boarders

The boarders from St Michaels House had a great time laser clay pigeon shooting last Sunday. After practising with the rifles (which shoot infrared beams rather than pellets), each girl shot three rounds of 10 clays. We all enjoyed trying something new - even though it was freezing cold!

Year 11 Elizabeth

PE Department Update

On Saturday morning, girls in Years 7 to 10 participated in a Netball Workshop with Miss Auer and Miss Jones. They worked hard on their skills, played fun team games, and finished with some match play. Well done to all those who took part.

The Seniors also had a good morning of Hockey, and spent the session playing a small-sided game. In the afternoon, some of the boarders did PE as an activity in which they could choose from Swimming and Table Tennis.

Finally, the PE Department has put together a 14-day Fitness Programme for those who have to self-isolate for two weeks, or simply want to do some fitness exercises at home over the holidays.

Miss Imogen Jones, Teacher of PE

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