Mayfield Cornelian 2019/20 by kchamber

Mayfield Cornelian 2019/20

Welcome We have reached the end of a year which, when we reflect on it, I hope will be remembered as much for the positive, innovative and resilient way in which the Mayfield community has responded to challenges, as for the challenges themselves. I trust it finds you well and coping with the vicissitudes and after effects of COVID, wherever you are in the world. I am sure that in true Mayfield style, you will make the best of it.

It has been a busy year, which started very positively, and in spite of the limitations of COVID which seem to have dominated proceedings latterly, much has been achieved in School and reaching out to the wider community. We have endeavoured to continue as much like normal as possible since we returned to School in September, and were blessed in having very few positive cases of COVID in School: we are lucky to be in a part of the world that has, thus far, remained relatively unscathed, although of course there are individual tales of loss and bereavement, even here. Live Crib continued, albeit virtually, but we hope that the associated fundraising will ensure that the School charities will continue to benefit from this iconic tradition. Mayfield stafl have been amazing, as ever, with even the most ostensibly technophobic rising to the challenge and embracing the joy of virtual lessons when necessary, so that Mayfield girls have continued to attend lessons uninterrupted, even when they were in lockdown or precautionary isolation. We have been able to continue our music and LAMDA lessons, sport and inter-house competitions, albeit in a modified way to ensure that girls and stafl have remained as safe as possible. Lectures and talks have been predominantly on zoom or teams, and of particular note was one organised by our Head Girl, Natasha.

She contacted undergraduate medic, Malone Mukwende, who talked to the girls about his pioneering work on diagnosing disease in darkcoloured skin. Even trips have been rescheduled online: there are some amazing virtual tours available! Similarly, many parents and OCs have been able to continue to share their life and work experiences through this

Flicking the dust of 2020 off our heels, we are looking forward to the future with great confidence. virtual medium, and we are always keen to hear from members of the extended School community, whatever their background, to add to our growing careers library of video clips. As we bade farewell to our departing Year 13 in June, sadly with much less pomp and circumstance than we would have hoped for such an outstanding group of girls, we had not anticipated that the following year group would have to contend with

the same uncertainties, not least over examinations. We are grateful that our girls were awarded the grades they deserved in 2020, in line with our customary strong performance, and trust this provides some reassurance for the future. However, we know that Mayfield girls have been immensely privileged to be able to continue their education relatively unimpeded; an opportunity not aflorded to many across the country. We have much to be grateful for; and with this knowledge comes the responsibility to use such opportunity wisely and for the common good. Flicking the dust of 2020 ofl our heels, we are looking forward to the future with great confidence. October 2021 marks the 175th anniversary of the Foundation of the Society. The first mass was celebrated on 15th October, the feast of St Teresa of Avila, and we will be celebrating an international mass in Mayfield, bringing together SHCJ schools from around the world. Other events are planned to bring the SHCJ schools together to celebrate our joint heritage. Still more importantly, 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of this School, and so there are more celebrations in store as we launch the next 150 years of education at Mayfield. MA MPhil (Cantab), PGCE Headmistress

STEM All trips featured in this section took place prior to the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions.

Biology in Action In November, 16 Year 12 Biologists attended the Biology in Action lectures at the Emmanuel Centre in London. The lectures began with TV celebrity, Emily Grossman, interviewing her Dad, Ashley Grossman, about the hormones which control appetite. She went on to discuss the factors that have led to an ‘obesity crisis’, using Mexico as a case study, where more than 50% of children are described as ‘obese’. The second lecture was by Liam Drew, a neurobiologist turned science author and journalist, who writes articles about biomedical research and evolutionary biology. He discussed the features that are unique to mammals and why these have given us an evolutionary advantage in natural selection.

Tim Underwood, a surgeon with a special interest in oesophageal cancer and minimally invasive surgical techniques, talked us through a video of him removing a tumour from a patient’s lower oesophagus, and then using the stomach to replace the tube. He discussed with great passion his work for Cancer Research in personalising cancer treatment to reduce the need for invasive surgery. We all enjoyed a great day out that put our Biology syllabus into context, and highlighted current research in a range of biological fields. Mrs Rachel Davies, Teacher of Biology

The BETT Show 2020 In January, a group of girls from across the School travelled to the BETT Show, in London’s Excel Centre, to explore some of the latest technology in the education sector. The girls particularly enjoyed the virtual reality experiences in which they were able to dissect a frog and explore the surface of the moon. They discovered a range of other impressive technologies such as robotics, 3D printing and coding. Some girls attended a pop-up classroom run by Apple, while others learnt how to code their own arcade games. They also managed to amass an impressive array of freebies from the exhibitors too! Mr Matthew Mendes, Innovate Assistant

Sixth Form trip to JET In February, Sixth Form Physics students visited the Joint European Torus (JET) Fusion Reactor in Didcot. Here they saw the facilities used to design and test nuclear fusion a potential solution to the climate and energy generation crises. JET is an experimental facility where many large engineering and physics experiments are run. The girls were able to see the robotics testing facility, the reactor housing, and the control room, where data is taken and analysed. They were also given a talk about the history and development of the facility, and the fusion process. Dr Darragh Corvan, Head of Physics

Year 13 Biologists visit Exeter University Team Maths Challenge Regional Final In March, a team of aspiring Mayfield mathematicians went to Robertsbridge Community College for The Regional Final of the Team Maths Challenge. Two Year 9 girls, Isabella and Abigail, and two Year 7s, Matilda and Catherine, took part in the Challenge which comprised a number of exciting rounds. These included the Group Round, Shuttle Round, Crossword Number and Relay Round. The girls had great fun solving the challenging mathematical puzzles and enjoyed the opportunity to â€˜think outside the boxâ€™, with their teammates. Miss Andriana Demetriou, Teacher of Maths

Year 13 Biology students attended an Exeter University Day run by Dr Sam Stevens in February. In the morning they were treated to a lecture on Crystallography, which led to some excellent discussions about time dilation, the illusion of free will, and Beer-Lambert law. The girls really engaged with the discussion and asked some challenging and thought-provoking questions. After lunch, Dr Stevens discussed the path that led to him becoming a lecturer at Exeter University, including building a road along the Grand Canyon, working as a minister for an undertaker, and as a brewer! The girls learnt about what colour really is, and then used a spectrophotometer to find the relationship between colour and concentration. The final treat of the day was making candyfloss to demonstrate what a metasolid is, and how this can relate to the gel used in electrophoresis. Mrs Rachel Davies, Teacher of Biology

Humanities A Level Geographers assess climate change at Newhaven In September, our Year 12 A Level Geographers enjoyed a glorious autumn day data-logging on Newhaven Beach, and assessing fiood risk at Seaford. It was apparent from our flndings that climate change is having a signiflcant impact on coastal processes and local landforms, as well as increasing fiood risk to coastal communities.

Year 12 trip to the Houses of Parliament Year 12 Economics and Politics students paid a visit to the Houses of Parliament in September - the day that Parliament reconvened after the Supreme Court ruled that the Prime Minister's prorogation was unlawful.

History trip to London Metropolitan Archives and Tower of London Year 12 Historians visited the London Metropolitan Archives and Tower of London in March. They learnt about the role of an archivist, saw and interacted with beautiful original Medieval manuscripts, and then had an informative tour of the Tower of London, led by a historian focussing on the Wars of the Roses. The girls enjoyed re-enacting and debating the evidence surrounding the ‘Princes in the Tower’ murder mystery. Despite the weather, the girls had a great day engaging with their A Level topic. Mr David Warren, Head of History

Religious Language Conference Year 13 Religious Studies students attended an RS Conference on Religious Language in December. The university-style lecture by the eminent Dr Peter Vardy covered topics within the A Level curriculum, and also gave students access to a wider library of information relevant to their studies. The Conference was attended by A Level students from across the region and culminated in a lively debate amongst the participants. The Mayfield attendees found the conference

to be interesting and useful for their A level studies, and good preparation for university lectures ahead of them. Year 13 Poppy said: “Attending the RS Conference in London was a hugely informative experience. It was very helpful to hear the insights of intellects and philosophers, and it was great to meet Peter Vardy.” Mrs Karen Sunderland, Head of RS

Creative Arts Art Department trip to Kew Gardens

In September, Year 10 GCSE Art and Design students, and A Level Art and Ceramics students, visited Kew Gardens. The girls spent a productive and interesting day taking photographs in the various greenhouses and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, as visual research for their projects. Miss Joe Thackeray, Head of Art

Textiles trip to ‘Wonderful Things’ at the V&A In November, a group of Year 12 and 13 Textiles students spent an afternoon at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Our first port of call was the Creative Quarter in the Hochhauser Auditorium. We listened to a talk on ‘Apprenticeships in the Creative Industry’, given by the Royal Opera House, who have been offering apprenticeships in backstage production and technical departments since 2007. These provide high-quality vocational training on the job from some of the most skilled people in the industry, both in the UK and globally. We then visited ‘Drop-in Events’ in the Raphael Gallery, where the girls took part in an exciting range of hands-on activities including meeting the Designers in Residence - DesignLab Nation and Eco Logo, to name but a few. The Tim Walker photographic exhibition ‘Wonderful Things’ was enchanting and informative. Tim’s photography is pure fantasy - escapism with a magical element. His creative process is considered, and

structured using a storyboard and a mood board. His photoshoots focus on telling a story through pictures, rather than just showcasing the clothes. Tim described reading ‘Lord of the Flies’ at school and then went on to explain that this inspired his collaboration with the stylist, Ibrahim Kamara, and stylist assistant, Gareth Wrighton, on a photoshoot for i-D Magazine.

The Exhibition is a wonderful collection of working plans, sketches and interviews. It will encourage many to embark on their own journey, seeking out wonderful things that spark their imagination. Mrs Terri Budden, Head of Textiles

Music Music Department trip to Richard Burnett Collection of Historic Keyboard Instruments In September, nine of Mayfield’s top pianists paid a visit to the Richard Burnett Collection of Historic Keyboard Instruments in Tunbridge Wells. We were given a tour of this fantastic collection of instruments, dating from between 1700 and 1866, by pianist Jean Phillips, who demonstrated how each instrument worked and played a short piece on each. These included playing Handel on a harpsichord from his lifetime, and music from Jane Austen’s collection on a square piano from the early 19th century. After the tour, the girls were each given the opportunity to play a piece of music on the appropriate instrument and then given free time to play on any instrument they chose. It was an informative and exciting visit, and hopefully gave all the girls new insight into the soundworlds of the composers they are learning about. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

Schola Christmas Concert in London In December, Schola Cantorum travelled up to London to perform Witold Lutosławski’s ‘Twenty Polish Christmas Carols’ at St Bede’s, Clapham Park, a church with a glorious acoustic which really allowed Schola to shine. The Concert was attended by a large audience who were treated to all of the carols from this 20th century masterpiece, which combines Polish folk carols with avant-garde harmonies, ably managed by Mr Mortimer on the piano.

As well as a wonderful ensemble performance, solos were sung beautifully by Year 13s Emily, Megan, Tali, Hettie, Pia, and Mary, and Year 12 Olivia. After the Concert, the girls returned to School while Dr Ward stayed on to deliver a lecture to the parish on ‘Music and the Bible’. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

GCSE and A Level Music Trip to London In October, 10 GCSE and A Level Music students travelled to London for a day of varied musical experiences. They first attended a lunchtime concert at Wigmore Hall, given by harpsichordist, Mahan Esvahani, and the Britten Sinfonia. This was a dazzling concert of chamber music featuring a harpsichord from the 18th century through to brandnew work by composer, Lawrence Osborn, who conducted it. The girls came away with experience of a wide range of styles and possibilities for their own composing, and were able to listen to ensemble playing at its highest level. After this, we walked to the Handel and Hendrix Museum in Brook Street. Handel lived in this house from

the 1720s to his death in 1759, and composed many of his most famous works (including ‘Messiah’ and ‘Zadok the Priest’) in the building. The girls received a guided tour of Handel’s house, and were able to listen to a rehearsal for a concert in Handel’s music room. The top storey of the building has been knocked through to next-door, where Jimmy Hendrix lived with his girlfriend, Katherine Ellis, from 1968 to 1969. The girls explored the excellent exhibition spaces and watched several videos about Hendrix. In the evening, we capped an already busy day with another concert, this time in the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Two works were on the programme: Elgar’s ‘Violin Concerto’ with Nicola Benedetti, and the epic Richard Strauss’ ‘Alpensinfonie’, which featured a thundersheet, two sets of timpani, offstage cowbells, brass, and the Festival Hall’s gigantic organ. Orchestral works don’t come much bigger! All found the music and performances inspiring, and Year 13 Music Prefect Pia commented that she has found her new favourite piece of music in the ‘Alpensinfonie’. A tiring but thoroughly enjoyable day of music which should inspire all who attended to greater musical things. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

School News

A Level Results 2020 W

hile the preparation for and build up to A Levels this year may have been unlike any other, when it comes to results, Mayfield girls are consistently high achievers and, yet again, this was reflected in the School’s performance across the board. Despite significant media speculation about A Level results this year, there was much to celebrate as Mayfield was able to confirm another set of outstanding grades. Annalise, a local boarder, is delighted to be going to Queen’s College, Oxford to study Law, having achieved 2A* and an A in English, Economics and Politics. She said: “I am so happy that all my hard work has paid off and I’m really looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my life in Oxford. I will forever be grateful to all teachers at Mayfield for guiding me and encouraging me to have faith in myself.” Annalise will be joined at Oxford by Emily, who received an A* and two As, and is going on to read Biochemistry at Merton College. Genevieve, a boarder since Year 7, who achieved three A*s (English, Spanish and Drama), has a place at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge to study Languages. As a playwright and a performer, she is keen to take advantage of the cultural as well as academic opportunities that Cambridge will offer. Head Girl, Mary, a talented artist and stalwart of Mayfield’s ‘Schola Cantorum’ Choir, achieved 2A* and a D1 in her Pre U, and is going to St Andrew’s University to study History of Art in

the autumn. Mary, whose mother and grandmother also went to Mayfield, is delighted with her results. She said: “I have loved my time at Mayfield and the friendships and opportunities that it has given me. The support we have received from our teachers during lockdown has been absolutely brilliant, and I will miss the School very much.” Caroline, another with strong family links to the School, is a good all-rounder and a keen sportswoman. She was awarded 3A* and 1A in Physics, Ceramics, Maths and Further Maths, and is going on to read Engineering at Bristol University. Caroline said: “I am so happy that I was encouraged to take an eclectic combination of subjects as it allowed me to pursue all of my interests and keep my options open. People are often surprised to discover that many of the skills needed to succeed in both the Sciences and Creative Arts are transferable, and that universities are increasingly keen to take students who have received the kind of broad education that I have had at Mayfield. I am very excited to be heading off to Bristol!”

Leaver Destinations

University

Subject

University

Subject

Amsterdam

PPE

LSE

Management Science, Actuarial Science

Bristol

Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, German and Spanish, Music, Veterinary Science

London South Bank

Science Foundation

Bournemouth

Art Foundation, Animation Production

Loughborough

Art Foundation

Manchester

International Management

Cambridge

Modern and Medieval Languages (x2)

Newcastle

Fine Art

Cardiff

Mechanical Engineering

NYU Abu Dhabi

Engineering

Durham

Modern Languages, Biological Sciences,

Oxford

Law, Biochemistry

Plymouth

Dentistry

Edinburgh

Accounting and Finance, Veterinary Medicine

Royal Agricultural University

International Equine Management

Exeter

English, Modern Languages, Zoology, Geography, Physics

St Andrews

History of Art

Farnham

Art Foundation

University of the Arts London

Fashion Marketing, Product and Industrial Design

Greenwich

Professional Dance and Musical Theatre

UCL

Glasgow

Medicine

History, Sociology, Psychology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Philosophy

Kingston

Psychology

University of East Anglia

History of Art

Queen's University, Belfast

Music

York

History

Lancaster

Medicine

School News

GCSE Results 2020 M

ayfield girls have continued the tradition of academic excellence this year with impressive GCSE results. Amongst the results, there are a number of wonderful personal accomplishments including for Arkwright Scholars, identical twins Victoria and Valeria, who are stalwarts of STEM Club. Each received the highest grade (9) in all 12 subjects. Victoria, who will be studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics at A Level, is delighted with her results and said: “I am grateful to all of my teachers for preparing me so well for GCSEs, even though we didn’t end up taking the exams. Looking to the future, I am very excited to be returning to School to study for my A Levels!”

Valeria, who will also be studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics added: “I am delighted to have received these grades and very thankful for all the guidance from my teachers. I look forward to focussing on my chosen A Level subjects, where I hope to continue to work hard and enjoy my time at Mayfield.” Jemima, who also achieved 12 grade 9s and who will be taking A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Ceramics, said: “It has not been an easy year and I am glad that we received our results in the end today. I want to say ‘thank you’ to all of my teachers for their support, both in the classroom and during lockdown. I am really pleased with my grades and am hoping to go on to study Veterinary Medicine after my A Levels.”

opportunity and has been an amazing personal experience. I am reminded of a quote by Nelson Mandela – ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ A huge ‘thank you’ to Mayfield!” Tabitha, who will be studying Latin, Classical Civilisation, History and Art for A Level, said: “I am so relieved that the results are finally through and I am over the moon with my 9s and 8s. I can’t wait to start my Sixth Form Studies at Mayfield and to seeing my teachers and friends in September. I am so happy!”

Tatum, who received all 8s and 9s in her ten GCSE subjects, having joined Mayfield from South Africa in Year 10, is very much looking forward to studying Maths, Physics, Classical Civilisation and History next term: “Mayfield has provided me with an incredible

New Staff September 2019

Mr John Doy We are delighted to welcome a number of new staff to the Mayfield community this term, among them is our new Head of Sixth Form and Teacher of English, Mr John Doy. Joining us from Seaford College, Mr Doy previously worked as Head of English and Director of Academic Performance. He has an English degree from Oxford University and a PGCE from King’s College London, and enjoys reading, listening to music and playing the guitar in his spare time.

Mrs Margaret Barnett Joining us from Benenden, Old Cornelian Mrs Margaret Barnett is St Michael’s Housemistress. She previously worked in pastoral care for Sixth Form boarders and as a singing teacher. Mrs Barnett has a degree in Music from Colchester Institute and is a qualified Leith’s chef. She loves cooking, painting, drawing, singing and playing board games, and was Head of Schola during her time at Mayfield.

Mrs Claire Baker Mrs Claire Baker is Mayfield’s new Head of Lower School and Teacher of Biology who previously worked at The Towers where she was Assistant Head. With a Biology degree from Brighton University, and a PGCE from the University of Sussex, Mrs Baker also trained at the Northern Ballet School and enjoys fitness and running.

Mrs Leah Burkitt Mrs Leah Burkitt is Mayfield’s new Teacher of Biology and joins us from an international British school in Qatar where she taught Biology and Chemistry. Leah has an honours degree in Medical Biochemistry from Leicester University and a PGCE from Nottingham University, and is currently studying for a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management at Nottingham University so she’s always kept on her toes!

Mr Ralph Cowan Mr Ralph Cowan is our new Head of Chemistry and has spent the last ten years as Head of Science at Ashford School. Mr Cowan studied Chemistry and Physiological Science at Magdalen College, Oxford, and is a keen wildlife gardener.

Ms Maria Curran Ms Maria Curran is a new Teacher of Learning Support and has spent the last nine years working as a Dyslexia Lecturer at West Kent College. With an English degree from Exeter University, Maria sings in her local choir, walks, keeps fit and loves reading.

School News

Ms Amy Doy Ms Amy Doy is our new Teacher of English. With an English degree from King’s College London, Ms Doy has spent the last six years working as Assistant Head of English at Seaford College. She enjoys playing the piano, hip hop music and cryptic crosswords.

Mrs Justine Hunnisett Mrs Justine Hunnisett is a new Science Technician in the Physics Department. Having previously worked at Monkton Combe School in Bath as a Science Technician, Mrs Hunnisett has a first class honours degree in Chemistry from Northumbria University. Her hobbies include playing tennis and badminton, reading and gardening.

Mrs Liz Edwards Mrs Liz Edwards is our new Teacher of German and most recently spent 20 years working at Uckfield Community College. Liz has a degree in German from Sussex University, she loves golf and helping out with the Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra.

Mrs Clarizza Kimber Mrs Clarizza Kimber is a Teacher of RS and comes from Salesian School in Chertsey where she worked as a Religious Studies Teacher. She has a degree in Philosophy from Heythrop College, University of London, and a PGCE from Sussex University. She likes singing, painting, travelling and watching films.

Mrs Georgia Fytili Mrs Georgia Fytili is Mayfield’s new Teacher of Classics and joins us from the Greek Secondary School of London, where she taught Classics and History. She has a BA in Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology from the University of Athens, and an MA in Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment from UCL. In her spare time, Mrs Fytili enjoys reading, yoga and pilates.

Emily Nixon Emily Nixon is Mayfield’s new Teacher of PE and has spent the last year working as a PE Teacher at Howard of Effingham in Surrey. With a degree in Sports Coaching and Physical Education from Chichester University, and a PGCE from Canterbury Christchurch University, Emily enjoys hockey, canoeing, camping and reading.

Dr Marie-Sophie Reijers Dr Marie-Sophie Reijers is a Specialist Learning Support Teacher with a PhD in English from La Sorbonne and Oxford University, and an MSc in Education from Oxford University. Marie-Sophie hails from Sevenoaks School where she supported students with learning needs in the French Department. She likes being outdoors, playing sport and singing in her local choir.

Miss Amy Coates Miss Amy Coates is our new Graduate Assistant in St Dunstan’s House. With a degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s Twickenham University, Amy loves watching live music and live sport – in particular ice hockey and football. She also plays ultimate frisbee and futsal.

Miss Joanna Staunton Miss Joanna Staunton is a Teacher of English and joins us from Coloma Convent, Croydon where she taught English. She has a degree in English and an MPhil in Medieval Language and Literature from Trinity College Dublin, and enjoys reading, playing tennis, opera and singing.

Miss Kathleen McCulloch Miss Kathleen McCulloch is the new Graduate Assistant in St Gabriel’s House, She has a degree in Theology and RS from Cambridge University, and spends her spare time cycling and reading.

Miss Essie Mitchell Miss Essie Mitchell is the new Graduate Assistant in Leeds House and has a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Portsmouth. She enjoys flat and white water kayaking, swimming, listening to music and travelling.

Miss Melanie Whittle Miss Melanie Whittle is Mayfield’s new Teacher of ESOL and has a joint English and German honours degree from Oxford Brooks, an MA in European Studies from Exeter, and a PGCE from Bath University. Melanie most recently spent two years teaching ESOL at LVS Ascot and she spends her spare time walking, reading, swimming and travelling.

Miss Alex De Melo Miss Alex De Melo is the new Graduate Assistant in St Michael’s House and has a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Brighton. She particularly loves playing lacrosse and tennis.

School News

Staff Farewells Mrs Elizabeth Crawley – Housemistress of Leeds House and Teacher of English

Mrs Natasha Evans – Head of English Natasha was a much loved and respected Head of English. Her passion for literature was hugely inspiring – for her Department members and her pupils. As well as engaging with the texts within the curriculum, she was always keen to expand the girls’ experience of reading and brought a huge range of novels, plays and poetry before them. Those of us who worked for her were equally challenged to broaden the girls’ – and our own – studies of literature. Natasha was an extremely kind Head of Department, often keeping the tricky or more mundane tasks to herself rather than delegating them. Her endless support and patience engendered confidence and loyalty, although we were always encouraged to try new approaches and ideas. Whenever there was a change to the syllabus, her reaction was always, ‘How do we make this work for the girls?’ Her positive attitude was infectious. As well as the usual duties, Natasha ran the Mayfield Poetry Festival each year, and a truly impressive cast of poets came to the School to share their poems with pupils and the wider community. Among these worldclass poets were Daljit Nagra, John Agard, Grace Nicholls, Patience Agbabi, and Robin Robertson. As part of the Festival, Lower School pupils took part in an Eisteddfod where they learned poems and recited them to compete for prizes, judged by a visiting poet. Natasha also oversaw our annual ‘Shakespeare OffbyHeart’ competition which involves all girls from Years 7 to 10. The girls learn and perform a scene from any Shakespeare play, and the finals are held in front of the whole School. This experience embeds the plays they study in their minds, and encourages them to experience the verse and drama for themselves. The entire School is, of course, sad to see her go and she will be hugely missed. However, as she embarks on a new adventure in Wales – her original home as well as home to some of her favourite writers – we all wish her only good fortune in the future. Mrs Jane Leslie, Teacher of English

Elizabeth Crawley joined us in September 2013, with her husband Tony, from Packwood Haugh, Shropshire, to take charge of Leeds House. Her extensive experience was invaluable in ensuring that the girls in Leeds had the support, encouragement and discipline to start their Mayfield careers in the best possible way. Perhaps it was those years in Prep School that helped her sustain a calm and unflustered air, while coping with (or pretending not to see) the hair-raising pranks of Leeds girls. With a clearly defined sense of duty, balanced by a great sense of fun, she seemed indefatigable and was also expert – and immensely patient – in picking up the pieces (literally and metaphorically) and pouring oil on the troubled waters of Lower School friendship issues. More seriously, numerous girls (and indeed parents!) have been nurtured and supported through bereavement or have learnt to respond to daunting challenges with Mrs Crawley walking beside them. Many recognised and appreciated this at the time, others perhaps took a little longer! Credit must also go to Tony, Mr Crawley, who tried to keep a low profile but was regularly roped in to help, most notably by ‘offering’ to be involved with Lower School Farm Club, invariably a thankless task, but an invaluable support particularly to Mr Christian. The important link between Lower School and Leeds House was cemented by Mr and Mrs Crawley in different ways. As a valued member of the English Department, Elizabeth’s love of literature was something she enjoyed sharing with the girls. Under her watch, we introduced bedtime reading and it remains a pleasure to see the girls, curled up in their PJs, reading in Leeds Common Room. Seeing her cope with the mayhem of wild games of Bingo in that same Common Room was something to behold: slightly bemused, long-suffering and affectionate towards her charges; a maternal figure who gave them space to be themselves, but cared enough to impose discipline and structure as required. If I were not to cast her as a feisty Georgette Heyer heroine, then she would certainly carry off the role of Just William’s (or perhaps Gerald Durrell’s) long suffering, but enduringly optimistic mother with aplomb. A woman of quiet faith, Elizabeth valued the integrity of Mayfield’s ethos. She, in her turn, played an important part in the Catholic life of the School. I am grateful to her for the way in which she contributed not simply as a Eucharistic minister, but also in all that she did to foster the faith of the girls in her care; leading by example in living out her faith. We wish the Crawleys every success in the future. Elizabeth is not really retiring, she is going to enjoy time with her new family old and new. Mayfield’s loss is her grandchildren’s gain: I hope they know how lucky they are! Miss Antonia Beary, Headmistress

Year 13 Leavers’ Celebration On Friday 26th June, the Year 13s had their Virtual Leavers’ Celebration and Prize Giving, during which Miss Beary gave a speech recognising and rewarding the contributions each girl has made to life at Mayfield. Lots of the girls and parents got together in small socially-distanced groups outside of School to enjoy the celebrations in the sunshine, with cakes and other assorted refreshments. As is traditional, Mr Whitlock, the Head Girl’s father, gave a speech paying tribute to all the staff at

Mayfield, and explaining his personal highlights from Mary’s time at the School. We were also able to enjoy a Leavers’ Film made by the girls, which included a lot of dancing and falling over, as well as recorded messages from a number of teachers! The celebration was rounded off with a blessing from Father Dominic and a performance of ‘Summertime’ by Schola, recorded in lockdown but edited together to produce a fittingly bitter-sweet end to an enjoyable and unique Leavers’ Celebration.

Mayfield PPE Mr Warren and Mr Rees-Moorlah put the School’s 3D printers to good use during lockdown and produced over 700 face visors for local frontline healthcare workers at a number of locations including Hospice in the Weald; GP surgeries in Mayfield, Tonbridge, Bexhill, Heathfield, and Buxted; Covid-19 Hubs in Eastbourne and Hastings; Brighton Hospital; Chichester Hospital Intensive Care Unit, and Holy Cross Priory Care Home. Mrs Budden and her Textiles team also worked hard making isolation gowns and scrub bags for local hospitals and doctors’ surgeries in the Wealden area. They also made 30 fabric cotton masks for Apley Grange Care Home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire – an SHCJ Care Home where Mayfield’s beloved Sr Anne and Sr Teresa Joseph are spending their retirement. We are all very proud of their efforts!

Visitors from Holy Child School, Killiney, Dublin As part of our annual exchange programme with Holy Child School, Killiney, Mayfield welcomed 13 students to the School between Sunday 13th and Tuesday 15th October. For the last few years, groups of girls have been visiting each other’s schools, sharing the Cornelian spirit and learning about how Cornelia’s ethos is implemented. The students very much enjoyed joining us for Cornelia Connelly Day, our founder’s day celebration, during which they attended Mass before embarking on a fun-filled day of Inter-House Competitions.

School News

Live Crib 2019 In December we held our annual Live Crib, with parents, girls, staff and OCs in attendance. Congratulations to the Sixth Form Prefects on a beautiful service and fitting celebratory end to 2019.

Cornelia Connelly Day 2019 Mayfield celebrated Cornelia Connelly Day on Tuesday 15th October in remembrance of our pioneering foundress, and to reflect on all that we are so fortunate to be a part of, both at School and in our wider Mayfield community of alumnae across the globe. In School, the girls celebrated by attending Mass before embarking on a fun-filled day of Inter-House Competitions including Hockey, Music, General Knowledge and Debating, and we were delighted to welcome HOPSA UK, alumnae of Holy Child Ghana, to the School the previous weekend.

International Women’s Day 2020 Mayfield celebrated International Women’s Day 2020 by inviting Year 6 and 7 pupils from Blackboys Primary School, St Mary’s RC Primary School, and Ashdown House, to a series of fun lectures and workshops presented by eminent Mayfield alumnae. The keynote speaker was OC Dr Helen O’Connor, a Senior Climate Change Advisor to the UK Government, who is currently training for a trip to Antarctica, where she will work with a global network of female scientists to find solutions to climate change. She spoke to the children about her work and encouraged them to follow their scientific passions.

The children also took part in workshops on veterinary science, emergency medicine, physics and engineering. Their particular favourites were workshops run by vet and former Mayfield pupil, Claire Burfield, who brought her two lovable dogs to the session and showed the children x-rays of different animals; and by Jaguar Landrover engineer, Naomi Lee, who spoke about her engineering career in HM Forces, and involved the children in making and racing elasticband-powered cars. The competition was fierce!

STEM Innovate This year, Year 9 girls have enjoyed a new subject called â€˜Innovateâ€™. This aims to introduce them to the exciting world of technology, and help to prepare them for the changing world and job market into which they will enter after leaving Mayfield. The girls have engaged with projects including robotics, coding, electronics, 3D Computer-aided design (CAD), and 3D printing. The tasks they have been set over the year have been challenging and required plenty of teamwork, problem-solving and resilience, but we have been impressed by their enthusiasm. The girls have learnt how to use 3D CAD software and have designed objects/tools and devices that could assist individuals with specific disabilities. They have used their imaginations to create some interesting designs, including braille labelling systems and key holders, devices to add a bag hook to crutches, and another to store them neatly in School, and also tools to assist those who have difficulty writing. Dr Darragh Corvan, Head of Physics

Biology Challenge

Mathematical Olympiad for Girls

In March, Year 10 Biologists took part in the Biology Challenge, run by the Royal Society for Biology. The Biology Challenge stimulates studentsâ€™ curiosity for the natural world and encourages them to take an interest in Biology outside of school. The Challenge is open to pupils aged 12 to 15 years old and comprises two 25-minute multiple-choice papers taken online. The questions are set on the School curriculum, but the competition also rewards students who are generally aware of our natural flora and fauna and whose knowledge of the subject has been increased by reading books and magazines, watching natural history programmes, and taking notice of the news for items of biological interest. Mayfield girls performed very well this year with Elizabeth winning a Silver Award, and Avery, Mia and Vera winning Bronze Awards. Many other members of the year group received commended and highly commended certificates. Congratulations to everyone who took part.

The Mathematical Olympiad for Girls is a 2.5 hour competition aimed at girls and young women across the UK, and comprising five challenging problems. Each problem requires a full, written solution.

Mrs Jocelyn Mahon, Head of Science

Miss Andriana Demetriou, Head of Maths

The competition encourages girls to tackle advanced mathematical problems and only those who have been successful in previous challenges are entered. Our Year 12s Natalie and Monami were entered this year so many congratulations to them both, and in particular to Natalie who was awarded a Certificate of Distinction - an honour only afforded to the highest scorers in the Olympiad. Miss Andriana Demetriou, Head of Maths

Senior Mathematical Challenge At the beginning of November, Year 12 and 13 mathematicians entered the UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge, a 90-minute paper of challenging Maths questions. The Mathematics Department is pleased to report the following results: Gold certificates were awarded to Natalie and Monami; silver certificates were awarded to Emily, Amelia, Yuki, Georgiana, Jasmine, Helena, Olivia and Arin; and bronze certificates to Caroline, Megan, Julia, Shiho, Gbeminiyi, Martyna, Christie, Hannah, Eunice and Kyoka.

School News

Year 8 STEAM Day In March, Year 8 girls celebrated National Careers Week with a day of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) workshops. The girls spent the morning learning about the basics of structural engineering and architecture as they first designed and built bridges, which were then subjected to the ‘three drops’ assessment to test their strength and sturdiness. They then used their recently-learned knowledge about the strength of triangles and tetrahedrons to construct a group shelter, big enough to house their whole team, and suitable for use in either the Arctic, rainforest or desert. This was a real test of their team-working and creativity, as well as their engineering know-how. The focus of the afternoon sessions was health and medicine. The girls had access to an incredible array of equipment and enjoyed drawing blood from a fake arm, using an ultrasound

to view growth plates in their wrists, having a go at suturing, doing a trace ECG, and practising key-hole surgery. They also had the opportunity to use a capillary microscope to get a closeup of their cuticles and veins, use an i Phone to look at the back of their retina, and experiment with a range of resources that distorted vision and perception. The girls were very positive about the day. As well as finding it enjoyable and entertaining, they are looking forward to applying some of what they learned in the workshops back in the classroom. Year 8 Olivia said: “We had such a fun day and I learnt a huge amount about medicine and what actually goes on inside my body. Our shelter was a bit wobbly but we really enjoyed using wooden poles to see how various different designs worked.” Mrs Rachel Davies, Teacher of Biology

Primary Team Maths Challenge In February, we very much enjoyed hosting our second edition of the Team Maths Challenge for local primary school children. Pupils from ten primary schools came to May eld to take part in the Challenge and competed in teams comprising four Year 5 students. After working on some ‘starter’ questions as a warm up, the Challenge began with the Group Round, where all the teams had to work together to answer 12 questions. Next came the Logic Round, which turned out to be a particular favourite, then,

following the Speed Round, everyone was ready for lunch and a short break in Lower School Garden. The day ended with a big relay, very much enjoyed by all. This involved working in pairs to solve problems, and running back and forth with the answers. Our little mathematicians left happy and ful lled after a short presentation of prizes by our Headmistress, Miss Antonia Beary, and Director of Studies, Mrs Annabel Bunce.

British Biology Olympiad The British Biology Olympiad, run by the Royal Society of Biology, challenges and stimulates students with an interest in Biology to expand and extend their talents. It enables students to demonstrate their knowledge and to be rewarded with publicly recognised certificates and medals. Congratulations to Year 13s Cannis and Sharen for achieving Bronze awards, an excellent achievement in a challenging competition. Highly Commended certificates were won by Year 13s Lottie, Amelia, Ruby, and Yoyo, and Commended certificates by Year 13s Natalia, Emily, Yuki, Amelia and Helena. Well done all! Mrs Jocelyn Mahon, Head of Science

Chemistry Olympiad Year 13 Chemists participated in this prestigious international competition. The event organisers, the Royal Society of Chemistry, awarded a Silver certificate to Yuki and Bronze certificates to Martyna and Sharen, as recognition for their impressive achievements. The competition enables students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Chemistry by solving complex problems, set in unfamiliar contexts, often reaching above the demands of A Level Chemistry. Mr Ralph Cowan, Head of Chemistry

School News

Ceramics Hearts for Hospice in the Weald Ceramics students in Years 7 to 9 volunteered to create ceramic hearts for Hospice in the Weald to sell to raise money. Chiara Creates, from Hospice in the Weald, visited Mayfield at the beginning of March to collect the hearts and she was absolutely delighted with them, congratulating and thanking all those involved. Mr Tim Rees-Moorlah, Head of Ceramics

Creative Arts Virtual Creative Arts Show This year, we were unable to celebrate together the wonderful achievements of the GCSE and A Level Art & Design students in the Creative Arts Show, and so the Art Department collated a stunning collection of art work for girls and parents to enjoy online. The students explored a range of processes and embraced a wealth of media including oil painting, drawing, photography, collage, Photoshop and mixed media to create rich, experimental and sophisticated outcomes. Miss Joe Thackeray, Head of Art

School News

Textiles Royal Opera House Design Challenge 2020 – ‘La Bohème’ The ROH Design Challenge (Secondary) works with GCSE Art, Design Technology, and Textiles courses, or can be a stand-alone enrichment project to build a student’s portfolio. The judges look for an understanding of the design process, a concept of the ‘world’ of the opera as imagined by the designer, and a final set model or costume. This year's Design Challenge project focussed on Giacomo Puccini's ‘La Bohème’, which is centred around a group of young bohemians in Paris. This highly relatable and accessible love story, combined with Puccini’s memorable music, make ‘La Bohème’ one of the best-loved operas of all time. Challenge entrants had to create costumes of a very high standard, staying true to the Director’s vision while including their own believable personal artistic response to the theme and context of the opera. The girls began working on their designs last September, and following an internal judging process from which we chose the Mayfield winner, we are pleased to announce that we submitted Year 11 Dora’s designs to the Royal Opera House. Well done Dora! Congratulations must also go to Year 10s Evie and Izzy who were runners-up in our judging process. I am particularly proud of the creativity, research, meticulous planning, and attention to detail in the costumes they all designed and made. Mrs Terri Budden, Head of Textiles

School News

Sophie Horrocks Lecture The Textiles Department was delighted to welcome Sophie Horrocks in September for an informal talk on Puccini's Opera ‘La Bohéme’. She brought the opera to life for the girls and worked hard to dispel the myth that opera is boring. Sophie explained that ‘La Bohéme’ is her favourite opera as the music is beautiful, it is set in Paris - the city of romance, the characters are all young, and the storyline could relate to any story of hardship and difficulty. It is the first opera that tells of the close friendship between a bohemian group consisting of a poet, a playwright, a philosopher, an artist, a musician, a singer and a seamstress. Sophie discussed how the story is told through the music, costume and set design, all pulled together by the Director’s vision, allowing the audience to understand even though the words are sung in Italian. Sophie is a singer and researcher working in opera and theatre studies.

Since being a Graduate Assistant at Mayfield (2015-2016), she has gone on to work with the education teams of English National Opera, the Royal Opera House and Live Music Now, as well as performing with small companies in London and the South East. Roles have included Dido Dido (King's Opera), Idamante Idomeneo (Aria Alba, Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Dorabella Cosi Fan Tutte (Opera Kipling and St Paul's Opera),

Despina Cosi Fan Tutte (VoiceArc), Elvira Don Giovanni (St Paul's Opera), Siebel Faust (Brent Opera), Sally A Hand of Bridge (Grimeborn/Arcola Theatre), and Mad Margaret Ruddigore (St Alban’s Chamber Opera). In October, Sophie began an AHRC-funded PhD at Durham University studying 19th century travelling opera troupes in provincial France. Mrs Terri Budden, Head of Textiles

Sarah Becvar Workshop In December, the Textiles Department hosted a workshop by OC Sarah Becvar in which Mayfield parents and daughters very much enjoyed designing and creating their own embroidered zipped pouches. Workshop participants learnt how to use the sewing machines to free embroider their own designs onto the front of their lined linen pouches, before assembling the various different layers of fabric and inserting a zip to create the finished product.

Music St Cecelia’s Day Lunch Concert The second of our St Cecilia’s Day events to celebrate music and the Music Scholars at Mayfield took place on Saturday 23rd November. OC Anthea Morton Saner (1964), kindly painted and donated a beautiful icon, the image of which adorned the programme cover and was on display throughout the Concert and lunch. After coffee and a welcome in the Sixth Form Centre, we moved to the Chapel to hear our organ scholar, Year 12 Natalie, perform the opening item in the Concert. This was followed in the Courtyard by Year 11 Emily on violin and Year 12 Olivia on

50th Anniversary of Mayfield Festival of Music and Arts Mayfield School was delighted to host the launch of the 50th Mayfield Festival of Music and Arts in February. Over 30 former members of the School’s elite choir, Schola Cantorum, gathered to sing alongside the Mayfield Festival Choir and Mayfield Consort. The programme to launch the Festival featured moving performances of Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’, Stainer’s ‘God so loved the world’, Fauré’s ‘Sanctus’ and ‘In paradisum’, and Hadyn’s ‘Te deum in C’. Mayfield’s former Director of Music, Mr Kenneth Pont, (pictured below), was presented with a special award, Life President of the Festival, for his long-standing commitment and involvement with the event. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

piano. After the starter, we were serenaded by Year 12 Olivia singing, Year 13 Pia on piano, Year 7 Matilda on cello, and Year 12 Vanessa, who was accompanied on cello by Dr Ward. The main course was followed by Year 10 Eleanor on violin, Year 13 Amelia on piano, and Year 13 Hettie on the flute. Over coffee, Year 13 Emily reprised her Inter-house Music-winning performance of Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en Rose’, which was a perfect way to bring the lunch to a close. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

Christmas Concert The annual Christmas Concert on 4th December saw nearly 150 girls perform a varied programme to a large audience in the Concert Hall. The Year 7 and 8 Choirs opened the Concert with two charming items from Jonathan Dove’s ‘Seasons and Charms’. These were followed by the first of two flute ensembles, the Senior Ensemble, playing movements from an elegant sonata with Mrs Crowley. Mayfield Melodies delivered assured performances of two more popular numbers in ‘Country Roads’ and ‘Underneath the Tree’, with guitar, violin and clarinet providing new arrangements on these well-known tunes, which the audience could not resist clapping along to. The Chamber Ensemble played a medley of tunes from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and were followed by Schola singing five Polish Christmas Carols by Witold Lutosławski. Another flute ensemble continued the festive theme with a rendition of ‘Ding dong merrily on high’, after a swinging jazz number, and a second musical theatre arrangement by the Curie Inter-House Music Ensemble, whose prize-winning version of ‘La-la Land’ was very well received. The Orchestra, ably led by Year 13 Hettie, took to the stage for a programme including premiere performances of orchestrations of Kabalevsky piano pieces by Dr Ward, a powerful performance of ‘the Scene’ from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ (with ravishing oboe solo by Year 11 Leandra), and a three-movement ‘Divertimento’ by Josef Haydn. The Concert was brought to a close by the combined Lower School Choir, who sang the Bowie/Crosby duet ‘Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth’ with real Christmas spirit. Mince pies and mulled wine were enjoyed by all afterwards. Dr Matthew Ward, Head of Music

School News

Mock General Election In early December, the School held a â€˜Policies not Partiesâ€™ Mock Election with five members of the Sixth Form presenting the policies of the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Brexit Party. During Assembly the identities of the parties were hidden so that pupils could focus on their policies. The representative from each party presented policies on a number of key areas including education, crime, the NHS and, of course, Brexit. At the end of Assembly, pupils were asked to cast their votes before the identity of each party was revealed to them. As you will see from the results, there was a fair amount of variation between different year groups and it was interesting to see how closely, or not, our results mirrored those on 12th December! Ms Cathy Bryan, Head of Politics

Learning in Lockdown Mayfield overcame the challenges of remote learning during lockdown and continued to provide an excellent educational environment for the girls, albeit an online one, whereby the girls logged on for face-to-face lessons with their teachers as per their usual timetable. We also encouraged them to be creative, and to stay fit and active through a range of Schoolwide initiatives that the girls hugely enjoyed. These included the ‘Mayfield E-Drama Extravaganza’ in which the girls learnt a short monologue or poem, and then recorded their performances so that Mrs Sally Gerstmeyer (Head of Drama), and Miss Clark in the IT Department could combine them into the wonderful ‘Mayfield E-Drama

Year 7 History Projects on Tudor Life During lockdown, Year 7 Historians were asked to research and create projects on Tudor Life. Millie designed a fabulous Tudor dress and made a delicious-looking Tudor Beer Loaf; Skye made a Tudor style dress and created a written project about Tudor fashion: and Jess demonstrated Tudor make up as part of her final project. Mrs Lucy Lawson, Teacher of History

Extravaganza’. It was a great success and we all very much enjoyed watching it. We would also like to say a big ‘thank you’ to accomplished actress and OC, Rosie Cavaliero, who gave up her time to perform Year 8 Chloe’s poem ‘Ode to Lockdown’ for the ‘E-Drama Extravaganza’. The girls also continued with their practical creative subjects such as Art, Ceramics, Textiles, and Food and Nutrition, thanks to the Departments devising creative projects that the girls were able to complete at home. The VE Day cooking was a particular treat for the girls’ families, with a scrumptious array of sweet and savoury treats being cooked up to celebrate the VE Day Bank Holiday!

School News

ESOL Coronavirus Time Capsules Mayfield’s ESOL girls around the world worked together to record and share their experiences of lockdown. The project included a variety of topics such as ‘Objects in Lockdown’, ‘Letter to a Future Grandchild’, ‘Family Interview’, ‘The Positive Aspects’, and ‘Lockdown Fashion’. We hope that it will serve as a reminder of this very unusual time to look back on in the future, by providing a record of different aspects of our shared experiences, helping us to focus on what we’ve learnt from it, and all that we have to be grateful for. Mrs Anna Maimi, Teacher of ESOL and Spanish

Spotlight on the Drama Department Meet the Team

Mr Daniel Smith Mr Smith has been involved in theatre from a young age, performing and directing extensivelyÂ before completing his degree and PGCE in Drama. He continues to practice his craft, which serves to ultimately enrich the students.

Mrs Sophie Watkiss 34

Mrs Sally Gerstmeyer, Head of Drama After gaining a BA in Acting at The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Mrs Gerstmeyer spent ten years as a professional actress on both stage and screen. After having a family, she trained as a Drama teacher at Sussex University, and subsequently taught and directed theatre at a range of schools, before joining Mayfield in 2013. She likes to keep up-to-date with modern theatre practice and often works on projects outside of School, which she then feeds back into her work at Mayfield.

Mrs Jenifer Junemann

Mrs Watkiss and Mrs Junemann trained at Central School of Speech and Drama and Bristol Old Vic Drama School, respectively. They are both accomplished practitioners and performers, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Department.

School News

Re-launched Caedmon performs ‘Antigone’

A Review by Year 13 Megan Mayfield’s prestigious drama society, Caedmon, has re-formed for the first time in 15 years. The re-launch event on 10th October was a big success - a sophisticated evening with great food and even better company – which gave us the chance to meet former Caedmon members who shared their wisdom and experiences of theatre. There was a buzz of excitement in the air about our upcoming performances of ‘Antigone’, giving a lovely atmosphere to an evening which inspired the new generation to uphold the Caedmon tradition of excellence.

been beyond our expectations and we are thrilled to have been given such a complimentary reception for our first performance as the new Caedmon. A memory I particularly love is of the cast singing the soundtracks to ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ at the top of our lungs while we were getting ready for each performance – a true behind the scenes highlight!

Rehearsals began in October and we focused on individual scenes and relationships between the characters, as this is an important part of creating truthful performances. Beginning with a skeleton overview of the scenes, we then added chorus points, creating abstract movement to fit with the dialogue while working on the unison and intention behind it to deliver strong storytelling. Rehearsals ran throughout October and November, with cast members rehearsing privately to develop their scenes and characters further (which we felt was necessary considering the sophistication and standard this play requires). Everything began falling into place so that by the last week of rehearsals we could work on polishing the finer details. Soon the performances arrived and the nerves kicked in but our cast performed both evenings beautifully, with Izzi playing Antigone and Samantha playing Creon. The feedback we received has

‘Macbeth’ at Salomons, Tunbridge Wells A Review by Year 10 Mia In November, the whole of Year 10 went to see a production of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ in Tunbridge Wells. One of the most interesting parts for me was the set and props that were used. The play seemed to be set in a church or chapel, with a large religious cross and an organ in the background. This was interesting as religion is one of the main themes in the play as Macbeth constantly questions the consequences of the murders he is committing. It was slightly ironic also, with the numerous murders taking place right in front of the cross. Another feature I found interesting was the directing of the three witches. For the majority of their lines, the witches sang using eerie, dissonant chords, accompanied by the organ which really added to the spooky, mysterious atmosphere of the play. This was an unexpected twist that took us all by surprise, as we had not expected the element of music in the production. Also, I found the costume and the colour symbolism interesting, if slightly contradictory. The three witches were clothed in white, lacy gowns. This was

unexpected because usually white symbolises purity and innocence, and the witches are the exact opposite of that. I think most people would have expected to see the witches dressed in stereotypical black rags, not fancy white dresses. Compared to the witches, the rest of the characters had relatively plain, dark clothing. Also, before King Duncan died, the banners

on the side were purple, symbolising royalty and riches, perhaps reflecting Duncan as the rightful king. However, after Duncan died, the purple banners were replaced with green banners, which symbolises a fresh start. On the other hand, green is supposed to be a fresh, pleasant colour and we know that everything that happened from that point was definitely not pleasant.

Inter-House Drama We completed the end of the Christmas Term with our annual Inter-House Drama Competition and the theme this year was ‘Environmental Issues’. Mr Sebastian Junemann was the judge, as he is both an experienced actor with many credits to his name and has two Masters Degrees - one in Environmental Technology and the other in Energy Demand. He is also currently completing a PhD in Ventilation of Low Carbon Homes and so seemed an appropriate choice for this year’s judge. The four competitive houses rose to the challenge and devised pieces of theatre that educated and entertained. Curie Year 10 Isabelle won best overall actress for her portrayal of Greta Thunberg, and Curie also won ‘best lighting and sound effects’. Astor took ‘best programme’, Glennie ‘best costume’, and for their polished and humorous script, the overall best drama went to Bronte.

School News

Whole-School production of ‘Bugsy Malone’ In February, the Drama and Music Departments collaborated to stage 'Bugsy Malone', a musical gangster spoof set in New York City, substituting real bullets for splurge guns! The plot is loosely based on events in America during the prohibition era, specifically the exploits of real-life gangsters such as Al Capone and Bugs Moran. Staged in our Concert Hall, the two-tiered set design, painted with a hint of art deco style, helped to create the right ambience, along with flapper girl costumes, suits and trilby hats. The cast looked the part as they acted, danced and sang the story with aplomb. Accompanied by

an eight-piece band, with Dr Matthew Ward as Musical Director, the live music helped to lift the mood and added to the feeling that we were all at The Speak Easy after hours club. The entire cast was superb, belting out numbers and creating memorable characters. As the title role, Year 12 India made an excellent and convincingly charismatic Bugsy, directly addressing the audience with witty banter and a cheeky grin. Year 13 Hettie delivered a fantastic comic performance as Fat Sam, whilst his nemesis Dandy Dan was played by a suave Year 13 Genevieve.

Soloists Year 13s Megan and Tali performed wonderfully as the female protagonists, Tallulah and Blousy, respectively. Year 9 Yaa made a soulful Fizzy, as she sang 'Tomorrow' with a fitting mournfulness. The cast, band, and backstage, all worked incredibly hard to stage the production and deliver these creative performances and catchy songs. Everyone who took part should be incredibly proud of themselves for showing such commitment and delivering a truly wonderful production.

LAMDA Results 2020 In March, over 50 students took their LAMDA (Speech and Drama) examinations at Mayfield. Despite the girls having to deal with taking an examination during a rather unsettling time, they did exceptionally well - all of our students passed with a high score - 22% achieved Merit, whilst the remaining 78% achieved Distinction.

Special congratulations are due to the three students who took Grade 8 (Gold Medal) Camille, Coco and Maisie, who all managed to gain a score of over 80, which is a clear Distinction.

Spotlight on the English Department Meet the Team Mrs Lucinda Misiewicz Miss Joanna Staunton, Head of English Miss Staunton studied English at Trinity College, Dublin, where she also completed an MPhil in Medieval language, literature and culture. She started a doctorate at Oxford University but left to work as an antiquarian bookseller. She also once spent a year as a graduate assistant at Mayfield, before completing a PGCE at the Institute of Education (UCL). She re-joined Mayfield in 2019 and became head of department in 2020, following Mrs Evans' departure. She loves Irish literature and sea-bathing.

Mrs Jane Leslie Mrs Leslie had a career in the arts before deciding to teach, working for a charity which tried to raise the profile of, and money for, arts organisations. This involved running events with theatres, dance companies, art galleries etc. Working with so many artistic temperaments was great training for teaching teenagers.

Mr John Doy Mr Doy studied English Literature and Language at Mansfield College, Oxford; after graduating he trained and subsequently worked as a live TV gallery producer, before seeing the light and gaining a PGCE in Secondary English and Media teaching at King's College, London. He has worked in London, Brussels and West Sussex as an English teacher and Head of Department before returning to his native East Sussex to take up the role of Head of Sixth Form at Mayfield.

Mrs Misiewicz joined the department in September 2020 following Mrs Crawley's retirement. Having had a great time studying English Literature at university, Mrs Misiewicz swore she would never teach! But, never say never. In 2002 she embarked on the most exciting job of her life, teaching English, heading up a vital Sixth Form department, and becoming a loved, loving and inspirational head of year. She did a Master's degree in Learning and Teaching in 2015 which helped develop self-awareness and global understanding, and gave her a mantra for teaching: to enable people to know what to do when they do not know what to do. She loves sharing her passion for English Literature ranging from â€˜The Dream of the Roodâ€™ to anything written or said by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and everything in between.

Mrs Laura Parrett Following her BA in English Literature, Mrs Parrett completed her PGCE in English at the University of Exeter. She began her teaching career in Buckinghamshire, where she was Head of Sixth Form and completed an MSc in Learning and Teaching at the University of Oxford. Mrs Parrett joined Mayfield in 2016 and combines working in the English Department with looking after her two daughters.

Ms Amy Doy Ms Doy has a BA in English and a PGCE from King's College London and has taught in Japan, London, Brussels and Sussex. She is a great fan of wordgeekery, games and quizzes, and likes to bring these things into the classroom as much as possible.

School News

Creative Writing throughout the School Year 7 Isla wrote this wonderful piece of creative writing from the perspective of an evacuee in response to her class work on Nina Bawden’s novel ‘Carrie’s War’.

THE RUNAWAY It was wet, the sky was wet, people's clothes were wet, his tears were wet. He stood there all alone as people rustled and barged past him sending him stumbling to the ground. He was used to being on the ground. He was small, skinny, fragile and malnourished. As he slowly got up, the train came whistling in at a slow breezy pace and skidded to a halt. "Are you alright?" cooed the ticket officer. The ticket officer was almost the complete opposite of the boy. She was round, chubby and had bright blue eyes and bouncy blonde hair. Her smile was kind as she whistled her merry tune. "In you get then," she practically sang as she ushered the small boy on the train. The boy wasn't very stable on his feet and, yet again, he went careering

towards the ground, but this time a pair of chubby hands grabbed him round the waist and hauled him upwards. The ticket officer put him back on his feet. "Can't have you on the floor can we?" she chuckled, "go on, in the seat you go," she said as she wandered off down the carriage. "Thank you," the boy muttered barely above a whisper. As he inched down into the seat, the train veered to life as it shot off towards the tunnel. The boy's sickly pale hands clamped around his case as he was thrown backwards and forward in the tunnel. As it grew dark, the sound of planes and crashes could be heard overhead. He was so tired that in spite of his fear, the jolting of the train soon rocked him to sleep. The boy woke up to the sound of humming nearby. As his eyes fluttered open he caught the scent of perfume and as his senses came back he spotted the ticket officer.

Year 7

Following National Writing Day, Miss Staunton challenged her Year 7 students to write two 24 word-stories, each in seven minutes, starting with the words ‘One day’ and ‘I was’, inspired by their current reading or in response to recent events. The results were very good! One day, my father said to me, make the world your own, create a life that will suit you and you alone. Imagine it! One day I thought why am I here, what was the point, why did I get placed here, why was I born, just why? By Claudia One day covid 19 came, The sadness and depression fills rooms all around. Take what you can from it, for this your life, whatever happens. By Ioanna One day we will stand without fear, sit without fear, breathe without fear, sing without fear, listen without fear, we will be without fear. One day we will see each other again Picnic together Walk together Birthday together Celebrate anniversaries Weddings And babies One day But not today. By Onnae

One day I went sailing on the English Channel, there was a great storm! I said "Never Again". Although I went the next summer By Daisy One day a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse wondered if the universe ever ended. So they went off to discover it. By Grace

One day, I will hopefully realise that it is okay to not be okay, but it is just not okay to stay that way. I was quiet but I wasn’t blind. It didn’t mean that I had nothing to say. When it’s time, my voice will be heard. By Leona

One day, the moment the universe was here, plans and jobs were parcelled out to all of the animals and beings living on earth. One day, I stopped focussing on the story, and started looking at the puzzle. I began listening to the sounds, the smells, the tastes. By Alexa

School News

Year 8 Poetry Mrs Leslie’s Year 8 English students are currently studying poetry and were asked to write their own poem based on E.E. Cummings’ poem ‘Maggie and Milly and Molly and May’. Breanna chose to set her work out to reflect the motion of waves, mimicking another poem we studied called 'Island Man' by Grace Nicholls. BOB AND MILL AND JIM AND JILL Bob and Mill and Jim and Jill lay upon the pebble beach. The foam licked their barren toes and the sun ebbed back into the sea. Bob said to Mill "I was a king reclining on my regal throne. The fish performed in my court; The sea gulls were my chaperone." Mill said to Jim. "Well, I explored, mysteries before untold. A sunken corner of the reef with creatures one would not believe!" Jim grinned at Jill. "I've had my fill! I was the richest kid of all!" My bag broke with all the pearls and rocks whose core with diamonds shone." But Jill would not disclose her thoughts not on Mill's reef, or on Jim's rocks Not even on Bob's regal throne! They would not leave poor Jill alone. So to her heart the girl held close the sweet shell's sonnets of Mother sung. Bob and Mill and Jim and Jill lay upon the pebble beach. The foam licked their barren toes and the sun ebbed back into the sea. By Breanna

Year 9 DO NOT WORRY

BORN AND RAISED IN LONDON

Do Not Worry

Born and raised in London

When you get back

This is all too sudden

All will be waiting

All my hard work gone

Glory, Honour, and Grandeur

Do you remember me? Anyone...?

Will receive you

This is Robert Graves

Poems as calm as the waves

Do Not Worry

WW1, what have you done?

You will not be alone

Tonight, the war has begun...

No matter where you go

Middle class, middle class,

Death or home

middle class

Poisonous and as sharp as glass

Do Not Worry

The day of August 1914,

The price is only a

The day I didn’t know what my life

Limb

would become in between

Sense

By Chelsea, Caroline and Issy

Organ Life Or Sanity Do Not Worry You don't get to choose. By Sahana and inspired by Sassoon’s ‘They’

Year 10 Mrs Evans’ Year 10 English students were given a creative writing prompt from the opening of Dickens' novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...” and Phoebe wrote this lovely piece in response to the brief: The streets are filled with empty space, the sound of deafening silence expanding until it bursts our eardrums. London, New York, Madrid. All overwhelmed with quiet.fl But if we dig a little deeper, and burrow inside the homes of the inhabitants, the day-to-day lives of people continue. The joy of new life still envelops the world of new families, although the barrier of glass divides grandmothers from their grandchildren. Single mothers struggle with chores and entertaining children all at once, whilst the children stare at their computer screens, missing their friends and the chaos of school life.flfl The trees wave in the wind alone, with no inquisitive souls to wave back. The water of lakes ffows gently, not interrupted by the stomping miniscule feet of toddlers splashing around. Wasps buzz lazily, interested as a snail, without seeing the reactions of the tiny monsters that haunt them. The ffowers droop without hearing their fond compliments fromflpassersby. The bird song seems a thousand times louder, drowning

out the sins of society. Nature continues, but continues changed.fl Everything is deserted, except for the supermarkets. Lines of agitated people queue for miles, forced to smother their hands in sticky hand sanitizer. Most of them can't breathe, masks suffiocate them and leave them gasping.flfl The one sole time that anyone ventures out is to clap. To yell from the top of their lungs and clang pans in appreciation for the angels that say they are just doing their daily job. That same 'daily' job that saved the lives of brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.fl fl Handmade rainbows stick onto the glass that divides others: hope. Hope for better days and hope for a time of unity.flfl

School News Year 10 Elizabeth wrote the excellent story below in timed (45 minutes) exam conditions - a brilliant efiort! FROM OUR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

Shakespeare Offbyheart 15 groups from Years 7 to 10 performed scenes from a wide variety of Shakespeare’s plays to a full-house in the Concert Hall in March. We were very lucky to have Vanessa Faye-Stanley, a Director at the Globe Theatre, as our judge. She was genuinely impressed by the commitment and inventiveness of all the actors, but eventually decided on the following groups as winners in their year:

Year 10: Sissi and Yueshi who also jointly won Best Individual Performance as Lord and Lady Macbeth. Year 9: Ella, Imogen and Lucy for their comic portrayal of Dogberry, Verges and Leonato from ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. Year 8: Maddie and Georgia as Viola and Olivia from ‘Twelfth Night’.

Year 7: The two winning groups were - Onnae and Daisy playing Helena and Demetrius from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and Matilda, Willow and Claudia as the three witches from ‘Macbeth’. Many congratulations to all our winners and to everyone who took part!

School News

Winners of Writing Competitions 2020 MAYFIELD SHORT STORY COMPETITION Based on the BBC Young Writers Competition criteria, Year 9 and 10 students all submitted a story of up to 1,000 words to the Competition this year. English teacher, Mrs Elizabeth Crawley, judged and commented on how impressive the Year 10 stories were.

of coffee at the right time and in the right place. Highly commended in Year 10 were Evie, for ‘The Reign of Flames’, a dramatic account of the Australian bushfires from an unusual perspective, and Gabriella for ‘Constellation 182’: a challenging subject handled in a sensitive and subtle way.

The overall winner of the 2020 Mayfield Short Story Competition was Year 10 Eleanor for ‘Seeds’, a powerful, well-crafted story about what it might mean to be chosen in an apocalyptic future. Our Year 10 winner was Elizabeth for ‘11 a.m.’, a delightful meditation on the pleasure of a cup

The winner in Year 9 was Evelyn for ‘Mirrors’, a gothic horror tale. Highly commended in Year 9 were Erica for ‘Grandmothers Are Wise’, a quirky story about what might happen if you don’t pay attention to your grandma, and Ella for her story dealing with the aftermath of a bombing.

The Seeds Sirens echoed through the city, alerting everyone to the curfew. The insipid, cold grey of the sky was visible through the window, merged with the walls of the tall apartment buildings, a blur under the lashing rain. I battled to lock and secure the shutters and climbed into my bunk, burying myself in the blankets and forcing my eyes shut, straining to hear the hushed whispers of my parents in the next room. I feared I would not be able to sleep. Tomorrow was the day of the Selection - the day I would find out my future. The night was cold and fitful. I saw the world as it was before, felt the weak sun and the gentle breeze on my face, the salty air and the feeling of freedom. The waves lapped rhythmically on the shore and seagulls soared in the sky overhead. I saw my sister, Amy, laughing and pleading with me to join her playing in the water. I ran towards her as she began to fade away, reaching out my hand to grab her own: so tangible, so real, so close and yet never enough. As always, she vanished. I woke up to an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. It was four years since the planet turned against us, four years since the Tipping Point was reached. It started with the sea rising uncontrollably, whole countries engulfed by water. Then came the devastating weather, hundreds of earthquakes and tsunamis destroying cities and killing millions of people. Amy. The world became dark. We all learnt to live with it for a while; the early curfews and rations. Many people, including my family, moved to high ground, away from the unpredictable sea. We all believed we were doomed to die. “We destroyed Earth and now Earth will destroy us,” people used to say. That was before the Announcement. Authorities were searching for the Seeds of a new generation. “A group of only the most intelligent and fit teenagers from ages 12 to 19 belonging to certain genetic groups less prone to disease, will be taken underground, to Genesis 2049, to start the new generation of human beings.” This message was broadcast all across the continent, and subsequently to every family living there. There were personality tests, blood tests, intelligence tests, and I remember it all vividly. The Selection was brought forward to today due to the approaching category six storm. I was numb with fear. If I was

chosen, I would never see my parents again. They would be left to brave the storm, Earth’s last revenge. I used to cry, refusing to do the tests. Now, I understood. I felt I owed it to my parents, an opportunity for one of their children to grow up and see the future, whatever that might be. This was humanity’s last chance. The screen flickered with life and the blue light illuminated my mother’s drawn face, lonely and still in the dark room. For a moment, time stopped. All that could be heard was the roar of the storm outside, the pumping of my heart and my mother’s shaky breaths. I watched my mother’s face intently, desperate for any clues. She looked straight up at me and her eyes welled with tears. The storm was predicted to arrive in less than 72 hours. Suddenly everything was starting to move with a new urgency. My wrist cuff was attached, and on it my DNA profile, family history, identifying characteristics and useful skills were stored digitally. My regulation one kilo of personal keepsakes was already chosen waiting in the minipod, and hanging on the outside of my wardrobe, was my made-to-measure hab-suit. It was all too real. The sky remained dark and brooding as the wind howled and screeched like a wounded animal, the shutters thumping urgently and irregularly, along with my heart. Even though it was midday, the few cars on the road sent beams of light through the heavy rain, illuminating streams of water gushing alongside the kerb, flooding through backed-up sewer pipes. The sudden vibration on my wrist jolted me back to reality, reminding me that I had 60 minutes to change and say any final goodbyes. Take any final looks at my life around me. Outside. 50 Minutes. I felt a terrible wrenching in my chest as panic began spread through my core. My head pounded. At that moment, I desperately needed to be held and consoled, to be told that it was all going to pass. I wanted to be a little girl again, enveloped by the love of my parents, with no responsibilities or knowledge of the world or how it works. Instead, I was going to be part of a new “family”, a new community, the selected few. 20 minutes. It was all too real.

LOWER SCHOOL 500 WORDS COMPETITION Mr Doy, Head of Sixth Form and member of the English Department, was this yearâ€™s judge. The Year 7 winner was Ilaria with a brilliantly imaginative piece about the creation of the entire cosmos â€“ an ambitious task! The Year 8 winner and also overall winner was Eloise who produced a haunting mood piece about a man and his boat at sea. She showed masterful control of tense, as well as

vivid and ambitious use of language and structure, to create a sombre but compelling narrative. Highly Commended stories in Year 7 were written by Onnae and Lynn. Highly Commended stories in Year 8 were written by Breanna and Lydia. Well done to all who produced such riveting and wellconstructed stories.

The Boy in the Ocean A lonely boat drifts towards the shore. All its inhabitants missing. The grey waters are drawing it in. Someone is running down the sandy beach leaving dirty forgotten footprints as she goes. Sophie halts as she sees the old rowing boat u p ll in. All its red a p int chipip ng leaves a murky layer of wood underneath. Sophie steps forward into the cool ocean, letting a ffush run up her body. All her senses tingling with excitement as she hauls the boat in. John u p lled his yellow raincoat on and walked out onto the windy beach. The air was full of water droplets that clung to his face and coat. He ip cked up a shing net and set out towards his boat. John u p shed the row boat onto the waters and gently began to row. The winds immediately began to ip ck up and the waves seemed to be in turmoil but John kept on rowing further out. Soon the beach was u j st a line in a very dark sea of grey. The sky darkened and the waves grew larger. John stope p d, letting the oars rest on the side of his boat. The waves crashed upon each other and rain came down on the tiny boat making it rock with the weight. John gripe p d the side of his boat. The storm grew upon the sky like a duck on water. John stood up with a shock. Coming towards him was the largest wave he had ever seen. Sophie inspects the boat. The inside is wet and there is a long rope trailing o the end. The wave was coming at him at full speed. At rst glance you could have mistaken it for nothing more than a riplp e. But as it grew it seemed to shake the whole ocean with the force of a giant asteroid hitting earth. John tried to a p ddle away, using as much strength as he had in him. But all his might and muscle had leaked out through his ngertips, leaving him alone in an ocean where he could be thrown o his small boat at any minute by a mild tsunami. It was not the wave that was about to hit him that frightened him, it was the feeling of being all alone in an ocean full of solitude and despair. With one single gasp he fell in. There was a still in the blue like the whole ocean was holding its breath. There was only John in a sonorous calm, ffoating away. Solivagant and lonely. Sophie strokes the torn wired rope hanging from the end of the boat. The red a p int breaking o more every second. The small bubbles of breath ffoated up reaching the top and o p ip ng, lling the whole ocean with a sense of ethereal tranquillity. John ffoated to the ocean bed. All his hopes and fears drifting away like sh in a tank. His last glimpse before he slipe p d away was the red a p int of his beautiful row boat, upturned and ffoating away somewhere new.

School News

Literary Quiz On Wednesday 20th November, eight students from Years 7 and 8 went to Portsmouth Grammar School to participate in the toughest literary quiz the world has ever seen! It was the first time Mayfield had ever participated and the students - Coco, Rosie, Megan, Astrid, Isla, Tamsin, Daisy and Alexa - competed against 18 other teams. Some of our team came away with prizes! Some quiz categories were: Castles, Cetaceans, Enchantments, Dogs, Noises, Death, Finance and Transport. We did very well, but only one team was able to go to the national final in London.

Here is a sample of the questions that we were asked: Q. Who are the two sons of Adam and the two daughters of Eve? A. The reference is to ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, where the Pevensey children are referred to as the two sons of Adam and the two daughters of Eve - Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy. Q. Who is the Roman or Greek goddess of wisdom? A. Athena Q. Name Emily's big, red dog. A. Clifford. Written by pupils in Years 7 and 8

Year 10 trip to see ‘A Taste of Honey’ A group of Year 10s were studying ‘A Taste of Honey’ for their English Literature GCSE and so to London in January to watch the National Theatre’s new production of the play at the Trafalgar Studios. The play is described by the National Theatre as “A gritty depiction of post-war, working-class Britain, and an exhilarating portrayal of the vulnerabilities and strengths of the female spirit in a deprived and restless world.”

Shelagh Delaney wrote this ground-breaking play at the age of 19 and it was quickly made into a BAFTA-winning film, an astonishing debut by such a young woman who claimed she was unimpressed with much of the drama she saw and wrote the script in two weeks. Year 10 Emma said: “The performance really brought the characters to life and helped me understand what life must have been like for poor women in the 1950s and 60s.”

Oxbridge English and History of Art trip to Blake exhibition at Tate Britain Having already read William Blake's ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’ in our Oxbridge English group, it was absolutely enthralling to see the original engravings for the poems in the exhibition, and to learn more about how he broke with tradition through this creative medium, and consequently changed the history of art. His independent spirit has empowered me not to be put off by other people's comments and to express myself sincerely. I spent almost two hours in the exhibition rooms as Blake had included so many intriguing details, and was still only half way through the exhibition when it was time to leave. Thank you to Dr Weddell and Year 13 Mary for teaching me so much about how the public sculptures we saw between Trafalgar Square and the Tate have helped to shape and reflect the British national identity - a crucial topic during this pivotal moment in British history. It was a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to the English and History of Art Departments organising another trip like this. Year 10 Yueshi

‘An Inspector Calls’ The English Department took a group of students to see ‘An Inspector Calls’ in Brighton in February. We watched as each member of the Birling family was compelled, by the mysterious Inspector, to reveal their guilty secrets and face the consequences. The production was enjoyed by all and, for those who had not yet finished reading the text in class, the plot revelations were thrilling, while the production had some surprises in store for those who already knew the play well. Since ‘An Inspector Calls’ is an English Literature GCSE set text, the trip was also an excellent revision exercise. Year 11 Evie said: “I really enjoyed seeing the production, the actors were amazing and they fitted their roles really well. It was also useful for my revision because the actors spoke their lines in memorable ways which helped me to learn the quotes.”

Year 11 Tanya said: “Watching the play really helped me to remember more quotes.” Year 11 Tia said: “I thought the production of ‘An Inspector Calls’ that we saw in Brighton was very well done. In particular, I loved the sets, and how the house opened out and closed. I was hooked throughout the whole play! It was amazing.” Year 10 Saskia said: “The play was really suspenseful and you never quite knew whose secrets were going to be revealed next. I loved the way they used the set to show the divide between the upper and working classes.” Year 10 Anais said; “I found the play very engaging due to the way the cast portrayed guilt and status throughout.”

School News

Southern Schools Book Award In February, Miss Staunton and Mrs Gabriel accompanied girls from the Carnegie Book Club to the presentation ceremony for the Southern Schools Book Award at St Paul’s Catholic College, Burgess Hill. The Award is presented annually to the author of the book judged by students to be the best book published for 13 to 14 year-olds during the year. More than 30 schools in the region take part each year. M.A Bennett was the winning author, with her book `The Island`, which was inspired by `Lord of the Flies`, while Siobhan Curham received the `Highly Commended` award for her title `Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow`. We have copies of all of the winning titles in the Library. As part of the Awards evening, questions are posed to the authors and this year, Mayfield’s question, which had been submitted by Year 9 Lizzie, was put to M.A Bennett. Lizzie wanted to know “Which character did you like the least whilst writing the book?” MA Bennett responded that she actually liked her leading character the least. Year 10 Evie said: “The Southern Schools Book Award was a very interesting event, with each author giving us an insight into their books. I enjoyed it immensely, especially with Chris Riddell there to draw amazing caricatures of each author

and their books. Being able to talk to the authors was a great experience and I got some good writing tips. I am definitely going to read some of their books after hearing them talk so passionately about them. I hope I will be able to go again!” Year 9 Rachel said: “I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and am glad I had the opportunity to go. Chris Riddell’s drawings put a smile on my face! I am glad ‘The Island’ by M.A Bennett won as it was the book I was rooting for. The trip was made even better by the book token we received to buy a book of our choice.” Year 10 Mia said: “It was really interesting to hear from different authors about their personal lives and how they got inspiration for their books. It was especially nice to meet them and have our books signed.”

World Book Day Girls in Lower School celebrated World Book Day on Thursday 5th March by dressing up as their favourite book characters, raising £90 for Book Aid International. The annual Lower School Character Parade featured a range of spectacular costumes. As always, it was difficult to judge because the standard of costumes and interpretations of book characters was extremely high. Scrabble, The Mad Hatter, Paddington Bear, Heidi, and The White Witch were some of the individuals who appeared, while the groups included characters from ‘Billionaire Boy’, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, ‘Matilda’ and ‘Little Miss’ books. An impressive array of colourful characters paraded in front of Miss Beary, Mrs Baker, members of the English Department and Prefects, who had the unenviable task of choosing the winners, some of whom are featured below. Prizes included books, bookmarks and sweets. The ‘Literary Pairs’ game turned out to be extremely competitive among the staff. The first two members of staff to find their ‘match` and race to the Library were Mrs Andrea Connor and Mrs Elaine Warnett, who both received a prize. The Lower School prize winners received a book or bookmark. Thank you to all the staff members who joined in the fun this year too. Mrs Julie Gabriel, Librarian

School News

Four teams, comprising girls in Years 7 and 8, took part in the Lower School Book Quiz on World Book Day. The teams battled it out with a range of bookthemed questions and picture rounds.â€™ The Flowersâ€™, comprising Rosie, Coco, Megan and Amelie, were the winning team and chose a bookmark each as their prize. Well done to everyone who took part!

Co-curricular Activities

Year 9 Fun at Arena Pursuits In September, the girls in Year 9 went to Arena Pursuits for an afternoon of team building and bonding. Although some of them ended up in the water, much laughter and fun was had by all! Mrs Jodi Stone, Head of Middle School

Year 7 Team Building at Bowles In September, Year 7 went on a team building trip to the Bowles Outdoor Centre. We did many team activities such as bridge building, raft making, puzzles and brain teasers. We were marked on how well we worked as a team, with the winning team being awarded the most points. There were four groups and we were able to make new friends within our year group. We think that everyone would agree with it being a great first trip! By Year 7s Gabriella and Claudia

Year 12 Teambuilding Year 12 girls took part in a range of activities at Bowles Outdoor Centre to help them get to know each other as they embark on their Sixth Form career. Many girls went outside their comfort zones to scale rock faces, leap ofi telegraph poles, toboggan, improve their aim at archery, go kayaking and fly around on zip wires. It was wonderful to see the girls helping and encouraging each other and we all had a fun day.

Co-curricular Activities

Model United Nations Debating Poland From 26th to 29th September, eight girls from Years 11 to 13 went to Poland to participate in the Model United Nations (MUN) Conference in Torun. We each stayed with a host family and met delegates from many different countries including Germany, Slovakia and the USA through the unofficial party and meetings. From Friday until Sunday, we took part in the Conference, debating issues ranging from measures following a world-wide blackout, to human trafficking. We went to the Conference Opening Ceremony on Friday during which Martyna and Emily were interviewed on their experiences of MUN for Polish television. The Ceremony took place in the Old Town Hall where speakers included the Press Secretary for the German Embassy and the Belgian Ambassador. Everyone actively participated in their debates over the course of the Conference, making amendments and speeches. Year 13 Jemima won Best Delegate for representing Denmark in her committee, Year 13 Gbeminiyi had her resolution passed, and Emily cooperated with China to co-submit a resolution. Year 13 Martyna also chaired the World Health Organisation for the first time. Everybody came back with a broader understanding of different cultures and with better debating skills. By Year 13 Anna

Oxford Four girls from Year 13 travelled to Oxford Global MUN in November where Joy, Sharen and Shani sat on the Economic and Financial Committee, and Martyna sat on the Futuristic Crisis Committee. Mrs Kasia Kilvington, Head of ESOL, Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator

Croydon In November, 13 girls from Year 9 upwards attended the Model United Nations Conference (MUN) at Croydon High School for Girls, representing delegations from Laos, Zimbabwe and the Russian Federation. 27 other schools also attended the Conference, raising the total number of delegations to 70. Within their delegations, the girls sat on a wide range of committees including Disarmament and International Security, Economic and Financial, Social Humanitarian and Cultural, Special Political and Decolonisation, Human Rights, Security Council and Commission on the Status of Women. There were interesting debates in all of them, but the issues that were particularly thought-provoking included water resources within the current climate crisis, and the payment of reparations to former colonies - the latter of which really tested the delegatesâ€™ geographical and political knowledge, both current and historical. Mrs Kasia Kilvington, Head of ESOL, Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator

Co-curricular Activities

Oxford Union Debating Competition In March, eight Sixth Form students, accompanied by Ms Bryan and Mr Doy, headed off to the South East Region Oxford Union Debating Competition at Dulwich College. On arrival, we were immediately struck by the intricate Gothic architecture, which magnified our collective nerves and excitement. The sweeping staircases and evidence of former students, including Shackleton and P.G. Wodehouse, added to the sense of grandeur. Despite our best efforts, we failed to predict the motions of the evening; the Round 1 motion was “This House would force politicians and their immediate family to solely use public health and education services”, whilst the Round 2 motion was “This House regrets the widespread expectation that children ought to be grateful to their parents.” The event ran into the late hours, compensated by the mysteriously good coffee among the many other refreshments generously provided by Dulwich. Although none of the four

Mayfield teams proceeded to the national stage of the competition, we left the event in high spirits, with Year 12 students Ruby and Olivia wasting no time on the journey home in planning their strategic comeback for 2021.

The students taking part in the competition were Year 12s Olivia and Ruby and Year 13s Annalise, Mary, Lottie, Genevieve, Gabby and Martyna. By Year 13 Annalise

Gildredge House Enterprise Competition Six Year 10 girls attended the first-ever Enterprise Competition at Gildredge House School in Eastbourne in March. The girls competed against other local schools to launch a new watch onto the market. They divided their teams into three groups according to their skills, and attended workshops on marketing and sales, finance, and product design. They then had to prepare a presentation, pitching their idea to a panel of judges and other fellow contestants. Throughout the day employers from various businesses offered help and advice. The girls had a very enjoyable day, and learnt a lot about business and being an entrepreneur. Watch out Lord Sugar! Mrs Caroline Gibson, ESOL Teacher and Year 10 Senior Tutor

Year 12 Enrichment Programme – Froghole Farm As part of our Year 12 Enrichment Programme, we visit Froghole Farm in Mayfield where farmer Guy Brickell teaches us about life on a mixed farm. It is very hands-on and we do a variety of activities from weaning cows to feeding piglets. One of the highlights was meeting a new arrival at the farm, a premature calf born two weeks early. He had difficulty standing and was not tall enough to reach his mother to feed. His fur was not fully formed so he wore a makeshift coat made from an old jumper. We named him Romeo because of the white heart shape on his forehead! By Claudine, Georgia, Tami, Lucy and Ellie

Lifeskills Programme Run by Mrs Elizabeth Aherne, the Lifeskillls Programme at Mayfield has been designed to provide the girls with a broad, real-life context in which to place their academic studies. The programme prepares the girls to be knowledgeable, resilient and effective young women who are able to take responsibility for looking after themselves physically and emotionally; plan for their further education career and future financial independence; perform practical tasks; and understand their role as future citizens of a global community. With these aims in mind, girls throughout the School undertake a weekly age-appropriate session of Lifeskills and develop a huge variety of practical knowledge and skills during their time at Mayfield. Starting in Lower School, girls cover topics including table laying, plant care, pet care, bed making, presentation of work, skin and dental care, understanding traffic signage, bank accounts, research skills, and coping with the pressures of social media, as well as learning team

cooperation by running small business enterprises. As they progress through the School, Lifeskills aims to develop the awareness of each girl as an independent young citizen and they examine the British electoral, political and legal systems. They take practical sessions in selfdefence, changing bike tyres, ironing, wiring plugs and hanging pictures, as well as learning how to deal with the issues of drugs, alcohol, mental health

challenges and relationships. In the Sixth Form, the emphasis in Lifeskills is very much on self-sufficiency and the girls learn about budgeting, housing contracts, equipping student accommodation and have sessions on cooking to a budget. The Lifeskills Programme aims to equip every Mayfield girl with real-life practical skills, and to fulfil Cornelia Connelly’s mission of “preparing girls to meet the needs of the age.”

Co-curricular Activities

Clubs at Mayfield Gardening Club In September, our Head of Grounds, Mr Paul Brooker, launched Gardening Club. The girls have very much enjoyed being outside and in the greenhouse, undertaking a range of activities including sowing seeds, learning about watering and why it is important to water correctly, taking hard and soft wood cuttings, and using a rooting compound to help the plants establish.

Launch of Cyber Club Cyber Club for girls in Years 9 to 12 also launched in the Autumn Term. The girls have had a great time putting their skills to the test through fun, interactive activities, including cracking codes and solving tricky puzzles to see if they have what it takes to become a cyber-security pro!

Bridge Club Mayfield Bridge Club is held every Monday and is open to girls in all year groups. Bridge is played globally by people of all ages and from all walks of life. The English Bridge Union is keen to get youngsters playing and they, through English Bridge Education and Development, actively organise events for young players. A study commissioned by the EBU at St Paulâ€™s in Manchester showed that Bridge and Minibridge teach numeracy, problem solving, probability, speaking, listening, rule following, team building, mental capacity and much more. The girls are very much enjoying learning how to play this sociable game,

Med Soc MedSoc is for girls interested in Medicine, Veterinary Science, and healthrelated issues, and we aim to support them in beginning a career in these areas, as well as welcoming those who simply want to find out more about health and the workings of the body. Each term, two members take a leadership role, helping with tasks including organising talks from outside speakers. This is with a view to help develop their team working and leadership skills. We discuss topical issues in the news relating to medicine in addition to areas beyond the A Level Biology specification, such as brain imaging, synapses and disease, genetic disease. We also extend Biology A Level topics such as cancer and epigenetics. We also hold sessions on the principles of medical ethics and girls are given case studies to take away and look over, to facilitate a lively debate the following week. Speakers this year include OCs Chelsea Henshaw (former Head Girl) and Emily Press, who came back to Mayfield for the day to talk to the girls about their experiences as second year medical students. They have each chosen very different universities with different learning approaches that suit them well. Chelsea is at Bristol University where she is enjoying the case-based approach to learning. She emphasised that there is a lot of work to do but it is important to make time to relax and get involved with other activities. At Sheffield University, Emily is on a more clinical-based course. She has found a passion for orthopaedics and shared some case studies with the girls. Her advice was to ask for work experience opportunities whenever you get the chance.

STEM Club The girls in STEM Club spend time working on a number of interesting challenges set by Dr Corvan including constructing a Cloud Chamber without using dry ice. This presented a number of difficulties including keeping the Chamber cold enough and managing the wiring correctly. They made excellent progress in spite of a few breakages!

History Club The girls in History Club, which is open to Years 7 and 8, enjoy discovering more about the subject than they would have time to in the classroom, including learning Renaissance dance moves with Miss Lawson!

MESSy

MESSy, the Mayfield Environmental and Sustainability Society, undertakes a range of activities around the School to promote and encourage us all to think about the environment, and ways in which we can reduce our use of single-use plastics. As part of this, the girls made non-plastic food wraps using textile scraps which would have otherwise gone to landfill. The girls grated blocks of beeswax and then carefully ironed it in so that it impregnated the cloth. Interestingly, the beeswax has antibacterial properties and is a much more hygienic alternative than clingfilm or plastic bags.

Co-curricular Activities

Duke of Edinburghâ€™s Award Scheme Ambassador Training Day In October, Joy and I took part in a Duke of Edinburgh Ambassador training day at Judd School. On the day, Ambassadors from different schools including Tonbridge Girls Grammar School, Bethany and Benenden, came together to learn about the structure of DofE, the eDofE system, and presentation skills. The day really helped to reinforce our role as DofE Ambassadors at Mayfield, and the skills learnt will be useful when we are helping with Bronze and Silver sessions. We left the event with many new ideas that we hope to implement, both on how to promote the award at School and on helping the Bronze and Silver girls to make the most of their DofE experience. By Year 13 Anna

Gold Expedition During October Half Term, Amelia, Issy, Zoe and I completed our Gold Duke of Edinburgh Assessed Expedition in the Lake District. This was a unique experience which we all enjoyed very much. The up-climbing was particularly challenging as it required a lot of physical skill and high levels of fltness, though the view at the summit was deflnitely worth the climb! It was also a very good opportunity for us to develop resilience and determination. The best part of the Expedition was being able to work with my friends towards a target which certainly made navigating, camping and cooking more fun. This was definitely an unforgettable experience for all of us. By Year 13 Joy

Boarding Life Soap Making Year 7 and 8 girls having a bubbly time making soaps and decorating them with pictures of family and friends!

Baking Cakes

Baking cupcakes on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Stone Painting The girls in Gabs spent a relaxing couple of hours painting stones. They were given ideas about possible designs and colour schemes from pictures downloaded from the internet, and then given free rein to be creative. They began by sketching the rough outlines in pencil onto the stones, before using acrylic paints to bring their designs alive. Despite none of the girls having done it before, the results of two hour's work (and in some cases much less) were extremely impressive.

Co-curricular Activities

Trip to London After keeping a nervous eye on the weather, 80 boarders and 10 staff set off for London in October to view the sights. Travelling by coach and a double decker bus, the different boarding houses took in a variety of locations including Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery, M & M World, Fortnum and Mason, Trafalgar Square, China Town and Covent Garden. The weather was kind and we stayed dry and warm all day. Much time was spent browsing, taking photos and buying vast quantities of food!

Photo Challenge

The Micksâ€™ girls took on a Photo Challenge. Working in teams, cryptic clues led the girls to various locations around the School in their search for windows of many colours, hidden secret passages, and somewhere named after a murdered Archbishop of Canterbury! They then produced a poster using the photos they had taken to display in the Common Room.

Bath Bombs

A fun weekend at School â€“ making bath bombs and decorating votives before heading out for sushi in Tunbridge Wells.

Christmas

Making decorations and decorating the House for Christmas

Having a wonderful day making Christmas decorations,

The girls in Micks and Gabs danced the night away in the Hub at their Christmas Party.

Ice skating in Tunbridge Wells

ESOL Lunch Feast In January, eleven Year 12 ESOL girls cooked a delicious lunch, featuring traditional cuisine from their home countries, for guests from St Dunstan's House and the staff. The menu contained a range of dishes from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Poland. The girls planned everything themselves, including the ingredients, utensils and crockery they needed, and worked out preparation and cooking schedules to ensure that everything was ready on time. Just working out the quantities was a major challenge when catering for nearly 30 guests! Miss Theobald, Head of Food and Nutrition, was invaluable in guiding them in this, with help from Mrs Maimi in the ESOL Department, making the whole endeavour a great crosscurricular effort.

Saturday Afternoon Tie-Dyeing On a Saturday afternoon in January, some of the boarders gave tie-dyeing a go. They tried out various techniques on scraps of material before tie-dyeing white t-shirts. A very messy but fun activity!

Chinese New Year Celebrations Organised by Sixth Form students, Mayfleldâ€™s annual Chinese New Year Celebrations were held in February in the Courtyard. The girls had a great time playing games, eating a range of Chinese dishes, and enjoying a lucky draw at the end of the evening.

Sport at Mayfield Hockey We have had a fantastic turnout for hockey this year, playing a total of 134 matches across the age groups. The U12 A and B teams played nine matches and one tournament, each having wins over Brighton College and Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School. The U12 C and D teams also had some great match practice in their three games. The U13 A and B teams played nine matches, beating Brighton College and Cumnor House, and the A Team also represented Mayfield in a tournament. The U13 C and D teams played in four matches, beating Brighton College and Lingfield College respectively. In Middle School, the U14 A team played 12 matches with a notable 8 – 0 victory

over Eastbourne College, and the B team played four matches, beating Roedean 3-0 – another great result! The U15 A team played in 18 matches with an impressive 6-0 win over Lingfield College, alongside victories over Burgess Hill Girls, Roedean and Christ’s Hospital. The B team played five matches, including a good 3-1 win over Roedean. The U16 A’s had a very successful season, playing in 22 matches, and achieving notable wins including 7-0 against Kent College Pembury, 6-0 against Worth, and 6-1 over Claremont School. In the Sixth Form, the 1st XI played 18 matches which were all closely-fought. Highlights included their 3-1 win over Kent College Pembury, and the 2nd XI

played five games including a 2-1 win against Sevenoaks School. I would also like to mention a number of impressive individual achievements. These include Year 7 Jess’ outstanding progress, and, at Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club, Year 12 Poppy and Year 11 Maisie were both selected to play for the Ladies 1st XI with OC Lily Loveland (a former Mayfield Hockey Captain) as their Captain. County Honours were gained by Year 10 Tilly and Year 10 Florence achieved Regional Honours. Well done everyone on a great season! Miss Emily Nixon, Hockey Coach

Netball The netball season was sadly cut short, but there were still plenty of successes to celebrate. We played 123 fixtures in total, of which 44 were wins. Netball at Mayfield has grown year-upon-year, and this year was no exception. Over 130 pupils regularly attended Netball Extra-Curricular clubs across the School, and 230 pupils (53% of the school) represented Mayfield in competitive matches. A special mention must go to Years 7 and 9 in which every pupil represented Mayfield in at least one fixture! Highlights of the season included the U12 A and U16 A teams coming 4th in their year groups at SISNA. The U16 A was also the first Mayfield team in many years to reach the Sussex Cup final. Unfortunately, the competition was suspended due to Covid-19 but the girls did extremely well to get to the final. The 1st team

beat Eastbourne College in a fiercely competitive match (36-35) and had the most closely-fought match against Hurstpierpoint College at SISNA, who sadly pipped us to the post to win 7-5.

matches across all age groups against bigger schools at the major Netball tournaments. Well done all! Miss Sophie Auer, Netball Coach

We also celebrated a block fixture win for the first time, and had tight

Swimming The Mayfield Swimming Squad was excited to welcome many new swimmers from Year 7 this year, including Beacon Club swimmers Mia and Matilda, as well as Heidi, Lily and Erin. The year kicked off with some good results at the County round of the National Relays at The Sovereign Centre in Eastbourne. The Squad then went on to compete against Roedean Moira House, Roedean, Benenden, Burgess Hill, and Kent College, with some excellent results all round both home and away.

This was the final season for our Captain Amelia, who has worked hard since she joined us in Year 7 to record county times in more events than I can mention through Beacon Swimming Club. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her enthusiasm with our younger swimmers, as well as her continued commitment over the years. We will miss her.

Over Easter, the Mayfield pool had a facelift and is now sporting a rather lovely new lining, as well as a new floor surround, to ensure the surface is less slippery and easier to keep clean. Mrs Pippa Whitby, Swimming Coach

Cricket I am very proud of the girls and how hard work they have worked at their cricket this year. We managed to train all year round to prepare for the U13 and U15 Lady Tavernersâ€™ Indoor Competition where every player made an outstanding contribution. Both squads were victorious, beating Bedeâ€™s and Brighton College to name but a few, and progressing to the next round. Sadly, due to Covid-19, the next round did not take place, but we hope that it will go ahead next year. We also missed out on our outdoor season and our first overseas tour to Barbados, but the girls still took part in various challenges with prizes, including an England shirt worn by wicketkeeper-batsman Amy Jones. We would like to give a special mention to the seven girls who were chosen to represent Sussex County for the upcoming season. Big congratulations to Year 8 Jessica; Year 9s Zara, Hannah, and Annie; and Year 10s Lizzie, Alice, and Emma. We have a lot of great cricketing talent in the School and I am very much looking forward to next season! Miss Emily Starr, Cricket Coach

PE in Lockdown The PE Department came up with a range of fantastic challenges to keep the girls fit and active during lockdown, including the snappily-titled ‘Whole School Keepy-Uppy Cricket Challenge’ which was open to girls in all year groups. The Challenge was to see how many ‘keepy-uppys’ participants could do with their bat and ball before they dropped it, and anyone who beat Miss Starr’s score of 343 received 300 House Points! Many congratulations to Year 9 Lizzie who achieved more than 2,000 ‘keepy-uppys’, winning the Cricket World Cup shirt worn (and signed) by England’s Amy Jones.

Each year group was also set their own individual challenge by the PE Department, with Year 7 taking part in ‘Road to the Olympics: Tokyo 2021’, Year 8 undertaking ‘Virtual Climbs: Mission Very Possible!’, Year 9 competing in ‘The Great Mayfield Mountain Climb’, Years 10 and 11 battling it out in ‘March to the Malls’, and Years 12 and 13 doing ‘The 30-day Challenge’. The girls competed in Houses and when the results from all year groups were compiled, the finishing positions were as follows: 1st Curie Joint 2nd Glennie and Bronte 3rd Astor

Virtual Sports Day On Wednesday 1st July, the PE Department organised a very popular Virtual Sports Day which saw the girls in Years 7, 8 and 9 taking part in a range of traditional and more unusual sporting challenges from their own homes. They were given the option to participate in two or more of eight different events including a 1500m run, the Egg and Spoon Race, the ‘Sneaker Stack’, the ‘Cushion Stalk stand’, Juggling, the ‘Tennis Ball Toss’, the ‘Toilet Roll Jump’ and the ‘Standing Broad Jump’. Great fun was had by all and, at the end of the afternoon, the scoreboard was as follows: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Glennie Curie Astor Bronte

Equestrian Mayfieldâ€™s Equestrian Squad has had a successful year with notable achievements including winning the National Schools Team Dressage 2019 title in the Autumn. The girls produced four fabulous tests to take the title ahead of a record number of schools, and Liv, Kitty, Alice and Eloise, all produced sparkling performances. In November, the Squad competed in the NSEA 2019 National Plate Championships at Keysoe, riding brilliantly to win the 100-105 Show Jumping Championships. They also became East Sussex County Team Show Jumping Champions in three (out of four) height divisions at Petley Wood. Our Novice Team comprising Evie, Issy, Chloe and Ella; our Intermediate Team of Issy, Chloe, Flo and India; and our Open Team of Fran, Monami, Eloise and Liv, all qualified for the National County Finals at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire in April 2020 which sadly could not take place due to Covid-19. Wonderful achievements all round! Jill Barker, Director of Riding

Mayfield School, The Old Palace, Mayfield, East Sussex, TN20 6PH mayfieldgirls.org