Newsletter

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July 2019 Edition

Dear Parents

AUTUMN TERM 1

BEGINS WEDNESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2019

ENDS FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2019

TERM 2

BEGINS MONDAY 28 OCTOBER 2019

ENDS THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER 2019

SPRING TERM 3

BEGINS MONDAY 6 JANUARY 2020

ENDS FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2020

TERM 4

BEGINS MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2020

ENDS FRIDAY 3 APRIL 2020

SUMMER TERM 5

BEGINS MONDAY 20 APRIL 2020

ENDS FRIDAY 22 MAY 2020

TERM 6

BEGINS MONDAY 1 JUNE 2020

ENDS FRIDAY 17 JULY 2020

Another school year draws to an end and we look forward not only to our summer break but also to the days in August when our A Level and GCSE candidates return to school to collect their results.

Despite the reduction in student numbers during the summer months life in school has been extremely busy. There have been a number of visits and trips during this term, and a number of sporting fixtures and Duke of Edinburgh events that have been well supported by staff and pupils.

In school our two Curriculum Enrichment Days were a huge success with various events and activities taking place across the school. Many thanks to Mr Boyce and all other staff for organising these activities. I know all our pupils greatly appreciated the opportunities offered by staff.

In addition our annual Graduation Ball recently took place for all those Year 13 students who have now completed their time with us. My thanks to the Parents’ Association, Mrs Absolon, the sixth form team and the Premises and Catering staff for making the event such a huge success.

Thanks to Miss Turner for organising our Fun Run and to the Art and Technology staff for the recent Art Exhibition, which showcased such excellent work from our GCSE and A Level students. Ms Sayers and other staff have been working with our Year 7 pupils who were able to perform at our recent summer concert, so well done to all pupils involved in that event too.

As some students may have reported we were delighted to finally open our new canteen and dining area just after Easter which has been well received by all our students and visitors to the school.

During the summer break four new temporary learning spaces will be installed on our main site as we continue the design and build meetings which will hopefully result in the new extensions to our science block and IN building being completed by Christmas.

We were also fortunate enough to bid successfully for funds to replace all the old windows on our main building plus some at the IN, and new boilers will also be installed on the main site during the summer/autumn term.

In addition, refurbishment work will be undertaken in Mayfield Court over the summer, and a dark room built to facilitate the introduction of GCSE Photography which commences in September.

Finally, my best wishes to all pupils, staff, parents and governors who have supported the school throughout another successful year and I hope you all enjoy a relaxing summer. Mrs E Wilson Headteacher

SCHOOL CLOSURES

MONDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2019

TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2019

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 2019

MONDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2019

FRIDAY 8 MAY 2020 (BANK HOLIDAY)

MONDAY 20 JULY 2020

TUESDAY 21 JULY 2020

2

Ms Chow, Mr Kambona, Mr Harris and Ms Jeffree all joined the school in September 2018 and leave for pastures new as does Mrs Tress. Miss Bains joined the school in September 2017 and also leaves our school this summer. I would like to thank all these colleagues for their hard work and support for our students and wish them all well for the future.

Mr Probin joined the school on the 1st January 2015, initially as short term supply cover in support of the Geography department. He quickly became a valued member of the department and Mr Probin kindly agreed to stay on at MGSG, despite the fact that he had already retired from teaching. We are extremely grateful he was able to support the school for a further three years and he leaves our school this summer with our best wishes for the future.

Mrs Durey joined the school in January 2009 as a Science Technician and has been a loyal and hardworking colleague who has worked tirelessly to support staff and students in our Science Faculty. She leaves our school this summer with our best wishes for the future.

Ms Ragbourne joined the school in September 2009 and has served as Subject Leader for Economics and Business since 1st September 2013. Ms Ragbourne has also support-ed the school’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and will be greatly missed as a sixth form tutor where she has guided and supported countless numbers of sixth form students. She thoroughly deserves to enjoy a very long and happy retirement.

Mrs King joined the school in September 2008 as a Learning Supervisor and has been an invaluable member of our support staff for the past 11 years. She is always willing to assist staff and students and has participated in a number of school activities over the years and she leaves MGSG with our very best wishes for a happy retirement.

Mrs Dalton joined the school in September 1992 and has worked tirelessly at MGSG for the last 27 years. Throughout her time at our school she has always delivered first rate learning experiences for all our students studying Biology and has inspired many students to continue their studies of Science beyond their school careers. Mrs Dalton has also supported the school out-side of the Science Faculty, through her time as a sixth form tutor, Learning Leader and participated in many trips and visits.

We sincerely thank Mrs Dalton for her commitment to the school and she leaves this summer with our very best wishes for a long and happy retirement.

Over the past few years the recruitment of teachers has been quite a challenge and it is well documented that many teachers leave the profession within five years so we are incredibly fortunate that colleagues teaching at our school generally want to stay and work with our students. Having said that it is still an extraordinary achievement for a member of staff to have stayed working at our school for 37 years and yet that is the remarkable achievement of Mr McPhail.

A few short paragraphs are somewhat inadequate to truly sum up the remarkable contribution Mr McPhail has made to school life at MGSG. He joined the school as “assistant teacher in history” in September 1982 as his first teaching post so at the end of his first year his probation report notes that he was “punctual, conscientious and reliable. Holds pupils’ interest well with a variety of teaching methods and thorough and diligent marking”.

If you were to ask for similar comments 37 years later I believe all staff and students would say the same which is a remarkable achievement that should be celebrated. Mr McPhail has always prioritised the needs of the students within his care and History has remained a very popular subject under his leadership.

Mr McPhail has always been passionate about the teaching of History and in September 1990 he was appointed as Subject Leader of History where he has successfully led the department and supported countless members of staff and students. This includes a former MGSG student who is now teaching History at our school as well as inspiring many students to continue their studies in History beyond their school careers.

We will all be sad to see Mr McPhail leave our school this summer, but we all wish him a very long, happy and well deserved retirement.

We have three new water dispensers in the

canteen.

Please fill your water bottles before school,

or during breaks.

Our cashless catering system has helped reduce queues in the canteen and we would like to encourage parents to pay online. The cash loader is for emergency top ups only. Parents

will benefit from seeing the food choices which have been made in school. If you need a code to activate your online account please contact the Finance Office on finance@mgsg.kent.sch.uk

Our system does not automatically allow overdrafts and these are only available in an emergency. We would be grateful if you would ensure that accounts are kept in credit to avoid delays when buying food throughout the day. If you wish to complete a consent form for biometric registration then they are available to download from the website.

Mrs Walsh - Catering Manager

THINK – Have you got a water bottle that you could refill? PLASTIC CUPS are not biodegradable, thus dumping them pollutes the environment – land and water. It destroys the quality of soil by preventing proper absorption of water and minerals and cannot be decomposed by microorganisms. It’s also very harmful for both terrestrial and aquatic animals, since these foreign materials persist in their natural habitat and put them at risk through ingestion, suffocation etc. Several other methods used for plastic disposal like incineration release harmful fumes and toxic gases like carbon monoxide into the environment. Even the recycling of plastics consumes enormous amounts of energy.

Please help us protect our environment. We’ve been careless up to now with the way we’ve treated the Earth and it’s time to change;

not just the way we do things but the way we think.

3

Which House will win this year?

The Aster Trophy and the House Cups will be presented on the last day of term in final assemblies.

This year’s Graduation Ball was held on June 28th.

The day began with a Leavers’ Assembly in which we heard about the intended destinations of our

departing Year 13 and wished them well for the future.

The theme of the ball this year was ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and once again the decorations

were absolutely stunning. We even had huge wooden trees framing the stage where the band

played. The Premises team and the students worked incredibly hard

and the challenge is on to top this next year! It is always a pleasure to

see the students dressed-up in their gowns and suits and I am sure

that they had an evening they will never forget.

Mrs Absolon - Assistant Headteacher

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At the time of publication, the group were away in China but we have already received these wonderful photographs of the trip. . “The girls are enjoying the trip very much and we are very impressed with their high level of resilience, respect, and positive attitude. They make us so proud.” (Miss Yang - Teacher of Mandarin)

Message from China

5

It Wasn’t Me! by Beth Howe

I sat with my legs beneath me, a crumpled mess on the floor. Two great dark shadows loomed above me! They interrogated me; enticed me with their lies – told me I would suffer no consequences nor their ensuing wrath if I admitted to the blunder. I said nothing.

There I stood, a pillar of strength: a hero, nay a saint. History would forever remember me as unbreakable. A brave man never cracked by the forces of evil. I imagined the statues that would be erected of me. My figure captured eternally in brass, polished to perfection with golden rays of sun glinting off my rippling biceps. I pictured the pilgrims gathered at my feet, knelt in prayer and the offerings piled around me (nothing of lesser value than gold of course). That is what I deserve! ... after all… I barely noticed my two enemies enclose me further. Their shouts of rage never met my ears. I would not break.

“Get up!” The words rang loud and clear. I rose to my feet slowly, my head held high. I reminded myself that the suffering I was to experience was nothing compared to the honour I would have bestowed upon me. I was marched down a cold, desolate corridor. We stopped. I glared at my captors. “Sit” they barked. I looked behind me. That’s when I saw it – the naughty step… It was too much for me. I waited and protested, kicked and screamed, refused to be punished for what I did not do. “Okay, if you did not draw on the wall then who did?” they yelled.

“The monster!” I screamed back. What? I’m not made of stone.

Somehow, despite me giving up the true culprit, this did not quell their thirst for blood. I couldn ’t comprehend much of the next few sentences as the two guards spoke over each other in a garbled mess, but I felt the gist of it – they thought I was lying. “You are five years old,” one of them exclaimed. “You’re too old to be telling us stories of monsters.” Stories? What stories? I have never told a ‘story’ about monsters in my life. ‘Story’ implies that it’s not true. ‘Story’ implies that monsters aren’t in fact real. They are! I have one living in my wardrobe.

Their ears are deaf to my protests of innocence. They send me to my room. I sulk up the stairs mumbling something along the lines of ‘You’re the worst parents ever’ but they offer no reaction to that crashing blow other than to wave a hand flippantly in my direction signalling their disinterest. I make sure that my steps are as forceful as possible as I journey to my room. I am wound-ed and enraged and I must ensure they know it. Upon entering my room, I throw myself onto the bed and scream into the mat-tress. I roll onto my back, close my eyes and silently wish for a dragon to swoop over our house. I wish to watch it incinerate the roof with fiery licks of its breath, but alas. I call to the monster in my sturdy oak wardrobe. He remains quiet. I set on him with my most persuasive argument. I plead, I beg, I even offer my favourite sock to convince him to go and tell my parents that he really was the true culprit, but my accom-plice keeps to his silence. I ponder how he is stronger willed than me, before drifting off to sleep.

A few days pass and I’m sitting in our hallway. A bucket of soapy water one side and a pile of sponges and rags the other. I scrub away at the inscriptions that have defaced the wall. I reach for another sponge but instead, I wrap my hand around something furry. Something furry and purple. Something furry and purple and clutching a sponge. Something staring up at me with an apologetic look in its eye and a fang poking out of its devilish grin.

Imaginative Writing We would like to share a superb piece of imaginative writing by a Year 10 girl in her end of year exam.

The English Department

Years 7 and 8, along with some staff, made a lovely selection of cupcakes to sell to the rest of the school on June 13th, as part of the National Cupcake Day to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. The school was invited to purchase cupcakes at breaktime and I cannot have asked for a better response. The atmosphere was electric and we raised £451 in 20 minutes! What a wonderful way to help those who have been affected by Alzheimer’s. Well done to all the staff and pupils who contributed to this event. Mrs Mountcastle - Cupcake Day Organiser

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On the 27th of June, Mayfield Grammar School was the host to the annual Summer Exhibition which is used to display and show off the extraordinary work of our students. It was a grand success and we had incredible fun displaying our work to our peers, teachers and families. Like every year before us, this year we displayed our work with great pride and we hope that it was equally well received by all. The Summer Exhibition is a platform in which the students of our school are able to take great pride in themselves and feel like the work that they have

produced over the duration of the year is appreciated and well received. With this opportunity, I have no doubt that many of us have gained confidence, not only in our art, but in ourselves. The exhibition is significant to all artists alike and is looked forward to every year – so we couldn’t have been happier with this year’s display!

We had an incredible turn out and we must thank the Art and Technology Departments which made it all possible. On top of this, we’d like to thank everybody who came, includ-ing the students, teachers, parents and friends. We had an amazing time accompanied by some members from our school’s music department which made the scene even more enjoyable, so thank you to everyone who played and sung for us. We hope that if you missed out on this great opportunity, you are able to come next year as we had incredible fun displaying our work for all to see!

Mary-Ellen Hartnup, Year 12

Art Competition Over this last term, 2 students from our school entered a local Art competition at St Andrews Arts Centre in Gravesend. We are very proud to announce that Jasmine Whitsitt 9W came first and Grace Fay 8R came second; congratulations to you both. We are very proud of the extra-curricular activities and competi-tions our students take part in outside and inside School.

Miss A Hanlon - Teacher of Art

Students in Years 7&8 have been learning about Italian cuisine and making a range of dishes and improving their skills. They have been learning about the Eatwell Guide and healthy eating. Students have been using their learning to design Italian themed products, including pasta and pizza dishes. The students have made some excellent dishes and are rightly proud of their achievements.

Miss S Kemp - Acting Subject Leader D&T

Food Technology

The Year 10 D&T students have been working on a number of projects this year that have inspired them to work creatively and imaginatively. They have recently undertaken a task to design and manufacture a range of dog/cat bowls for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and they have been working well to produce products that will be used by the charity in their foster homes. Staff at Battersea will then be choosing their favourite pieces over the Summer break and those students will be awarded a prize in September 2019. I am very pleased that I don’t have the task of making the choice because they all look amazing and I am very proud of all of you! Miss S Kemp - Acting Subject Leader D&T

Design & Technology

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In April, a group of our students went to Andalusia in the south of Spain on the Spanish Exchange. Once again, we were very warmly welcomed into the Sevillian way of life and enjoyed visiting our host school, exploring the architecture and food of the most beautiful city in Spain. Many of our pupils had already hosted their corresponding partners in February and this summer, more than one of them are planning on a return visit

to Spain so that they can continue developing their friendship. Often, the links made during this exchange last

many years, well beyond the initial two weeks of the experience. We visited the Bullring, the Palace of the Alcazar, the cathedrals of Seville and Cordoba, the small, winding streets of shops in the historic town centre and the more modern area of Sevilla Este. Our pupils were able to ask personal questions about the politics, traditions, customs, economic problems currently facing our European and anything else they were interested in. Both Mr Wellens and I really enjoyed the company of all the students who went and can see just how much it enhanced their oral and listening performances in their examinations.

Mrs Pina - Subject Co-ordinator of Spanish

River Darent Geography Fieldwork On the 10th and 11th June the Year 10 geography students went to the river Darent to carry out river fieldwork. We had to get into the river and carry out several experiments that related to our river studies. The river fieldwork was a positive experience for most, however, there were some challenging times particularly for those who attended the fieldwork on the 10th June. The fieldwork is conducted in the summer as hot and dry weather is expected, but on the Monday the opposite was true. There was heavy rainfall, not just for part of the day but for the whole day! (You didn’t need to go into the river to get drenched). Even worse this meant the booklets they had to fill out were no longer legible and had turned into a mushy mess. It wasn’t quite the river fieldwork experience they had expected, but, none the less definitely unforgettable! I and the rest of my class were lucky enough to be going to the river on the 11th June, where there wasn’t a drop of rainfall in sight. I was looking forward to my fieldwork and the chance to spend a day in a beautiful corner of Kent. However, due to the heavy rainfall the day before the river was deeper, a lot deeper it had turned out, than we had expected. Mr Orr had suggested the water level would only be slightly above our knees. Well……..it was definitely above my knees…as well as my hip! The most annoying part was none of the teachers got into the river, they simply ‘supervised’ from the bank with an occasional laugh related to how wet we were. Even though, or perhaps because, the river was freezing cold and really deep; the river fieldwork trip is an experience I’ll never forget and will laugh about in the future. By Harsimran Gill 10R

Year 8 Geography Fieldwork

Recently, we have been learning about sustainable environments and communities in Geography. We have thought about what makes places sustainable and all the different factors which may contribute to this. This was all building towards our Gravesend fieldwork visit to the town centre which every Year 8 class has undertaken recently to collect some primary data. Although the town centre is somewhere most of us have visited on a regular basis we discovered how easy it is to overlook important issues. On our fieldwork we looked at a variety of different criteria – from how well maintained the public spaces were to how many chain shops there were – all of which helped to build a picture of how sustainable Gravesend is. We then looked at some really interesting secondary data which was quite eye-opening and allowed us to see what Gravesend is like compared to other places in the UK. Everyone enjoyed pointing out where they lived and finding out how different characteristics changed. Overall we enjoyed finding more out about our local area and how Gravesend can maybe become more sustainable in the future.

By Kayra Akyuz 8W

8

Ms Sayers, Subject Leader of Music

Instrumental Lessons for September

If you don’t currently learn an instrument or take singing lessons and you would like to, please contact Ms Sayers. There are vacancies for the following instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar. If you wish to have lessons in singing or piano, you will be added to the waiting list. If you wish to cease lessons, please remember to give a term’s notice in writing, or the fee in lieu of notice will be charged.

Recent Musical

Performances

Students from all years of the school have been busy performing at a range of events in the last few weeks includ-ing the annual Art Exhibition, New Intake Evening and most recently, the Summer Concert. The latter contained a delightful mix of music and included performances from all of our lunchtime clubs (Boomwhacker Club, Harmonize, Stay Tuned, Glee and Guitar Ensemble) as well as some out-standing solos and small group items.

Well done to all musicians who have taken part in these events and to the staff who helped Ms Sayers with the Summer Concert: Mr Moore, Miss Orton, Mr Beech and Mrs Knell.

Steel Pan Workshop

On 3rd

April, all students in Year 8 took part in a Steel Pan workshop provided by Inspire-works. They learnt about the origins of the instruments and each class learnt to play Hot Hot Hot by Arrow. The sound was amazing and it was a very enjoyable experience.

Mayfield

Music Diploma

Starting in September, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will be able to work

towards the MGSG Music Diploma.

This will involve earning points

through class work (where applica-

ble) and through involvement in

extra-curricular musical activities such as our lunch time clubs and

performances.

Information will come to students in

September.

Voice in a Million 2020 Once again, we will be taking part in Voice in a Million at Wembley Arena on 19

th March. Priority places will be offered

to students who have participated in Music Clubs this term and the incoming Year 7 in the first two weeks of Term 1.

After this, the remaining places will be opened up to all students. Commitment to rehearsals will be vital to keep your place on the trip.

Try Angle Awards for Music

Ms Sayers has nominated Ellie Nixon in Year 12 for a

Try Angle Award in recognition of her continuing effort

and participation in Music throughout her time here.

We will keep our fingers crossed and wait to see

whether she has won the Dartford and Gravesham

District Music category next term. Good luck!

9

Year 8 battled with sun cream and waterproof trousers when they travelled to Walton Firs Activity Centre, in Surrey. 74 brave students arrived, full of excitement and a lot of sugar, ready to travel to their home for the next 3 days! The weather started off positively just like the mind-set of the Y8 students. Sadly it did get a little rainy towards the end of the camp but this did nothing to dampen their spirits. Once they had arrived they pitched their tents and then took part in many different activities including: Climbing, Archery, Rifle Shooting, The Blind Line, Navigation, Fire Lighting, Trangia Cooking, The Adventure Course and Orienteering, to name but a few. Each group threw themselves wholeheartedly into the activities and really showed skills such as determination, resilience, problem solving and teamwork –especially when looking after ‘Daryl the Barrel’. The students behaved brilliantly and should be commended on their effort, participation and general attitude to all of the tasks thrown at them. Well done Year 8!

104 Year 7 students then followed Y8s lead and travelled to the Earleywood Scout Campsite where they took part in many varied activities which allowed them

to hone their survival skills, probably putting Bear Grylls to shame! The students learnt how to light camp fires using a flint and steel, how to orienteer, how to cook, climbing skills, archery skills, habitat investigation, and tent pitching and striking. During the camp Year 7 also spent a day in the beautiful Windsor Great Park where they had to compete in an orienteering challenge by locating specific land-marks using only their maps and compass. (We had no problem

locating the amazing ice cream shop!) This year our celebrity spot in beautiful Windsor Great Park was Chris Evans! (The British DJ, not the Hollywood actor sadly).

On the first night we escaped the thunder storms but did experience an all-night downpour. Our tent pitching skills were proved to be excellent however, as we had no leaks. Well done girls for taking part in all the activities and behaving brilliantly. Again a fine example of behaviour, effort and attitude.

Miss Yeong and Miss McCormack - Trip Co-ordinators

Best camp ever - even if we do say so ourselves!

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Bronze Practice Expedition On Thursday and Friday 2nd-3rd May, around fifty hardy members of Year 9 gathered at Hope Hill Camp in Meopham to complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze practice expedition. In the weeks leading up to the walk, the girls had spent their free time at lunchtimes planning a 24km route that would take them two days to complete on foot over a total of 12 hours walking including an overnight camp. They also needed to plan a menu to see them through their expedition whilst all of their equipment for the expedition had to be carried with them on their backs, including tents, sleeping bags, food, stoves and fuel. Early on Thursday morning, backed by some fairly

friendly weather, the eight groups set about making

their difficult and demanding task look incredibly

easy. Almost all groups didn’t get lost. Almost all.

Following another early night and another early

start, and with only minor damage sustained to

feet and legs, all groups relentlessly pushed on

next morning once again making short work of

the task, demonstrating to their impressed

supervisors just how good they were becoming

at map and compass work.

Around half an hour after returning to camp, where it

had all started the previous morning, and having

been debriefed by their suitably-impressed instructor,

the girls walked like robots around the camp waiting

to be picked up by family members. Tired, blistered,

bruised but proud, each girl made her way back

home in the knowledge she had been part of a hugely

successful team.

Congratulations to all of the girls that participated in

making a difficult assignment look very straight-

forward. All that remained to do was successfully

carry out their expedition for real in June.

Dr Morris - Duke of Edinburgh Co-Ordinator

Bronze Qualifying Expedition Some of us had a frustrating and slow journey to the campsite as the M20 was closed and diversions were in place, so some of us were a little later arriving at Honeyhill campsite than anticipated. The campsite was lovely with a really pleasant outlook, as long as you could zone out from the traffic noise on the M20. The evening was spent with the girls setting up tents, meeting their assessors, going through routes and route cards and making a hot drink before bed. Most of us, or those who could sleep through the traffic noise, were woken at 4am by the birds singing. Some groups were up, had eaten breakfast and packed away by 6am and were ready to set off, others took a more leisurely pace but all groups had set of before 9am. The groups spent day 1 navigating their way through woods, up and over steep hills and round the North Downs. Some groups had a little more difficulty than others with their navigation and took a slightly longer time to find their way back to camp. The weather was good for

us, the sun was out and it was quite hot, a few girls were fairly flushed when they returned, despite reminders about sun cream. A lot of the groups took breaks more often and for longer due to the heat so many were out walking for a long time. There were the usual blisters to contend with and sore shoulders and hips from the ruck sacks; but, there is no time to relax on return to camp as tents need putting up, food needs cooking and washing up needs to be done. Luckily the camp provided hot wa-ter for washing up so this was a quicker activity than

usual. The girls were very tired after their long day and were quiet and in their tents by 10pm, well most were! Day 2 and again our alarm was the birds chirping away, or the lorries whizzing by on the M20. The teams were all in action with a little more urgency today knowing that the quicker they set off, the quicker they could be back to camp and the quicker they could be home; all teams had left by 8am. Teams also seemed to be better at navigating on day 2 and stopped less often for shorter breaks. Many of the teams did so well as they had returned to camp before 3pm. On re-turning to camp they again met with their assessors for a de-brief before heading off home tired and a little sore, but hopefully very proud of their achievements.

I would like to congratulate all teams for successfully completing their Bronze expedition and would like them to remember that if Duke of Edinburgh was easy, everyone would be signing up for it. This is a big achievement and I hope that many of them will think about carrying onto the Silver award.

Mrs Murfet - Duke of Edinburgh Co-Ordinator

Expedition Training - The Duke of Edinburgh Award represents a wonderful opportunity to improve skills and acquire new ones, and whilst students gain lots from their time volunteering in the community, participating in a physical activity and acquir-ing new skills, the expedition itself is often the focal point of our student’s DofE experience. Therefore, whilst still in the familiar surrounds of the school our Bronze and Silver participants began their preparations in March with a weekend of DofE training. Covering everything from basic camp craft to navigation and first aid, these days provide students with all that they would need to successfully complete their expedition without getting cold, lost or (too) broken!

The next steps in the expedition journey were the Navigation Days – where students can put into practise skills learnt in the classroom and gain an insight into the challenges ahead. The biggest initial challenge was overcoming the weather with Storm Gareth battering our first attempts to get out amongst the woods and countryside in and around Shorne Country Park. Once the weather had settled down the students got their first taster of proper navigation, vital skills that would make or break their ultimate expedition. It’s fair to say, for some, this was a steep learning curve! But practise makes perfect and with the combined experiences behind them the students were now prepared to plan and undertake the real thing.

Mr Orr - Duke of Edinburgh Co-Ordinator

11

It is very pleasing to see so many students benefiting from the award and I hope the articles in this

newsletter give you an insight in to the expedition section.

Students have until their 25th birthday to complete their award at their own pace. Some of this academic

year award recipients have left the school, however, we are happy to keep them enrolled and track their

progress completing their award beyond Year 13. This year has been very successful and I would like to

congratulate the following students on their Duke of Edinburgh achievements. I could not run the award

without all the help and support from my team and other staff volunteers that assist me throughout the

year and on behalf of myself and the girls I thank you all for all your hard work.

Mrs Curley - Duke of Edinburgh Manager

Alexandra Gemmell

Alexandra Gemmell finished Year 13 in 2014, starting her award in Year 12.

She has now completed it and will be invited to St James’s Palace to receive

her award in the presence of HRH The Earl of Wessex.

Mary Abor Zoe Daniels Emily Hussey Aleksandra Nowak

Iesha Agnihotri Mia Day Jasmine Jayaprakash Mary-Ann Nwodo

Megan Allen-Marchant Molly Day Daisy Johnson Mofeyisopefoluwa Ogunlana

Daisy Antill Chloe Dexter Prabhleen Kaur Phoebe Osborne

Gemma Ashton Vineet Dhillon Keerat Khaira Eleanor Pannell

Bavita Bangar Elizabeth Duyilemi Alayesha Khanam Mia Perrott

Milly Barden Charlotte Ellett Oreoluwa Kukoyi Elisha Rai

Ella Barnes Abbie Ellis Isabella Lane Aoife Rogers

Caitlin Beard Oluwatunmininu Enirayetan Marin Lee Olivia Roper

Gwendoline Bentley Lara Eyre Grace Lindfield Rhea Sian

Daya-Kaur Bhachu Abigail Folkard Anna Luxford Hannah Smart

Faye Bownas Madeleine Folkard Bethany Martin Keronishaa Srikanthan

Katie Buchanan Charlotte Gappa Lily Meehan Libbi-Mae Stubbs

Grace Carter-Graham Lucy Gibbons Sophie Menasse Abigail Thain

Harsimran Chana Isabelle Gibson Ella Molloy Maya Walpole

Annabelle Church Harsimran Gill Jagoda Molska Ellie West

Sophie Clisby Rebecca Greenwood Chloe Monteil-Thang Mia Whitaker-Gear

Sharnnah Crane Min Jie Guo Tamsin Morgan Eleanor Williams

Elena Crisci Kacey Hammock Mia Moriarty Amelia Wiltshire

Frances Cross Eboni Holden Bethany Newton

Emma Bullimore Oluwateniola Jimoh Emmanuelle Ogunlola Rosie Tearle

Holly Creed Kirsten-Andie Lartey Oluwaseun Owolabi Fiyinfolu Thomas Olivia Davies Abbi Lees Tavleen Sandhu Evelina Ursu

Jodie Hofford Simran Majhail Reah Sall

Gold Awards

Silver Awards

Bronze Awards

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Old record: Javelin Gwennie Bentley 2017 19.68 metres

New record: Javelin Darlene Awani 2019 22.44 metres

Old record: Shot Put Danny Tinker 2012 10.75 metres

New record: Shot Put Jay Adeyemo 2019 11.01 metres

Old record: 800m Lisa Ronson 1994 2min 47secs

New record: 800m Isabel Lloyd 2019 2min 40secs

Old record: 1500m Nicole McQuade 2010 6min 22secs

New record: 1500m Isabel Lloyd 2019 5min 51secs

The Year 8 Javelin record has only stood for two years before

Darlene Awani from 8 Atholl threw almost three metres past the

old record. Well done Darlene.

In Year 12, the Shot Put record has stood for an impressive

7 years until Jay Adeyemo in 12 Atholl approached the throwing

circle and showed a magnificent performance. Well done Jay on this

incredible achievement.

After an exceptional 5 years at Mayfield and in her last year I

am delighted to announce that Isabel Lloyd in 12 Chadwick broke

two school records, one of which has stood for 25 years.

Well done Isabel on your achievements in both the 800m and the

1500m events.

The school participated fully in a very enjoyable Sports Day with field events in the morning followed by track events in the afternoon.

After a day of exciting races and events there were many outstanding performances.

As the years go by records become more and more difficult to beat, so when one does happen it is a tremendous achievement. These school records were beaten in this year’s Sports Day...

Miss McCormack, Subject Leader of P.E.

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This year, Mayfield attended the Dartford and Gravesham District Athletics competition at Dartford Harriers which saw talented individuals from around the borough taking part. The teams experienced various successes and the students fully enjoyed participating and spectating athletes competing at high levels throughout the day. 14 schools from

the borough participated and the stand out results are detailed here.

DGSG 1st

MGSG 2nd

Leigh 3rd

DSTC 4th

Meopham 5th

NSFG 6th

Wilmington 7th

Thamesview 8th

St George's 9th

St John's 10th

Longfield 11th

Ebbsfleet 12th

Orchards 13th

LUTC 14th

Year 7 3rd Place

Year 8 4th Place

Year 9 3rd Place

Year 10 2nd Place

Year 7

200m 3rd Place Calista Ajibola

800m 2nd Place Tillie Fewell

Shot 3rd Place Geraldine Ilonze

Year 8

800m 3rd Place Charlotte Benson

1500m 3rd Place Aisling Navin

Javelin 2nd Place Darleen Awani

Year 9

100m 1st Place Chloe Salter

200m 3rd Place Chiedza Madamombe

Relay 1st Place Nifemi Akinyosoye Hannah Kazim Chiedza Madamombe Zara Sanni

Year 10

100m 2nd Place Emily Frimpong

300m 3rd Place Leah Wright

High Jump 2nd Place Tamsin Morgan

Javelin 3rd Place Gwennie Bentley

GB Deaf Swimming My name is Jess. I swim for the GB deaf swimming club. We meet up twice a year for training weekends plus the GB Deaf Championships. I have been in the GB deaf swimming club for about a year and a half now. I love going to these places that are so far away (we went to Manchester one year, and we met at York last year). This year we met at Loughborough University for the GB deaf championships on Saturday 30

th March. I swam eight races

and came first in six of them and second in the other two. I also won the Category A, Swimmer of the Year 2018 for my improvement and determination to my races. Jessica Goodwin, 7A

Mayfield have experienced many successes in this years rounders season. District results: Year 7 – 4th Place Year 8 – 1st Place Year 9 – 1st Place Year 10 – 1st Place Special congratulations go to the Year 8 team who did not lose a match all summer.

Congratulations Jess, we look forward to hearing more from you about your successes when representing Great Britain.

Judo Isabelle Wilson, 7L represented Mayfield on 16th-17th March at the Judo Tournament, British Schools Championships 2019.

Isabelle’s category was Years 6 and 7-under 44kg and she came 5th.

She greatly enjoyed the experience of her first national competition.

Isabelle is keen to keep up her development in this sport and to return next year - hopefully to bring home a medal.

Miss McCormack, Subject Leader of P.E.