Welcome to the Christmas edition of our newsletter which signals the close of a happy and successful term.
Our Mayfield students never fail to impress through their hard work and determination, not only in their academic studies but also through their enthusiastic involvement with the wider opportunities Mayfield has to offer. I really hope the content of this newsletter gives you an insight into the wonderful community I am so proud to lead.
In the New Year, academy leaders will be hosting a series of parent information evenings which I hope will serve to improve the communication between the academy and home. They will be an opportunity for you to find out more about our vision for the future but also our day-to-day work. Through these evenings the Senior Leadership Team hope to get a better understanding of your experiences as part of our Mayfield family and for you to find out more about all aspects of our work.
Until then, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support for our school community and to wish you all a happy and safe Christmas along with my best wishes for 2023!
Claire Taylor, Principal
Christmas celebrations
This year we again celebrated with our very successful tradition of serving Christmas Dinner ‘family style’ to all our students. It was a mammoth task, but every student sat down with their tutor and tutor group, to enjoy the experience. It was so lovely to see everyone enjoying themselves and many getting into the spirt by wearing their Christmas Jumpers. I hope you enjoy seeing the photos of the day, as much as we enjoyed being part of the experience.
Trips & Visits
During the Autumn term we have had a number of trips depart from the Academy on a variety of trips and vsits; as well as a number of national and international trips being launched to students. Trips allow students to enrich and enhance their curriculum beyond the classroom.
The trip highlights so far this year include:
Fifty students visited the World-Famous Globe Theatre, London, to watch a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’.
Several visits to Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre to watch the performances of – ‘An Inspector Calls’, and ‘Othello’ to support the curriculum in English and Drama.
A Year 7 History trip to ‘The Tower of London’ where students toured the castle grounds, prison area and the ‘Crown Jewels’.
Armistice Service at Southampton Guildhall to support the ceremony and pay our respects to fallen heroes.
There have also been some smaller trips to Southampton and Surrey University’s, HMS Queen Elizabeth, Portsmouth, and Southampton FC.
This term has also seen the launch of Year 7 Residential to the New Forest, a French trip to Paris and a Ski Trip to Austria. The response for these trips has been overwhelming and we plan to embed more trips into the curriculum over the coming months.
English
The English department have been thrilled to have been able to take students on various trips this year. Year 7 had a wonderful time at the ‘Harry Potter’ Warner Brothers studio tour where they wandered around the forbidden forest, flew on broomsticks, went for a ride in the Weasley’s flying car and drank butter beer! Key stage 3 students also had a fabulous time at Shakespeare’s Globe with Mr Hall, where they saw ‘The Tempest’ and lots of the sights of London. In Key stage 4, Year 11 revised for their GCSE exams at the Mayflower Theatre where they saw a production of ‘An Inspector Calls’.
We have also welcomed the West End in Schools theatre group to the academy where many Year 8 students worked with a west end actor on scenes from ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
It has been a fantastic year and we have many more exciting trips planned for after Christmas!
Boxing
This half term 13 lucky Ks3 students have had the opportunity to attend Pound for Pound Boxing Palace to receive 1-2-1 boxing coaching. This has been a brilliant experience for the students involved and they have thoroughly enjoyed jumping into the ring.
This half term I had the pleasure of taking 30 Year 7 students to see the Tower of London for our current History study of the Norman Conquest. We had a wonderful time being toured around the Norman White Tower by our very own Norman Knight who had an incredible amount of subject knowledge of the Middle Ages. We were even lucky enough to see the Crown Jewels, including those worn by our late Queen, terrifying torture implements and gruesome execution sites with memorials. Attending the Tower of London in late November meant we were even privileged enough to see some Christmas displays and decorations. We cannot wait to take some more Year 7 students next year!
Food
Year 11 Food Preparation & Nutrition students have started their practical GCSE assessments. They will make four trial dishes based upon a chosen topic. These trial dishes will inform their final menu of three dishes to be made in three hours, which will be prepared and cooked in February. Master Chef next?
Careers
This term has been a busy one in terms of careers at the Academy. These activities will continue to develop over the course of the year and all pupils will get a chance to experience future pathways and have enhanced opportunities to meet employers and to understand careers in certain fields. Every year group has been involved in activities related to their future and these are outlined below.
Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 have had assemblies led by Solent University to showcase the broad spectrum of qualifications they offer and this inspired the pupils to think about what they could possibly look at in the future. This included discussion around more recent types of qualifications including degree apprenticeships
Year 11 have had assemblies form a range of Post-16 providers including all local sixth form colleges and another with regards to following apprenticeship pathways. This will be followed up with a workshop around Apprenticeships in the spring term.
Year 10 have had the opportunity to work with The Royal Navy for a day around problem solving activities and gain an understanding of the types of roles available within The Royal Navy. Some photos of this day are shown below. The feedback from the students was positive and the success of a number of our students did not go unnoticed by The Royal Navy personnel that came into the academy. The photos show students using a predefined set of equipment to build a wheeled trolley that could potentially be used to carry an injured person. The photo below this shows a group of students who had to get an entire group through a web without touching the ropes. This led to students take on team roles and showed a real level of leadership form some and teamwork from all.
All students across KS3 have also had opportunities to learn about new careers through the tutor time programme with regular videos discussing different career paths and the earning potential around this.
It has been a busy term for Year 10 as they are also starting the work experience journey and are currently planning where they may spend a week in July gaining experience of a workplace setting.
As a careers team we are also in the process of including a number of university visits for pupils in different year groups as part of our ongoing relationship with both Southampton and Solent Universities.
During the spring term we are lucky enough to have booked the NHS to come in discuss careers and run some exciting session with Years 7, 8 and 9. More details of this to follow in next terms newsletter.
Mr Pearce and Mrs Rance
AQA Unlocking Potential
As an academy we are lucky enough to have been successful in an application to be part of the AQA Unlocking Potential Programme in collaboration with The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
Our 4 students will take part in 10 sessions working with a past Olympic double gold medallist sailor Sarah Ayton. The programme will work around the skills required through mentoring to help the students to be the best version of themselves. This term saw the launch event of the programme and the students travelled to University of Surrey in Guildford where they met some work class athletes and heard their stories of success and the hard work and determination required to achieve their success. The programme will include a social action project that the students will get to present at the end of year event (last years was held on the top floor of the gherkin in London).
As you can see below the students were presented with their hoody which they were all to happy to show off!
Navy Experience
On Tuesday the 6th, we had the excellent opportunity to go and see the HMS Queen Elizabeth in the naval port in Portsmouth. It has definitely been an opportunity we will never forget. Seeing behind the scenes of what navy life is like when out at sea. For me, the whole experience was one of a kind, with learning new information about the navy and seeing where they all work. On the day we saw places such as the fight deck, the bridge where the warfare officers are based, engineering, hospital and where the planes are stored. This opportunity has definitely inspired me to go in the navy as a career and has shown me what qualities and skills you need to be in the navy.
Lilly, Year 10
Student Leadership
Our Mayfield Student leadership team welcomed in our new Year 7 applicants this half term. We are really excited to start training our Student Leaders as anti-bullying representatives in the New Year to ensure that Mayfield is safe and inclusive for all.
In our Charity and Community programmes we have also raised money for Children in Need and our local Oasis community pantry. All donations from our Christmas Jumper day will also go towards supporting our local families and children.
Student leaders will also be supporting Mayfield as a hub of our community and spreading festive cheer with our Christmas card posting session. We want to ensure our neighbours have a wonderful Christmas.
A special guest
Our Year 10 students were thrilled to meet with Vice Admiral (rtd) Mike Gretton; Trinity College (PPE) 1965-8 to discuss their exceptional potential, explore Russell Group Universities including the Oxford University Society Access and Outreach Programme. Our students are very much looking forward to working together with him and learning mentors in the coming months.
Remembrance Day
Rubie read a prayer beautifully at the Remembrance Service in Southampton, representing Oasis South Coast - Oasis Academy Sholing, Oasis Academy Mayfield & Oasis Academy Lord's Hill.
#wewillrememberthem
Diversity and inclusion training
Our student leadership team were excellent in their Diversity and Inclusion training on the 1st December. Students were gaining the skills and knowledge to educate others on how to make a more inclusive and friendly environment. A huge thank you to Olivia and the Diversity Role Models team!
#teammayfield
Duke of Edinburgh Award
We are delighted to have enrolled new Bronze and Silver award cohorts to our Duke of Edinburgh programme this term, and can’t wait until expeditions next summer! Our new Bronze’s have been meeting every Friday and practising lighting camping stoves, putting up tents and working out what volunteering, physical and skill they will complete as part of their awards.
Oasis Hub East Southampton Christmas Fayre
We held out hugely successful Christmas fayre on the 26th of November. The day was very festive with a fabulous choice of Christmas gifts from our local craft stall holders ensuring there was something for everyone. Santas little helpers excelled themselves with a wonderful grotto and the little ones loved meeting Santa. We were entertained by students from our ‘Greece ‘ production, who had everyone singing along, as well as Sammys Dance school with a Christmas showcase. A huge thank you to all our volunteers who helped make the day such a success, a special shout out must go to the student volunteers who were brilliant. We hope they enjoyed their selection boxes. The fayre raised over £2000 to support community projects, including our community pantry and detached youth work.
Rewards
Students are rewarded throughout the school day for excellent attendance and punctuality, hard work and focus in the classroom, displaying one (or more) of the Oasis 9 habits and generally being a good role model or representative for the Academy. They follow a ‘Rewards Journey’ throughout the year and receive badges and certificates at every milestone. Students are also offered the opportunity to attend reward trips which run throughout the year.
The reward journey is shown below:
Well over 100 students have earned 100 points and the Amethyst award, so a massive well done to them all.
A special mention however to those who have earned 200 points and the Emerald award. Well done to them all.
And an extra special mention to following students have earned 300 points and the Sapphire award. They are all Year 9 students. Well done to them all.
Eva P, Abigail M, Nicola G, James M, George B-A, Grace B, Molly A & Arthur R
PE
It's been a very busy term in the PE department with lots of events and matches for our students to enjoy. We have also seen the completion of our wonderful new All Weather Pitch.
All Weather Pitch Construction Timelapse
Wet Wheels
Forty students from Oasis Academies Mayfield and Lord's Hill enjoyed their trip with Wet Wheels from Ocean Village.
The new prefects (student leaders) came to Ocean Village to be taken on a high speed, exhilarating ride to Netley.
They were able to see inside Empress Docks, where the Titanic berthed and learn more about Southampton’s history and place as an international port.
Accompanying the trips, Oasis Director of Ethos, Paul Woodman said,
‘It is rare for our students to get onto Southampton waters and to have a view of the city from the sea. Many of those participating have never been on a boat before. We are grateful for this opportunity afforded by Wet Wheels to enhance the young people’s life experience with this trip on the water.'
Speaking from Oasis Academy Mayfield, Karen Dawkins said,
’Time spent on the Wet Wheels boat, helped build our team of student leaders and gave us a chance to build their confidence at the start of the academic year’.
Echoing this from Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill, Assistant Principal Liz Lea said,
‘We can sometimes forget how difficult the past two years have been for young people, with months of home learning and social isolation, so it was a joy to see our students on board the Wet Wheels boat, enjoying their time together and learning more about our history as an international port’.
Credits:
Created with images by Simon Edge - "The Globe Theatre in London" • Horváth Botond - "Tower of London" • Africa Studio - "Red poppy flower for Remembrance Day / Sunday" • Lifestyle Graphic - "Green grass texture for sport background. Detailed pattern of green soccer field or football field grass lawn texture. Green lawn texture background." • Rawpixel.com - "Deep blue sea texture"