Principal's Welcome
A warm welcome to the summer edition of our newsletter which signals the close of another busy and productive year. As always, the newsletter brings home to me the wonderful opportunities and experiences our students are exposed to and is testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire #TeamMayfield community.
The end of the summer term is always a reflective one at Mayfield as we say goodbye (for now) to our Year 11, we look forward to seeing them and celebrating their individual successes on exam results day in August. Their dedication and perseverance especially in the months leading to their GCSE examinations was impressive, we have our fingers crossed that they are each able to follow their ambitions into the next phase of their education.
It is with a heavy heart that we say farewell to staff who are moving on to pastures new. Please join me in thanking them for their incredible service to education and the unique contribution they have each made to Mayfield and the lives of our students.
Mr Miller, Ms Curry, Mr Schlaich, Ms Stewart, Mr Scott, Mr Hall, Mr Gaubert, Ms Levita, Ms Hall, Ms Berry, Ms Staton are changing setting whilst Ms Tait is returning to University Studies.
Mr Grindley, Ms Weeks and Ms McCarthy have collectively served Team Mayfield for over 29 years! Each of them moving on to embark on exciting new Leadership roles.
Ms Roberts (English and Drama teacher), Ms Rance (Careers advisor) Mr Dawkins (Site Manager) and Ms Crawley (Finance team) are retiring from education after a spectacular combined service at Mayfield of over 50 years!
We wish them all the very best with the next phase of their adventures.
Last, but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, parents, carers and community for all of your support and to wish you all a happy and safe Summer.
Claire Taylor, Principal
July 2023
Year 7
Dear parents / carers,
Year 7 have been an absolute pleasure to work with this past academic year. They continue to impress us and inspire us on a daily basis, they have made and continuingly make us incredibly proud. The year group as a whole have accumulated a hugely impressive 43,073 positive points since September!
Evie (7Y) has now reached an incredible 540 positive points, Amy (7R) is on 527 positive points and Lexi (7R) has reached 523 positive points so far. Huge congratulations to these three students who are working incredibly hard and are also incredibly lovely young ladies too! We have been really impressed how the whole group remain motivated and determined to get the very best out of their education here at Oasis Academy Mayfield. In our most recent Celebration Assembly (May 2023), the following students have also been praised more than once by their teachers for their fantastic effort and great progress: Jesse (7R – Maths and French), Dimi Chatziparaskevas (7Y – Maths and RE). Although, I have to say a huge well done must go to all students, your sustained effort and continued progress have not gone unnoticed.
We have many students who gave up their time to support the recent transition day for Year 6 as well as those students who have put themselves forward for the student leadership team. These students regularly show that they are kind and are a credit to their families. However, our main ethos within Year 7 is ‘kindness’ and this is shown every single day by the students in our year group.
With regards to attendance, we still remain the year group that is amongst the highest in the Academy and we have 6 students who have maintained 100% attendance across the last year. We are so proud of the commitment to learning that the students in Year 7 show. We have many students who have been nominated for various awards within the Academy such the monthly celebration letter or ‘Mayfield Way’ termly awards.
Once again, huge congratulations and well done to all those students who make us proud to teach and support them every day by following the Mayfield Way – Kind, Proud, Determined.
Students have also had multiple opportunities to take part in many enrichment activities within the Academy. 53 students recently went to the Harry Potter Tour and were given a wonderful opportunity to take part in a screenplay workshop as well as a tour of Harry Potter studios. Coming up into the final few weeks of term we have trips to Go Ape, Thorpe Park and the New Forest Water Park as well as a residential to Tile Barn which will involve over 100 students! We are very much looking forward to taking our students on those trips and hope that they will get a lot out of them.
I would also like I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge ‘good luck’ and thank you to our Assistant Head of Year 7, Mr Scott who leaves us at the end of this academic year. He has been superb in his support and work with Year 7 (as well as last year’s Year 11). We will miss him but I wish him all the best for the future.
Finally, I would like thank all teachers, support staff, parents and carers for their ongoing support. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Year 7 this year and I am so proud of them all. I wish you all a happy and safe summer holiday and look forward to welcoming back the new Year 8 in September!
Kind regards,
Miss K. Langford, Head of Year 7.
Year 8
Dear parents / carers,
As always, Year 8 has been incredibly busy over the past couple of months and so many of our students have made us immensely proud. Indeed, Aricha (8Y) has now reached a very impressive 419 positive points, Chloe (8V) is on 412 positive points and Oskar (8V) has reached 410 positive points so far. Huge congratulations to these three students who are working tremendously hard, never lose focus, and remain motivated and determined to get the very best out of their education here at Oasis Academy Mayfield. In our most recent Celebration Assembly (May 2023), the following students have also been praised more than once by their teachers for their fantastic effort and great progress: Eden (8V – computer science and music), Weronika (8G – geography and French) and James Wiles (8I – English and maths). A very well done to all those students whose sustained effort and continued progress have not gone unnoticed.
With regards to attendance, the following 6 Y8 students are still on 100% attendance: Oskar (8V), Freya-Rose (8Y), Alexi (8Y), Declan (8O), Jack (8G) and Weronika (8G). In our most recent Celebration Assembly, all students on 100% attendance were entered into a draw and the following students earned themselves a £10 Amazon voucher: Oskar (8V), Freya-Rose (8Y) and Layla (8Y). Freya-Rose (8Y) also happens to have won the tutor award for ‘Proud’, where all form tutors were asked to nominate three students in their tutor group under the ‘kind’, ‘proud’ and ‘determined’ headings. In addition, 8B won the tutor group attendance competition with 90% attendance this half-term. A massive well done to all 6 students who are still on 100% attendance and all students in 8B. You are all displaying clear dedication and determination to do well in your studies by attending school consistently – remember, attendance matters!
On a different note, pupils and staff in Year 8 very much enjoyed their PGL residential trip to the Isle of Wight (24th - 26th April 2023). Students, along with staff, got to do some climbing, use their listening and team building skills to follow a mud track whilst blindfolded, work on their communication skills to solve puzzles, etc. Students and staff were also invited to a disco which took place on the evening of 25th April. On the subject of trips, Oasis Academy Mayfield has planned the following two international visits for the new academic year: ski trip to Saalbach, Austria, open to all students (February 2024) and WW1 Battlefield Tour (25-27th March 2024 – France and Germany), open to Y8s only. We, at Oasis Academy Mayfield, are very much looking forward to taking our students on those trips and hope that they will get a lot out of them.
Once again, huge congratulations and well done to all those students who make us proud to teach and support them every day by following the Mayfield Way – Kind, Proud, Determined.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all teachers, support staff, parents and carers for their ongoing support – teamwork is key to ensure our children’s fulfilment and progress.
Kind regards,
Mr R. Gaubert, Head of Year 8.
Year 9
Year 9 have had an incredible term with so much going on!
Year 9 have represented not only the academy but the whole city at the Premier League Inspires competition. The competition aims to support students in the leadership, determination and presentation of their presentation on environmental sustainability in school and in The Saints Stadium, helping students to understand that they can have a huge impact on the future. A huge well done to Ethan B, Rosina F, Lexi B, Jordan H and Scarlet – Marie B.
Following this we have also had the opportunity to take part in the Code Show, where students had the chance to see how technology has changed over the years, from the typewriter to gaming platforms, Virtual reality and even (the apparently very distant past) Windows 98 computer…
The Year 9 sports leaders have put in some great work over the term, learning what makes a great coach, leader, and mentor. The students have undertaken a mixture of theory and practical sessions which have allowed them to develop in key skill areas for leadership within a sporting setting. The students have had great opportunity to put their practice in place with a vast demographic of opportunity. The group provided help within the Year 6 SEND transition morning by providing a fantastic icebreaker game followed by an intense, competitive, and most importantly FUN game of dodgeball. This provided as opportunity to work with a high need group. Secondly, they have provided their expertise to help with the Year 7 & 8 sports day, ranging from score taking to team management.
Year 9 have also had incredible success in their academic pursuits with their end of year exams. Lots of students have achieved excellent grades that proves their determination as they move forward into their GCSE years.
Year 9 make have shown they can be Proud – Kind – Determined through everything they put their minds to. They always go above and beyond for each other as they navigate their way through this stage of their life. Team Year 9, you are as always, the best!
Year 10
As we approach the end of Year 10, it is with pride that I have seen the cohort confront the first round of their mock examinations with resilience and determination. They have taken the process very seriously and have shown exemplary behaviour. Many have prepared themselves by revising and recognising that every opportunity they are given to practise is important. They all deserve to be recognised and congratulated on their fortitude during the two weeks and I hope that the results will reflect their hard work and perseverance.
All students were given the opportunity to provide feedback regarding their experience of the mock examinations. Questions within the survey students completed, gave the chance to explain how prepared they felt, if they knew where and when exams were and so on. This is designed so that the Academy can make necessary changes to support students further when they come to the main examinations in May 2024. Below is a sample of the type of questions that students were asked and the responses, which were overwhelmingly positive.
The academy also likes to recognise monthly those students that are consistently showing the positive qualities of being determined, proud and achieving the best that they can. For July the following students have been nominated:
Kind: Reubin P – for always making sure others are ok and checking in on those who are struggling.
Proud: Hana A – for always wearing the correct school uniform with pride.
Determined: Adam P – for always trying his best and striving to achieve in all areas.
Charity Football
To raise money for the Year 11 Prom, a highly anticipated and much awaited Year 11 vs Year 10 football match was held on Wednesday 7th June. The game was fiercely fought by both sides with honour at stake. Year 11 went 1-0 up but Year 10 then equalised not long after. A controversial decision led to Year 11 taking the lead, followed by another goal just before full time, leaving the final result as 3-1 to Year 11. This was then followed a by a penalty shoot-out between Miss McCormick and Mrs Rixon, with Mr Knight and Mrs Warwick in goal. Year 10’s reputation was upheld with a win to Mrs Rixon 4-0. The event was good natured and fun for both spectators and players raising over £400.
Work Experience Week 3rd-7th July 2023
Year 10 have just completed a week in work placements ranging from: social care, working with Southampton City Council, Southampton University, solicitors, dog groomers, supporting in local primary schools and Radio Taxis to name but a few. The students’ feedback has been incredibly positive and an experience that they have found rewarding and worthwhile. Many wanting to carry on placements in the future. They have had a taste of the working day and expectations, with them having to abide with health and safety, professional conduct and generally meeting the requirements of a week in full-time employment.
College Taster Days
On their return, Year 10 also had opportunities to attend college taster days at City College on 11th July and Itchen College on 12th July. Here students were given a taste of life Post 16 and the daily expectations and opportunities that college life presents. This allowed individuals to sample particular courses that they may have an interest in or investigate further, those that are available. Thank you to Mr Pearce and Mrs Rance for all their hard work in organising and communicating these events.
Good attendance is something that is incredibly important and being promoted across the Academy; students have the opportunity to be entered into a draw for a £10 Amazon voucher if they achieve 100% attendance each month.
Congratulations to the following students on maintaining 100% attendance since September: Lily G, Aidan H, Lili L, Dylan R, Christian S, Thomas W
And finally…
As we approached the last few weeks of term, students were rewarded for their hard work and exemplary behaviour by being offered the opportunity to attend reward trips. The first was on Monday 10th July with a trip to Go Ape, followed by Thorpe Park on Tuesday 11th July and The New Forest Water Park on Friday 14h July.
In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all teachers, support staff, parents and carers for their ongoing support – working in partnership is key in ensuring our children’s continuing success and progress.
Kind regards,
Year 11
Since our last update for Year 11 in the Spring Newsletter, lots of important and exciting things have happened!
Firstly, as a Year 11 team we want to say how amazing Year 11 have been during the whole exam season. They have followed the Mayfield Way in making themselves and us Proud and being really Determined. Over 45 separate exam papers were sat across the year group and to report no issues is a huge achievement. Well done Year 11!
Following the exams, we were able to celebrate the 5 years here at Mayfield with the leavers assembly which brought a few laughs and tears, from staff and students alike! Seeing how much Year 11 have grown up over their time here has really brought home the incredible journey which has now come to an end with us.
We also celebrated with the Year 11 prom on the 23rd June. All of the photos can be accessed here. There were some amazing clothes, entrances, and dancing over the whole night and its one which will not be forgotten any time soon. It was a fitting way to end year 11!
We are excited to welcome back Year 11 on results day, Thursday 24 August 2023, for what will be another celebration of the effort and hard work put in by students. A letter to parents and carers will be sent outlining the specific arrangements for results day later.
Finally, we would normally highlight at this point the amazing work done by select students in the year group since Spring. However, for this final time we want to give a big shout out to all of Year 11 for being amazing and good luck for the future. Remember our favourite saying: “Stay Safe and make good choices”.
It has been a privilege to be their Head of Year and I would like to say thank you to the students but also our parents and carers as much of it would not have been possible without your support. On behalf of the rest of the Year team too, Thank you!
Year 11 Team – Miss McCormick, Mr Staniford & Mrs Warwick
At Mayfield we believe that education doesn't just stop outside of the classroom. That students continue to learn in all aspects of LiFe. We are determined to ensure that we are providing opportunities for students to expand their horizons and get the best out of their time at Mayfield.
Our LiFe newsletter outlines the excellent work and activities that students have been taking part in.
Leadership - Our student voice. What have the students said and how have we been working together to better develop Mayfield. This is led by our excellent student leadership team.
Identity - This is all about keeping it real and relevant to the issues and topics that young people face. This is the 1 hour a week lesson ALL students complete and the activities and speakers that come in to further understanding for students.
Futures - All things careers, further education and next steps. Our Futures section will focus on how Mayfield is a steppingstone towards a successful future. Looking at universities, colleges and even Year 6 to 7 transition.
Enrichment - Clubs, trips and expanding our world view. Enrichment is all about what we can do outside our classrooms to further knowledge and experience. Whether it’s a trip to London museums or after school maths intervention enrichment opportunities help students to progress.
Student Leadership
It has also been an exciting term for the student leadership team!
Following their antibullying training students have been in the Agora twice a week to ensure that students have someone to speak to if they are finding things difficult. Our aim is to ensure that students have mentors of their own age and skills to resolve or seek support in difficult times.
Exciting times ahead
Our student leadership team were interviewing new candidates for student leadership positions to start in September, this process helps to develops students skills in interviewing, articulating answers, preparing for college and formal language.
Finally, our student leaders have all been given new ties to represent their area of leadership. They have been wearing them with pride and have been an asset to the academy, whether it is showing around visitors or supporting the Year 6 transition, student leaders have acted with professionalism of a high standard.
Maths
UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge - Year 7 and 8 Maths
This year, our students were entered into the United Kingdom Junior Mathematical Challenge.
The Junior Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple-choice Challenge.
It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.
The problems on the Junior Mathematical Challenge are designed to make students think. Most are accessible, yet still challenge those with more experience.
On the day, the students worked hard on the challenge, figuring out to problem solve some challenging questions.
We were pleased to receive the results as some our students achieved gold, silver and bronze certificates.
Congratulations to those who achieved these certificates and well done to all the students who took part in the challenge.
Maths Club
I started the Maths club to share my interest in Maths with some of our students. I wanted to explore some unusual problems and show them how logical and beautiful complex Maths can be. We had a look at "Why can we not divide by zero?" with year 10 and "Fastest way to add all numbers between 1 to 100?".
The students enjoyed the sessions and working through and discussing the problems as one of the students observed:
"Maths club is more entertaining than normal lessons and fun" - Faith.
Some of the questions we did and some of the work produced are below.
Can you solve them?
Mr K Paskzkowki, Teacher of Maths
Year 7
Our year sevens have been reading a class novel ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ and have also completed their end of year assessments with resilience and determination. They have developed their understanding of what it is to be human and that each of them is an extraordinary person.
Year 8
Our year eights have been working hard on their class novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ which is a challenging novel detailing Colonialisation from and African perspective and the effects that this had on other cultures.
Year 9
Our year nine’s study of ‘Anita and Me’ has seen students develop their understanding of challenging language and a story of the journey from childhood to adulthood.
Year 10
Having completed their mocks and have made the academy proud with their determination and focus during this challenging time.
Year 11
Our GSCE cohort have completed their GCSE’s and said farewell to Mayfield. We are very proud of them and wish them luck in their futures.
The summer term continues to be a busy one for the Science department with lots happening!
Year 7
In Year 7, students have been learning about “why are some materials good conductors?”.
Students have revisited their knowledge of particle model and can confidently explain why some materials such as metals are better conductors than other materials like wood. This unit has allowed students to engage in lots of practical activities which has helped to deepen their learning and understanding of science.
Year 8
In Year 8, students have been looking at the importance of aerobic and anaerobic respiration, they have studied the bodies muscular system and will shortly be looking at how we keep healthy in terms of fighting disease. This will hopefully help them to make informed decisions in the future, particularly next year when they will be invited to Life Lab for the day.
Year 9
In Year 9, students have taken their options with some students opting to take Separate Sciences or Combined Science. The focus this term has been on investigative chemistry and the importance of chemical reactions to make useful products. Students have worked hard on some difficult chemistry calculations but hopefully introducing it now, will make starting their GCSE course next year slightly easier.
Year 10
In Year 10, all students have all sat their mock exams for paper 1, which has given them a valuable insight into what their GCSE’s will be like next year. Over the next couple of lessons students will receive feedback on their performance which will help them identify their strengths and weaknesses and give them areas to improve over the next year.
Year 11
In Year 11, students have worked hard in preparation for their GCSE exams, and we look forward to celebrating their successes in the summer, when all their hard work and effort is rewarded. GCSE results day is Thursday 24th August 2023.
Trips and events
Year 9 students visited Life Lab, a state-of-the-art teaching laboratory at Southampton General Hospital. The day aims to improve adolescent health by learning first-hand the science behind health messages. Students also get an opportunity to pick the brains of resident scientists in their health fields. Our resident scientists this year included experts on Alzheimer's disease, where students looked at astrocytes, thought to be a main contributor to the disease. We also delved into the importance of how our lifestyle choices can affect our reproductive health, even generations down the line. To practise laboratory research skills, students got their lab coats on and took part in chromatography and DNA electrophoresis. Students also learnt some vital life skills, including how to perform CPR on someone. The day was fun, engaging and informative from start to finish, and students had an excellent opportunity to see the range of careers that can lead from studying science, learning skills they can use for life, and reflect on what choices they could make to improve their health.
Finley Shephard said;
“I wanted to say that Life Lab was really good and I enjoyed it. I remember us doing the chromatography experiment while we were there, and it was cool to see the ink move up the chromatography paper under the light. I also enjoyed the CPR part where you could see your accuracy of how well you could do it.”
Students learnt that not everything goes to plan in the laboratory! James Nicholas said;
“One activity I remember well from our science trip was the chromatography and I spilled it and messed it up.”
Max Milton said;
“One activity I remember from our Science Lab trip is when we did a chromatography test and James spilt the ink and messed it up”.
It was great that students had the chance to take part in these precise procedures without worrying about making mistakes and creating funny memories.
Adam Jeanes said;
“I enjoyed the insight into medical science, through both the talks with lead scientists and the practical involving DNA.”
Year 10 Mentoring
We have had excellent engagement in our Brightside 1:1 mentoring programme this term. The opportunity has enabled our pupils to be inspired, supported, and guided by professionals within the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Arts) sector.
The mentors share their experience and insights, giving oasis Mayfield pupils a different perspective from home or school. This opportunity has connected more Oasis Mayfield pupils with inspiring role models to help them make confident informed decisions about their future.
On Wednesday 5th July we welcomed Year 6 students in for Transition Day, this was an exciting opportunity to welcome the students into their tutor groups for science and see what fun practical’s can take place. All students were able to identify the parts of the Bunsen burner correctly and managed to confidently light a yellow safety flame. The students then had an opportunity to test different compounds to identify them using the flame colours.
We look forward to welcoming the new Year 7’s in September.
CODE show
Recently, we celebrated how Britain entered the Computing age with The CODE Show. Students had the opportunity to experience home computing of the 70s, 80s and 90's and even have a ride in the classic 1985 Sinclair C5! #STEMEducation #computing
Game Developer Visit
We had Luke Webster (a former student of Mr Pearce) come in last Friday to do a talk on his games design course at university. You can view his website he worked for his degree here.
He discussed what it's like to study Games Design at University and spoke about how he has met industry professionals from big game development companies such as "Rockstar".
VR Headsets - Bodyswaps
Students and staff alike got to experience "Bodyswaps" this half-term. A state of the art VR program that allows students to simulate scenarios such as interview practice and overcoming public speaking anxiety. These allow people to practice important soft skills in a safe environment.
We are planning to roll out more sessions using this fantastic software for students and staff next year.
Computer Disassembling Project
During the last week of the year, a select group of students will embark on a project to disassemble old laptops and desktops kindly donated to the department to get a hands-on experience of the different components that make a computer. The parts will then be used to make an interactive display board in the computer suite to support student learning.
Year 7
Year 7 have continued to explore the elements of art and how they can be used to make artwork. Students have studied: line, tone, texture, colour and are currently learning about pattern. They have been learning about the 3 structures of pattern and have been learning how to apply this to their own unique designs. They have created their own stories and illustrations inspired by the Night Life of Trees (a book of mythical stories created by the Gond Tribe of central India).
Year 8
Year 8 students have been working on a clay monsters project. The project focuses on sculpture techniques and is helping the students to understand how to apply the elements of art onto a 3D structure. Students have studied the work and designs of Chris Ryniak and used this information to help inspire them to create their own designs for monsters. The students have started to model their designs in clay.
Year 9
Year 9 students have been continuing to work on their GCSE style “Structures” project. The students have studied the artwork of various artists such as: Jon Measures, Laura Oldfield, David Hepher and Kyle Henderson. The students are now using the techniques from these artists to create their own artwork by mixing these ideas together in their own unique way.
Year 10
Year 10 students have had their first mock exam experience and have been working hard to complete their first coursework project “Urban Environments”. The students are developing their final piece ideas for this project and aiming to complete this project by September. Students have also made a start on their second coursework project “Natural forms”. The students are working hard and making great progress.
Year 7 have been continued to cook with staple foods like pasta and rice.
Year 8 have been forming minced meat into burgers and koftas, as well as making paella and biryani.
Year 9 have been making Mexican, Indian and Chinese food.
Year 10 have been making international food, with dishes from British, Asian, and Indian cuisine.
Year 7 have been learning about Mental Health in lessons.
Year 8 have been learning about Drugs, Alcohol, and energy drinks and the impact that these can have on both physical and mental health.
Year 9 have been studying Relationships and Sex education and have had visits from the STAR project to reinforce what they have been learning with their PD teachers. Sessions have covered Healthy Relationships, consent and FGM.
Year 10 have been learning about the government and how that works at both local and national level.
Mayfield has achieved the Southampton schools Healthy High 5 Award and the evidence gathered by the PD and Enrichment teams was of such high quality that we achieved ‘Silver’ status for this. Mrs Brown and 2 members of the year 9 student leadership team attended the awards ceremony at the mayor’s parlour and we are the first secondary school in the city to achieve this award.
Everest and Phoenix have both had BUZZ Alcohol & Drugs sessions with No limits.
Year 10 have had a variety of workshops this term, including ‘Healthy Relationships’ as part of the RSE curriculum. This was a really informative session run by Explore, and their aim is empower young people with what it takes to sustain healthy, happy and loving long-term relationships. Our students were given the opportunity to ask a real-life couple questioning them on their relationship and how this developed from first meeting each other to now being great-grandparents. Our students asked some thought-provoking questions and feedback from the speakers about our students was excellent. Well done Year 10.
This was then followed Southampton City Mission delivering workshops on budgeting. As an organisation, they have seen firsthand the impact that inflation and the cost of living crisis have had on the residents of Southampton through the increased use of their food banks and market places.
They work in partnership with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) to equip the children and young people in our communities with a better knowledge and understanding of money management, budgeting, and the options available to them in times of need. The team loved working with the Year 10's at Oasis Mayfield; their enthusiasm and participation in the activities is a credit to the school. For more information, please visit: https://southamptoncitymission.co.uk/schools/cap-money-kids
Bonjour! As we say goodbye to year 11, we are so pleased with how hard year 11 groups have tried in all their exams, some are going on to take French “A” Level at college. We wish both groups good luck for their results in August. Au revoir et bonne chance!
Year 10 have been doing their film study unit based on the film “Amélie”, and some students recognise parts of Paris from their trip earlier this year! Now they are learning about holiday activities in preparation for their summer holidays.
Year 9 have been watching a film called “Les Choristes” set in post-war France. There were mixed emotions at the ending… This half term, they are learning about the different customs and festivals that people in the French-speaking world celebrate: some a really unusual!
Year 8 have watched the film “Le Petit Nicolas” about a little boy who tries hard but always gets things wrong, with hilarious results, and now we are learning about school in all different French-speaking countries. School is very different around the world.
Year 7 have watched the exciting animation film “Une Vie de Chat” and are now leaning about holiday activities ready for their well-deserved summer break.
Well done to everybody for your hard work throughout the year.
Bonnes Vacances!
Year 7
Currently our Year 7s have finished their study of the known medieval world and find themselves finding out about the Aztecs! This is incredibly exciting for the History team as it is something we have rarely had the chance to teach and is a culture that has no written accounts by the Aztecs themselves so our Year 7 historians will have to focus on the physical remains left behind to work out who they were.
Year 8
Our Year 8s have just finished what we at the History department believe is the most significant historical event, the French Revolution. Our Year 8 historians have read their very first constitution created by the French government and found a lot of similarities to the human rights they themselves have today.
Year 9
Finally, we are approaching the end of our KS3 studies with Year 9, with some of whom are going on to study at GCSE with us. Their first stop in September will be studying our brand-new unit, Migration between 1000-present day in Britain. I am very excited as the entire first unit is set in the Viking age. We get to see how the country changed due to constant raiding from Scandinavia.
Year 10
Have just completed their mocks and the department would love to say a big thank you to all the historians. They have absolutely smashed it, beating any year group we have taught since before Covid and we were very impressed. Next year they will start their studies looking at Germany in the 1920s just before the rise of the Nazi Party.
Year 11
A shout out to our Year 11s who left, a massive well done for being the first year group since the pandemic to sit all four GCSE papers. It took a lot of hard work but we are incredibly proud of you and look forward to seeing you on results day.
Finally, a notice, due to popularity we have decided to open the Year 8 Battlefields trip to Belgium and France to Year 9! This is an exciting time for the Year 9s to see some of what they have learnt this year in person and apply it to their own knowledge. Anybody interested can contact Mr Howard at luke.howard@oasismayfield.org It is on a first come first serve basis as well as taking into account the behaviour of our students during the academic year.
Mr Hall
2022/23 has been a successful year for Geography here at Mayfield, with a range of trips taking place for both our KS3 and KS4 students. Our students have shown a real enthusiasm for Geography in class, and all Geography teachers have thoroughly enjoyed teaching them. 2023/24 will see a change in staff for Geography: we say farewell to both Mr Grindley and Miss Curry but are excited to welcome back Mrs Hills who has recently had a baby girl!
Year 7
Year 7 have ended off the year looking at their local area and somewhere further afield. During the first half-term, students studied rivers, learning the importance of rivers to human settlements and the processes of erosion and deposition which can form landforms such as meanders and waterfalls. We ended off this unit of work by taking students to the New Forest to see these processes in action along the Lymington River.
More recently, students have been studying the Middle East, looking at the physical landscapes of rivers, mountains and coasts, along with the human processes of economic development, tourism, and conflict.
Year 8
Year 8 have finished off their year studying both Coasts and Sustainability. This has involved looking at our local area in great detail, studying the Hampshire and Dorset coastlines within the classroom and also analysing sustainable transport in Southampton.
Focusing on the wider local area, we hope that students have a greater awareness of the vast variety of human and physical Geography here in the south of England. After Summer, students will take a look at a more global topic, studying "Interconnectedness", learning how every day items and practices are linked on global scales.
Year 9
Year 9 have ended their year at Mayfield looking at Natural Hazards. Studying earthquakes, tropical storms, and extreme weather, Year 9 have learned about case studies from both the United Kingdom and across the world. Looking at both the Haiti Earthquake of 2010 and Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, students have discovered how different earthquakes of different magnitudes can have very different effects, and not always as one would expect. Next, students looked at both Typhoon Haiyan, which impacted the Philippines in 2014, and the Somerset Floods which took place in England in 2014. Learning why different countries suffer different levels of damage from natural hazards was a key focus this term.
With Year 9, we have also focused on advertising a range of careers relevant to Geography, including journalism and roles within the armed services. This received a fantastic response from students as we have a record-number of students choosing to take Geography into Year 10 - well done Year 9!
Year 10
The Geography team are incredibly proud of our Year 10 students this year. They have proven themselves to be an enthusiastic and mature year group who have taken on the pressure of mock exams very well. With just under a year left at Mayfield, many of our students are already displaying the potential to not only reach their target grades, but to even secure Grade 9s in Geography (shout out to Tanaka Munyanyi for her Grade 9 in her Paper 1 Geography mock exam!).
With two more units left to study in Year 11, we know that Year 10 will rise to the challenge. Following our Physical Geography fieldtrip to Hengistbury Head, Year 10 will complete one more fieldtrip into the local area in Year 11 and will study The Challenge of Resource Management along with Urban Issues and Challenges.
We look forward to welcoming Year 10 back as Year 11, and have already planned a comprehensive intervention and tutor strategy to help them achieve their full potential.
Mr Graham, Head of Geography
Year 7
Exploring Knowledge through Religious Texts and Philosophy In Year 7, our students embark on a fascinating exploration of religious knowledge, drawing wisdom from sacred texts and philosophical discussions. Through the study of holy scriptures such as the Bible, the Quran, and the Guru Granth Sahib, they gain insights into different belief systems, values, and traditions. Additionally, they develop critical thinking skills by examining the philosophical underpinnings of religious concepts, encouraging them to ask deep questions and challenge preconceived notions.
Year 8
Embracing Social Justice In Year 8, our students delve into the realm of social justice, recognizing the power of faith to inspire positive change in society. They explore religious teachings that emphasize the importance of compassion, fairness, and equality. Engaging in lively debates and engaging with real-world examples, our students develop a strong sense of empathy and understanding towards marginalized communities. Through this exploration, they become agents of social change, learning how to address social issues and work towards a more just and inclusive world.
Year 9
Deliberating the Sanctity of Life Year 9 marks an important phase as students delve into the ethical dilemmas surrounding the sanctity of life, particularly focusing on abortion euthanasia, and animal rights. With sensitivity and respect for different perspectives, our students engage in thoughtful discussions and critical analysis of the moral and ethical implications involved. They explore the teachings of various religious traditions, reflecting upon the complexities surrounding these highly debated topics and developing their own informed viewpoints.
Year 10
GCSE Journey and Winchester Cathedral Trip Year 10 has been an exciting year for our students as they completed their first year of GCSE studies and recently took their first set of mocks. Their dedication and hard work have been commendable, and we are proud of their progress. As part of their curriculum, the Year 10 GCSE group embarked on a captivating trip to Winchester Cathedral, a place steeped in history and religious significance. They were able to witness firsthand the magnificent architecture, experience the serenity of the space, and gain insights into the rich religious heritage of the cathedral. This trip not only deepened their understanding of Christianity but also provided inspiration and motivation for their continued studies.
It’s been another creative and productive term in the Music department.
Year 7 have been learning to play the keyboard this term. They performed a two-part piece using melody, riff, chords, and bass line. I have been particularly impressed by how many students have shown enthusiasm to begin learning keyboard out of school and begin attending keyboard club after school.
Year 8 have been learning about Film Music this term. They began by learning different film music terminology and then moved on to composing their own Leitmotif. They also learnt to play a piece of film music on the keyboards and performed these to the rest of the class.
Year 9 have been studying Song-writing this term. They learnt lots of composing techniques and then in groups, composed both the lyrics and the music for their song. They performed and recorded these songs using keyboards and Garage Band.
Year 10 have continued to work on analysing their set works. They have studied Killer Queen and Defying Gravity and learnt about each musical element in context. They have been busy revising for their mock exam. Year 10 are also working hard in their individual music lessons and will be showcasing these skills in the concert at the end of term.
Year 11 have spent their final term completing their composing and performing coursework. They have now had their final listening exam and have therefore completed the GCSE Music course. I am looking forward to the results in August and celebrating the student’s successes.
Keyboard club after school on Monday is still proving to be very popular and pupils are also using the practices rooms during break times for individual and group practising.
On your marks, get set, GO!
Our summer term has seen the return of our athletics club. We have had several students attend this club to continually push themselves to improve in their chosen athletic discipline. Many students were focussed on getting themselves ready to compete against other schools in the city athletics competition but unfortunately due to matters out of our control this event was cancelled and is now due to be completed in September when we return in the new academic year. This did not stop our students attending athletics though with their focus shifting to being ready to showcase their athletic prowess on sports day. Shout outs must go out to Lucas L, Alfie W, Aricha R, Erin C, Ethan B and Jack L who have all been attending consistently and have seen great improvements in their results. We look forward to seeing all our students giving it their all on our upcoming sports day battling it out to see which tutor group is victorious!
Cricket Club and Hampshire Softball Cricket Tournament
We have had 3 teams represent the academy in the Hampshire Schools Softball Cricket tournaments U13 Girls, U15 Girls and U15 Boys.
The U13 Girls, all mainly new to playing cricket faced some tough opposition throughout the day. All students had to bat, bowl and field. We saw some brilliant teamwork and motivation in the field to prevent the opposition scoring lots of runs and bowling techniques improving. The pairs batting went from strength to strength scoring more and more runs in each game. This has encouraged multiple girls to attend the cricket club afterschool which has grown in numbers!
The U15 Girls were incredibly excited for the competition which saw an increase in girls attending cricket club leading up to the tournament. The girls bowling has greatly improved with less wides being given in the games. We had some brilliant fielding with many catches and diving to stop the ball going over the boundary. The batting saw many boundaries being scored and even a few 6’s from Rosina. High energy throughout on a hot day which the girls did not let defeat them.
The U15 Boys have been the most consistent to attend cricket club after school. They are becoming great leaders and role models for the younger students taking part, giving advice when batting and bowling to help improve techniques. The Boys all round cricket game has progressed significantly which was clearly visible in the games. A special mention to Ethan who had to retired when batting due to scoring too many runs. We have also found the next Mr Motivator in Will who could be heard cheering and encouraging the team when fielding from the Motorway!
A big thank you to all who have been attending cricket club it is been great to see so many attending every week and the massive improvements that have been made.
A big shoutout to the following for attending cricket club and taking part in the softball tournaments: Grace B, Erin H, Ashlee E, Lexi B, Rosina F, Grace S, Casey B, Alice S, Ethan B, Will C, Charlie H, Aidan G, Braydon P, Jono J, Thomas W, Tyler S, Lucas S-K, Karmen R-W, Grace D, Millie H, Olivia B, Leighah H, Brianna S, Aricha R, Erin C, Hollie D, Maggie T, Sakura T, Oliver D.
Year 7 & 8 Rounders
The year 7 & 8 Rounders team have been working hard during fixtures. They have played 6 school within the local league and have finished in 4th place, which is a brilliant achievement! Aricha (Y8) and Grace (Y8) both did a fantastic job as team captains. I would like to give a big shout out to Sakura (Y7) who has been player of the game throughout fixtures and scored the most points for her team. Congratulation to everyone on the rounders team, you have shown great commitment and determination. Well done!
Team: Evelyn, Grace, Summer, Millie, Aricha, Rebecca, Leighah, Lily, Sakura, Karman, Jesse, Diaz
Year 9 & 10 Rounders
The year 9 & 10 team were faced with some tough competition against the opposition team. The team played against 5 other schools within the local team and worked hard throughout the fixtures. Emily D and Georgia took on the role of team captain and helped the team with communication and tactics. Emily B, Emily D and Alice scored the most points for their team when batting. I would like to give a shout out to Abi W for motivating her team and her successful fielding. A massive well done to all year 9 & 10 that participated within the fixtures.
Team: Emily D, Abi, Georgia, Alice, Aaliyah, Katie, Emily B, Tilly, Grace S, Ashlee, Grace B, Erin
Barclays Game On: Go Lead
This term fourteen year 9 and four year 10 students have trained to become Football Activators on the Barclays Game On: Go Lead programme. This has involved the girls undertaking leadership training from the Youth Sport Trust, planning what they would like to do to promote girls participation in football and practising delivering exciting football activities to one another.
They will be sending out a survey to all girls in the school to get their viewpoints on football and this will help them to plan – so watch this space for the exciting events and clubs that these girls have planned in the last two weeks of term and at the start of next academic year!
Football Activators Y9: Abi M, Grace S, Lilly F, Ashlee E, Molly A, Rosina F, Lexie B, Iris M, Scarlett B, Eva A, Bethany G, Erin H, Courtney M, Ellie T.
Football Activators Y10: Amelia P, Kyra C, Katie J, Lily S.
We are incredibly proud of the student’s participation in PE lessons, extracurricular clubs and fixtures this term and cannot wait for the return of sports such as Football, Netball, Badminton, Basketball and Rugby next year – it’s never too late to join a club or team.
Sports Days 2023
On Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th July we hosted our Year 7 & 8 and Year 9 & 10 Sports Days.
Each student had the opportunity to compete in a range of Athletic events and participate in some sporting challenges.
For every event that they completed, they received a stamp/signature on their Sports Day Passport which helped them to score points for their tutor group.
The PE team and I are so impressed by our amazing students for giving 100% on the day and proudly representing their tutor groups.
Results will be announced in the end of year assembly!
Thank you to Mr Webb and James (Y9) for taking great photos on both days!
From the PE Team
Miss Berry, Mr Miller, Miss Barker, Mr Hardyman & Miss Palmer
This term has included some key events with some still to come towards the end of term.
Get Inspired Careers Trip to the Solent University
Students had a chance to try out a number of tasks linked to a variety of careers from Air Ambulance Pilots to Architects. With many interactive games, quizzes and freebie rewards. It was an enjoyable, valuable experience for the students who were enthusiastic and behaved impeccably.
As part of the event students were asked to write an insightful question with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher. The prize for the entire event was won by Kara Wren – congratulations Kara!
AQA Unlocking Potential
A group of 4 of our students have been working with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust on an AQA Unlocking Potential Programme with their athlete mentor. They have been lucky enough to work with Sarah Ayton OBE who is a multiple gold medal winning Olympian in sailing. They have carried out their social action project which was a real success and was highly praised by our Local MP Royston Smith. Their project included the option of learning and rehearsing a dance routine or undertaking some football drills. The Year 7 and 8 students involved had great fun and also had the opportunity afterwards to discuss confidence with our 4 students and our athlete mentor. they produced a cup tower of key words to describe how they felt.
The four students involved are now lucky enough to be had the opportunity to attend the palace of Westminster and see quite how impressive the building is.
Fun Fact: carpet and seats are red in House of Lords and green in House of Commons and in addition the Waterloo Bridge is green as it is at the House of Commons end and the Lambeth Bridge is red as it is at the House of Lords end. There are some photos below.
Our Computer science students have had a visit from Luke Webster, an ex-pupil of Mr Pearce. Luke is studying computer game design at University in Scotland and wanted to share his journey with some of our students. This was hugely insightful for them and more details have been shared within the computer Science section.
Mr King has undertaken training on Body Swaps. This is a Virtual Reality platform that allows people to see themselves in an interview situation as an avatar to understand the dynamics of body language on perceptions in these key moments. More to follow on this as Mr King rolls this out amongst our students and staff.
Coming up:
Students in Year 8 and 9 will play a real-life giant game of Guess Who with professionals from local employers. More on this to follow on social media…
Year 10 are have embarked on work experience placements in July. The dates were the 3rd -7th July and students have either applying through a website or taking the initiative to organise something relevant to them. This will be a big step to understand the world of work and the summer newsletter will have an opportunity for some student reflection on this experience. The feedback from employers has been exceptional and those students who were unfortunate not to gain an placement have been in school where they have completed the ican programme led by the local authority. Mr King also borrowed some VR headsets and worked with these students to look at bodyswaps, a programme focussing on interview techniques and reflections around the impact body language has on perceptions which will be incredibly useful during Year 11.
In what is due to be a busy end of term for Year 10 students they also are lucky enough to attend college taster days at Itchen Sixth Form and Southampton City College with others taking the initiative to sign up for limited places at Richard Tauntons Sixth Form college. This will inevitably be a great experience to understand what the next steps look like after their time at Mayfield as the next year will disappear incredibly quickly.
If your child is currently Year 9 or about to move into Year 10 please do start to think about a whether there is someone you know or a local employer that you could contact to take your child on their placement.
Students across all year groups have continued to have assemblies from local colleges or universities to highlight all the possible pathways when students leave the academy. These include apprenticeships with those interested in following this route having a workshop to help to make the best of their application provided by external support.
What a year! If you have any thoughts around careers opportunities, you would like us to offer please contact Mr Pearce at neil.pearce@oasismayfield.org
Please also get in touch if you, your business or employer can offer any opportunities to our young people with regards to careers. I look forward to hearing from you.
I would like to also take this opportunity to publicly thank Mrs Rance for her hard work to support our students in so many ways as she leaves the academy to retire at the end of the academic year; I know she is planning holidays that don’t have to fit with school holidays. I am sure you will join me in wishing her a happy retirement and thanks for supporting your child’s careers journey.
Mr Pearce and Mrs Rance
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Theatre Trip
40 students were lucky enough to travel up to the Palace Theatre in London to watch both parts of this wonderful play. The story and performance were amazing, and the students loved the experience of watching this in such a magical theatre. It made the long day worth it. During the break between the afternoon and evening shows, students enjoyed a picnic outside Buckingham Palace.
Harry Potter World, Studio Tour
Over 50 Year 7 students travelled up to Harry Potter World. During the day they had an ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the studio. They also had a special writing class, which included problem solving in groups. The students left inspired and can’t wait to get back into school to practice their new skills.
Reward Trips
During the final full week of term, students who have excelled throughout the year have been invited on one of our Reward Trips. Students were able to pick from trips to Go Ape, Thorpe Park, New Forest Water Park, or a Movie or Sports afternoon in school. Well done to those students attending the trips, keep up the good work!
Tile Barn Residential
Over 100 Year 7 students will be attending our residential to Tile Barn, Brockenhurst. The trip will give students the opportunity to improve their self-confidence, resilience and teamwork whilst camping in the New Forest. As well as several onsite activities, we will also be visiting Longdown Dairy Farm, Lymington Seawater Baths, and the New Forest Wildlife Park. The students will make wonderful memories, in what will be a great way to celebrate their first year at Oasis Mayfield.
Powerboat Trip
A group of students from the academy enjoyed their trip with the Wet Wheels powerboat from Hamble Marina. Once in open water, the students were taken on a high speed, exhilarating ride to the Isle of Wight, viewing Cowes and Osborne House from the boat. On this sunny day, they were able to take a turn at driving the boat under the supervision of a powerboat instructor.
Accompanying the trip, Oasis Director of Ethos, Paul Woodman said,
"This was the first time that many of the students had been out on the Southampton waters. It was a terrific experience for them. It was lovely to see them enjoy the speed of the boat and to learn more about Southampton and the Isle of Wight."
It’s been a busy couple of months for the Community Hub Team.
Oasis Community Pantry
The pantry continues to be busy, and we have been delighted to receive several cash donations from local business to support the overheads. Fantastic food donations from St Monica’s primary school, The Old Fire Station surgery, Woolston Lodge Surgery, The Big difference, Coop, Aldi & Tesco’s. As well as individuals from the local community dropping in with donations. We are so grateful.
Oasis Youth
Our half-term activity day was fully booked! Everyone had brilliant time taking part in a gym session, cricket, football, tennis, and some fabulous crafting.
We are delighted to introduce our new Lead youth Worker Ruth, who has moved from Oasis Foundry in Birmingham to join the team at Oasis Hub East Southampton. Ruth is busy planning for our summer holiday activity programme which runs from July 24th to 17th August.
Prom Dress Project
Our Prom dress/suit hire project is going from strength to strength & we now have over 250 dresses/suits & lots of accessories available, & our stock just keeps growing thanks to our amazing community and volunteers like Kathryn who has collected a further 100 dress & suits from the local community for us. The hub team realise that our dresses/suits are suitable for lots of different occasions not just proms & we would love to make our shop more accessible. This is where we need your help. We desperately need a space where we can store & display our stock on a permanent basis allowing us to open weekly. If you know of anywhere, please get in touch. With prom season in full swing, we’re loving seeing photos of the girls in our dresses. Huge thanks to all the volunteers who make this possible.
Official opening of the 3G Pitch
It was fantastic to have representatives, as well as participants, from our 3G Pitch partners, Sholing Football Club, Eastleigh Football club & Saints Foundation join us on Saturday. A massive thank you to The Sheriff of Southampton Dave Shields & Sholing Councillor Sarah Vaughan for attending and performing the official opening ceremony. We are incredibly lucky both as an Academy and a Community to have this amazing facility at Oasis Mayfield.
Community Lettings
It has been fantastic to see community lettings go from strength to strength at Mayfield over the last term, and this doesn’t show any signs of stopping. We are now hosting more and more events at Mayfield, which shows just how our amazing facilities can be utilised in many ways. Most notably, we hosted our first UKCGF Comic Con in June, where around two thousand people were on site enjoying everything that was on offer.
We can’t wait to see community lettings continue to flourish as we keep moving forward!
Credits:
Created with images by Günter Albers - "Blue summer sky with bright sun" • nito - "coffe and news" • Cozine - "extremely selective focus a part of silver pencil and precision" • nito - "open old book on a rustic wooden table" • Tawanboonnak - "science research concept,Dropping chemical liquid to test tube," • Tomasz Zajda - "Laptop Computer Work" • tommoh29 - "Paint brushes pens pencils and other art tools and equipment in a working art studio" • monticellllo - "Assorted organic food products on the table" • SewcreamStudio - "hands holding red heart with cardiogram, health care, life insurance business concept, world heart day, world health day" • Alexi Tauzin - "Paris, France" • Andy - "Rolling Poppy Fields in Flanders WW1 world war 1 battlefield rememberance panoramic banner background image" • Stillfx - "Hands in sky" • satura_ - "Create music and a recording studio concept - african american man guitarist recording synthesizer track in home studio, close-up." • Petr Bonek - "Rescue helicopter moving in blue sky with blur propeller. View from bellow" • Marcin - "Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct with train" • Piman Khrutmuang - "Abstract blur calendar page flipping sheet close up background"