A warm welcome to the summer edition of our newsletter which signals the close of another busy and productive year. As always, the newsletter fills me with pride as brings home the wonderful opportunities and 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 Lambert is taking some time out to travel the world, Ms Macphee is joining the English team at Redbridge, Ms Morgan is going to joining our colleagues at Oasis Oldham, Ms Gribbon is relocating to Birmingham, Ms Alalade is relocating to Stoke and Mr Graham is taking up post in a school in Budapest. Finally, Mrs Dawkins (Hub Leader) is retiring from education after 16 years serving our Mayfield community.
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 2024
On Monday 22nd July we hosted our annual festival of achievement and musical soiree. Invited parents and students came to collect awards for the top result in all subject areas or to collect an award for their commitment to the 9 habits ethos. Miss Taylor shook the hands of all of the students who had received awards for the top results in the academy whilst Miss Lawton (our Regional Director) shook the hands of students who won 9 Habit awards.
Parents and families were treated to light refreshments and some wonderful performances courtesy of our students. There were beautiful vocals by Melody and Mikolaj performing hopelessly devoted to you and can’t help falling in love respectively. Additionally, we hosted musical dance numbers including “everyone’s talking about Jamie”, performed by Ryan and a beautiful contemporary dance by Amy to Human by the Killers.
We look forward to hosting this event again next year and thank all staff but particularly Miss Boyle, Miss Barker and Miss Mew for making this event so special and memorable.
English
A massive well done to all Mayfield English students this term as what a busy time it’s been!
Our lovely Year 11s completed their English GSCEs with such determination and we know that their hard work will be rewarded. Any subject is tough but the TWO GCSEs for English make it so much more challenging and Year 11 should be proud to have applied 16 years’ of education so well.
For Years 7-10, the Summer term brought new units of English department learning to our students:
Year 7 have been continuing their exploration of what makes a hero whilst reading about Meg’s journey within A Wrinkle in Time and the fantasy world within.
Year 8 have been exploring conflict within the novel Things Fall Apart whilst allowing them to explore a different culture of pre-colonialised African life in the 19th century.
Year 9 have been continuing their theme of rebellion with the character Meena within the novel Anita and Me and how she’s desperately trying to find a sense of belonging between her Indian and English cultures.
Year 10 have been SO busy by studying one of their English literature core texts An Inspector Calls, completing their English language speaking and listening exams, completing three different mock papers and now they are starting their introductions to the English language exam papers – phew! All of this will help to really prepare them for the Year 11 stretch ahead and we know they’ll come back in September ready to tackle their last year of school.
We welcomed our new Year 6s for an induction day where they had an introductory lesson on Greek myths and monsters before they creatively designed their own harrowing creatures! They are definitely ready to join us in September and we can’t wait to welcome them.
We are saying a sad goodbye to Miss Gribbon, Miss Macphee and Miss Morgan at the end of this academic year as they move onto different pastures and a couple relocating areas entirely. We will miss them dearly and wish them all the best for the future.
Now that we have reached the end of the summer term, and all of the end of year assessments that entails, we would like to wish all our students a lovely restful break and we cannot wait to see you all in September!
Mathematics
In our final newsletter article for this academic year, we celebrate all our students in their efforts to progress in Maths this year and look forward to the summer break before restarting again in September.
In April, some of our Year 8 students took part in this year’s UK Maths Trust Junior Mathematical Challenge.
“Junior Mathematical Challenge is a 60 minute, 25 multiple choice Challenge. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency to make students think. The problems on the Junior Maths Challenge are designed to make students think, most are accessible yet still challenge those with more experience.” (Source: UKMT website)
Congratulations to some of our students who achieved silver and bronze certificates and share their experiences of the challenge below:
“During the UK Junior Maths Challenge I overcame many problems, using my free time I had studied upon the subject in hopes to give me a head start when entering exam conditions. This was an amazing opportunity and has even helped me develop a better sense of time management when faced with a series of maths problems. If given the option, I would like to participate in it again as it was quite an enjoyable experience with little competitivity.” -Kalina
“The thing I enjoyed most about the Junior Maths Challenge was that it was a lot different to the usual lessons I have and gave me a harder challenge than usual. The challenge has helped me by allowing me to work with a time limit more effectively. If given the option to do this again I probably would because by attempting this again I allow myself to better my maths skills and maybe even to do better. Overall, I think Junior Maths Challenge is a good opportunity to challenge your maths skills and helps to build confidence. -Kamil
We leave you with a question to answer: What is the sum of all natural numbers from 1 to 100, i.e. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + … + 100 =?
How did you work it out? How long did it take you?
For the answer, read about ‘Prince of Mathematicians, Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss
Science
The last term has been eventful and productive for the Science Department. Year 11 students have successfully completed their GCSEs, marking a significant milestone in their academic journeys. Year 7-9 students wrapped up their end-of-year assessments, showcasing their hard work and understanding of the material covered throughout the year. Year 10 students sat their first set of mock exams, providing valuable experience and preparation for their upcoming GCSEs.
In addition to regular lessons, Year 8 and 9 students participated in extracurricular STEM-related activities, further enriching their educational experience, and fostering a deeper interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The department is proud of all students' achievements and looks forward to another term of growth and discovery.
Below is a highlight of the activities Year 8 and 9 students got involved with.
Year 8 Students Shine at STEM-Focused Faraday Challenge Day
This term, some of our Year 8 students had an exciting opportunity to participate in the Faraday Challenge Day, an event dedicated to promoting interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This year’s theme was particularly engaging: designing and creating prototypes to improve road safety.
The day started with a brief introduction to the principles of road safety and the importance of engineering solutions that can save lives. Students were then divided into teams and given the task to brainstorm, design, and build their prototypes.
Throughout the day, our budding engineers showcased their creativity and problem-solving skills. With guidance from the Faraday Challenge facilitators, the students worked tirelessly, transforming their ideas into tangible models.
Some notable prototypes included:
- Smart Traffic Lights: A system that adjusts signal timings based on real-time traffic conditions, reducing congestion and accidents.
- Pedestrian Alert Systems: Innovative crosswalk signals that use motion sensors to detect pedestrians and alert oncoming vehicles.
- Intelligent Speed Bumps: Designed to detect vehicle speed and adjust their height accordingly to slow down speeding cars without disrupting normal traffic flow.
The competition was fierce, but one team stood out with their exceptional creativity and engineering prowess. Congratulations to the winning team:
Connor, Tommy, Liam, Matthew, Jeramiah, and Tyler!
Their project, an Automated Pothole Repair Vehicle (APRV), won the judges over with its innovative approach and potential real-world application. The team explained that their prototype aims to address the significant issue of potholes on roads, which pose a safety hazard to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Overall, the Faraday Challenge Day was a tremendous success, sparking a newfound enthusiasm for STEM among our Year 8 students. We are incredibly proud of all participants for their hard work and inventive solutions to enhance road safety.
Stay tuned for more updates and upcoming events as we continue to foster a love for learning and innovation in our students!
Lifelab: Empowering Year 9 Students with Health and Science Education at Southampton University Hospital
Located within Southampton University Hospital, Lifelab offers an exceptional educational experience for students, blending hands-on scientific exploration with essential health education. This unique program allows young learners, those in Year 9, to explore their personal health using advanced scientific equipment, conduct engaging experiments, and interact with knowledgeable scientists.
At Lifelab, students have the opportunity to use ultrasound technology to check the health of their arteries, measure their lung capacity, and experience virtual reality simulations that educate them about the risks of vaping. They also test their physical abilities by measuring how high they can jump and assessing their grip strength, alongside learning critical life-saving skills like CPR.
Interacting with Experts
This year Lifelab featured resident scientists who shared their expertise and offered interactive learning opportunities. Anatomy experts provided insights into the daily life of a biomedical scientist, while a specialist in placental health introduced a maze game that highlighted the importance of making informed lifestyle choices to ensure maternal and foetal health.
The program also emphasized the long-term impact of lifestyle choices on reproductive health, stressing how today's decisions can influence future generations. These sessions allowed students to engage directly with scientists, fostering a dynamic and informative learning environment.
Hands-On Laboratory Experience
Lifelab also provides extensive practical experience. Year 9 students put on lab coats and engaged in laboratory activities such as chromatography and DNA electrophoresis. These exercises offered invaluable experience in scientific methods and procedures, building a foundation for future studies and potential careers in science and healthcare.
Here’s what some Year 9 students had to say:
Rida: "It was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The electrophoresis was the best part."
Will: "I liked all the practicals we did, like getting DNA samples."
Vishal: "I enjoyed meeting the scientist and playing the maze game."
Brooke: "I liked getting the DNA sample and using the dye."
Inspiring and Educating
The impact of Lifelab extends far beyond immediate education. By immersing students in a real-world healthcare setting and providing direct access to scientific experts, Lifelab fosters a deeper understanding of health science and encourages proactive health management. This program aims to inform and inspire the next generation of scientists, healthcare professionals, and informed citizens.
Lifelab continues to be a leader in educational innovation at Southampton University Hospital. The program demonstrates how interactive learning and real-world applications can transform student education. As Lifelab evolves, it remains committed to empowering young people with the knowledge and skills to lead healthier lives and make informed choices.
Art & Technology
Year 7
Year 7 have been continuing their learning about the elements of art and how they can be created and 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 to apply this to their own unique designs.
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 created their own designs for monsters and have started working on sculpting their designs.
Year 9
Year 9 students have been continuing to work on their Journeys project. The students have studied the artwork of various artists such as: Jon Measures, Jon Shaw, Ed Fairburn and the Boyle Family. The students are now using the techniques from these artists to create their own artwork. Students are tasked with creating their own unique artwork around the theme of structures.
Year 10
Year 10 students have had their first mock exam experience and have been working hard to complete their first coursework project “Urban Environment”. 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”.
Computer Science
Year 7
Year 7 have been learning about the importance of word processing software and getting to grips with Scratch programming. Some students have even made some interesting games!
Leon Brown (Year 7): Coding Clicker Demo
Year 8
Year 8 have been introduced to the world of text-based programming, learning Python. They have also started learning about animation and coming up with some very creative ideas.
Year 9
Year 9 have been learning some very advanced Python programming and are now learning about the importance of cybersecurity - an important topic that will help them identify how to avoid threats online.
The CODE show
The CODE Show made a cool comeback to Mayfield this year and the Year 9 students absolutely loved it. They had a blast checking out all the retro devices from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s like Spectrums, Amstrads, and even a C5 Sinclair electric car. Ms Harvey even got in on the fun by modelling the car for everyone!
TECH:Truck
We also had the amazing TECH:TRUCK Mobile Education and Technology Roadshow visit Mayfield. The Year 8 students had an excellent time experiencing VR headsets, augmented reality kits, programmable spheres, an interactive AI robot, and machine learning software.
Our visitors from Fareham College had a great time too!
They said,
It was a pleasure to visit Oasis Mayfield today. It was awesome to see the students so engaged with the equipment and they were all super well behaved!
It was such a fun and educational day for everyone involved! Thank you to all who made it possible.
History
Congratulations everyone on making it through the year! As we come to the end of my first year as the Head of History, I would like to thank all of the students for their work, parents for their support and Mr. Gwynne, Mr. Notcutt and Mr. Moth for their fantastic effort and support throughout the year.
Year 7, were learning about the reintroduction of art and science during the Renaissance and the changing state of religion through the Reformation. Shoutouts for great Historians in Year 7 go to Ewan J and Rupinder K for demonstrating their effort, resilience and knowledge throughout the term.
In Year 8 we have moved through the Abolition of the Slave Trade and the founding of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Shoutouts for great Historians in Year 8 Dimi C and Amy B for their brilliant effort and dedication to History within their lessons.
In Year 9 we have looked at a variety of topics, from the importance the Jarrow March had on worker’s rights, to how pivotal Southampton was to the Second World War, as well as looking at the crimes committed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust and the importance of learning and understanding such a significant historical event. Shoutouts for great historians in Year 9 go to David B and Ashlee P for their consistent high effort, excellent writing skills and brilliant knowledge of History. A special shoutout goes to the students that went on the Belgium trip, our first History residential trip for several years. Behaviour and respect was impeccable, with the tour guide stating that it was the best group he had lead in his 25 year career, so well done to you all!
In Year 10, we had finished looking through the Early Years of Elizabeth I’s reign, including religious challenges, battles with the Spanish Armada and even the beginnings of the British Empire. Shoutouts go to Rafael D and Stefania M for the hard work, dedication and effort in History throughout the year. I would like to make a final thank you for all our Year 11 students who sat their GCSE History exams this year. I thank you for five lovely years of hard work and effort in History, and I look forward to seeing you all on results day.
MFL
Bonjour!
What a busy year in the MFL department!
Currently, all the year groups are doing or have just finished their French End of Year tests and are awaiting their results. We have been pleased with the students’ maturity and resilience with these exams and assessments.
Year 7 have had an excellent year, learning the foundations to begin their journey of learning French. They are finishing off the year by learning how to talk about holidays and completing a film study unit on the film “Une vie de chat”. We hope they enjoy it!
Year 8 students are learning all about schools in different Francophone countries and will watch the film “le Petit Nicolas”, a lovely story about a little boy who decides he doesn’t want to have a new baby in the house.
Year 9 groups are moving on from talking about school and future plans to learning all about customs and festivals in Francophone countries. We will soon be finding out why the French celebrate Bastille Day on 14th July. Next, Year 9 will be watching the film “les Choristes”, a story about a boys’ boarding school, and hopefully not copying any of the antics they see!
Year 10 are busy taking their End of Year exams at the moment and getting to understand how it feels to sit the 4 French exams of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Afterwards, we will finish the year’s study with a unit about holidays and their film study will be based on the film “Amélie”. Those students who visited Paris in March will be able to spot the filming locations because we went to lots of the places in Paris that they visited on the Paris trip.
Year 11 have just finished their exams and are waiting for their results. They have been a pleasure to teach. All the language teachers wish them all the very best for results day, college and beyond.
Bonne chance!
Person Development / identity
Year 7 have been learning about Physical health, personal hygiene and 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 as well as starting a unit on Careers education, looking at Study skills and their Post-16 options.
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 Identity teachers. Sessions have covered Healthy Relationships and consent.
Year 10 have been learning about careers, including green & sustainable careers as well as a unit on Youth Violence & how this can impact communities.
Our students have participated in some great discussions on some sensitive and often controversial topics, with maturity and they are developing their communication skills in order to be able to challenge others respectfully.
Performing Arts
Oasis Mayfield have signed up to Dance Live in January 2025. Students have been working well to start creating the Performance. I would like to say a massive thank you to our choreography team who have started creating sections of the dance.
The Performing Arts team would like to congratulate the students that have volunteered to perform in the festival of achievement evening. Students have been working hard practicing.
Dance students, Ryan M, Lucy M and Amy H.
Music students, Rebecca M, Melody P, Amy H and Mikolaj B.
Well done to all student who will be performing in the end of term assembly.
Physical Education
A busy Summer Term for Sport!
In our KS3 lessons during the summer term our students have been covering a variety of summer sports including: Softball, Rounders, Cricket, Tennis and Athletics. Our Year 9 students who have chosen BTEC Sport have had an introduction to what they will be studying in Year 10 with learning key theory behind a warm up!
Our Year 10 BTEC Sport students have completed Component 1 and mostly completed Component 2 ahead of their October 2024 submission. The Year 11 cohort sat their Component 3 exam during the summer series, and we eagerly await their final grades on results day.
The PE team are so proud of the students who have proudly represented the academy at one of the sporting events below:
- City Athletics
- Rounders Fixtures
- Cricket Tournaments – Boys & Girls
- Saints Foundation Female Football Tournament
- Alliance MoveNow Festival
- Sports Leaders programme
Have an active summer with your families and we look forward to welcoming you back for our Winter Sport programme in September! #TeamMayfield
Year 7
Well done to all of Year 7 on finishing the first year of secondary school!
It certainly has been a busy year and summer term! Lots of changes have taken place over the year in our young people and they have changed from the young people who arrived on their first day of secondary school. They are much more confident and settled as true Mayfield students!
Some changes will continue into next year with our tutor team. We send our best wishes to Miss Macphee as she moves onto pastures new. We know all from 7Y will be wishing her well and we will certainly miss her being in team Year 7. As one door closes another opens and we are really pleased to welcome into team Year 7 two experienced Mayfield members of staff, who many students already known. Miss Asse will be supported two days a week by Mr Siddle and will be taking over 7Y. All other tutors remain unchanged to help provide consistency for our young people.
Our big event of the summer term was the residential event to tile barn. This was a brilliant week for all students and was the best residential trip the school has had in recent memory, which is a credit to team Year 7! See some photos from our time in the New Forest below:
In addition, team Year 7 experienced their first sports day! Unfortunately, weather wasn’t on our side with the rain. However, Year 7 were brilliant in engaging in the wet weather activities. When the weather brightened up in the afternoon Year 7 participated in the relay being patient as the last year group to compete. In team Year 7 style we had the most students competing in the relay events for which we are really proud of their determination to compete and take part. Of particular memory will be Freddie W from 7V and his team competing and the joy he had in taking part cheered on by the year group.
This term Year 7 collected 14811 positive points which is a massive amount and testament to our compassion and determination towards learning.
Finally, as we go into the summer holidays, we wish all Year 7 students and parents a good break and hope safe travels for anyone travelling, wherever that may be. We also want to thank you, as parents and carers, for your support this year and look forward as a year team to continuing to work together next academic year.
Year 8
As we come to the end of this academic year, I would just like to say that it has been a privilege once again to work with this brilliant year group. I have had the honour of teaching the whole year group this year they have shown kindness, maturity and a brilliant sense of humour. We have once again, enjoyed a wide range of enrichment activities including our residential to the Isle of Wight as well as our students superbly representing the school as part of athletics, swimming, rugby, football and cricket tournaments. We were lucky enough to have students work with the LEGO stem team and they were highly complementary of our students saying they were polite and superbly creative. We have also been chosen to take part in research projects with the University of Southampton as well as an outreach programme working with members of the wider community. Our students have shown superb resilience since September with our attendance regularly being the highest across the school.
Miss Sullivan and I have seen a big change in the year group this year and it has been a pleasure to see the students individually and collectively develop into the fantastic young adults that we know they are capable of being. On a personal note, please be aware that my contact details will change in September as I am getting married in August and will return to school under my married name of Mrs Reading! Most importantly though, Miss Sullivan and I thank you for your support this year and we wish you all a safe and happy summer and we look forward to welcoming back the new Year 9 in September!
Year 9
This has been an extremely busy and successful term for Year 9. Year 9 students have successfully chosen their guided choices for Key Stage 4. We had a large number of students representing the academy at the city athletics championship and other students taking part in the Lifelab day at the University. We look forward to moving into Year 10 with this fantastic Year group.
Year 10
It has been an extremely busy term for Year 10, and we have had many individual and collective successes over the past 12 weeks. Firstly, I would like to thank all the students for their hard work and resilience with the Mock exams in June. It was a challenging two weeks and as a Year group we have learnt some lessons and have some individual targets to improve. The students will have a good understanding of how they have done, and I hope they were proud of their achievements when they got their grades on results day. The Year 10 mocks are difficult, and it is a great opportunity for students to identify their weaknesses and set a plan to be in a much stronger position next year.
In July, our biggest focus was the Year 10 Work Experience, this gave students the opportunity to get out into the community and experience how a working week feels and the challenges that it brings. We also had our very successful trip to Itchen College on the 10th July, giving students that shop window into post 16 opportunities. The variety of courses and change in environment was a great experience for all the students.
I am proud to confirm that 37 students in Year 10 have been successful in their Prefect application. These roles will officially start in September, and I wish them the very best. Each prefect has been given an allocated curriculum area and this will be a great opportunity for them to lead over the coming months and be a role model to our younger students.
Well done to all the students who have competed in summer sports this term, especially those that performed so well at the Southampton School Athletics and everyone that competed on Sports Day. It was great to see our students working together and it was a great example of how our teamwork has improved.
In school, we have had some changes to our tutor groups, and we are trying to build resilience into our students. We have now started our final year and I hope they have a truly enjoyable summer and they come back to school refreshed for their final push. A huge thank you to the existing Year 10 tutor team, Mr Adjei, Miss Gribbon, Mr Siddle and Mr Wilkins who will all be working with different year groups next year and have all been a huge support to our students.
Year 11
As the Summer holidays approach, we have said our final farewells to Year 11 who completed their GCSE examinations in a commendable and diligent way. For some there were incredibly busy days where their chosen options clashed with core subject dates, but they showed absolute resilience and came through with a massive sense of achievement. There was a clear ethos of dedication, responsibility and a strong work ethic throughout the cohort, that I hope will ultimately provide the reward of great results on 22nd August 2024.
As part of our goodbyes, we had the Leavers Assembly on Thursday 20th June that was a lovely session filled with memories and collecting signatures on some outstanding designer shirts. It gave students and staff time to reminisce and share some memories of the shared journey that the class of 2024 had experienced through Mayfield.
The Year 11 Prom on Friday 28th June 2024 at The Hilton Hotel, Utilita/Ageas Bowl was a very special evening that hopefully completed the Year 11 journey. There were fabulous and fantastic arrivals with a wide range of sports and classic cars, a fire engine, a lorry and the unforgettable bikers dressed as a multitude of characters from a storm trooper to spiderman. This voted unanimously by students and staff as the arrival of the evening. Thank you to Ms Gribbon for singing the students in for their two-course meal and to Beau Ham who sang and played his guitar that got everyone up and singing along. I think all that attended had a wonderful and special evening that will hopefully send students into their next adventures and new chapters of their lives.
Trips and Visits
We have had a large number of trips and visits so far this year, many of which have already been mentioned. Saints Foundation have given students an opportunity to visit St Marys ground and the Marchwood training facility. We have offered several trips to local colleges and universities as part of our careers programme. A small group of students were given the opportunity to travel the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Mr Staniford even managed to arrange a once in a life time opportunity for behind the scenes tour of Centre Court and Court Number 1.
Tile Barn Residential – A large number of 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.
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 afternoon in school. Well done to those students attending the trips, keep up the good work!
Students Research Session
Student leaders took part in a review session by Nick and Carol Pollard from Family Mental Wealth. The session was looking at a new app being developed for the NHS to support young people with their mental health.
Supporting the session, Paul Woodman said:
‘The student leaders were a credit to the academy, paying attention well to the presentation and writing down their views on the app under review. During the session, Nick and Carol explained how new services are developed for the NHS and how these review sessions play an important role in the design process. It was a privilege for us to be part of something that could help thousands of people in the future’.
Careers Round-up
Phew! As always, careers has been hugely busy again this academic year. It’s important to ensure that our students have as many opportunities as possible to find out about a range of different opportunities that are available to them when they leave school. It’s with a tinge of sadness that this is my last roundup for you and I pass the careers baton to my esteemed colleague Mr Knight. If you have any opportunities or events you would like to run for careers next academic year, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Knight to book in an opportunity.
We are really keen to ensure our students have a depth of knowledge means they can make informed choices moving forward so it’s with pleasure that I provide you with the roundup for Spring and Summer.
University Trips
We are delighted to have had the opportunity to send our students to a number of Solent University trips this year. Our Year 8s had the opportunity to visit in January and our Year 10s in June. The Year 10 trip visit included information about finance for university, budgeting, making career choices for university as well as a tour around the campus. Students were able to use the state-of-the-art maritime simulators to take their ship to shore safely in New York! Elsewhere, students were able to try on fat suits to understand the challenges of medical care whilst overweight.
We also had the opportunity to take a few of our students in Year 10 to the “Your Future” event. This a huge collaboration across the city and Hampshire with representatives from different colleges, universities and employers providing information to students regarding their future options. Students had the opportunity to talk to the Armed Forces, Autism Hampshire and Deloitte among different areas.
NHS 350+ Day
Students across the different year groups had a fantastic day back in March learning about the range of different careers within the NHS. The NHS are really keen to dispel the myth that you can only be a doctor, nurse or a physio. Students were treated to a range of sessions such as Year 9 completing a CPR day with paramedics, Year 7 completing a MythBusters workshop and Year 10 and Year 11 having bespoke sessions in their Health and Social Care lessons regarding opportunities within the social care setting such as therapy, mental health co-ordinators and assistants. We’re looking forward to welcoming the team back next year!
National Apprenticeship and National Careers Week
During National Apprenticeship and National Careers Week a range of activities were shared during tutor sessions for students to complete regarding the different apprenticeships and careers available to them. Staff also completed their journey maps of how they got into teaching.
Employability Sessions
Students in Year 10 had been completing Identity sessions on employability and the future. Students had lessons on interview processes, creating CVs and where to find jobs. They then received fantastic sessions from the Southern Universities Network regarding options for the future. Students were provided with further sessions in their Identity lessons about how to choose the right options for them and to research online the different colleges in the surrounding area and courses they may be interested in engaging in.
Brilliant Club
Every year we have twelve students in Years 9 and 10 take part in Brilliant Club. Brilliant Club is hardcore and the students have to put in a great deal of work to be successful. Students have tutorial visits from a PhD student. This year the theme was refugees and poetry. Once they have their tutorial visits they then complete a five thousand word essay or mini dissertation which is marked by the tutor and a degree classification award provided. They then have a graduation ceremony which starts with the traditional graduation breakfast with Ms Taylor. They then travelled to the graduation ceremony which this year took place at the University of Southampton. The students get to have a tour around the campus and to find out more about university life.
Work Experience
I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the community for supporting with Year 10 work experience. Your generosity in offering placements has really ensured that Year 10 have been able to go onto some fantastic placements! We will be running work experience again next year in the w/b Monday 14th July. If you are able to run placements, please do let us know and for Year 9 parents moving into Year 10, please start talking to your contacts to see what opportunities may be available for your child.
Year 10 had the opportunity to go out on work experience during the week 15th-19th July. Work experience is incredibly important for students to start practising their skills in a different environment and to start to get a feel for what a workplace can be like. There have been some amazing opportunities for students including a placement at McLaren in the New Forest and IBM in Hursley.
Those who were unable to go on work experience were treated to sessions on the virtual headsets using a programme called “body swap” to practice their interview skills and technique. The programme works by the students having an avatar and they act out how they would answer questions. They then get to see their avatar in action and see how much eye contact they had with the employer, what their body language was like and how effective they came across in answering questions.
College Taster Day Visits
Year 10 students also had the opportunity to go on a college taster day visit on the 10th July to Itchen College.
College visits are really important for our students to start getting a feel for what college is like in comparison to school. Students have to make their own way to and from college, get to sample the cuisine in the canteen and have a range of taster sessions to see what they would like to do when they leave in Year 11.
On September 16th we will be hosting a “college roadshow” for Year 11 students to hear from all the different colleges about their campus and to pick up prospectuses. We will also share all of the open day events in the new academic year for Year 10 and Year 11 so you can visit the colleges that your child is most interested in.
Remember that college courses do fill up quickly and ideally, a Year 11 student should have applied for college courses no later than December 2024. They can apply for as many colleges as they like and do not need to make a decision until they receive their results in August 2025.
Guest Speaker – Duke Harrison-Hunter
We were delighted to welcome Duke Harrison-Hunter (a newbie to Mayfield) on Thursday 18th July who is a public speaker who inspires young people. Duke had a difficult upbringing marked by domestic abuse and trauma and he has become a prominent motivational speaker around resilience and the transformative power of the human spirit.
Duke relocated to Hampshire in his early twenties and contributed to the community which gave enabled him to have a second chance. Duke has completed work with Pompey in the Community, the charitable arm of Portsmouth Football Club and earning him the prestigious Foodball Blacklist Award.
Duke inspires young people through his own company “Ambassadors 4 change” and came to speak to our students about the importance of working hard, being resilient and treating school like your family and working with them and not against them.