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. Ms Kongsfelt is relocating to Bristol where she will become part of the Oasis Daventry Road family and Mr Judd is moving to take up post in a Hampshire school. 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
On Thursday 10th July, we proudly hosted our annual Festival of Achievement evening — a fantastic celebration of the success, academic progress, and hard work of our incredible students.
This year’s event took place at Itchen Sixth Form College, and we would like to extend a huge thank you to them for their warm hospitality and support in helping us make the evening so special. We would also like to thank Stephanie's Celebrations for the lovely photo backdrop and decorations.
Congratulations to all of our students who were recognised — your dedication and achievements continue to inspire us all!
A massive well done to all Mayfield English students this term! 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.
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 two different mock papers and now they are heading off on work experience– 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 are saying a sad goodbye to Miss Ali (our wonderful trainee is now qualified and off to her new post!) and Miss Lewis (who miraculously saved us during a time of long-term cover). We will miss them dearly and wish them all the best for the future. We also say goodbye to Mr Power who wasn’t with us long, but we wish him well for the future. Now that we have reached the end of the summer term, we would like to wish all our students a lovely restful break.
In our final newsletter article for this academic year, we celebrate all our students for their efforts to progress in Maths this year and look forward to the summer break before restarting again in September.
Our Axiom cohort will now be completing their first year. Below are some observations from some of the students who have been in this year’s cohort.
Axiom maths is a great way to enhance and develop your math skills. It is a fun, engaging challenge for any math prodigies out there. It highly encourages anyone who is interested in enhancing their math skills to join Axiom Maths.
I love Axiom because it helps me get better at maths and communication.
I really like our maths circles because we tackle a variety of problems, some really hard, and some really fun. The people in our math circles are also very nice and funny, and with our mentor, I look forward to our math circle every day. — Year 7 Axiom group
In May, 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 they share their experiences of the challenge below:
I found that the challenge was quite complicated but in a way that was different from standard maths assessments. The challenge made us use different ways of thinking that will help us in the future. Within lessons, we prepared for the challenge, which helped us support our existing knowledge. — Evie
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
It’s been a fantastic year for the department, and we are incredibly proud of all our students for their hard work and dedication.
Our Year 11s have shown real commitment and resilience as they tackled their GCSEs. Their focus throughout the exam period has been outstanding, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements when results are released in August.
Year 10 students have recently completed their first set of mock exams with great effort and strong results. A special congratulations to our triple science students, who won Best Presentation in the LEGO FIRST League for their submerged research project, presented to ocean experts at the National Oceanography Centre. Many of these students are now hoping to complete summer work experience there—an exciting opportunity to explore ocean-based careers and connect with leading experts in the field.
Years 7 to 9 have ended the year strongly, with many students making excellent progress in their assessments. Year 7 especially enjoyed the Engineering Education UK Energy Quest, a survival-themed STEM challenge involving building apple-powered phone chargers, backpack shelters, and water filters. Their creativity and science knowledge shone through.
We look forward to more students taking part during Enrichment Week and beyond. Thank you to all students, families, and staff for supporting such a successful year.
Have a restful and enjoyable summer!
It’s been a fantastic year for creativity in the Art Department, with students across all year groups developing their skills, confidence, and artistic voices.
Year 7 have laid strong foundations by exploring the elements of art, with a particular focus on mastering colour mixing, blending, and tone. Their progress has been incredible, and the quality of work produced shows real artistic potential.
Year 8 have let their imaginations run wild as they created fantastical monster sculptures, learning key sculpture techniques and exploring texture, form, and character design in 3D.
Year 9 have taken on the ambitious ‘Journey’ project, creating unique and personal responses inspired by the work of a range of famous artists. Their work demonstrates maturity, creativity, and developing independence.
Year 10 have made excellent progress on their first GCSE coursework project, building strong portfolios that showcase thoughtful development, experimentation, and a wide range of techniques.
We are incredibly proud of all our students’ achievements this year and look forward to even more artistic adventures next term!
Year 7 students have been continuing their work on Microbits and working hard for their end of year assessments. They have worked hard and learnt a lot over the past year including online safely, how to make a delivery a presentation, using spreadsheets and how to write a blog.
Year 8 students have been starting look at animation and cartoon creation. They have also been working hard for their end of year assessments revising over binary, logic gates and learning to code with Python.
Year 9 students have been working hard learning some quite advanced coding with Python and how to create chatbots. They have also been revising over binary, the CPU of a computer and Cybersecurity for their end of year assessments.
Year 10 students have been getting used to answering exam questions in Python for their on screen exam. This is the most challenging aspect of Computer Science as they must also learn how to save their programming files in the correct location. They sat their 2 hour on screen exam and did incredibly well so should be so proud of all of their effort.
It’s been a busy and exciting year in the Food Department, packed with skill-building, creativity, and even a world record attempt! One of the highlights was our participation in Jamie Oliver’s World Record attempt for the largest cooking lesson across multiple sites. Our students loved taking part and showed brilliant teamwork and enthusiasm. A fantastic celebration of cooking!
Year 7 have been getting to grips with the essentials, learning food hygiene, basic knife skills, and how to safely and confidently prepare simple dishes.
Year 8 stepped it up with a focus on pastry making and working with proteins, developing both their practical skills and their understanding of food preparation techniques.
Year 9 have been working at a more advanced level, creating their own fresh pasta, experimenting with sauce reductions, and refining their techniques as they deepen their culinary knowledge.
Year 10 have embraced the challenge of food science, exploring the how and why behind cooking processes, and producing thoughtful, high-quality work as part of their GCSE preparation.
A huge well done to all students for their effort and creativity this year. (please use photographs from Jamie Oliver world record article)
Hello from the Geography department!
Our Year 7 geographers have explored how rivers behave as they flow downstream and their significance as a vital resource in our increasingly warming world. More recently, students have begun a case study investigation of the Middle East—a geopolitically significant region frequently in the news.
Year 8 students have examined coastal processes, a key topic given the geographic features of our local area. They have explored the opportunities presented by coastlines and how physical processes shape them. The year concludes with a focus on sustainability—examining how humans can pursue development while living sustainably and harmoniously with natural ecosystems.
Our Year 9 geographers visited Marwell Zoo to observe adaptations of desert and rainforest flora and fauna. Congratulations to our wildlife photographers! Since then, students have studied natural hazards, specifically the causes, effects, and responses to earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis.
Year 10 groups attended the GCSE fieldwork trip at Hengistbury Head, where they collected data and developed practical skills. Back in the classroom, they have been analyzing their data within the context of the UK’s physical landscapes. Most recently, they completed their end-of-year mock examinations to assess their progress throughout the course.
Finally, we would like to extend our congratulations to our Year 11 students for completing their GCSE course and final examinations. Many students dedicated significant effort to revision, participating in after-school revision sessions, working through past papers, and engaging in preparatory activities.
We wish everyone a restful and well-deserved holiday.
Thank you once again to all the history teachers and students who have worked hard over the whole this year. We have seen some excellent hard work and effort and are proud of every student in History this year.
Year 7s focused on the changing ideas of the Renaissance and the enormous religious upheaval of the Reformation. Shoutouts for Year 7 include Nate W and Molly C for their great effort in history throughout the year.
In Year 8, students focused on historical interpretations of the British Empire and how this would propel Britain into the Industrial Revolution. Several shoutouts for Year 8 include Tommy H and Lara K for their excellent standards in history this year.
In Year 9, students have looked at some of the most infamous moments in human history, from the terrible events of the Holocaust to the difficult decision Truman made to drop the nuclear bomb on Japan that would finally end World War Two. Our top historians in Year 9 include Dimi C and Amy B.
Year 10s finished the year strongly, completing their work on Early Elizabethan England, focusing on the impact of the Armada, early imperialism, and society in England during Elizabeth’s reign. Some excellent historians in Year 10 include Grace D and David B.
Lastly, we wish a fond farewell to this year’s Year 11s, who have worked incredibly hard this year to do their best in their GCSE exams. We wish them all the best for the future.
A final shoutout goes to all the Year 9 students who went on the Belgium Trip. Behaviour was outstanding, and all the students engaged exceptionally well throughout the trip. The drivers and the guide described them as “the most well-behaved and polite students they had ever had.”
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 has 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 have been learning all about schools in different Francophone countries and are now watching the film “Le Petit Nicolas,” a lovely story about a little boy who decides he doesn’t want a new baby in the house.
Year 9 groups are watching the film “Les Choristes,” a story about a boys’ boarding school, and they are using lots of new language to try to predict what will happen and to summarize what they have seen. Year 10 is busy taking their end-of-year exams at the moment and is getting to understand how it feels to sit the four French exams—listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Year 10 used silent disco headphones during their listening exam and is pioneering this new way to take the listening tests. After the exams, we will finish the year’s study with a unit about celebrities. Looking back at the year, Year 10 students very much enjoyed their trip to Paris in the springtime.
Year 11 has just finished their exams and is waiting for their results. All the language teachers wish them the very best for results day, college, and beyond. Bonne chance!
This term, year 7 have been learning about physical health, personal hygiene and mental health in lessons as well as looking at how to stay safe, outside and online.
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 Careers education, looking at Study skills and their post-16 options.
Year 9 have been studying Relationships and Sex education and mental health.
Year 10 have been learning about mental health, mental wellbeing and keeping themselves safe. They have looked at a variety of resources and sources on body modifications as well as sun safety.
In addition to this, all year groups have had assemblies for drowning prevention week and have completed a wellbeing survey.
Drama
For many students, this has been their first experience studying Drama, and both Year 7 and 8 have adapted brilliantly. From learning to perform, to developing teamwork, creative thinking and self-confidence, it’s been a joy to see every student grow, especially as all have performed in front of their peers by the end of each unit. That alone is a huge achievement!
Year 7 explored a range of exciting topics: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Bringing the classic tale to life through physical theatre and character work. Pantomime – Full of fun, exaggerated performance, and audience interaction. Greek Theatre – A favourite! Students enjoyed working in chorus and exploring myths. Darkwood Manor – A spooky, creative unit developing atmosphere and ensemble skills. It’s been wonderful to see how quickly students embraced performance and storytelling.
Year 8 built on their skills with deeper character work and more advanced styles: Curious Incident – Physical theatre and exploring complex inner thoughts. Advert Theatre – A lively, creative unit developing persuasive and comedic skills. Silent Movies – A huge hit! Focused on slapstick, expression and physicality. Blood Brothers – Script work exploring tension, relationships, and class. Year 8 particularly thrived in Silent Movies and Advert Theatre, expressive, inventive and hilarious!
I am so proud of all KS3 Drama students and can’t wait to see what next year brings!
Music
It’s been another creative and productive term in the Music department.
Year 7 has 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 to start attending keyboard club after school.
Year 8 has 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 learned to play a piece of film music on the keyboards and performed these for the rest of the class.
Year 9 has been studying cover songs this term. They learned lots of composing techniques and then, in groups, practised the lyrics and the music for their song. They performed and recorded these songs using keyboards, drums, guitars, and GarageBand.
Year 10 has continued to work on analysing their set genres. They have also been working on their first piece of composing coursework and learned about how to apply each musical concept. Year 10 also continues to work hard in their individual music lessons.
Year 11 has 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 students’ successes.
Keyboard club after school on Monday is still proving to be very popular, and students are also using the practice rooms during break times for individual and group practicing.
Rounders
A massive well done to our Year 7 and 8 Rounders Team for their outstanding effort and dedication over the past 4 weeks! We have played some strong teams from other schools locally, and whilst we have experienced some defeats, these were very close games. They are currently 6th in the league. A huge well done to all the team for their great fielding skills and to Ayse, Kitty, Summa, and Isabelle for attending Rounders club to improve their skills. Also, well done to Nima, Kalila, Tori, Jessie, Charlie, Khloe, Mia, and Lyra for representing Team Mayfield.
Shout out to Isabelle for being complimented by Cantell’s PE teacher for her fielding on 2nd base! We are excited to see how the team grows throughout their time at Mayfield!
Our Y9/10 Rounders teams competed in their Rounders league during Summer 1. The girls finished 3rd out of 8 teams, beating Cantell, Regents, and Bitterne, and finishing in the race for 3rd place against St Marks due to points difference. The team showed incredible progress from their first game to their last, and their teamwork developed outstandingly. The batting attitude they showed to think tactically and strategically was amazing, and the girls seemed to have a great time playing in the sun. A huge thanks goes to Aricha, Breanna, Erin, Maisie, Rebecca, Holly, Tiff, Emma, Karmen, Lexi, and Sakura for giving up their time to represent Mayfield.
City Athletics
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the fantastic efforts and achievements of our students who represented the Academy at the recent City Athletics. It was a day where students demonstrated determination, sportsmanship, and some fantastic performances.
First Place
- Year 7 Boys Shot Put – Aiden T showed impressive strength and technique, reaching over 10m in the shot put.
- Year 8 Boys 100m – Reuben S sprinted to victory with outstanding pace, a time that would have also earned him a medal in the Year 9 & 10 race.
- Year 9 Girls Discus – Sakura T delivered a superb throw to take the top spot.
- Year 9 Boys 800m – Oliver D showed incredible endurance and tactical racing in a combined Year 9 & 10 boys race, where he finished second overall and first among Year 9s, only several seconds behind the overall winner.
While we celebrate our medalists, we also want to give a massive shout-out to every student who took part. You represented the school fantastically, and the support for one another was outstanding throughout.
Well done, everyone – We already can’t wait for next year!
Cricket
We're thrilled to share that the Oasis Mayfield Cricket Club has grown significantly in numbers this year, with more students than ever joining to develop their skills and enjoy the game. This growth has led to an exciting milestone: our Year 7/8 teams' first competitive match against St. Mark’s! The team showed great enthusiasm and teamwork, marking the beginning of what we hope will be a strong tradition of school cricket.
To keep the momentum going, we’re also planning a Year 7 vs. Year 8 game, which I’m sure will be a fun and spirited contest! A special shout-out to club captain Oliver H for helping develop his schoolmates and being an excellent leader.
Well done to all involved, and we look forward to seeing the club grow from strength to strength.
Sports Day 2025
This year’s Sports Day was a fantastic event that saw our students embrace the colours of their tutor groups and compete to become the ultimate champions! With several different activities ranging from dodgeball and football to athletics and multi-sports, there was something on offer for all students to participate in.
Students arrived in their sports gear representing the colour of their tutor group. After a short registration, they were straight into competing in the activities. Students were very excited to get started on the inflatable assault course that had been brought in for the day, with some very competitive races through it! Staff commented on how wonderful it was to see the students enjoying the activities and working together, while also trying to win.
The day ended with the whole school gathering to watch the team relays. There was a real buzz among the students as they cheered for their teams when they ran out to their chosen music, as well as when completing the relays. This year also saw the staff take to the track to showcase their skills; the whole school was on their feet cheering on their favorite staff, with the excitement visible to see, and the science team coming out victorious.
It was incredible to see the whole school coming together and supporting one another throughout the entire day, and we are all looking forward to the next one!
Year 7 continue to establish themselves positively at Mayfield in their last term before becoming Year 8. Students have been rewarded with trips to both Ninja Warrior and Wet Wheels Hamble, a breezy and overcast day but the students that attended had a great experience. All students had a great experience during Activities Week, and especially on the Tile Barn residential.
We said goodbye to Mr. Leach and Mr. Staniford, but we were excited to welcome Ms. Gailor, who has made a great start with Year 8. As a year group, you’ve shown real maturity, and we’re confident you’ll go from strength to strength in Year 9.
A highlight this year was our PGL Liddington residential. It was brilliant to see so many students challenge themselves, try new things, and grow stronger as a group. The positive energy was a joy to see! Our Christmas and Easter Discos were a hit as always. Year 8 brought fantastic energy, and we’re so proud of your support in fundraising for the Year 11 Prom alongside our PTA. Thank you!
The TechTruck visit was a unique opportunity to get hands-on with exciting new tech and sparked great conversations about STEM careers, just in time for Year 9 and GCSE choices.
Some of you took part in the Mayfield Ski Trip—it’s been lovely hearing your stories.
We’ve also celebrated lots of rewards trips, including Ninja Warrior and Wet Wheels, recognising your hard work throughout the year.
Year 8 has shone in sport too! A special mention goes to the Girls’ Football Team for a fantastic season and the Boys’ Team for finishing joint second in the league. It’s been a busy and positive year. Keep aiming high as you prepare for Year 9—you’ve made us proud, and we can’t wait to see what you do next.
Have a safe and wonderful summer!
Miss McCormick, Ms. Gailor & Mrs. Warwick
As we come to the end of Year 9 , once again across this year our students have truly impressed us with their kindness, determination, and growing maturity. Throughout the year, they have shown themselves to be a thoughtful and supportive cohort, consistently looking out for one another and contributing positively to the school community. One of the most notable moments came during the Guided Choices process, where students approached this important step in their education with a huge sense of maturity. They carefully considered their options, asked insightful questions, and made decisions that reflected not only their ambitions but also a understanding of their own strengths and interests. It has also been a year that required resilience – whether facing academic challenges, adapting to new expectations, or managing the pressures that come with growing responsibility, Year 9 have risen to each occasion with admirable strength and perseverance. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and the way they have grown this year, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact of their kindness, pride, and determination as they move into Year 10.
As we come to the end of the academic year, we can reflect on a fantastic year. Year 10 has displayed great resilience in adapting to the extra demands of Key Stage 4, and their determination to succeed has shone through.
We have reached the end of our journey and we say goodbye to our wonderful Year 11 Cohort. The year group set a new high record for attendance to their exams and we had an amazing send off through our leavers assembly and school prom. Miss Fernandez and I would like to wish all the Year 11 students an enjoyable summer and the best of luck on the next part of their journey.
We have had many trips and visits so far this year, many of which have already been mentioned. Saints Foundation has given students an opportunity to visit St Mary’s Ground and the Marchwood training facility. We have offered several trips to local colleges and universities as part of our careers programme. Tile Barn Residential – 70 Year 7 students attended our residential trip to Tile Barn, Brockenhurst. The trip will give students the opportunity to improve their self-confidence, resilience, and teamwork while 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. We have also had four international trips this year. Year 10 traveled to Paris, two different ski trips to Bardonecchia, Italy, and a Year 8 Battlefield trip to France and Belgium. These trips were all fantastic and created amazing memories that will last a lifetime. Activities Week – 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 choose from trips to Go Ape, Thorpe Park, Lymington Seawater Baths, or join one of the many clubs onsite. Well done to those students attending the trips; keep up the good work!
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