Mayfield student, Lizzie, explains how extra-curricular interests and sport have enriched her life at Mayfield

At Mayfield, we believe happiness is the key to thriving at school and so we place a strong emphasis on creating a nurturing environment for the girls. Mayfield encourages equally the intellectual, creative, physical, emotional and spiritual development of each pupil, with academic study complemented by a rich and diverse variety of activities beyond the classroom.

Lizzie, a Lower Sixth boarder from Wadhurst, recently co-organised a coding workshop as part of Mayfield School’s Festival of Ideas, a series of ten interactive workshops delivered by Scholars to the girls in Years 7 and 8. “The workshop I co-delivered was called ‘No Time to Drive’ and we taught the younger girls how to code the Pi-Top 4 Robot to drive around a track through a series of challenges. It was a great experience to get to know the younger girls, teaching them the fundamentals of coding.”

Lizzie also loves playing Cricket and is currently in the Sussex U17 County Cricket squad. “I started playing cricket at Mayfield in Year 7 thanks to Miss Starr (Mayfield’s Director of Sport and former England Cricketer), who encouraged me and nurtured my interest. For the last two years, I’ve played against the MCC, featuring several former international women cricketers, and last year had the privilege of captaining Mayfield in one of the T20 fixtures. I have always loved sport because it has allowed me to develop skills outside the classroom, such as perseverance, teamwork and my ability to handle pressure.”

Last year, Lizzie represented the school at the Model United Nations Conference (an educational simulation of the actual United Nations in which students can learn about diplomacy and international relations) in Torun, Poland. “It was amazing to meet and debate with students from all over the world and to have the opportunity to stay with a Polish host family for the week and experience a different culture. Taking part in the conference helped me grow in confidence, and I learned some really useful skills, such as how to negotiate effectively and find common ground.”

To find out more about what’s on offer at Mayfield, see
mayfieldgirls.org

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