St Leonards-Mayfield School
Address
The Old Palace Mayfield , East Sussex , TN20 6PH England
Information
Type	Independent School
Motto	"Actions Not Words"
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1872
Founder	Mother Cornelia Connelly SHCJ (1809 - 1870)
Headmistress	Miss A M Beary, MA MPhil Cantab, PGCE
Gender	Girls
Age	11 to 18
Enrollment	400
Houses	4
Former pupils	Old Cornelians
Website	http://www.mayfieldgirls.org

St Leonards-Mayfield School is an independent Catholic boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18. It is situated in the village of Mayfield, in East Sussex.

1. Overview

St Leonards-Mayfield School is an independent Catholic boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18. It is situated in the village of Mayfield, in East Sussex. The current Headmistress is Miss Antonia Beary. The School was founded by Mother Cornelia Connelly in 1872, with the oldest buildings dating from the 14th Century. According to the Good Schools Guide, 'The quality of educational experience provided for the girls is outstanding’.

2. History of the School

On May 26, 1863 Mother Cornelia Connelly, who had founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in 1846, escorted a small group of girls from the Holy Child school at St Leonards-on-Sea to the ruins of the Old Palace of Mayfield, where they would enjoy a picnic. The peace of the countryside and the elegance of the ruins must have left their mark on Cornelia, for within a matter of weeks the estate had been purchased by the Duchess of Leeds and presented to the religious order. On the morning of 18 November 1863 Mass was celebrated at Mayfield for the first time since the mid-16th century. Restoration of the Old Palace began in 1864 and the ruins of the 14th-century hall had been transformed into a church within 14 months. Although the nuns educated a small number of orphans on site almost immediately, it was not until 1872 that young girls from St Leonards were brought over to be the first pupils at the school. The Old Palace was also the order’s Novitiate, that part of the convent devoted to the Novices (those of the religious order who were in training).

Development of the school continued in order to meet the needs of the growing number of pupils at Mayfield: the Victorian red-brick school building had been added by 1897, the Concert Hall by 1930, and a suite of other facilities were constructed throughout the second half of the 20th-century and beyond.

In 1953 the schools at St Leonards-on-Sea and Mayfield merged to form St Leonards-Mayfield School. Pupils remained at St Leonards up to the age of 13 and then transferred to Mayfield to continue their education to 18. In 1975 the junior school at St Leonards closed and Mayfield became the school it is today, educating girls from 11 to 18. The headmistress of St Leonards-Mayfield School was drawn from the Society of the Holy Child Jesus up to the end of the 20th-century, at which point the school appointed its first lay headmistress. The links with Holy Child, however, remain strong: three members of the Governing body are nuns and three nuns live in the school grounds, supporting the pastoral work of the Chaplaincy and boarding houses.

3. History of the Old Palace

The Old Palace of Mayfield served throughout the 14th- and 15th-centuries as a residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury. The great hall was built by Archbishop Reynolds c. 1325, although Archbishop Islip (1356–1366) enlarged it and built the greater part of the Palace. Seventeen Archbishops are known to have visited the Palace from 1274-1530. At the Reformation, the Old Palace was handed over to Henry VIII and a new phase in its history began. It was gifted to various leading noblemen, one of the most famous of whom was Sir Thomas Gresham, an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. In 1573 Sir Thomas entertained Queen Elizabeth within its walls. In 1617 the estate came into the hands of the Baker family, owners of several iron foundries in the county. As the iron industry declined in the 18th century, so too did the fortunes of the Bakers. The Old Palace was abandoned in 1740 and thereafter fell into ruins.

4. SHCJ

The Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) was founded over 160 years ago by Mother Cornelia Connelly, whose life, spirituality and vision still inspires the educations offered by her schools. SHCJ continues to play an active and vital role in the life of the school: there are four Holy Child nuns on the Board of Governors; and three nuns live on the school site and play important pastoral roles in both the Chaplaincy and the boarding houses.

Cornelia’s life was far from ordinary. As well as founding a congregation of sisters she was married and had five children. She became a nun because her husband wished to be a Catholic priest. And that is only part of the story… In all that happened to her she sought and found God, and clung to him and what he seemed to be asking of her. Her discerning response to her life shaped both the spirituality of the Society and the vision she had for the many schools that she established. She developed an educational system based on trust and reverence for the dignity of every human being. She wanted Holy Child educators to carry this spirit to students of diverse backgrounds as they sought to respond to the wants of the age in which they lived. Since 1846 those educating in the tradition of Cornelia Connelly's spirituality and philosophy of education have helped students to grow strong in faith and lead fully human lives educating students towards freedom, creativity, self-discipline, individual initiative and personal and social responsibility.

5. Public Examination Results

Pupils at Mayfield achieve some of the best public examination grades in the UK and each year take up university places at a wide range of leading institutions. Each girl is encouraged to set herself academic goals and is then supported to find the confidence, determination and enthusiasm for learning to achieve them.

‘Mayfield girls achieve outstanding standards in public examinations’ Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Report

6. Spiritual Life

The Catholic faith is at the heart of everything that goes on at Mayfield: it offers a framework of moral and spiritual values for pupils to take forward and share. Girls are encouraged to question, reflect and respond to their faith. ‘The school is an exemplary model of the dynamic effects which can be achieved by an education based on faith and love’ ISI Inspection Report

7. Location and Facilities

The School is located within the quiet village of Mayfield, less than 40 miles from the centre of London and just 45 minutes’ drive from Gatwick Airport. At the heart of the School is the 14th-century chapel built for the Archbishops of Canterbury, and a concert hall designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The boarding houses are comfortable and welcoming and the sports facilities include a new all-weather pitch, eight new all-weather tennis and netball courts, an indoor swimming pool and one of the largest outdoor riding arenas in the South East of England. The creative and performing arts are served by a music school, ceramics and arts studios and a dance hall. There is also a purpose-built science block.

8. Boarding

There are three boarding houses at Mayfield. Leeds House (named after the Duchess of Leeds who donated the Old Palace to the SHCJ) is a modern and comfortable boarding house built in 2005 for the lower school boarders (years 7 and 8). Connelly House (formerly known as St Gabriels) now caters for boarders in the middle school (years 9 – 11) and St Dunstans House provides boarding accommodation in individual rooms for the Sixth Form. The boarding houses are intended to provide a home from home, during the school day and beyond. House life is rooted in the Catholic values of the School: consideration for one another, charity, forgiveness and recognition of the importance of developing a spiritual life. ‘The quality of boarding education is outstanding' - ISI Inspection Report

9. Activities offered at Mayfield

9.1 The Chaplaincy
CHAPS - The Sixth Form Chaplaincy Team
Confirmation Preparation

9.2 The Creative Arts & Crafts
Cookery Club
Knitting Club
Saturday Art
Textiles Design & Construction – including annual fashion show
Ceramics
Mayfield has an excellent reputation for ceramics. Girls’ work has been exhibited in London and the School has won several national awards. ===== Winner: The Good Schools Guide GCSE Awards 2007 - Best Results Achieved by Girls Taking Art & Design (3d Studies) at an English Independent School Winner: The Good Schools Guide A Level Awards 2005 - Best Results Achieved by Girls Taking Art & Design (3d Studies) at an English Independent School Winner: The Good Schools Guide AS Level Awards 2005 - Best Results Achieved by Girls Taking Art & Design (3d Studies) at an English Independent Schools ===== ‘The ceramics department is probably the finest of any independent girls’ school in the country’ Tatler Schools Guide, 2010

9.3 Language, Culture & Media
Ancient Greek Club
Carnegie Book Club
Creative Writing Club
Discussion Group for ESOL pupils
The Foreign Languages Book Club
The Foreign Languages Film Society
The IB Book Club
Italian
Junior Latin
Latin Speaking Club
Mandarin
News & Current Affairs Analysis
Psychology Film Club

9.4 The Performing Arts
Dance
The Actions Not Words Contemporary Dance Company
Ballet
Dance Club
Irish Dancing
Jazz Dancing
Scottish Country Dancing
Street & Hip Hop Dance

Drama Drama Productions (throughout the year, performed at school and on tour)
Drama Rehearsals
Latin Drama Club
Speech & Drama Lessons

Music
Music Tuition – bassoon, clarinet, double bass, flute, French horn, guitar (classical and electric), harp, keyboard, oboe, organ, percussion, pianoforte, recorders, saxophone, singing, trombone, trumpet, viola, violin and ‘cello.
Aural Lessons
Theory Lessons
Saturday Music
Baroque Ensemble
Chamber Orchestra
Chapel Choir
Flute Choir
Flute Ensemble
Flute Group
Jazz (Saxophone) Ensemble
Music Theatre Club
The Recorder Group
String Quartet
String Rehearsals
Wind Ensemble
Schola Cantorum – a choir dedicated to the performance of larger pieces, with an opportunity to work with professional orchestras and soloists at School, in cathedrals and elsewhere. They have recently performed at Arundel Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris and St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. In 2011 they will be touring Malta.

9.5 Sports, Games & Healthy Living
Sports Team Training & Matches
Hockey
Netball
Swimming
Tennis
Rounders
Athletics

Combat Sports & Self Defence
Fencing
Karate
Kickboxing (Tai Sabake)
Self Defence

Watersports & Activities
Aqua Fit
Canoeing
National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
Recreational Lane Swimming
Rowing
Sailing
Swimming Team Training

Other Sports & Activities
Badminton
Bridge Club
Chess Club
Cross-Country Running
Football Club
Rock Climbing
Tennis – Futures Academy
Yoga

9.6 Riding
Mayfield benefits from a thriving riding department led by Jill Barker, BHSII.
Riding lessons and specialist riding clinics are available in the School’s two outdoor riding arenas.
Dressage
Show Jumping
Eventing
Hunter Trials
Around 22 interschool competitions throughout the year
Interhouse competitions
National Schools Championships
Riding lessons are also arranged at a local riding school for girls who do not own their own horse.
Results:
In 2011 Mayfield won the NSEA National Schools Riding Championships for the seventh time.
Summary of notable results:
• Reigning NSEA National Schools Riding Champions, and have won the title seven times in total
• Five riders have competed at Badminton / Burghley • Two pupils have been Great Britain Junior Team Gold Medallists • Two pupils have been Great Britain Pony Team riders (including Team Gold Medallist) • One pupil has been a Great Britain Show Jumping (Children & Horses) Squad member • One pupil has been an Individual winner at the Pony Club Championships • Six riders have been selected to compete in Pony Teams in Ireland • The School was runner-up at BYRDS talent spotting final • Our squad includes numerous Junior Regional Novice eventing riders

9.7 Maths, Science & Technology
The IT Crowd – ICT Club
Maths Clinics
Maths Revision Club
Med Soc
Science Club
Team Maths Challenges

9.8 Leadership & Initiative
The Debating Society
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Public Speaking for Art Historians
Safety Awareness Club

9.9 Specialist Sixth Form Clubs
Civ Lib Soc
Med Soc
The Politics Club
Sixth Form Soc
The Student Newspaper
Young Business & Enterprise
MUNGA – Model United Nations General Assembly

10. Links with other Holy Child schools

The Society of the Holy Child Jesus still runs a network of schools across its three provinces: Europe, Africa and America. Mayfield actively maintains and strengthens links with other Holy Child Schools. In 2010 children from the Cornelia Connelly School in Annaheim visited Mayfield and the Headmistress visited Holy Child College in Ikoyi, Nigeria.

11. Former Pupils

Former pupils of Mayfield and her sister Holy Child Schools which are now closed are known as Old Cornelians, named after Mother Cornelia Connelly who founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Notable Old Cornelians:
Ann Leslie
Lindka Cierach
Maeve Haran
Olivia Hetreed
Clare McLaren-Throckmorton
Anouk Aimee
Ira von Fürstenberg

12. Latest News

13. Open Events

Mayfield hosts a number of open event s for prospective parents and pupils throughout the year. <Link to admissions page of website>

14. References

15. External links

• Official website
• Website of SHCJ
• Independent Schools Council
• Girls Schools Association
• Boarding Schools Association
• Entry in Good Schools Guide