Parent Handbook Celebration of Success 2026-2027 2025-2026
Girls First: Empowered, Encouraged, Engaged Girls First: Empowered, Encouraged, Engaged 1
Introduction We are delighted to introduce this new publication: our ‘Celebration of Success’ booklet, which showcases the breadth and depth of Scholarship across Roedean’s community. It has been created to recognise and share the achievements of our Scholars over the last year, but also reflects on their wider educational journey here at Roedean. The items featured in this booklet are all written by the students themselves, offering an authentic insight into their experiences, growth, and achievements across all Scholarship areas. At the heart of this booklet lies our vision of what it means to be a Scholar at Roedean: a young woman who is curious, committed, and willing to step beyond her comfort zone in pursuit of excellence. We believe that Scholarship is not defined solely by achievements, but by the curiosity, commitment, and character that enable our students to flourish in a rapidly changing world. At Roedean, we believe in nurturing not only academic achievement, but holistic development that empowers our students to become the leaders of tomorrow.
We are particularly pleased with how students have engaged with our Academic Mentoring Programme, which has had a fantastic impact this year and is now being expanded into other areas of Scholarship across the School. This builds on our belief that excellence is not a given, but something to be nurtured through reflection, guidance, and opportunity. Our Scholars play an active role in school life. As you will see, they contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by developing their skills and sharing their talents across a range of events such as Dance showcases, Drama productions, Art exhibitions, and debating competitions, to name just a few. They take part in enrichment workshops designed to extend and challenge themselves, they support the wider community beyond Roedean, and they embrace opportunities to coach and mentor younger students. This publication is a testament to our Scholars’ hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment. I hope you enjoy reading it!
celó Alba Ibáñez Bar Ms Ibáñez Barceló Head of Scholarships
Scholarship Vision Scholars’ Programme The Roedean Scholarship Programme is dedicated to identifying and nurturing exceptional young minds by providing access to transformative educational opportunities. Through a commitment to seeking out talented students from diverse backgrounds, Roedean ensures that Scholarships across many fields is recognised. Our enrichment initiatives foster academic excellence, personal growth, and leadership development, equipping Scholars with the skills and confidence to thrive. Above all, we inspire bold aspirations, empowering each student to pursue her dreams, contribute meaningfully to society, and shape a future defined by excellence and equity.
All Scholars will participate in the relevant Scholars’ Programme, through which they will further develop their: initiative, vision, and the ability to inspire others communication, teamwork, and problemsolving abilities talents to create positive impact beyond the School academic excellence and intellectual curiosity resilience, ambition, and purpose to thrive in diverse fields
Scholarship Expectations Academic Excellence
Courage and Ambition
Demonstrate high academic standards through curiosity, diligence, and a strong commitment to learning across all subjects.
Aspire boldly and pursue personal and academic goals, with determination, creativity, and resilience.
Leadership and Initiative Exhibit leadership qualities by taking initiative, inspiring peers, and contributing positively to the School and wider community.
Active Engagement in Enrichment Participate fully in enrichment opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom, showing a willingness to grow intellectually and personally.
Candis Year 13 I have thoroughly enjoyed all the music events this year, from recitals and workshops to concerts. I serve as the principal violinist in both String and Symphony Orchestra, and I am a member of the School Choir and Senior Singers.
Being involved in so many music ensembles has broadened my knowledge of repertoire, but most importantly I have made lasting friendships with other musicians who share the same passion. There are countless performance opportunities at Roedean and I enjoy being part of all of them, no matter how big or small they are. Performing in teatime recitals every term is a wonderful way to develop my performing skills in a supportive and low-pressure environment. One of the highlights this year was to perform the Soprano duet Sull’aria from the Marriage of Figaro by Mozart with the String Orchestra in the Gala Concert in November. The pinnacle of my year was performing Song to the Moon from Rusalka by Dvořák in the Brighton Fringe Festival Concert in May. Being a soloist in the Fringe Concert had been one of my dreams since I was younger, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share the music I love alongside my friends.
Every performance, whether as a soloist or in an ensemble, has contributed to my growth as a musician, enhancing both my confidence on stage and my musicality. Another enriching part was working with professional musicians on Chamber Music Day. Chamber Music Day is a great way to come together with friends to play trios and quartets that we enjoy. This experience taught me how to rehearse with other musicians effectively, and also how to communicate clearly with musicians in a chamber group. These performance opportunities, along with my private lessons, have prepared me for my ABRSM exams and competitions outside of school over the past few years. This year, my focus has been on preparing for my conservatoire auditions and developing musicality in my other instruments.
Music Scholar
Ever since joining Roedean in 2022, the music department has taught me a wide range skills, both musical and personal. I am very excited to be studying at the Royal Academy of Music this September as a soprano, where I will continue to dedicate myself fully to my musical aspirations.
Victoria Year 12 This year Art has revolved around experimentation. At the start of Year 12, I was challenged to explore techniques like screen-printing and sewing, but more recently I have been focusing on less-realistic drawings inspired by Expressionism. These experiences have pushed me outside of my comfort zone.
Art has continued to be something I can rely on as a form of relaxation and a reminder of who I am outside of the academic path I have set for myself. One of the highlights of my year was going on an Art exchange trip to Denmark. We were incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to stay and board at a school there for four nights, where we took part in a variety of art-related classes and workshops. These included jewellery-making, ceramics, and leatherworking, which allowed us to explore creative techniques I had never tried before. During the trip, we also visited several art galleries in Copenhagen. One exhibition I especially enjoyed was an immersive digital installation where 3D projections covered the walls, ceiling, and floor of the space, making the whole experience feel completely interactive. Overall, the trip strengthened both my appreciation for art and my willingness to experiment with new creative processes. It introduced me to entirely new forms of artistic expression and to a much wider world of art.
I found the volunteering experience really rewarding, and it encouraged me even more to pursue a career in medicine in the future. I am studying Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, and Art A Levels. I think this year has been a huge step up academically, but it has also helped me grow a lot as a person and given me the chance to explore different future career paths. One experience I especially enjoyed was our Community Action Project (CAP) with Chailey Heritage School, where we worked on creating a sensory story for the children. It also inspired me and one of my friends to start a club called Junior MedSoc.
Art Scholar
We have also had the chance to take part in several Olympiads and competitions, such as the Schools’ Analyst Challenge, which involved a range of new and challenging Chemistry practicals. Alongside this, I have been working towards a Gold CREST Award, where I am researching and investigating a sciencebased question that interests me. These opportunities have pushed me to try new things.
Sylvia Year 7 One of the greatest successes that I have been able to achieve whilst here at Roedean was to play Charlie Buckett in our school production of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.
Charlie is a character filled with hope and determination, and it was an amazing privilege to bring him to life on stage. Playing such a big role has taught me so much; it has strengthened my ability to work collectively with others, and also taught me how much dedication and discipline Performing Arts takes behind the lights, from rehearsals through to performances.
Being given this experience has not only made me a better performer, but it has made me a better person too, and now I have friends that will last a lifetime because of this scholarship.
Performing Arts Scholar
I am looking forward to further opportunities within the Drama and Performing Arts Department, where I can continue to develop my confidence, creativity, and performance skills. I am excited to take part in future productions and experiences that will challenge me and help me grow as a performer.
Maisa Year 9
I primarily focus on swimming, but I also play hockey, netball and cricket, allowing me to grow as a well-rounded and versatile athlete. Throughout my swimming career, I have faced challenges but have also developed resilience and determination to overcome them.
My Roedean mentor has played an important role in supporting and guiding me, while my teachers have been understanding and supportive, particularly when balancing school with sporting commitments. I represent City of Brighton and Hove Swimming Club and train up to eight times weekly, showing consistency and strong commitment to my swimming. Last year did not go as I had expected. Having qualified for the Nationals the year before, I was hopeful of achieving the same again. However, I was injured for a significant period and only returned to training in time for the Regionals. As I was not fully prepared, I did not qualify for Nationals, which was disappointing and had a noticeable impact on my confidence. At one point, I even considered stepping away from the sport. However, I was given another opportunity to demonstrate resilience through the Open Water Nationals 3km event. This experience provided a fresh challenge, and I was proud to finish just outside the top three after everything I had overcome. This helped me realise that setbacks are a natural part of any journey, and what matters most is how you respond to them. I hope my journey can also serve as encouragement to others facing similar challenges. Following the Open Water Nationals, I was selected for Inter-Counties, representing my county in the competition. I have now been selected twice and hope to continue this achievement in the future.
Sport Scholar
Overall, I have learned that progress is not always straightforward, and both achievements and the challenges I face play an important role in my personal growth.
Rosa Year 13 I am an All-Rounder Scholar in Drama, Art, and Academics in Year 13. I took Chemistry, Biology, Maths, and Latin at A Level, and am hoping to study Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. I was very pleased to receive offers from all 5 universities I applied for, including Queens’ College, Cambridge.
In my final year, I made sure to throw myself into every opportunity I was presented with and, as a result, it has been full of exciting moments. My highlight this year was the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory performance. As my last musical here at Roedean, I was thrilled to be given a lead role of Wonka. It was by far my favourite role I have played – I loved the comedic aspects, the bright colours, and becoming so close with so many younger students who I otherwise would not have met. I have made many lasting friendships through the wonderful rehearsal process and am pleased to have been awarded the Rosamund Smith Cup for Performing Arts at Speech Day. I have also enjoyed performing various duties as the Head of School Team Prefect for Co-Curricular. In particular, a key moment for me was writing and directing the Staff Panto with two of my friends – although managing to get busy teachers to attend the rehearsals was the hardest part! Participating in such a range of activities, although rewarding, did bring some challenges. December, in particular, was a very busy period. Having just finished revising for and sitting my Cambridge entrance exam, I was preparing for my interview, the staff Panto, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the same time – all while juggling four A Levels, an EPQ (with a presentation in December) and running a club. I am very grateful to have had this experience though.
Although my A Level exams could hardly be described as fun, I am very proud of myself for getting through them with enough sleep and minimal tears. As I look back on this year and my time at Roedean I feel that I can confidently say that I took every opportunity which came my way (I even did some sport fixtures! – ask anyone, I am not a sporty person). This is one of the most rewarding parts of being a Scholar: having so many opportunities to explore whatever interests you.
Drama Scholar
While it was challenging at times, I would choose to do it all again, as it helped me develop strong time-management skills and become a much more organised person.
Jemima Year 10 For me, Year 10 has been full of incredible experiences. Overall, I think my highlight of the year would be the Movie Music Gala Concert, where I sang in the Choir and Senior Singers, as well as playing Violin in the Orchestra and String Orchestra. It was my first performance as part of Senior Singers, which I was thrilled to get into after an audition process. Singing more advanced pieces of music with experienced singers has been an opportunity that I have treasured over this past year and has really improved my sight-singing and ability to harmonise! The Brighton Fringe concert was another highlight. All the soloists hugely inspired me, and I got the chance to sing a solo line in one of the choral pieces. Chamber Music Day, where we got to work in small groups and ensembles with Ensemble Reza, was also inspirational. I was able to transfer my piano skills to the Harpsichord and play with the Baroque Ensemble, as well as being coached in a Violin trio, and at the end of the concert I performed ‘Never On Sunday’ as a Soprano soloist with Ensemble Reza. I previously had not had much experience with chamber music, and I learnt so much from the workshops.
Looking back at this year, I think I have become more confident while performing. Singing or playing Piano in Chapel on several occasions has really helped my self-confidence and has encouraged me to feel less nervous about performing in front of a larger audience. I have also worked on managing my time effectively. I take part in four different musical co-curricular clubs a week as well as private lessons, and, although it is sometimes hard to balance this with my academic commitments, I am definitely improving! Staying organised can be hard at times, but, by taking part in so many activities that I love, I have been improving this and learning how to prioritise effectively.
Next year, I hope I can encourage students in younger years to make the most of the musical opportunities here. I am also looking forward to continuing to take up all the opportunities I can, from concerts to recitals, to improve my skills across all my instruments. In Voice and Piano, I am preparing for my Grade 8 exams, so I hope to achieve those in the next year, and I am also exploring the possibility of transferring my skills in Violin to Viola, which would be an exciting opportunity. Every teacher in the music department is always so dedicated, and I know that, wherever I next decide to go with my music, I will have their encouragement and support.
Music Scholar
I have been so inspired by older music students in my time here so far and I hope to continue to contribute to the wonderful community of musicians at Roedean!
Charlie Year 12 I am both a Music and Dance scholar. I am currently in Year 12, taking Chemistry, English and Music A Levels.
This year has definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone and, in turn, has shaped me to be more confident in myself and adventurous when embracing new challenges. I have had three top moments of this year. Firstly, when I performed in the Dance Showcase having sprained my ankle a week beforehand. My biggest challenge with this was having to withdraw from dances, before rejoining them only a few days before the show. This experience challenged me emotionally as well as physically as I was only able to fully dance the day before the showcase, and needed to rely on my stamina and adrenaline to get me through my recovery. Secondly, I loved performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto at the Fringe Concert. I had only started playing Cello again at the beginning of this year after taking a break for three years. This was very challenging as I did not have the proper technique and there were sure to be doubts along the way, However, I was determined and focused on achieving this goal, I felt nothing could stop me. Finally, I was overjoyed when I found out that I had become Head of School. This leadership role has already been an opportunity to improve my public speaking skills with the spontaneous speeches and abundance of events. Next year, I am very excited to audition for the school production and for the Fringe Concert again. I am also looking forward to my university applications and I am currently thinking to apply to American universities in North/South Carolina, as well as California.
Overall, I am very proud of all my achievements this year and am grateful for the support that I have had along the way.
Dance Scholar
I am sure that next year will be even busier than this one, but I am prepared to take on any obstacles I face with a cheerful disposition.
Kayla Year 10 I am both a Sport and Academic scholar. This year, in particular, has been an important year for my physical and emotional development as a sportswoman. At school, this past hockey season, I played in the U15A hockey team and was fortunate enough to be selected to play in a couple of the first team matches. At the start of the academic year, I trialled for the East Grinstead Talent Academy, and I was selected for the squad. This was extremely exciting for me as it challenges me to play my best hockey every time I go out onto the pitch. I have played in Brighton and Hove U16A and the Ladies’ First Team hockey this season as well. I am really proud to have been awarded the Brighton and Hove Young Players Award in the women’s section.
With the help of my Roedean coaches and team, my confidence on the pitch has grown significantly. For cricket this year, I have represented the School’s U15A and first team. My highlight so far was making 91 runs not out against the MCC. I have also been selected to play for the Sussex U16 main squad where we have a series of matches against other counties throughout the summer. My greatest challenge this year was when I broke my foot at the end of the hockey season during one of my matches. This meant I could not take part in any activities like hockey, swimming or just running for a few weeks. People around me were very encouraging and supportive during my recovery stages and this really helped me to become more patient as well as becoming more positive.
Sport Scholar
I would really love to continue to progress as an athlete, working on my individual targets in certain areas of my hockey and cricket, while also building my organisational skills to ensure I continue to maintain a positive balance between my sport commitments and studies.
Lydia Year 13 I am an All-Rounder Scholar in Art, Drama, and Academics. I am in Year 13, studying A Level Mathematics, Classical Civilisation, and Spanish, as well as an EPQ. This past year has been a big one academically – the highlight being my acceptance to study Spanish and Italian at Cambridge, which still feels surreal.
It has been a year of throwing myself into the subjects I love. I entered several academic competitions last year, covering areas like bilingualism, Spanish fictionwriting, translation and poetry recitation, and won four out of the five. Over the summer, I also found real enjoyment in foreign-language literature, exploring the rather niche genre of Spanish Gothic, and working my way through Dante's Divine Comedy in a beautifully illustrated Scottish translation. Alongside my studies, I have been lucky enough to pursue my Spanish interests around the world. I saved up to solo travel to Costa Rica in August (my first time in Latin America!), partly inspired by my EPQ on the correlation between coffee production and migration patterns in Central America, and partly by one of my favourite films; The Motorcycle Diaries.
I stayed with a host family for a month, attended a local school each morning, and got to experience so much: real-deal empanadas, ‘granizado’, ziplining, a sloth, and even a stint working in a restaurant.
All-Rounder Scholar
As someone naturally quite shy, developing my public-speaking confidence has been an equally meaningful thread running through the year. Taking on the role of Head of School and attending a Model UN conference pushed me out of my comfort zone, as did joining a debate club, which somehow led to me participating in a competition final at the Oxford Union just four weeks later. I am hugely grateful to my Roedean teachers and friends for their support this year, and I cannot wait to see what university brings.
Claire Year 12 I am both a Dance and Newnham Academic Scholar in Year 13. In terms of dance, the achievement I am the proudest of this year is passing my Advanced 2 ballet exam with Distinction; it is something I wish I could show my Year 9 self, who was too shy to even tell anyone that she had received a Distinction for her Grade 8 exam. That version of myself would never have imagined I would be brave or foolhardy enough to adapt a ballet variation specifically for the character of Rose from ‘Brighton Rock’ and then perform it (bizarrely) in an English classroom!
From choreographing a solo based on the nymph Thetis, to comparing the ‘Diana and Actaeon’ variation with Ted Hughes’ ‘Tales from Ovid’ for my EPQ, it has proved incredibly rewarding to find points of intersection between my academic interests and dance. My confidence has also definitely grown from doing nine pieces in the Dance Showcase. A highlight was having the opportunity to choose my own solo variation (from Don Quixote) and being patiently coached through it by my teacher. There were times when it felt as if I would never achieve the standard required to perform the variation on stage, especially because I slipped and fell during a runthrough only three days before the performance; yet somehow everything went smoothly with the support of my friends, teachers, and just a bit of rosin on my pointe shoes. And how could I forget the hectic 45-second quick change near the end of the show?
I have loved doing at least four hours a week of ballet this year, along with Saturday classes at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, and the weekly Dance Scholars’ sessions which have introduced me to a range of different styles. In particular, I have grown to enjoy contemporary dance more than I thought I would, and I am hoping to develop my skills further by attending a summer intensive course organised by Joffrey Ballet School and the company, Can you Dance? in Birmingham. After starting as an undergraduate studying Classics and English at Oxford in October, I hope to keep dancing as part of a society or competition team, and to continue choreographing using mythology and literature as a starting point.
Dance Scholar
It helped me appreciate the work of professional performers all the more, and most importantly, it led me to be grateful for my classmates who were there the whole way through, assisting me with something as small as a costume change, but something which meant the world to me at the time.
Natalie and Constance Year 12 We are twins and two of the Newnham and Academic Scholars in Year 12, and we study both Chemisty, Maths, and Latin, and one of us studies Biology and the other Physics. This year has offered many opportunities for resilience, intellectual curiosity, and enjoyment of learning. One highlight of our year has been participating in the Davidson Inventors’ Challenge with our teammates this year. For this challenge, we designed and built a low-cost water filter using activated carbon, moringa seeds, an anti-stagnation magnetic clapper, and a pressure-controlled filtering system. This project taught us how to adapt when faced with challenges in our designing process, as well as giving us an opportunity to solve a real-world problem through innovation. It has also been such an honour to be STEM Ambassadors. Not only were we able to act in a helping capacity in clubs, we also had the opportunity to lead the Sodium Alginate Worm Experiment during British Science Week. It has been such fun and so rewarding to share our passion for Science! The achievement we are the proudest of this year is getting into the Bronze category in the Cambridge Chemistry Race with our fantastic team! We initially thought we had come last because the questions were so incredibly hard – it was definitely an experience that pushed us outside of our comfort zone. This competition taught us how to solve problems under pressure, strengthened our teamwork skills, and made us love Chemistry even more. We have both developed a lot as people this year. We initially struggled with the big step-up from Year 11 to Year 12, both academically and in day-to-day life.
Newnham Scholars
This year has taught us how to adapt to change, whether by modifying our revision techniques to better suit A Level studies, or by ‘upping the stakes’ in our sibling rivalry to keep us motivated. One of the most exciting experiences for us this year has to have been the chance to study Ancient Greek (for fun!) and to work towards the Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek. We could not be more thankful for our teacher’s help and support in this. By attending the Ancient Greek Club every week, we have gained valuable analytical and pattern-recognition skills through studying different tenses and cases.
Throughout this year, we have developed a mindset of embracing every opportunity and putting in our full effort each time. This includes practising for competitions and Olympiads, because we know practice makes almost perfect and we are perfectionists at heart! What could be better motivation than the inspiring community of peers, teachers and even family we have at Roedean?
Rida Year 13 I am currently in Year 13 studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. I have been fortunate to be both a Brighthelm Scholar and a Newnham Scholar during my time at Roedean. Although Year 13 has been one of the most intense years so far, it has also been one of the most memorable.
Looking back, I have made incredible memories and achieved milestones that the Year 7 me could never have imagined.
This year has also given me opportunities to explore and share my passion for medicine and research. My EPQ on personalised medicine in the NHS introduced me to an exciting and emerging branch of medicine, and I particularly enjoyed delivering my third Academic Lecture at Roedean. As Wider Reading Officer for MedSoc, I loved running presentations and debates while helping younger students develop their interest in medicine. I was honoured to receive the Marjorie Lowe Medical Prize at Speech Day. As Academic Head of School Team, I took on greater leadership responsibilities. Organising initiatives such as the Prefect Café, revision book swaps and University Challenge helped me become more confident in communicating and working with others. This role had one of the biggest impacts on my personal growth and confidence. I also achieved a Distinction in my Grade 8 LAMDA Acting award. Looking ahead, I hope to continue developing the teamwork, leadership, and communication skills that Roedean has helped me build as I work towards becoming a doctor. I am incredibly grateful for the experiences and support I have received throughout my journey at Roedean.
My advice to younger students is to make the most of every opportunity and not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
Brighthelm and Newnham Scholar
One highlight this year has been receiving three offers to study Medicine and one for Medical Pharmacology. The application process was demanding, especially alongside A Levels and cocurricular commitments, but it taught me resilience, organisation and perseverance. I am incredibly excited to study Medicine at Queen Mary University of London in September.
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 5RQ +44(0)1273 667500 roedean.co.uk Charity No.: 307063