Head’s Introduction
What a wonderful day we have had to mark International Women’s Day at Roedean! This morning, fifteen inspirational speakers covered diverse topics from girls’ education in Nepal and song-writing to contemporary dance and the geology of the moon. After attending three talks of their choice, the girls took their inspiration from the morning to find out more at the futures fair, at which fifty professions and institutions were represented. I am delighted that our girls have had this wonderful opportunity, and I am very grateful for all of the work behind the scenes which has gone into making this such a success.
At the weekend, eight members of staff and students ran the Brighton Half Marathon, and, despite the wind and the rain, they all ran amazing times around the two-hour mark, which is so impressive. As a school, I was proud that Roedean was a sponsor of the event, underlining how embedded the School is in the local community. Well done to everyone who took part, to all those who supported, to our cheer-leaders encouraging the runners on at the point where they turned back towards Brighton near Roedean, and to Mrs Wienekus and her team for all the work which went on unseen in the build-up!
World Book Day yesterday was the finale to a week of activities organised by Mr Woodhouse and Mrs Bailey. Both students and staff dressed as their favourite characters from books (some more recognisable than others), and there has also been a literary quiz, activities in lessons, literary karaoke, and much more. Well done to everyone!
I am delighted that we can now celebrate six offers of places at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge – this is remarkable, and represents the largest number in at least a decade. Huge congratulations go to Natalie, Maria, Lydia, Rosa, Claire, and Claire. It is wonderful that many of our Year 13s now have all five university offers, and our Medics are also receiving offers. As ever, the range of chosen degree courses is incredible, and this highlights the breadth of the girls’ interests and talents.
World Book Day at Roedean Roedean
This Oxbridge success coincides with our Oxbridge Conference, held at Roedean this week. Students with high academic aspirations from Roedean and local schools in the maintained sector learned first-hand about strong applications, the experience of being an Oxbridge student, and what is required in the years building up to a successful application. The event was a great success, and I am grateful to Mr Homer and Ms Boobis for organising it, and to our OR contributors too.
Well done to the Year 11s, who completed their assessments earlier this week, and I hope that their dinner-dance with Tonbridge goes well this evening. I am looking forward to welcoming our exchange students from Roedean South Africa who arrive over the course of the weekend, and I hope you all enjoy a restful exeat weekend.
Unsung heroes in the spotlight
Each week, many wonderful things happen at Roedean, about which many in the school are perhaps unaware; this section of the weekly review is dedicated to ‘unsung heroes’, in order to draw our attention to these people and remind us that our community is special.
Chapel – Ramadan
This week's services were led by students, sharing the significance of the month of Ramadan for them, and they included sung verses from the Koran. Zaha (Yr13) also played a beautiful piece on the qanun, a traditional instrument.
Ms Earl: Good morning. Chapel this morning is on the holy month of Ramadan. I am sure you are aware that some members of our community are currently fasting, as part of their observation of the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is a time of spiritual reflection and religious devotion.
'The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it.'.'
Farah: 'Ramadan teaches awareness of character and to appreciate the things that we often take for granted, such as family. Before the fast begins at dawn, Muslims wake for Suhoor, a meal that provides energy for the day ahead. At sunset, the fast is broken with Iftar, a ritual that brings the community together to celebrate our strength.
Zaha, Farah, and Rida (Yr13), Sana'a (Yr11), and Fahmida (Yr10) – for sharing their insights about Ramadan in our Chapel services this week [Ms Earl]
Unsung Staff hero in the spotlight
Mr Woodhouse – for an extremely thought-provoking Academic Lecture on language, which was a treat! [Ms Ibanez]
Fasting for religious reasons is a part of many of the major world faiths and it can take many different forms. It may involve avoiding certain foods (such as meat or sweet treats), or avoiding certain behaviours for a period of time. It may involve taking something up, such as carrying out community projects or undertaking additional worship and prayer. It can mean completely avoiding all food or drink for a period of time, as it does in Islam, during the month of Ramadan.
However, it is not the lack of food or drink that is the goal of religious fasting. Instead, religious fasts aim to focus a believer’s mind on their faith: on God, on their community, on their values, and on their reasons for undertaking such a challenging religious practice.
Those who fast for religious reasons renew their commitment to their faith, refocus their minds on what matters most to them, develop in their religious understanding, and share this experience with others who join them in their fast.
Today’s service is about the importance of Ramadan for Muslims around the world, and I am sure that it will give you a deeper insight into the practice and significance of this important month in Islam.
Zaha: 'When we think of Ramadan, the first thing that comes to mind is fasting. From dawn until sunset, Muslims abstain from food and drink – including water. But beyond that, Ramadan is also a time of self-reflection, community, and mindfulness.
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam known as Sawm, and it encourages Muslims to find control over their desires and distractions, prohibiting negative behaviour such as gossip and insulting language.
As the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, it is also believed to be the month when the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad; the text which guides Muslims towards compassion and mercy. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 183, it reads:
Mosques and community centres often host shared meals open to both Muslims and nonMuslims. As a time for gratitude, Iftar recognises the importance of coming together and sharing these moments with one another. Surah AlBaqarah verse 184 reads:
'O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.'.'
Sana’a and Rida: 'Ramadan teaches the importance of generosity. Muslims are encouraged to perform acts of charity, whether it is through Zakat – obligatory charity – or small acts of kindness. It reminds us that blessings are meant to be shared. Ramadan is also a time of increased devotion where Muslims engage in extra prayer, specifically Taraweeh, which occurs after the evening prayer. In these moments, we seek a closer connection to God and guidance during the month.
The practice of fasting also develops empathy for the Muslim community around the world who struggle with hunger, particularly in areas like Sudan and Gaza. It inspires us to be grateful for the simple pleasures in life and to give back to those in need.'
Fahmida: 'Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, a celebration of the spiritual journey completed. Families come together and give Zakat al-Fitr, a form of charity that reinforces the values of kindness and generosity within the community.
Eid is not just a celebration, it is about sharing love and compassion with those around us. Whether or not we observe Ramadan, its lessons of gratitude, self-reflection, and patience are universal and inspire everyone to be more thankful in our daily lives.
Ramadan is not about a temporary change in habits for a month – it is about transformation. It is about seeking kindness over anger, generosity over selflessness, and faith over fear.'
Roedean was a proud sponsor of the Brighton Half Marathon last weekend, and it was such a pleasure to be part of such a fantastic event, even despite the weather. We had a tent on Hove Lawns, fifty metres from the finish, and we proudly welcomed our runners home.
Congratulations to the eight members of our staff and student community, along with parents, who completed the Half Marathon in brilliant times:
Roedean Half Marathon Southern School Book Awards
Last Friday evening, a group of Roedean students attended the Southern Schools' Book Awards at Hurst College. The awards are voted for by students from local schools, with the winner announced during a ceremony attended by the shortlisted authors.
Students had the opportunity to hear each of the authors speak about their work, before meeting them afterwards at a book-signing event. The evening also featured live illustrations from the acclaimed illustrator, Chris Riddell, and the Roedean students were lucky enough to chat with him after the event.
This year’s awards were particularly poignant for two Year 13 students, Agatha and Rida, who have been attending the awards since Year 7. They were delighted to have the opportunity to attend one final time before heading off to university next year.
Here, Agatha and Rida talk about what the SSBAs have meant to them during their time at Roedean: 'Over the past seven years, we have had the privilege of attending the Southern Schools' Book Awards, and it has been one of the most memorable parts of our time here at Roedean. Each year, we read the five shortlisted books and voted for our favourite, which made us feel genuinely involved and a part of the reading community.
At the event, the authors delivered inspiring speeches about their writing journeys and the ideas behind their stories. We were also lucky enough to receive a free book and meet the authors afterwards to have our copies signed. One of the highlights every year has been watching Chris Riddell draw live illustrations (which were hilarious!) while the speakers were talking – it was incredible to see the artwork developed in real time. Being part of this event for so many years has been a truly special experience throughout our school journey which we will really miss.'
■ Ms Joslyn – 1hr51
■ Mr Major – 1hr55
■ Mr Foggoa – 1hr55
■ Miss Hayman – 1hr55
■ Clara (Yr13) – 1hr56
■ Ms Sturgeon – 2hr06
■ Agatha (Yr13) – 2hr10
■ Irina (Yr13) – 2hr10
Well done, and we are already looking forward to next year's event!
Agatha and Rida (Year 13)
Mrs Wienekus
University Destinations
Continuing from last week's celebrations of the wide range of excellent offers being received by our Year 13s, we would like to share a few more:
Madison
Congratulations to Madison, who has 5 offers to study Law from Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Manchester, and Royal Holloway universities. She has been at Roedean since Year 7 and is currently studying English Literature, Government & Politics, and Media Studies for A Level. She has a personal connection to Law through her father’s job and personal circumstances, but it was only during her work experience that she realised that Law was what she wanted to study. Madison’s subjects have given her a good foundation for a range of disciplines, be they international or media, and provided a range of analytical thinking skills that will serve in good stead.
Zaha
Congratulations to Zaha, who has 5 offers to study International Relations from KCL, SOAS, Royal Holloway, Reading, and Queen Mary universities. She joined us for Sixth Form from her previous school in Oman, but her relationship with Roedean goes back far further as her mother is an Old Roedeanian. Zaha is currently studying A Levels in English Literature, French, and Government & Politics. She describes herself as ‘a product of political decisions made by others beyond [her] control’ and this background has inspired her passion to learn more about politics, between countries and large corporations, and to have a career in advocacy that inspires global equity, particularly for women.
Fiona
Congratulations to Fiona, who has so far gained offers to study Architecture at Bath and Design for Theatre and Live Performance at Nottingham Trent. Fiona joined us for Sixth Form, and is studying Art & Design, Business, Mathematics, and Further Mathematics for A Level. Though her varied choices may seem unusual, Fiona is deeply interested in space and design, and how layout influences movement, and light and materials shape atmosphere. She views spaces as environments that influence well-being and behaviour, and this is equally true for performers on the stage, or for those who frequent a building.
Moldova Bake Sale
Well done and thank you to all those who baked and donated cakes for this week's Moldova Bake Sale.
£362 pounds were raised for Project 125 Moldova, and those dressing up for World Book Day or wearing nonuniform have also raised more valuable funds for the Rainbow of Hope Orphanage outside Chisinau, which our students visit each year.
Thank you to all those who bought cake and wore non-uniform to donate to this incredibly worthwhile philanthropic endeavour.
Dr Barrand
Oxbridge News –6 Offers for Roedean Students
This week, Roedean has really strengthened its relationship with Oxford and Cambridge universities. We confirmed that we have 6 Oxbridge offers for 2026, with 1 to Oxford (Claire for Classics and English) and 5 to Cambridge (Rosa for Natural Sciences: Biological, Natalie for Veterinary Medicine, Maria for History and Politics, Claire for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, and Lydia for Modern and Medieval Languages). This is the highest number of offers for Oxbridge we have had in recent memory.
We also welcomed back four Roedean alumnae who are currently studying at Oxford and Cambridge to present at our Oxbridge Conference this week. This was a fantastic event, attended by more than 230 students and parents from Roedean and local maintained schools. Our alumnae spoke feelingly about their experiences at Oxford and Cambridge, and about the support and opportunities received at Roedean to help them not only get there, but thrive once they arrived. Tabitha, a fifth year Medic at Newnham College, Cambridge, was eloquent in explaining how sometimes the opportunities may look small, but they add up and really provide a consistent portfolio of evidence of prolonged engagement and interest in your chosen area of study. When she was at Roedean, Tabitha's Year 12 poster project was about her favourite bacteria. Not only do we all still remember it, but she cited it as a key point that helped her stand out in both her personal statement and her interview.
We look forward to a few years' time, when our current Year 13 Oxbridge offer holders will be able to pinpoint such individual moments of interest and engagement that helped them on their undergraduate journeys.
Ms Boobis
World Book Day at Roedean
For World Book Day 2026, we championed reading and celebrated books in true Roedean style!
Earlier this week, our students and staff brought literature to life with Literary Karaoke, delivering fantastic renditions inspired by beloved books. On World Book Day itself, we enjoyed a book-themed quiz and a costume competition, with everyone dressed as their favourite literary characters.
The prizes were awarded as follows:
■ Best Costume: Mrs Hopper
■ Most Creative Costume: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
■ Most Accurate to the Book: Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
■ Best Group Costume: Thing 1 and Thing 2
Well done to all the entrants and winners, who have won prizes! Mrs Bailey
Conducting Masterclass at Roedean
This week, some of our Music students were lucky enough to take part in a conducting masterclass with an old friend of the School –Natalia Luis-Bassa is a Venezuelan conductor, who is Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music. She has come to Roedean a number of times before, and every time the girls involved learn so much.
The orchestra played Handel's Water Music, and excerpts from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and a number of our students took on the daunting task of taking up the baton and 'controlling' the orchestra!
Congratulations to Sofia, Shermane, Natalie, Ellen, Amyra, Sorcha, Jemima, Scarlett, Anna, Hannah, Ellen, and Bernice, who relished the challenge, and it was really interesting to hear how the same pieces sounded very different when conducted by a different person, exactly as Natalia had said.
Well done to everyone involved!
Dr Barrand
U13A Host Brighton College in Tough Match
The U13A Netball team hosted Brighton College to a stunning Wednesday netball match on the cliffs at Roedean.
Brighton started very well, scoring a couple of unanswered points before Roedean stepped it up and got some points on the board. The second quarter saw Brighton turn the intensity up further, with our defence struggling to cope through the court. The pressure was on for the girls to turn this game around, and they did so in
the 3rd quarter, with a few changes to the lineup; we were freely moving toward the post and finishing off some lovely moves.
The girls worked hard to turn the ball over, with Chloe, Ze, and Lottie making some crucial turnovers and ensuring we caught up 7 points in the third quarter.
The final quarter meant we needed to turn around 12 points, which would be a big ask,
but the girls set to work and managed to pull back some of the lead Brighton had. However, Brighton stepped up their play too, and, due to their commanding lead in the 2nd quarter, it was a bridge too far for the Roedean girls. Both teams played some superb netball and deserve to be proud of their performances.
Mr Campleman
Netball vs Sevenoaks
U15C
The U15C match against Sevenoaks was a really close match, and the teams were wellsuited. We had lots of possession down our end, but unfortunately that didn't always result in an accurate shot. There were really impressive performances from Georgie and Lili, who made excellent passes down the court. As always, the girls gave 100% and they did not waiver in their energy levels throughout the game. It was a 10-12 loss, but we will move forward and work on our shooting.
Mrs Baker
U15A Dominate
'On Tuesday, we pulled out a strong performance against Sevenoaks. After a solid start, taking a lead of 12-6, Chiara and Andrea picked up lots of interceptions and distributed them effectively, helping the team deliver the ball to goal.
In the second quarter, Roedean carried the lead throughout, maintaining a score of 19-10, with the help of Kayla carrying the ball quickly down court to Sophie and Naomi, where they shot goal after goal.
Our penultimate quarter ended on 30-15, doubling Sevenoaks’ score. Joy, Andrea, and Chiara made quick interceptions, and Kayla and Paloma carried the ball through court to the shooters.
Finally, the last quarter was extremely thrilling, and we were able to play with a bit of versatility. Naomi, Joy, and Chiara were in defence, Sophie and Paloma were in midcourt, and there was an unanticipated combo of Yasmin and Andrea in the D, and we were able to maintain a lead and ended 35-20.
A big shout-out goes to Sophie and Andrea for being named Opposition's Player, and the Coach’s Player was Naomi. Well done, guys, it was incredible.'
Yasmin (Yr10)
U15A
Netball vs Sevenoaks
U16B with Mega Final Quarter to Win by 2
The U16B welcomed Sevenoaks to a beautiful and blustery Roedean on Saturday. After a good warm-up, we started very well, surging to 4 points up after the first few minutes in the first quarter. Sevenoaks then settled and managed to pull themselves back to finish the quarter 7-7.
The second quarter saw us struggling to score against the breeze and taking shots too far away from the post. Sevenoaks carried on their run and managed to pull away to a 5 point lead after the 2nd quarter.
A big third quarter was needed and the team did respond and kept in touch with Sevenoaks, equalling their points, meaning we weren't too far away and were still in the game. The gameplan then worked wonders, as the girls put it to work landing circle edge, allowing us to feed better into the circle, and then resting the ball if we were too far from the post. This continuous driving movement to defend in the circle meant we created good spaces to drive into and land close to the post, where Liv and Mia put them in for fun with high confidence.
With 5 minutes to go, we had managed to take the lead in the game, and, in the remaining few minutes, pull a 2 point lead and hold it crucially until the end. Well done to the whole team for fighting all the way to end, and for pulling it out the bag with a big last quarter in difficult scoring conditions.
Players of the Match were Abbie and Mia.
Mr Campleman
U16C
The U16C team played against Sevenoaks last week and delivered an excellent performance in a closely-contested match that finished 12-12.
From the opening whistle, the girls showed great effort, determination, and teamwork, maintaining their strong start throughout the entire game. Their commitment and positive attitude were clear to see.
Sana'a and Miranda both stood out, with outstanding performances, and they were deservedly named Players of the Match. Well done to all the girls for a fantastic team effort.
Mr Williams
U15B
U15D Win 19-13
The U15Ds played incredibly against a strong Sevenoaks team, and they took a 19-13 win! The team were immediately dominant, getting turnovers and consistently getting shots in, leading 8-4 after the first quarter. Even with no subs, the girls carried on fighting until the final second, holding Sevenoaks back from closing the goal difference between them, with some crucial interceptions, and they got the well-deserved win. Great job, girls!
Roedean U15Bs travelled to Sevenoaks in good spirits, following a strong midweek performance against Brighton Girls. Despite the positive build-up, the team started slowly and, after a double turnover, found themselves 4-0 down early on.
Recognising that this wasn’t the standard expected, strong leadership from Joy and Sorcha helped the team regroup. Roedean responded with great determination, fighting back well to end the first quarter all square.
The second quarter proved to be the turning point of the match. Joy and Janelle caused numerous turnovers, and the team capitalised brilliantly, with Naomi and Yasmin converting these opportunities into goals. The netball played during this quarter was some of the best of the term, and credit must go to the entire team for their composure and intensity.
Amber (Yr9) joined the squad in the second half to provide extra cover and made an immediate impact, producing key turnovers and creating scoring opportunities. Roedean maintained their momentum, pushing hard throughout the second half and ultimately securing a well-deserved 39-33 victory.
All our players delivered strong performances, and the mid-court trio of Alex, Sorcha, and Andrea were particularly impressive throughout the game.
Players of the Match: Amber and Janelle.
We welcome contributions from all parts of the Roedean community. If you have something you would like featured in the Head’s Weekly Review, please email: aws@roedean.co.uk
Miss Webster
Mr Foggoa
U15D
U15B