We have enjoyed the most beautiful weather so far in October, with blue skies and dramatic sunsets. This is perhaps most fitting for today, when everyone in our community has accessorised what we normally wear with something yellow to mark World Mental Health Awareness Day. Earlier in the week, we also had a non-uniform day and a bake sale, both to raise funds for Rockinghorse, the Year 7 charity which helps sick children at the Royal Alex Hospital. Well done and thank you to everyone for supporting the work of this wonderful charity, and for showing your acknowledgement of this important day today.
Congratulations to Finya in Year 13, who set off into the inky waters of the English Channel at 01:55 on Thursday morning as part of a cross-Channel relay swim. The team of five successfully completed the crossing by early afternoon. We will hear more about this amazing challenge in next week’s Head’s Review, but this achievement is all the more impressive because Finya completed another team crossing only a matter of weeks ago - well done!
There have also been a number of other individual successes this week. Congratulations to Zoey in Year 12, whose photo has made it to the last six nationally in the GSA Photography CompetitionI look forward to further news over the coming weeks. Well done also to Maisa in Year 9, who represented Sussex in two events in the pool at the National Swimming Championships. On the back of last week’s excellent results in a national competition, congratulations Sihu in Year 13, who has achieved a Distinction in the UK’s Mathematical Olympiad for Girls, a competition destined to champion the remarkable talents of girls in Mathematics.
Well done to everyone who took part in the Open Mic on Tuesday, and thank you to those who toured families who came to our 'pop-up' Open Morning today. I look forward to next week’s Black History Month lecture, given by Dr Bashair Ahmed on Wednesday 15 October, and to welcoming students from our Roedean Academy partner schools to it. I wish you all a restful break this weekend, and good luck for the last week before half-term.
Zoey's in The Top Six
World Mental Health Awareness Day at Roedean
6th VII Hockey
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.
Rosa, Lili, and Chloe (Yr10), Zlata (Yr11), and Olivia and Farah (Yr13) – for their contributions to this week's Chapel services [Miss Orrells]
Scarlett (Yr11) - for leading the weekend Farm sessions with the Houses on Saturdays and Sundays [Dr Barrand]
Agatha (Yr13) – for leading the Farm Club sessions for Years 7-9 so expertly on Tuesdays and Thursdays all term - thank you! [Dr Barrand]
Unsung Staff hero in the spotlight
Mr and Mrs Denyer for performing a lovely arrangement of 'Memory' from Cats in Chapel [Dr Barrand]
Fantastic Results in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls
Four of our students were selected to take part in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls on 25 September. This is a 2.5 hour written challenge with difficult questions, which assesses not just problem-solving and mathematical skills, but also communication.
I am delighted to say that all four students who entered have achieved a certificate: 24 points were required for a Distinction, and 14 for a Merit, and here are the scores of the Roedean students:
Ronni (Yr13) - 16 - Merit
Julie (Yr12) - 20 - Merit, and Best in Year
Michelle (Yr12) - 20 - Merit, and Best in Year
Sihu (Yr13) - 24 - Distinction, and Best in School
Congratulations to all those who took part!
World Mental Health Awareness Day at Roedean
To mark and support World Mental Health Awareness Day, our students enjoyed the opportunity to accessorise their uniform with something yellow!
Spotted by the Sea
Mrs Lugton managed to spot a furry friend basking in the sun during her lunchtime walk under the cliffs below Roedean!
Mr Cracknell
Mrs Hopper
Book Buzz Excitement for Year 7!
Last Friday, Year 7 had the exciting opportunity to choose a new book to take home. Book Buzz is a nationwide programme that encourages reading for pleasure, and gives students the chance to choose and keep a book they’ll love from 16 fantastic titles.
With such a wide variety of options, there was something for everyone. Students spent a lesson learning about each book, before making their choice, and, for many, the decision was a tough one! There have already been promises of book swaps, showing just how eager everyone is to start reading.
It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm for reading - we can’t wait for the Year 7s to receive their new books!
Zoey's in the Top 6 of the GSA Photography Competition!
Congratulations to Zoey (Yr12) whose entry to the GSA Photography Competition 2025 is one of only six which have been longlisted in the Year 10-13 category.
HHH Ceramics
Year 9 students had the chance to take their ideas on a creative journey during HHH, turning their stories into artwork through a ceramic puppet project. They began by sketching out storyboards, dreaming up imaginative characters with unique personalities and designs. These characters were then sculpted in clay and painted in a glaze. To complete their vision, each group also designed painted backgrounds and wrote scripts. The project focused on encouraging the students' imagination and collaborative skills.
This year's theme was 'A Bright and Bold Future'. Describing her photo, Zoey said: 'This photo portrays a bright and brave future, where humanity may have settled on other planets, and this girl is gazing through the laboratory window at the extraordinary world beyond.'
Good luck for the next round of judging!
Chapel - World Mental Health Awareness Day
Miss Orrells: On Friday this week, we show our support for World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October every year. This day reminds us that, just as we take care of our physical health, our mental and emotional health are equally important. This year, our focus is on being a good friend – reaching out to those around us who may need support, and learning how to look after one another in our school and wider community, as well as ourselves. Showing empathy.
Zlata: Our mental health can affect the way we think, feel, and behave every day. Sometimes, people around us may be struggling silently –with stress, loneliness, or worries they find hard to share – but they may still be smiling, joking, and laughing. Being a good friend can make a real difference. Take a pause, notice. A kind word, a smile, or simply listening can bring comfort and remind someone that they are not alone and open up about how they are feeling really.
Rosa, Lili, Chloe: Being a good friend doesn’t mean having all the answers. It often just means noticing when something feels different. Like if your friend seems quieter than usual, or maybe they’ve been keeping to themselves. That’s when it’s important to reach out. Even a simple question can show you care. Instead of just saying ‘Are you okay?’ and moving on, try asking in a more open way. For example… 'I’ve noticed you seem a bit down lately - do you want to talk aboutit?' Or: 'I’m here for you. How are you really feeling?' Or even: 'Do you want some company, or would you like some space today?' The most important part is to listen without judgment. Sometimes, people just need to be heard. You can say, ‘That sounds really tough. Thank you for sharing it with me.' And if they’re struggling, gently encourage them to talk to a trusted adult or someone who can help. Being a good friend means staying connected - checking in, sending a message, or inviting someone to join in. Small actions can make a big difference.
Olive/Farah: Researcher, Brené Brown, talks about the difference between sympathy and empathy. Sympathy is when we say things like ‘At least…’ or ‘Look on the bright side.’ Although well-meaning, sympathy can make people feel like their struggles are being minimised. Empathy, on the other hand, is about connecting with people’s feelings. It’s climbing down into the ‘hole’ with them and saying: ‘I understand. You’re not alone. I’m here with you.’ When we practise empathy, we don’t try to fix someone’s problems straight away. Instead, we listen. We pause. We stay with them. Brené Brown reminds us that empathy fuels connection with others, and ourselves. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, helps build a stronger and healthier community.
Mrs Bailey and Mr Higgins
Mrs Alexander
Mr Ford
This Week in Boarding!
This week in boarding, we’ve truly felt the autumnal shift - crisp mornings, golden leaves, and a cozy buzz of activity across the School. The change in season has brought a wonderful mix of celebrations and fun, from cultural festivities to creative nights in; it’s safe to say that the autumn term at Roedean has been off to an overwhelmingly promising start!
House 1 - This week was filled with fun and engaging activities for everyone. On Monday, we celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, where our House Captain, Hunny, treated us to delicious homemade mooncakes. We also enjoyed making bubble tea and decorating colourful paper lanterns. Tuesday was all about food, as we made mini tortilla pizzas, which were a big hit with everyone. Wednesday brought out our competitive side, with a Nintendo Switch night, followed by a lively Bingo session on Thursday. The weekend was just as exciting - on Saturday, we had a relaxing Girls' Pamper Night, and, on Sunday, we wrapped up the week with a calm and creative origami session.
House 2 - This week was packed with exciting, themed activities for everyone to enjoy. On Monday, we celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with a magical Moon Walk, delicious moon cakes, and beautifully crafted lanterns. Tuesday brought a culinary twist with Noodle Night, where everyone had the chance to design their own noodle bowl and fill it with their favourite ingredients. Wednesday was full of energy and laughter during our Just Dance Tournament, as everyone showed off their best moves. We ended the week on a relaxing note, with Yoga Night on Thursday, the perfect way to unwind and recharge.
House 3 - started the week with the junior boarders enjoying a fun morning baking banana bread, before heading to Lazer Zone for some exciting tournaments. Monday was filled with MidAutumn Festival celebrations, where Faye, Koi, and Serena lovingly handmade sticky and sweet rice balls, along with
Weekend Trip - LaserZone
A bright and, not as breezy as expected, early start for LazerZone saw Roedean boarders descend upon central Brighton in the wake of Storm Amy, arriving even before the LazerZone staff did! The girls were divided into four teams to maximise their involvement and the firing started... Laser battles were won and lost between the groups. The competition was high, with some opting to stake out certain areas, while others went on a rampage around the course! What a funfilled Sunday morning!
Mr Lutwyche
traditional sweet potato soup. On Tuesday, everyone got creative making Halloween decorations, like paper bats and pumpkins, while Mr. Wienekus treated the group to delicious Boba Tea. Wednesday was dedicated to House Dance rehearsals and more Halloween crafts, this time making spooky ghosts. The week would be incomplete without the House favourite — Mr W's Pasta Bar, being served up on Thursday evening!
House 4 - This week was full of wonderful activities, starting with a fabulous pizza night on Monday, expertly made by Miss Romani. Tuesday was dedicated to arts and crafts, where everyone enjoyed creating with air-dry clay. On Wednesday, we celebrated Nigerian Independence Day with a vibrant evening hosted by House 4’s Nigerian students, who organised and cooked delicious dishes, like plantain, chicken, puff puffs, and spicy rice - it was a fabulous evening. Thank you to all who were involved in this truly memorable event. Thursday wrapped up the week with homemade tangyuan, and a lantern moon walk in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Keswick House - This week, Keswick students found moments between studying to relax with games of chess and bingo. Over the weekend, they came together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a grand home-cooked feast - special thanks to Cheryl for preparing so many delicious dishes! The celebrations also included lantern-making and lively karaoke sessions, where everyone enjoyed belting out favourites like Defying Gravity and Take Me Home, Country Roads - a perfect way to end the week!
The 2nd VII showed great determination and spirit in a tough match against a strong Brighton College side. Despite the 4-0 scoreline, the team battled throughout and produced some excellent passages of play. The Captain, Harrie, led from the front, making strong leads into the pockets and creating attacking opportunities.
At the back, Nkem was composed under pressure, distributing the ball with speed and accuracy. Daisy was a key defensive presence, breaking down Brighton’s right-sided attacks with strong tackles. In midfield, Lara controlled the play well, linking defence and attack with intelligent passes. Tilly impressed with her ability to eliminate players, while Scarlett made powerful forward runs.
Kosi was outstanding across the pitch, contributing at both ends with relentless effort. In goal, Juno made several excellent saves to keep the scoreline down. It was a tough result, but a performance full of grit, teamwork, and promise.
2nd VII Hockey vs Brighton College 7th VII Hockey vs Brighton College
This was another great performance from the girls in a competitive game, showing lots of progress, brilliant spacing, and movement. There was a clear understanding of structures and some great opportunities at goal. Despite the 3-0 loss, there are some real positives to take into training. Player of the Match went to Shalom for her relentless defence.
Maisa at National Swimming Champs
Maisa participated last weekend in the National County Team Championship, representing Sussex.
Alongside the best swimmers in Sussex from across several clubs in the county, she travelled by to Sheffield. On the way there, they stopped at Loughborough University (where many Olympians have studied and train) to do some of their own swimming training. The Intercounties took place on Sunday in Sheffield, with a day full of races and relays.
Maisa was in the 12-13 year old female category, and raced in 100m backstroke, along with the 50m fly for the relay. She achieved great times, and, together with her team, they gave it their all to ensure Sussex remained in Division 1 and placed 12th in the country.
Well done!
U18 Badminton vs Christ’s Hospital
The U18 Badminton team travelled to Christ’s Hospital for their first fixture together, and it proved to be an entertaining and tightly contested encounter. The match came down to the wire, with Christ’s Hospital narrowly edging the result 9–7 in matches.
Athena and Jolie were outstanding, remaining undefeated throughout their four games. The
second pairing of Alice and Elisa also performed strongly, securing three wins from four matches. Despite the best efforts of our third and fourth pairs, they were unable to pick up a win to tip the balance in our favour. Although the final score didn’t go our way, it was a highly enjoyable fixture for all involved.
Mr Foggoa
U15B Lance Lancing in Thrilling 2-1 Win
The U15B XI took on Lancing College in an ageold rivalry. The girls started sluggishly and were falling into Lancing's traps of them hunting the ball together in a giant swirl of chaos.
After some adjusting to their play, we managed to really move the ball well to the sides and made in-roads into their half. Olive and Martha connected brilliantly in attack, and caused mayhem on the right, getting the ball into dangerous positions in the circle, where Ezzie was waiting patiently to drive the ball home into the goal. Roedean went 1-0 up in exactly that fashion, triumphantly scored past their goal keeper.
Late in the first half, in a very similar fashion, the girls managed to score another emphatic goal to take a 2-0 lead with a few minutes left. Our hopes of going into half-time with a 2-0 advantage
1st VII Hockey vs Brighton College
The 1st VII put in a determined performance against Brighton College, with strong teamwork and individual skill on display throughout the match. The captain, Zé, led by example at right defence, consistently feeding the ball up the pitch to Lottie on the right midfield. Lottie impressed with her flair and control, frequently beating her marker and driving to the baseline to create attacking chances.
Maisie opened the scoring with a well-taken goal, capitalising on early pressure. In central midfield, Chloe anchored the team, distributing the ball smartly and maintaining control in the middle of the park. On the left, Bethany was relentless in tracking her opponent and applying pressure. Tabitha marshalled the defence with confidence, while Issy made a string of crucial saves to keep Brighton at bay. Ines brought high energy across midfield and attack, working tirelessly throughout.
Overall, it was a solid team effort and they gained a well-earned 3-2 win. Well done to Maisie who scored one and Lottie who scored two!
were dashed by a final attack which saw a 1-on-1 with the GK, and Lancing scored a crucial goal.
After a quick chat regarding how the opposition were playing and a few plans of what to improve in the second half, the girls set to work and played some brilliant hockey. There was wave after wave of attacks, but to no avail. Lancing's attacks were squashed through excellent channeling wide, and shots being taken in the wide channels where our defenders and goal keepers had it all covered.
The match ended as a 2-1 win for Roedean, Olive was named Attacking Player of the Match, and Dita was Defender of the Match.
Mr Campleman
8th VII Hockey vs Brighton College
A rematch against Brighton College saw a win for us this week, 3-1.
The girls have learnt alot since our last game and used the space well, driving the ball down the pitch. Our Goal Keeper, Christina, made some excellent saves.
Player of the Match goes to Dao, whose peseverence and huge, boundless energy really held the team together.
Mrs Baker
Mrs Baker
Miss Agnew
Miss Agnew
Miss Agnew
5th VII Hockey vs Brighton College
What a wonderful first match of the season for this U13 team! They went out with enthusiasm against Brighton College, and, despite a 2-1 loss, they worked well as a team, showing strength and skills. Farhana and Desire put pressure on in defence, whilst Shalom and Marion worked hard to bring the ball into the attacking end.
Every ball was contested, they grew in confidence as the match progressed, and it was a fabulous game to watch. A super well done goes to every player! Special congratulations go to Isabella, who was named Opposition's Player of the Match!
Mrs Wilson
6th VII Hockey vs Brighton College
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
On Wednesday, our 6th Hockey team faced Brighton College at home. It was a lovely day for some hockey, and the team were in good spirits.
Brighton started strongly and got an early 2-0 lead. We came into the game after that and had some excellent counter attacks. We worked back as a team and defended some short corners ferociously. Veera drove the ball out of defence brilliantly, and passed into some space for Ianthe to run on to. She broke through on goal and scored 2 brilliant goals in 1-on1s against their goalie.
The final score was 5-2 to Brighton. It was a good effort by all the team, and congratulations to Veera who was named Opposition's Player and Veera and Ianthe who were the Coach's Players.
