I am delighted that term is now in full swing, with lessons, fixtures, and activities up and running as normal this week, along with a whole school photo on Monday. It is lovely to see the Year 7s and other new students settling so quickly and well, and they enjoyed a lovely tea-party with their Big Sisters. The Perfect Team introduced themselves to the school body in Chapel this week, and they have so many ideas of events and activities which can enrich the experience for everyone. Roedean has started the year with a bang!
The boarding provision is wonderful, packed full of activities and fun, and I am delighted that this has been recognised this week by the prestigious Independent School Parent Awards – we have been announced as finalists in the Boarding School of the Year category, which is outstanding!
This review also contains news of several remarkable individual achievements, including the fact sisters, Daisy and Lily, were both crowned World Champions over the summer, after competing in the World Dance Cup in Spain! Building on Roedean students’ sea-swimming achievements, Finya (Yr13) was also part of a successful relay crossing of the Channel last weekend, despite poor sea conditions.
We have a packed weekend coming up, with a busy Open Day on Saturday – I would like to thank my colleagues and the students in advance for showcasing the School to our visitors. There is also a block Hockey fixture against Eastbourne College, and ten students will be racing the electric car they have designed and built at Dunsford. Good luck to them, and to the Year 10s who will be sleeping out tonight, despite the poor weather, to experience in some small way what it is like to be homeless and to raise funds for the local charity, Off The Fence.
I wish you all a restful weekend, and maybe keep an eye out for OR Amber Anning, who will be competing in World Athletics Championships which start tomorrow!
Daisy and Lily are World Champions!
Hockey
Roedean is ISP Finalist for Boarding School of the Year
‘Structures’ in Art and Textiles
Year 12 Art and Textile students have launched into an exciting new project exploring the theme of Structures. Beginning with a collaborative task, the group constructed bold and colourful still-life arrangements, inspired by the work of artist, Barbara Kasten. These inventive displays were documented through photography, providing the foundation for the creative journey ahead.
Students then developed a series of observational drawings, experimenting with a range of media to investigate colour, line, shape, and texture. Building on these studies, they are currently exploring digital manipulation, transforming their drawings into mirrored patterns using Photoshop. These designs will ultimately inform the creation of a large-scale screen-printed wall hanging.
Miss Phillips
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.
Anna, Candis, Bernice, Ellen, and Zaha (Yr13) – for singing a stunning version of the lovesong 'Killing Me Softly' in this week's Chapel services, with fantastic harmonies [Dr Barrand]
Daisy and Lily are World Champions!
At the beginning of the summer holidays, Daisy and Lily competed in the Dance World Cup, held this year in Burgos, Spain. After competing in 15 group dances each with their dance school in a variety of styles, such as tap, musical theatre, jazz, lyrical, and show-stopper, they both came home as World Champions!
Daisy came away with 2 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals, and Lily won 3 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 3 bronze medals. They also received invitations to the Grand Final Gala for 3 pieces between them. One of Lily’s group dances was awarded ‘Best Overall Large Children’s Group’ in the world at the Grand Finals.
Last weekend, Daisy also competed in the UK Young Dancer Grand Finals at the Royal Opera House, produced by All England Dance and Dame Arlene Philips. After hundreds of video tape entries from dancers across the UK, Daisy was selected to attend the ‘top 100’ stage of the competition, in which she learnt two routines from industry professionals. She was then honoured to have been selected as one of the ‘top 20’ grand finalists, and was judged in the finals at the Royal Opera House by incredible industry professionals, Dame Arlene Philips, Kate Prince MBE, and Olivier award-winning James Cousins.
Congratulations to both Daisy and Lily – what amazing achievements!
Mrs Newman
Big Sisters’ Tea-Party
This week, our new students in Years 7-9 had a chance to meet their 'big sisters' in the older years, and they had a lovely time, eating, chatting, and getting to know each other. No doubt, there were lots and lots of questions from our new students, but that is exactly how they will quickly get to know the School, build their confidence, and settle in completely to their new school!
Miss Orrells
Year 11 Inspired by RISE Charity Assembly
Life Drawing Returns to Roedean on Wednesday Evenings
We were excited to welcome back life drawing this Wednesday evening, with students from Years 11 to 13 taking part in this inspiring twilight session. The class offered a fantastic opportunity to deepen our students' understanding of the human form as a structure.
The evening began with a series of quick poses, encouraging students to explore line, movement, and gesture. This was followed by longer poses, giving those interested in portraiture a chance to focus on capturing finer details.
Life drawing classes will continue throughout the Autumn term and are a great way to support the students as they develop their GCSE and A Level coursework. We look forward to seeing even more creativity in the weeks to come!
Ms Strachan
This week, our Year 11 students attended an assembly focused on the charity RISE.
Ava, a representative from the organisation, came to Roedean to speak to the girls about the vital work RISE does in supporting those affected by domestic abuse, and how the funds raised will directly help their efforts.
We are proudly supporting the upcoming 8K event in aid of RISE, and we have two teams competing in the Schools' Shield this year.
Good luck!
Miss Orrells
Weekend Trip to Globalls
The boarders had a fantastic trip to Globalls (glow in the dark mini golf) at the Marina on Sunday. The weather was bright and breezy for the walk down to the Marina, complete with a beautiful view of the sea. The girls split into two groups: one group completed the Aquatic-themed course and one group completed the Zootopiathemed course. A great time was had by all, with some very lucky (or skilled) students getting some 'holes in one'!
Mrs Blatch-Smith
Year 10 Artists Go Down the Tunnel
Year 10 students have made a fantastic start to their GCSE Art studies this term. We've brought the textures, shapes, and colours of the seashore into the classroom, and, over the past two weeks, students have been closely observing and drawing the intricate forms of shells, driftwood, and other beach treasures.
On Monday, we took full advantage of our unique coastal location with a trip through our 'secret' tunnel to the beach. The students spent the lesson exploring the shoreline, photographing the landscape, and collecting natural materials like seaweed and shells to enrich their research.
Keep an eye out for their creative work displayed around the School in the coming months – it’s already looking very impressive!
Ms Strachan
Dolly’s Moving On to Pastures New...
Roedean's 'Shaun the Sheep' statue, acquired by the School as part of Brighton's Shaun by the Sea art trail in Autumn 2023, has been waiting for a new home for nearly two years.
Dolly, named after Dorothy Lawrence, one of Roedean's founding sisters, was won by Alice in the Christmas Fair raffle, but she has donated the sheep to Mr Halsey (his garden will be Dolly's new pasture...). Before she moves on,
Dolly has been wandering around the School, collecting memories!
Thanks to Rosa and Lucy for the photos! Dr Barrand
Prefects' Chapel
Chaya: Good Morning everyone, and a very warm welcome back! Especially to all the new girls joining us this term. My name is Chaya, and, alongside Lydia, we are incredibly proud to be this year’s Head Girls.
Lydia: We remember exactly what it felt like sitting where you are now – new uniform, new faces..., maybe a mix of excitement and nerves too. But we want to reassure you that you’re not alone. You’re joining a community that is warm, supportive, and full of opportunities to grow. And we, alongside the rest of the Prefect team, will do everything in our power to help settle you in.
Chaya: Being a Prefect isn’t just helping to run the School – it’s about being approachable, listening, and setting the tone for kindness, respect, and positivity. Throughout this year, we’ll be leading in different ways – whether that’s supporting events, running initiatives, or just being a friendly face around School. Please don’t hesitate to come and chat to us, ask questions, or even just say hi!
Lydia: We really want this year to be about community, and, of course, we’re not doing this alone. We’ve got a brilliant prefect team who will introduce themselves in a moment and share more about what they’ve been doing, and are going to do, for the School this year.
Chaya: So whether you’re new or returning, we’re so excited for what this year holds. Let’s make it one to remember – together.
Lucy: I'm Lucy and I'm really excited to be your Head of School Team Community Prefect this year. I'd like to take this time to introduce not only myself, but the rest of my wonderful community Prefect team.
Firstly, I am pleased to introduce Mila and Zaha, your Boarding Prefects. If you ever find yourself missing home, needing a chat, or have an exciting idea for the next boarding assembly, they are certainly the people to go to. If you're a boarder, you've definitely heard these two down the corridor. One thing I can confidently say is that these two are working hard to make boarding feel like a second home for everyone – welcoming, inclusive, and, as always, occasionally chaotic. We're hoping to see the return of the safari dinner this year, as well as many of the lively boarding assemblies.
Ellen is your Sustainability Prefect – she is passionate about making Roedean a greener and better space, and her main initiatives include eco-outreach programmes and supporting sustainable-focused charities, with the aim of getting more of us involved in small changes that make a big difference. One very positive change is the appearance of recycling bins around the School, which you should hopefully start seeing in the coming weeks.
And finally, Aishy, your Diversity and Inclusion Prefect. She's here to remind us that every voice matters, that differences are strengths, and that Roedean is at its best when everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Through events such as Culture Day, which will be bigger and better this year, her focus is to ensure that kindness and respect are part of our everyday experience –not just words we say.
Together, our goal is to ensure every person here feels like they belong. Whether you're new to the School or have been here for years, whether you're a boarder or day student, we want to help build a community where people support, respect, and uplift one another.
Rosa: My name is Rosa, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as your Head of School Team: Co-Curricular Prefect this academic year. I strive to make your time here at Roedean as entertaining and enriching as possible, whether that is through clubs, events, or charity bake sales! And I couldn’t do it without my talented team.
I would like to introduce you all to Clara, who is your Sports Prefect – you may already recognise hrer from her incredible achievement of a solo Channel swim to France, this summer, Candis is your Co-Curricular Prefect, and she is a very talented musician. Samantha is your Charity Prefect, dedicated to ensuring Roedean helps our community to the best of our ability.
We have lots of exciting ideas in the works for the coming terms, such as a re-run of Roedean’s Got Talent, which was a show-stopping night which truly showcased the hidden talents of a wide range of our students, instrumentalists,
singers, or dancers! We have plans for more of these events, as well as many fundraising opportunities.
Rida: My name is Rida and I’m so excited to be your Head of School Team for Academics and Enrichment, and even more excited about what we are going to achieve this year.
It is my pleasure to introduce our brilliant academic team: Anna and Emma, our two Academic Prefects, will be helping to drive academic excellence across the School; Irina, our Futures Prefect, who will guide students in preparing for life beyond School; and Bernice, our Arts Prefect, who will champion creativity and the arts at Roedean.
Some academic highlights from last term include getting involved in Humanities Week, from designing creative posters to putting together an activity booklet for students to enjoy, as well as the revision book swap, where older years handed over valuable revision guides and notes to younger years, which was a great success. You may have spotted the new careers column in the Futures Bulletin, which we hope gives you useful insights into different pathways and opportunities to explore for your future.
Things to look out for in the coming months are the highly anticipated staff Christmas Panto, which promises to be full of laughter and festive cheer, a Prefects Café to help guide A Level choices, and the university challenge, which is sure to be both competitive and entertaining.
Angelica: My name is Angelica and I am absolutely thrilled to be the Head of School Team Pastoral Prefect this year. You may have seen us around, but for those of you that haven't met us, I’d like to introduce you to the rest of my team. Key Stage 3 is being looked after by Olivia, Key Stage 4 is overseen by Farah, and Siyun is our Sixth Form Pastoral Prefect.
As your Pastoral Prefect team, we are so excited for this academic year, and we want you to know that we are always here to help. Whether it be academic advice, friendship troubles, or you just fancy a chat, please never ever hesitate to approach us.
Our time capsule project is underway, with all of your letters safely stored until Year 13, where the vision is that you'll be able to open them and even read a few out in your Leavers’ Chapel! Make sure to also keep an eye out for the peer listener and study buddy applications that are opening soon!
We’re all really looking forward to the year ahead and all the memories we’ll make together. Thank you for trusting us – we promise to do our very best to make this year memorable, meaningful, and full of spirit.
This Week in Boarding...
In our second full week back at Roedean, the boarders have been occupied with a multitude of different activities, from voting for their respective House Captains and Deputies, to making enough baked goods to fill our very own Roedean patisserie, and creating crafty items for every aspect of boarding life!
This week, House 1 has got into the swing of things, kicking the week off with their Monday bingo night, followed by pancake Tuesday, with all the toppings, which fuelled their energy for the boarders’ hockey session on Wednesday evening. The House got their baking skills on when making Moana cupcakes, and the younger years enjoyed a lovely walk down to ASDA, which is everyone’s favourite adventure!
House 2 have been keeping busy this week with their House Captain speeches and voting, boarders' favourite pancake night (and other yummy snacks), and the infamous “Get to Know Your House Staff” Quiz, featuring Miss Studdart and Mr Williams, where the House 2 family teams go head-to-head using the noisy buzzers! They finishing up their jam-packed schedule by freshening up the space with new yellow pompoms for the hallways.
In House 3 this week, the girls have been having a ball, from hosting birthday parties (with an epic cake), to playing classic games like Twister, and taking on Farm Duty and feeding our favourite friends. Our House 3 Year 7 and 9s have put their crafty hats on – they have made and traded friendship bracelets, and enjoyed making Hamma Bead designs. Everyone definitely got involved when Just Dance was out, throwing some shapes and getting competitive over dance battles.
House 4 started their week with amazing door sign making, using all the crafty items known to man, they have been on walkabouts around the school grounds, and the girls were introduced to the new resident kitten! To be on trend, House 4 had a pancake evening, where the girls decorated pancake faces, and then finished the week with some creative stone paintings.
Keswick put their folding skills to the test in an origami session this week – from graceful cranes to delicate butterflies and even some mighty dinosaurs, the results were amazing! At the weekend, it was all about friendly rivalry with chess and Uno battles, before everyone came together on Sunday night for ‘music and mocktails’ – the perfect recipe for laughter, relaxation, and celebrating our first full week in style.
Miss Frank-Keyes
Hockey vs Ardingly
U14B
On Saturday, we travelled to Ardingly to play in what would have been, for most the team, their first 11-a-side Hockey fixture.
The start of the game was a bit shaky as we adjusted to the size of pitch and number of players, and this allowed Ardingly to score 2 early goals. After the first five minutes, we settled into the game and had some excellent passages of play up the pitch. Unfortunately, we conceded a third goal, so it was 3-0 at half time.
We went out strong in the second half and dominated play: we opened up the pitch and were driving the ball down the right side strongly. Phoebe scored an excellent goal to make it 3-1. Then Ardingly came back at us to make it 4-1, but we then had 3 attacking short corners in the last 5 minutes of play, getting closer and closer each time.
Overall, it was a great first game back, and I am looking forward to what we can achieve in the future. Well done everyone!
Mrs Hammond
U18C
Saturday saw the U18C Hockey team play Ardingly. They put on a great team performance and really made Ardingly work for their victory. We showed exceptional defence, and special mention goes to Player of the Match, Anya (Yr11), for her fantastic goal keeping, saving many attempts at goal in quick succession. The score of 5-0 does not reflect the closeness of the game, and we now need to work on our attack and score those goals!
Mrs Baker
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
