22 May 2026 –
HEAD’S REVIEW
Head’s Introduction
This week has been busy for those taking A Levels and GCSEs, and I have been impressed by the continued focus and positive approach of the Year 13s and 11s - well done. The majority of the rest of the School has also been in assessments, and I hope that they have been able to take the opportunity to demonstrate all that they have learnt over the course of the year.
There have also been some remarkable successes this week: well done to Fifi and Ines who were part of the winning Sussex Netball team playing at the Copperbox; congratulations to Sylvia, who has enjoyed great success in Dance recently; and well done also to Chloe and Sophie, who have represented Sussex in Netball.
Special congratulations go to Millie, whose play, from over 1000 entries, has been selected as one of six for a New Views play-reading by professional actors in the National Theatre in July. New Views is a national programme designed to encourage young people to write plays, and this is the first year this activity has run at Roedean, so we are all delighted and proud of Millie’s success.
Although the focus has been on assessments, this has been a busy week for Cricket, with a number of exciting fixtures. Last Friday, a group of Year 12s attended an OR networking event up in London, and I was thoroughly impressed by their confidence and how they ‘worked the room’ - I hope they have made some excellent contacts for the future. We also welcomed over 140 students from the DHE School in Denmark as part of their week-long tour of the South of England, and they enjoyed creative workshops, a trip down the tunnel to the beach, and a rounders tournament. And the sheep on the Farm have had their annual shearing, so they are looking a little different!
I am pleased that the first half of term has gone so well, and I wish you all a lovely Bank Holiday, and a restful break over half term.
Sheep Shearing & Goat Walks
Winners at Copperbox Volleyball
Happy Half Term
142 Danish Visitors to Roedean
On Monday, we welcomed 142 students from DHE on the west coast of Denmark. Following a hugely successful exchange in February to this unusual boarding school in Denmark with a specialism on Art, it was our pleasure to host their students at Roedean.
The students enjoyed a range of Art and Design Technology workshops, which covered screenprinting, paper-fashion, lino-printing, and suncatchers. They also enjoyed going down the 146 steps through our 'secret' tunnel to the sea, and
walking around the marina sea-wall to look back at the School.
After a picnic lunch in front of the Clubhouse, the students threw themselves into a Rounders tournament, hosted by the PE department in the springtime sun. Overall it was a wonderful day, and we hope that the Danish students go home with fond memories of Roedean.
Millie's Play at the National Theatre
We are delighted to announce that the play Three Butterflies, Two Chimpanzees, One Lion, written by Millie in Year 12, has been selected to be performed in a rehearsed reading at the National Theatre New Views Playwrighting Festival on 2 July 2026. Featuring the plays written by this year’s six winners, the New Views Festival is the culmination of a flagship playwriting programme for 14-19 yearolds across the UK. This year, over 1000 young people from across the UK have taken part in the New Views Programme, which makes Millie’s success all the more impressive.
The New Views programme provides young playwrights with the opportunity to pen their first stage play, with guidance and mentorship from their teachers alongside professional playwrights. The Roedean Drama Department
ran a New Views as a co-curricular activity this year for fifteen students with a strong interest in drama, using the wonderful resources from the New Views programme. Millie created her first draft with the guidance of Ms Stephens and Ms Rodriguez, and then received feedback from the playwright, Sian Owens. Following this, she developed her writing to create a final draft, which was then submitted to the National Theatre and considered for inclusion in the New Views Festival.
Ms Tahys Rodriguez, a member of the Drama department and a playwright herself, has been impressed with the tangible growth in the girls’ confidence and skills: ‘Taking part in New Views this year has been a transformative experience. Giving students the freedom to write without boundaries was incredible. The impact on the group has been profound, serving as a massive inspirational spark, boosting the students’ confidence and creative agency. Witnessing the dedication and the pride they took in their final drafts was the most rewarding highlight of the programme. They all deserve to be congratulated, but we are, of course, incredibly proud of Millie’s success.’
Millie will now have the remarkable opportunity to work with professional actors and directors to present her play in the Olivier Theatre, the largest auditorium at London’s National Theatre.
We have no doubt that it will be a wonderful spectacle – tickets are free and are available on the following link: New Views Festival 2026 | Rehearsed Play Readings | National Theatre
Millie is thrilled: ‘My inspiration was drawn from shows that used to be broadcast on CBBC all the time, like ‘The Zoo’ and ‘One Zoo Three!’. I’ve always enjoyed the idea of a comfortable setting of a kids’ show being used to communicate to teenagers or older, and this seemed like the perfect application of that. Shows like that never follow one set of characters, so I thought it would be good to have different types of people represented as animals.’ She relished immersing herself in the creative process: ‘The course was very effective and practical. I really enjoyed using all the time that was given to really develop my characters and story, especially the workshop with the playwright. She helped make all our ideas more tangible and realistic, with new approaches that I’d never heard of. I’d only ever written screenplays for fun before this, so I found it rewarding to be able to create something unique for the stage.’
Congratulations, Millie, on such an outstanding achievement – we look forward to 2 July and beyond!
Mrs Alexander
Sheep Shearing, Goat Walks, and Eco-Warriors
It has been full on on the Farm this week! Not only have the animals welcomed the EcoCouncil from Cottesmore Primary School in Hove, with children from Years 2 to 6, but Duke has taken a few walks on a harness to wish those doing GCSEs good luck, but, most importantly, the sheep have been shorn - thanks to Holly the Shepherdess' expert skills, they are now much lighter, and perhaps a little chillier, but they are definitely ready for the warmer summer weather!
Dr Barrand
CCF Cadets Pass Weapon Handling Test
Congratulations to nine of our CCF cadets, who have successfully passed their Weapons Handling Test. They demonstrated safe and confident handling, including Normal Safety Precautions, stripping and reassembling the weapon, and remembering which bit goes where!
This is a brilliant milestone in their CCF training, and means they will now be able to be sworn in and take part in the all the over-nighter ambush activities in June.
Well done to Alex, Paloma, Sorcha, Livvy, Bea, Martha, Andrea, and Scarlet, for their focus, discipline, and calm under pressure, even when faced with springs, pins, and the occasional mysterious extra part.
Mrs Pashley
Water-Saving Pledges at Roedean
Last week, the Roedean community made water-saving pledges and proved that you do not need to be a superhero to help save the planet, although a cape would still be warmly welcomed.
Students and staff pledged to turn off taps while brushing their teeth, take shorter showers, only run full dishwashers and washing machines, use cooler wash cycles, collect rainwater for plants, and reuse water wherever possible. Some even promised to stop treating the shower like a personal concert venue, a sacrifice we recognise and applaud.
Water-Saving Week is an important reminder that clean, fresh water is precious and limited. It is easy to take it for granted when we can simply turn on a tap, but saving water helps protect nature, reduce waste, and support a more sustainable future.
The good news is that small actions really do add up. A shorter shower, a full washing machine, or a reused bottle of water may seem simple, but across a whole school community, they can make a real difference.
Thank you to everyone who took part and helped show that saving water can be practical, positive, and occasionally surprisingly entertaining.
Every drop counts, even the ones saved by ending your shower concert one chorus early!
Mrs Pashley
Sylvia's Dance Success
We are delighted to celebrate Sylvia’s recent success in dance. Last week, Sylvia and a friend competed in a dance competition, performing as the 'Ugly Sisters', and, impressively, they won the overall event against more than 30 acts.
Sylvia has also enjoyed further success at the 'So You Want to Dance' competition held at Roedean School, where she received an outstanding collection of awards, including Best Duet Dance, Best Solo, and the Judges’ Choice Award. What a fantastic achievementcongratulations, Sylvia!
Miss Bamford
Weekend Trip - Escape Room
Our boarders took a trip to Brighton's escape room, in a real bank vault! Students were asked to solve a murder that had taken place in Regency Brighton in the tunnels of the Royal Pavilion! Before beginning, they were warned that these code-cracking challenges were particularly tricky. However, exceptional teamwork prevailed; hidden clues were spotted, and codes were deciphered, and the final mystery was solved with only seconds to spare!
Miss Moore
House 1 Win House Tennis!
The annual House Tennis competition proved to be a highly competitive and entertaining event, with students showcasing excellent teamwork, determination, and House spirit throughout the afternoon.
House 1 emerged as the overall winners of this year’s competition, claiming victory in three out of the four year-group competitions. Despite missing several key players, they proved to be a dominant force on the courts, and thoroughly deserved their success.
Finishing in second place was House 3, who impressed with their teamwork and execution across all age groups. Their squad consisted of Charlotte and Regina (Yr7), Izzy and Ottie (Yr9), Serena and Kayla (Yr10), and Megs with Darcey (Yr12). The team finished runners-up in three of the four year groups, while Kayla and Serena were crowned Year 10 champions following an excellent performance.
House 2 secured third place, bringing fantastic energy and enthusiasm to the event. Newly appointed Head Girl, Charlie (Yr12) led from the front, keeping spirits high throughout the afternoon. Although results did not quite go their way, the team showed great resilience and enjoyed their time on court, finishing third in three competitions and fourth in one.
House 4 completed the standings, but certainly did not lack enthusiasm, arguably bringing the most fun and entertainment to the event. Highlights included Nichole and Cynthia (Yr9) keeping everyone entertained during the Year 9 competition. The House managed a third-place finish in one competition, while placing fourth in the others, but their positivity and team spirit were evident throughout.
Congratulations to all students involved for their effort, sportsmanship, and excellent representation of their Houses.
Sussex Netball
Success for Sophie and Chloe!
A few weeks ago, Chloe (Yr8) and Sophie (Yr10) were both selected to represent Sussex Netball in an inter-county tournament. There was some fantastic netball on display during a very sunny day of competition in Bedford, with both teams delivering excellent performances. The U15s were crowned champions, finishing in an impressive 1st place, while the U13s topped their pool to qualify for the semi-finals after some outstanding play. In a closely fought match, the U13s tested Hertfordshire all the way to the final buzzer, narrowly missing out on a place in the final after a golden goal in extra time. Showing great resilience, they finished the day strongly with an excellent win to secure 3rd place overall. Special congratulations go to Sophie and Chloe for their fantastic performances - well done to all involved!
Miss Banford
U13As Make it 3 Wins from 3 vs Bede's
Maisie carried on her tossing streak and lost the toss again... Roedean were put into bat to post a big total to be able to defend at home. Tilly and Maisie opened up brilliantly and we were 20 before losing Tilly to a difficult delivery around her legs. In came Lottie and she started well, blistering a couple boundaries off her first few deliveries. Maisie and Lottie then turned up the gears and hit the bad balls consistently for four or six, and ran incredibly well between the wickets. The partnership of well over 50 runs (Maisie (31) & Lottie (43)) meant the game edged in our favor with a big enough total. Lara, Deema, Izzy, and Flo all helped the score to get to 155 in our allotted 20 overs.
It was up to the bowlers, and Chloe and Maisie opened the bowling for Roedean. Chloe took the first wicket 5th ball to send their opener back to the pavilion, with a quick full delivery. Maisie followed suit and took a wicket 2nd bowl of her first over, also bowling the batter through the gate into the wickets. Chloe then took a wicket first ball of her second over, driving Roedean into a good position and putting the pressure on Bede's. Ze and Izzy then took the ball, and Ze in her second over took another wicket, another straight delivery dismissing the batter.
Charlotte and Harrie entered the attack, and Harrie took a wicket 5th ball, with a beautiful delivery hitting the wickets, accurate bowling to the max today. It wasn't all up to the bowlers, as Lottie was crunched a ball at extra cover, stopped it and with full composure threw down the stumps with only one stump to aim at - terrific fielding! Anya, Lottie, Chloe, and Maisie then bowled tightly to restrict their best batter. who finished on 41 not out, and Roedean managed to win the match by 35 runs.
Players' Batter of the Match - Maisie Players' Bowler of the Match - Anya
Mr Campleman
The Roedean U15A and U14A teams met in a Sussex League fixture which saw the U15 team win by 9 wickets, albeit with just over one over remaining, The U15s bowled tightly, and tied the U14A top order down, and it wasn’t until the introduction of Ruby that the run rate increased. The innings closed on 99-5, which didn’t quite feel enough. And so it proved to be. Lili fell for six, but Yas was joined by Kayla, and the pair put on an unbeaten 76 to see the game home.
Mr Smethurst
The U13D Cricket team produced a fantastic performance to secure a thrilling 255–249 victory in a closely-contested match. The team batted confidently, fielded well, and showed great determination throughout.
Despite a hailstorm with only five balls to go, the players remained focused and resilient, adapting brilliantly to the difficult conditions.
Congratulations to Summer and Iris, who were deservedly named Players of the Match for their outstanding batting and fielding performances. Overall, it was a brilliant team effort from everyone involved!
Mr Williams
U14C Extend their Winning Streak
The U14C team continued their excellent form following their victory over Christ’s Hospital, with another impressive win, defeating Cardinal Newman by 31 runs on Friday.
Roedean produced a strong all-round team performance, with Lily and Indira leading the way with the bat, and helping to set a competitive total. With the ball, India and Charlotte were the standout performers, bowling with great control and determination to keep the opposition under pressure throughout the innings.
The difference between the two sides ultimately came in the field, where the Roedean girls fielded brilliantly with energy, positivity, and excellent teamwork on display from start to finish.
Congratulations to the team on another fantastic win. The girls will look to continue their momentum when they return to action on 5 June.
Mr Foggoa
Fifi and Ines Winners at the Copperbox!
A few weeks ago, Fifi and Ines (U12) travelled to the Copper Box Arena at the Olympic Park to compete in the 'Road to the Copper Box' finals for Magic U12s against Essex.
Following an excellent performance, Magic were crowned winners of the final - a fantastic achievement. The celebrations continued as the team took part in the opening ceremony for the Super League match between London Pulse and Nottingham Forest Netball later that evening, before being presented at halftime as the winners of their final in front of the crowd.
Ines wrote: 'It was a really exciting opportunity to play with my netball club, Magic, in the U12 Road to Copperbox Finals at the Copperbox Arena, the home ground of London Pulse and the England Roses national teams. I have been there to watch national and Super League games, but it was an incredible feeling to play on the court.
Our opponents were Essex Open Netball Club, as we qualified in first place and Essex in second place in the first tournament in January. We started strong in the first half, with a comfortable lead. We made some good turnovers and applied good pressure. Our attack really flowed and our shooters were on fire. The final score was 21–9 to Magic.
The celebrations were amazing, and to our surprise we were invited to walk out with the London Pulse players onto the court for their SNL match against Nottingham Forest, and we were on TV! We couldn’t believe it — what an experience!
I was very lucky to walk out with the London Pulse captain Zara Everitt, who played my favourite position, WD. This was her 150th match playing in the Netball Super League. The whole day and experience was so amazing and one I will never forget!'
What a brilliant and memorable experience - congratulations to Fifi and Ines!
Miss Bamford
Weekend Trip - Volleyball
Last Sunday’s beach volleyball trip on the Brighton seafront was a wonderful way to switch off before assessment week. With gorgeous sunshine, the girls enjoyed an afternoon of fun and relaxation. Many enjoyed playing matches on the sand court, making the most of the beautiful weather, while others preferred soaking up the social side of the day at the nearby café. It was a lovely opportunity to unwind, spend time together, and enjoy the seaside in great company.
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
Sport Stars of the Week
Congratulations to this week's sporting stars:
Year 7
Inès has been excellent in training recently and playing some great Cricket
Year 8
Cecile has been working hard in Cricket, bowling really well and has been moved up a group
Year 9
Dixie has been consistently strong in Athletics, throwing 9.5m in shotput, and always comes to co-curricular activities
Year 10
Andrea has been giving Athletics her all this term, and performed really well in the Diamond League
Year 12
12: Magreta has shown great effort in Swimming throughout the whole term
Non-Negotiable
Ambitious - Poppy (Yr11) has shown ambition, as she attended all the Diamond League competitions for Athletics, winning triple jump, even throughout her GCSE exams.
Miss De Jesus
Miss Webster