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HEAD’S REVIEW

Head’s Introduction

We made it to Harare! Our charity challenge, which has taken over the Fireplace for the last week, has seen staff from all areas join students in cycling and walking from Brighton to Harare – not only did we cover the 8350 kilometres to the Zimbabwean capital, but we smashed it! It has been a community event, and we will look to purchase bikes for Esther, Josephine, and Natasha, so that they can get to school safely. Well done to Dr Barrand for masterminding it, and to everyone who got involved!

Congratulations to Charlie and Nathania, who have been appointed Head Girls for the coming year. I have no doubt that they will be outstanding role-models for the School, and I wish them and the entire Prefect body good luck. The outgoing Prefect team ran Spirit Week this week, in which Year 13 dressed each day in different outfits according to a theme. It was great fun, although I must confess that I didn’t always understand the outfits! I would like to thank the team, who, led by Chaya and Lydia, have done so much for the School.

‘Cycle to Harare’ Challenge –We Did It!

Congratulations to the Year 9s and 10s who completed their Bronze and Silver DofE practice expeditions last weekend. This is no mean feat, and I am delighted that so many at Roedean take on this highly-regarded award. I am grateful to Mrs Finn for leading DofE, and for all of the planning which is required to make the expeditions a success.

In the Performing Arts, this has been a busy week. Tuesday’s Music Scholars’ Recital was lovely, with such beautiful and accomplished performances. The start of the week also saw our Year 11 GCSE Dance performances, and these were quickly followed by the A Level Theatre Studies practical performances, which went really well. Well done to everyone involved – you all deserve to be proud of what you have achieved!

Today marks the end of the three-week Roedean South Africa exchange, and it has been such a pleasure to have Fay, Hannah, Koketso, Nansi, Sasa, and Zara with us here in Brighton. They settled in almost from day one, and have tried new things, made new friends, and thrown themselves into new experiences. Thank you to Amara, Charlotte, Ebun, Evelyn, Mahi, and Perla, for hosting our visitors so well. Well done, and good luck!

I am delighted that we heard yesterday that Roedean has been shortlisted for the BSA Wellbeing and Mental Health Initiative Award – this is a great accolade, acknowledging the excellent work that we do as a matter of course at School –congratulations! I hope that the party of 50 going on the Ski Trip to France have a wonderful time, and I wish you all a wonderfully restful and well-deserved Easter break.

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.

Emma-Lynn (Yr11) – for organising a huge hand-made card for the South African girls who are leaving today [Dr Barrand]

Unsung Staff hero in the spotlight

Mrs Chamberlain – for coming up with the idea of a charity cycle which turned into the 'Cycle to Harare' [Dr Barrand]

Mrs Schofield – for giving up her office on numerous occasions this term [Miss Hart]

Charlie and Nathania –Head Girls for 2026-2027

Congratulations to Charlie and Nathania, who have been appointed Head Girls from next term. They will be supported by an excellent team of Prefects, whose roles will be announced at the start of next term.

Miss Carragher

A Level Drama Performances

This week saw our Year 13 A Theatre Studies students perform to the A Level examiner. They performed two half-hour extracts from two female contemporary playwrights. Tegan, Mila, and Eva performed in a new play that involves three young women and how their lives intertwine with the beheading of Anne Boleyn, while Cherrie, Daisy, and Lucy performed Playhouse Creatures, a wonderful exploration of the first female actors during the restoration period. They were really pleased with how the examined performance went, and I am really proud of all their hard work, making it a great way to round off the term!

Mrs Woodbridge

‘Cycle to Harare’ Challenge – We Did It!

Roedean's 'Cycle to Harare' challenge, which has been running for a week, finished yesterday. As a community, we have been cycling in the Fireplace, and biking and walking to cover the distance from Brighton to Harare, in Zimbabwe –it is 8350 kilometres! And we made it – in fact we covered 8485.9 kilometres in seven days!

It has been a real community challenge, which has brought together students from all yeargroups, with both teaching and support staff all contributing to the total. The aim is to buy a bike each for Natasha, Esther, and Josephine, the girls we support in Zambia and Zimbabwe. This will not only help them to get to school more easily, but also safely, since girls can be attacked on their way to school each day.

The week saw some outstanding contributions from staff and students:

■ the top three students were Justine (Yr12), Maya (Yr10), and Molly (Yr11)

■ the top three staff were Mr Carter (265.9km), Dr Barrand, and Mr Tester the top performing year-group on the bikes was Year 9

If you would like to support this endeavour, you can donate on the link below. Well done to everyone involved in this philanthropic challenge, and thank you for helping to keep Natasha, Esther, and Josephine in education.

Dr Barrand

https://w3u.uk/roedean-she-catalyst

Fantastic Results for Roedean Students at the Springboard Festival

Congratulations to all those who took part in the Springboard Music Festival in recent weeks.

On 28 February, Jemima (Yr10) was awarded a festival medal for Piano, placing 1st in the 13-14 years Baroque class, 2nd in the Jazz & Light Music class, and she also scored very highly in the Romantic class. As a result, she was invited to return for the Junior Championship recital where she performed her trio of pieces very commendably.

Charlie (Yr12) was also awarded a festival medal for Piano by winning the highly contested Grade 6 & 7 class, as well as winning the Grade 6 & 7 memory class. She also did fantastically well, giving a highly musical and really quite moving performance of Rachmaninov's Moment Musical in Db which won her the Championship Class 242 Romantic (15-19yrs). She also won the 15-16 Sonata Class, in which she gave a fabulous rendition of the 2nd movement of Beethoven's Pathetique. She played L'Esquisse In D by Gliere for Class 244 20th/ 21st Century, receiving high praise in this class too. Her three performances secured her a place in the Senior Championship Recital, but she was unfortunately unable to attend.

Beatrice (Yr9) placed 2nd in Romantic (13-14 years and under), and 3rd place in Jazz and Light Music (13-14 years) on Piano. She also competed on the Flute, playing commendably in the Woodwind Senior Recital class, and she placed a well-deserved third.

Clare (Yr12) won a Festival Medal for her performances on the Flute in the French Competitive and the Woodwind Senior Recital classes.

On Violin, Ayase (Yr8) won a festival medal for placing first in the Grade 4/5 competitive string class, receiving comments about how stylistically and musically she played.

Amyra (Yr10) won a festival medal for placing first in the String Grade 8 class. The adjudicator made a point of speaking to her afterwards and praising her playing. Amyra also gained a Highly

Commended award for second place in the Competitive 15-18 year old concerto class.

Ellen (Yr11) won a Festival Medal for first prize in both the String Recital class and the 15-18 String Concerto classes. She received some wonderful comments for her playing, and was, as a result, awarded the Festival Cup for Outstanding String playing.

Charisse (Yr11) performed brilliantly in the 15-18 concerto class, where she placed third, achieving high marks as well as receiving warm, positive, and complimentary feedback.

Well done to everyone involved – it was a very successful Festival for Roedean musicians.

Ms Hanson-Laurent

Music Scholars' Recital

On Tuesday evening, Roedean was treated to a lovely evening of music from eleven of our talented Music Scholars. We are so proud of the way in which each musician introduced her piece, and then performed it beautifully. Well done to all those who performed.

Alice (Yr13) began our concert with Music for a While by Purcell. It was lovely how she explained through her performance how the song talks about the power of music to soothe the emotions, even if there are monsters!

Candis (Yr13) continued our recital with a beautiful and powerful rendition Chopin's Nocturne No. 13 in C Minor for Piano. She explained how she feels this piece starts in winter, on a snowy day and a full moon, then, when the music changes to C Major, it brings the warmth of the sunshine, but then the music finishes in the minor and the cold.

Anna (Yr13) described the Franck Violin Sonata as more of a conversation between the Violin and the Piano. Notoriously tricky for both instruments, Anna gave an exciting performance of this fabulous piece.

Charlie (Yr12) described how Rachmaninov's Moment Musicale No. 5 makes her feel, that,

although there are funky things happening in life, music can provide calm. She certainly gave us that sense of calm from the outset, and then took us on a journey through the music.

Alice (Yr10) showed us what a versatile instrument the Double Bass is with this captivating Gavotte by Lorenzitti. She navigated the challenges of the piece with ease, and we could really hear what she described in the way the heavy bass notes of the instrument represent an elephant and the harmonics show the movements of a fly.

Elspeth (Yr13) played us a rare piece of recorder music from the Romantic period, rather than Baroque: Krähmer's Introduction and Variations Brillantes was wonderful. Each variation shows a different emotion, and there is lots of humour in the music. Elspeth played with flair and brought great character to her performance.

Natalie (Yr11) played us the third movement of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. This is technically challenging, and she played brilliantly with an amazing final flourish!

Charlie (Yr12) then returned to the Piano, to sing her own composition, Temporary Season, about a girl going through a tough patch but

feeling encouragement that it will pass. The song and the performance were captivating.

Emily (Yr10) gave us a stunning performance on the Guzheng, of General’s Order by Wang Xunzhi, a military piece depicting movements from the battlefield and a victorious return.

Amyra (Yr10) told us how Tchaikovsky used music to write about feelings that he couldn't otherwise express. She played us the Canzonetta from his Violin Concerto, which is played with the mute dampening the sound of the Violin throughout. She played this piece beautifully, conveying the profound depth of emotion in the music.

Jemima (Yr10) finished the concert with a delightful rendition of Vilja-Lied from Franz Lehár's A Merry Widow. This is a love song with a beautiful tune. There Is a short phrase for Choir in the song, and we encouraged the audience to join in with us, so we enjoyed their singing too!

Congratulations to all the performers, and thank you for being such wonderful musicians to work with every day!

Mr Rous and Mrs Hammond

Rockinghorse Easter Cake Design Competition!

Congratulations to Arianna (Yr7) on winning the annual Rockinghorse Easter Cake Design Competition!

On Thursday morning, Arianna, Miss Bamford, and Mr Wilson delivered the beautifully crafted cake, along with over 60 Easter eggs, to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Brighton. The cake was truly stunning, and received wonderful compliments from everyone who saw it in the hospital.

The team at the children’s play centre were especially delighted. They were amazed by the design, and couldn’t wait to share it with staff across the hospital.

A special thank you goes to Ruth from our Catering Department, who brought Arianna’s design to life. Her dedication was remarkable; she even arrived at 3:00am to ensure the cake was perfectly prepared in time for delivery!

Prefects’ Spirit Week

For the last week of the Spring term, the Prefects organised Spirit Week. Each day had a theme, which was followed by Year 13, and the week culminated in a charity non-uniform day to raise valuable funds for Project 125 Moldova.

The themes for each day were:

■ Monday – Rhyme without Reason (for example The Princess and the Pea + The Tiger Who Came to Tea)

■ Tuesday – Dress Up as Something Which Begins with the First Letter of Your Name

■ Wednesday – Decade Day

■ Thursday – Icon/Character Day

■ Friday – Pyjama Day

Year 13 brought their week to a close with a sleep-over in Keswick Hall!

Miss Carragher

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Training Expedition

This year’s Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award training expedition in Ashdown Forest proved to be a fantastic adventure, with 107 pupils rising to the challenge and completing the experience with resilience, and plenty of good humour along the way.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the West Sussex countryside, the expedition tested navigation, teamwork, and endurance. Overnight temperatures dropped sharply, adding an extra layer of challenge, but spirits remained high throughout. Our students showed real grit and determination, supporting one another every step of the way, whether tackling tricky routes, setting up camp, or occasionally rescuing a teammate who had become rather too well-acquainted with the local mud!

Thankfully, the daytime weather was much kinder, with warm and dry conditions helping groups make steady progress and fully enjoy

the journey. The mix of chilly nights, sunny days, and a few muddy mishaps made for a truly memorable experience, building confidence, independence, and plenty of stories to tell back at School.

The success of the expedition is a testament not only to the students'’ perseverance, but also to the dedication of the staff who supported them throughout. Special thanks go to Mrs Chamberlain, Ms Sturgeon, Mr Wriglesworth, Dr Barrand, and Mrs Green for their encouragement and commitment. Appreciation is also extended to the team at Blackland Farm Activity Centre for their expert training and guidance.

Overall, it was a rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable expedition, showcasing the strength of character, teamwork, and sense of fun that define Roedean students. It was an absolute pleasure to share in this adventure too!

Mrs Finn

Year 12 Community Action Programme Exhibition

The Year 12 Community Action Programme (CAP) concluded this week with student presentations about the outreach and community-based projects that they have participated in over the Autumn and Spring Terms.

In total, we had 8 different groups undertaking a variety of projects and placements, with a focus on community-based service, gaining skills, developing teamwork, and offering support to others.

CAP this year has involved students going to places such as Chailey Heritage Foundation, The Somerset Centre, St Mark's Primary School, and Raystede; in addition, there have been community-based projects in and around Roedean, including our Community Textiles group, our Junior Roedean Academy, and our Community BSL group, who have all worked with local primary schools providing enrichment through workshops and lessons.

The Community Art group have participated in an innovative project involving NHS staff and they undertook several visits to Brighton General Hospital to speak with staff. Their project was inspired by the Michael Rosen poem “These are the Hands”, which draws attention to the different roles that sustain daily operations within the NHS, and highlights the interdependence of staff.

The CAP Exhibition on Wednesday enabled students to reflect on these experiences and on their personal growth, as they shared their CAP programme highlights, the challenges they had faced, and a summery of the skills that they have developed during the two terms.

It was evident, from the excellent presentations and self-reflections, that this has been a highly positive experience for Year 12 and very worthwhile. They have developed lots of personal skills and many life skills, including teamwork, leadership, resilience, empathy, and communication. In addition, some of the projects have supported Year 12 in gaining skills and experience related to their career aspirations.

'This was my first time working closely with the elderly. The whole experience was super rewarding, as I got to develop my communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills in an environment very different to what I'm used to. As an aspiring medic, volunteering at Somerset Centre has helped me solidify the thought of going into a caring career!' – Hunny (Somerset Centre)

'This experience was both meaningful and eyeopening. Building relationships with the children has strengthened my patience, confidence, and ability to respond thoughtfully in different situations, a skill which will be valuable in my aspirations of a career in medicine' – Michelle (Chailey Heritage Foundation)

'This experience was not just about making clothes, but also about discovering what we are capable of. From learning new skills to overcoming challenges, every step helped us grow. More importantly, it showed me that even small actions can create a positive impact' –Miya (Community Textiles)

'I am so grateful for this precious opportunity, and it really inspires me to pursue a career in healthcare.' – Athena (Chailey Heritage Foundation)

'This experience has encouraged me to continue to foster meaningful relationships and develop patience and meticulousness.' – Nathania (Chailey Heritage Foundation)

Congratulations to all of Year 12 for engaging with the programme so successfully. They have been fantastic ambassadors for Roedean and great role models to the younger primary school children they have worked with. Alongside this, they have helped to create special memories for older members of our community through organised activities, conversation, and music!

As I reflect on the conclusion of the programme myself, I truly have realised that it isn’t the administration that makes these initiatives successful, but the people. Thank you to all of Year 12 for embracing this programme and making it so successful and memorable. You really have been a pleasure to work with and a credit to the School: we are all very proud of you!

Many thanks to the CAP Mentors and staff who have supported the students so enthusiastically each week, and provided so many fantastic learning opportunities – you have all been amazing!

Miss Kelsey

The Big Plastic Count at Roedean

This term, Roedean students took part in the national Big Plastic Count, joining schools and households across the UK to track how much plastic is thrown away in just one week. What began as a data exercise quickly became a powerful, student-led call for change.

Led by Sustainability and Eco representatives, students across all year groups recorded their plastic use, from food packaging to delivery waste. Despite strong habits such as reusable bottles, the results revealed a significant volume of avoidable single-use plastic, highlighting a key issue: individual action alone is not enough.

Through assemblies and lessons in Geography, Science, and Politics, students explored wider questions around responsibility, government policy and corporate accountability. By submitting their findings, they contributed to a national campaign calling for reduced plastic production, stronger packaging regulations, and improved recycling systems.

Students also wrote to His Majesty and local representatives, advocating for ambitious environmental policies, demonstrating Roedean’s commitment to empowering students to engage with and shape the world around them.

Royal Recognition for Roedean's Sustainability

Students at Roedean were delighted to receive a letter this week from Buckingham Palace in recognition of their environmental efforts.

After writing to His Majesty about their work to reduce single-use plastics and promote sustainability, the students were congratulated for their 'commendable and inspiring' actions. The response praised their leadership and commitment, highlighting the importance of young people taking initiative on global issues.

The school community is incredibly proud of their achievement and we look forward to continuing our environmental work.

Mrs Pashley

Set on the coast, the impact of plastic pollution is both visible and personal for our school community. This initiative reinforced a clear message: tackling environmental challenges requires both individual responsibility and systemic change. We are delighted that Roedean students are ready to do both.

Mrs Pashley

Bio Yarn Experiments in Design

The DT STEM Ambassadors have been leading a co-curricular project throughout the Spring term for Year 8 and 9 students, focused on creating “bio-yarn”. This initiative has encouraged students to explore the growing importance of sustainable materials and their potential to address current environmental challenges.

The bio-yarn, made primarily from sodium alginate, is biodegradable and environmentally friendly. During the sessions, students experimented with producing and using this innovative material, applying it creatively by weaving it into postcards. We also discussed its wider potential applications, including crochet and knitting, highlighting how such materials could play an important role in the future of the fashion industry.

Mrs Quirk

Neurodiversity Week Assembly

During Neurodiversity Week, our Key Stage 3 students delivered an exceptional assembly, performed twice, centred on the theme “Natural variations, not flaws – building a kind and compassionate community”.

Through a combination of student-led speaking, short performances, and reflection, they explored what neurodiversity means and highlighted the importance of empathy in everyday school life.

Brighton Rock Tour

A group of Year 13 English Literature students took a tour of the locations of Graham Greene's 1937 novel, 'Brighton Rock', which they are studying as part of their Crime Fiction unit for A Level.

The tour took in locations such as the pier, the museum, Seven Dials, Carlton Hill (a former slum area), the racecourse, and Whitehawk Bottom, finishing on Ovingdean beach. I hope the trip helped consolidate students' understanding ahead of the impending examination!

Mr Woodhouse

Thought-provoking acted scenarios brought to life some of the invisible challenges young people may face, encouraging students to consider how simple acts of kindness, such as patience, inclusion, and understanding, can make a real difference.

The assembly also celebrated the strengths of neurodivergent individuals, reminding us that while we may not all think, learn, or experience the world in the same way, we all have unique talents to offer.

It was a powerful and moving assembly, delivered with confidence and maturity, and a wonderful example of students leading meaningful conversations within our school community.

Well done to: Arianna and Bella (Yr7), Cleo, Holly, Marion, Juno, and Summer (Yr8), and Lacie (Yr9).

Mrs Taskin & Mrs Marshall (Learning Support)

University Destinations

Abby

Congratulations to Abby, who has offers to study Physiotherapy at St Mary’s, Twickenham, and Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences at both KCL and UCL. She also has a place at London Contemporary Dance School, and is on the wait list for the Central School of Ballet. Abby is studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Dance, and Mathematics. She achieved a Distinction for her Advanced Foundation ballet award. She has also written academic papers on ballet injuries. Through her studies, and her dance, Abby has developed a deep interest in, and understanding of, the human anatomy, particularly movement and the relationships between different muscles.

Alice

Congratulations to Music Scholar, Alice, who had five offers to choose from in her chosen field, but has ultimately decided to pursue a degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology with a placement year at Exeter University. She is studying A Levels in French, Geography, and Government & Politics, as well as an EPQ on the phenomenon of ‘Fast Fashion’. She is fascinated by the natural world and feels a deep desire to protect it. If you attended our wonderful Scholars’ Concert this week, you will have seen Alice open the programme by singing Purcell.

Natalie

Congratulations to Natalie, who this week accepted an offer to study Diagnostic Radiography at Liverpool University. Natalie is studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Psychology. Her first interest in her chosen degree came from learning about Marie Curie and radiation. From there, she has enjoyed discovering the different academic and interpersonal pathways that intersect at medical imaging, and is looking forward to finding new areas in which to specialise as she takes up her studies.

Candi and City of Stars win Community Award

Three weeks ago, Candi gave an inspiring talk at Roedean for International Women's Day. She spoke about the highs and lows of a career in the music industry, and explained how success relies on taking risks, not being afraid to take on new challenges, and giving up what is not fulfilling anymore.

Over the last year, the members of her fastgrowing choir 'City of Stars' have followed their leader in her philosophy, saying a big 'yes' to anything that came their way. They've sung at events ranging from the Brighton Marathon

to Brighton Pride, the Foodies Festival to local community fêtes, and even starred in the 2025 M&S Christmas Advert!

Last week, their enthusiasm, talent, and enjoyment of sharing their love of singing with everyone was rewarded by winning the community section of the Brighton Girl Network awards. They came first out of 117 local community initiatives. Well done Candi and City of Stars – we can't wait to see what's next!

Mrs Andrew

U13F Beat Seaford College

The U13F team finished the Netball term strongly, with a hard-fought win. The girls played through what felt like every season during the four quarters, from sun to harsh winds and even hail to pull it out the bag against Seaford College.

Our team started well, consistently hitting the edge of the goal circle to feed into the shooters, exactly as they had been training, showing that their hard work has been paying off!

Despite the adverse weather conditions, the girls put plenty of shots up, and made crucial interceptions throughout the match. This held Seaford off from equalising in the final quarter, getting the girls a welldeserved 10-9 win! What a brilliant way to end their final match together.

Miss Webster

Staff-Student Netball –the Staff Win Again!

The annual Staff-Student Netball match lived up to its usual billing! – it was exciting and competitive, as ever, but the staff teams came away victorious. Well done to everyone who took part!

Clara – the Youngest Cross-Channel Swimmer of 2025

Congratulations to Clara (Yr13), who has won the award for the youngest solo Channel crossing in 2025 with CSPF. This was presented by the king of the English Channel swimming, Kevin Murphy. She has not yet signed up for any other extreme challenges, but she’s come away with some new ideas! Well done, Clara.

Green

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