Last Friday’s Gala Concert was fantastic – it was such a pleasure to see so many of our musicians on stage, performing amazing film music we all know and love. Congratulations to the 125 musicians involved, and, of course, to Mr Rous and the whole Music Department. I was impressed by the range of ensembles included, and their calibre, but also the ambition to present challenging repertoire with such panache – well done.
The final week before Christmas is always wonderful, when we draw the term to a close together as a community: events include the beautiful Carol Services, our charity Christmas Jumper Day, Christmas lunches, and, of course, the Staff Panto. Written and directed by our Year 13s, this year’s Hansel and Gretel will, no doubt, be a hoot.
On the theme of Drama, this week Ms Woodbridge has received a video message to our actors from Jessica Swale, the playwright who wrote Blue Stockings, congratulating them on their performance – what a wonderful accolade.
Congratulations to all those who have represented the School in a variety of sports this term, but special mention goes to our U15A Netballers, who have made it through to the last eight in the country in the Independent Schools’ National Cup – well done! Well done also to the U16 Hockey players who reached the Final of the Tormead 6s Tournament.
As well as very many fixtures, this week also saw the highly-anticipated Staff-Student Hockey match. The packed crowd really enjoyed the match – there were a few bumps and knocks along the way, but the Staff came out victorious again. I always enjoy the mix of competition and fun, and both the players and crowd loved it.
I am looking forward to tomorrow’s Christmas Fair – it is a lovely event every year, particularly so because it is an opportunity when we raise so much for so many different charities. Next week, we will also be holding a bake sale, run by Rida in Year 13, to raise funds for disaster relief in Sri Lanka. Good luck for the Fair, after which I wish you all a restful weekend before the last week of term!
Tormead 6s Hockey Tournament
Gala Concert – A Night at the Movies
U15A in the Quarter Finals of the Independent Schools' National Cup!
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.
EPQ Presentations
Blue Stockings Video Message
Following our fantastic performances of Blue Stockings, I am delighted that Jessica Swale, the playwright, has sent us a personalised message to congratulate the School on the performances –how wonderful!
Ms
Woodbridge
The Year 13 EPQ Presentation afternoons took place on Monday 24 November and Monday 1 December. This is the final big step in the EPQ journey, and is a chance for the students to showcase their projects. As always, there were some amazing titles, a few examples of which are included here:
■ Under English Common Law, the medical profession is held to a different standard of care than the rest of society. Can this be justified?
■ Does imposter phenomenon affect the creativity expression in female (art) students?
■ Does personalised medicine improve health outcomes, and is it viable for the NHS?
■ Could Investment in the Northern Triangle’s Coffee Industry help to address the US Southern Border Migration Crisis?
The EPQ is an independent academic research project through which students gain valuable learning skills, such as research, referencing, critical thinking, and essay writing. It is an excellent stepping stone to university-level study, and all of the students involved have put an incredible amount of effort into their individual projects. Well done!
Mrs Bailey and Mr Halsey
Charlie (Yr12) – for singing so beautifully and confidently in Chapel this week, and Joy (Yr10) for the lovely prayer she read [Mr Wriglesworth]
Gala Concert – A Night at the Movies
The concert of movie music on the night of 28 November was quite simply a feast for both ears and eyes. Congratulations to everyone involved!
The breadth of music, from dance music of the Baroque to 1950s America, powerful music from Star Wars contrasting with emotional pathos from a Mozart opera, was performed with style and flair. Congratulations to the directors of these diverse ensembles, not least the dramatic dance moves from Mr Rous, for the ambitious repertoire they successfully presented in the concert.
Wonderful videos accompanied the music, and the spoof adverts before the show began, featuring members of staff, were a real hit with our students as they gradually realised just who was on the screen.
This concert was a joyful night of music-making, and it was clear that the audience and the performers alike were having fun. Thank you to all the music staff who worked so hard to devise such a varied programme, and to the technical staff
for the creative visuals, wonderful lighting, and excellent sound.
The concert featured around 125 students, performing as part of our Junior Orchestra, Orchestra, Choir, Senior Singers, Roedean Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Baroque Ensemble, as well as a specially formed Tango Band, vocal and instrumental soloists, guitars, bass guitar, drums, harmonica, and accordion!
We should be deservedly proud of our talented musicians at Roedean, and it is wonderful that this concert showcased such an astonishing range of musicianship.
Mrs Mendes
Roedean Mission Meeting
This first Roedean Mission meeting of the academic year unfolded with a clear sense of Christmas spirit, as the Sixth Form committee came together to allocate funds to charities supporting children under 16. With Amber and Marija doing a fantastic job co-chairing, the Year 12 and 13 students showed how the Mission continues to nurture Roedean’s commitment to community and philanthropy, instilling values that will stay with them well into the future.
The group worked collectively to allocate the funds as outlined here:
Our Youth Matter (Edgware): funds were awarded to help one struggling teenager join The Hub for a year. The Hub is a space for teenagers to develop friendships, enjoy themselves, take a break from social media, and boost their mental health.
Learn n’ Grow (London): funds were awarded to sponsor one young woman for a year. This will provide the young woman with a course to help develop career skills, including funding for a course, CV writing & interview skills workshops, and funding for essential food and hygiene items.
TLC Foundation (Coventry): funds were awarded to help support children who have complex physical and mental disabilities.
The Children’s Adventure Farm (Cheshire): funds were awarded to fund a trip to the Children’s Adventure Farm for 50 underprivileged children.
Made with Care (Bournemouth): funds were awarded for the purchase of nappies for the Baby Bank project.
Weekend Trip –Harrods
Last Sunday’s boarding trip took us into the heart of London for a muchanticipated visit to Harrods. We set off early, stopping at McDonald’s for a quick breakfast to make sure everyone was properly “shopping ready” before the day began.
The coach journey offered plenty to look at, with London’s streets already dressed in festive decorations and shopfronts glowing with lights. Once inside Harrods, we joined the flow of weekend shoppers and made our way through the busy departments. Many students headed straight for the Jelly Cat store, where the shelves were packed with soft toys in every shape imaginable. Others made a beeline for the famous Food Halls, buying chocolates and biscuits, as well as admiring the seasonal treats on display.
With Christmas shopping bags slowly filling up, the group reunited for the return trip, tired but pleased with a successful day out. It was a lovely, cheerful way to enjoy London at its seasonal best!
Chailey Heritage Foundation (East Sussex): funds were awarded to help fund activities and equipment for disabled children.
Gloucestershire Deaf Association: funds were awarded to help fund the purchase of toys to support deaf/hard of hearing children.
CASE (Brighton & Hove): funds were awarded to help fund the annual Christmas party for children from low-income families in the Brighton Area.
We hope that these funds go some way to bringing joy and support to the children who need it most during this festive season. Well done to all involved.
Mr Wilson
Congratulations to Heidi (Yr9), who received the 'most improved' award at her regional club, Magic Netball. This is a thoroughly deserved award, which is a testament to her hard work and commitment over the last year. Well done, Heidi!
Mrs Hammond
Mrs Chamberlain
House Spelling Bee
Once again, spelling enthusiasts gathered last Friday in the Library for our annual Inter-House Spelling Bee. A high standard of spelling was exhibited and the battle was hard-fought, though House 3 narrowly emerged as victorious. A staff team, comprising Lutwyche (itself a tough spelling), Hopper, Harden, Higgins, and Hopwood, competed and did not disgrace themselves, coming second, despite struggling with diarrhoea (the spelling, I mean).
The event was not without controversy, with the host's poor enunciation (I had a cold) and inability to define the word 'columnar' causing discontent. However, a fun time was had by all, proving that spellcheck and AI will surely never ever be able to replace the human spirit.
Mr Woodhouse
Chapel – Mary and the Christmas Story
This week's Chapel services were led by Reverend Emily Roe, Roedean's volunteer Chaplain, and she spoke about the Christmas story and Mary, a brave young woman who changed the world.
'I want to take a moment to look at one of the central figures in the Christmas story, and I don’t mean Rudolf the red nosed reindeer! I want to talk about Mary. Whether or not you come from a Christian background, Mary’s story has something powerful to say, especially to a Chapel full of young women.
Mary lived over 2,000 years ago in a small town called Nazareth. She was probably just a teenager perhaps not much older than many of you. She lived in a culture where girls didn’t usually get much attention, they were not of the main characters in their own stories, and were often sidelined, their futures decided for them. Life was predictable, but not always easy.
And yet Mary’s story changed everything.
According to the Christian tradition, an angel appeared to her and told her she would carry a child who would change the world.
Now I realise that angels are not part of our everyday experience, for some of us our only
interactions with an angel was probably wearing tinsel wings in a nativity play when we were five, if we were lucky; if not we got the non-speaking part of a palm tree, so an angel being in a story might be hard to believe. But what we have is a young woman suddenly confronted with something unexpected, overwhelming, and life-changing, and that is something we all experience at some point.
So imagine being in her place: young, unknown, living in a community that wouldn’t easily accept something so unexpected. It must have been confusing, frightening, and overwhelming. But Mary did something remarkable. She didn’t run. She didn’t hide. She said yes, yes to a future she couldn’t fully see, yes to something that felt way bigger than her, yes to stepping into the unknown, with a whole load of courage.
Whether you follow the Christian faith or not, that moment of courage is something all of us can relate to. Mary didn’t become famous because she was powerful, wealthy, or impressive. She became famous as a symbol of hope, because she was brave.
And that’s why her story still matters.
Because courage doesn’t always look like a huge heroic act. Sometimes it looks like taking
the first step, when you’re unsure. Speaking up for someone else when no one else is. Even trying something new. Standing by what’s right. Choosing kindness when it’s hard. Saying “yes” to a challenge that stretches you.
Mary reminds us that you don’t have to be the oldest, the loudest, or the most confident person in the room to make a difference. You just have to be willing to be brave in the moment that matters.
And all of you are growing up in a world that needs brave young women. Women who will think boldly, act kindly, speak truthfully, and build things that matter. You may not know yet what your “moment” will be, but it will come. And when it does, I hope you’ll remember Mary, a young woman who stepped into something extraordinary with courage, and changed the world, Christians believe that her brave yes helped to change the world, Jesus was born and that’s the heart of Christmas – God coming close to us in Jesus, bringing love, forgiveness, and hope to a hurting world.
This Christmas, may her story inspire you to believe that your bravery could change the world too.'
Art in Action
Last Friday, Year 12 and 13 Art, Photography, and Textiles students attended a day of lectures led by a range of practising artists, including photographer Martin Parr CBE, sculptor Rachel Whiteread DBE, ceramicist Duncan Hooson, and royal drawer Fraser Scarfe.
The event was hosted by Rebecca Wright, Dean of School at Central Saint Martins, who opened the day by encouraging us to reflect on why Art is essential to us as human beings. At a time when creativity is often regarded in society as an add on, she reminded us that art is in fact a vital part of life.
Across four lectures, the artists explored diverse topics and raised thoughtprovoking questions, such as: what’s the point of drawing? what holds the graphite in your pencil? is AI helpful or unhelpful for artists? and, for the international students, what exactly is a tea cosy, and why do we have them?
Each artist shared their personal journey from school to the stage, explaining what inspired and motivated them, and how they built sustainable careers.
Martin Parr, best known for his vivid use of colour and his documentary approach to humanity, reminded us: “It is better to be controversial than ignored!”
Fraser Scarfe showed how drawing can evoke emotion, spark thought, or provoke reaction. It offers an immediate way to get ideas out of your head and onto paper. He encouraged students to “Be attentive to the world around you, which may be more important than what you record,” and to find creative ways to work with technology.
Duncan Hooson spoke about communitybased clay projects and the collaborative nature of ceramics. He described clay as the world’s most abundant material, one that unites people both within themselves and with others. He shared his London 2012 Olympic project, where clay collected from around the world was used to create a 30-metre sculpture outside the stadium. “Creativity is not just for artists,” he emphasised.
Rachel Whiteread discussed her practice of casting forgotten or negative spaces – hot water bottles, houses, staircases – and her current work on structures in New York, the Joshua Tree desert, and Japan. She prefers her pieces to be encountered incidentally.
Although each artist offered unique insights, several common themes emerged:
■ Obsession/Passion – find it and follow it!
■ Tenacity – how you keep going, what motivates you
■ Community – find the people or environment that supports you and enables you to engage socially and get your work out into the world.
■ Pragmatism – how you earn money from your work – your income may come from many different streams, but that’s ok!
Look Closely! Make joyfully! Follow your obsession!
It was an inspiring day that left our students energised and eager to put their new insights into practice. The ideas and thoughts shared by the artists will undoubtedly feed into their coursework and creative development over the coming months.
Mrs Alexander
Hockey vs Christ’s Hospital
1st XI Draw
The 1st XI took to the Astro away at Christ's Hospital for their final Saturday fixture of the term. The team warmed up well and looked organised and motivated to put in a good performance.
The half started well, with the girls moving the ball through the Christ's Hospital press and streaming forward with attacks at the goal. With some resolute defending by CH, the girls were really knocking on the door to score. After a direct and quick counter, the girls managed to get into the circle and shoot past the excellent CH goalkeeper to take the lead. The remainder of the half saw chance after chance narrowly missing the goal, Sophie had a couple great attempts off the right shoulder of the circle and the girls were feeling like we were going to get another.
The second half started better, and we moved the ball down the right more and transferred the ball around the back more, allowing for leads to form and space to open up. CH did step up their pressure and did create a couple opportunities to score, with a messy short corner leading to a thunderous finish into the net past Lily's head via a deflection. The girls then needed to respond positively in order to try and take the lead again; they did respond and had opportunities, but the CH defence and a final touch missing meant that the game ended 1-1.
Both teams left nothing on the Astro, and it was a brilliant game for the spectators.
Mr Campleman
3rd XI
The match started evenly, with neither team able to maintain continuous possession of the ball. Roedean began to find their rhythm thanks to some impressive play down the right by Hetty, who was named the attacker of the match. However, CH was devastating on the counterattack, showcasing exceptional athletic talent throughout their squad. Roedean's defence held strong, with Faye and Hannah making superb tackles to thwart CH's advances. When CH finally managed to break through, they were denied by an outstanding performance from Michelle, who received the Goalkeeper/Defender of the Match award. Ultimately, CH proved to be too strong for Roedean, winning the game 5-0.
Mr Perry
U15A/B
A mixed U15A/B team lost a fantastic match 4-5 at home to Christ’s Hospital. A six goal first half was end to end, chaotic and breathless, with Roedean taking the lead three times, through Ezzie (2) and Serena, only to be pegged back three times.
Christ’s Hospital began the second half quickly, and went 5-3 up and, though Alex pulled one back to halve the deficit, Roedean couldn’t quite do enough to snatch an equaliser.
Mr Smethurst
2nd VII
Roedean’s 2nd VII made a confident start in their match against Christ Hospital, immediately putting the opposition’s defence under sustained pressure.
In the opening ten minutes, the midfield trio of Abbie, Almen, and Maud linked up fluidly with the forwards, creating several promising chances. Their hard work paid off when Roedean won a short corner. Sohana delivered a clean injection to Amelie, who struck the ball with precision to give Roedean an early 1–0 lead.
Christ's Hospital responded quickly, breaking on the counterattack to level the score at 1–1. Despite the shift in momentum, Anya produced a series of outstanding saves to keep Roedean in contention. At the back, Lydia led the defensive line with composure, distributing well alongside Lois and Kelsie. Izzy made powerful drives up the right, combining effectively with Alicia, while Hetty and Faye stepped in brilliantly to support the team.
It was a strong effort all round, despite a final score of 4–1 to Christ's Hospital.
Miss Hayman
Valiant 2-2 Draw for U14B
On Saturday, our U14B team took on Christ's Hospital at home. It was an exciting match, in which both teams had many countering goalscoring opportunities.
Christ's Hospital opened the scoring, taking a 1-goal lead early on. We started to open up the pitch more which stretched their defence – this made it easier to attack down the right-hand side. We used our pace effectively to take on defenders, and managed to score two goals, from Hen and Indira, edging us in front with 10 minutes to play. Christ's Hospital battled hard and snuck another goal past us so it finished 2-2, which was a fair reflection of the game.
A huge well done goes to the whole squad for what has been a thoroughly enjoyable season, full of progress and hard work! Special mention in this game goes to Aisha who was named Coach's Player, and Izzy and Emily, who were the Opposition's Players.
Mrs Hammond
U14B
Hockey vs Bede’s School
4th VII
The 4th VII faced Bede’s in their second-to-last game of the season. The game got off to a flyer, with Roedean playing with great pace and energy. Roedean applied constant pressure on the Bede’s defence, showcasing two outstanding attacking performances from Hannah and Veera.
Hannah scored four goals, while Veera netted three, earning both players the title of Player of the Match. Valerie also excelled in defence, making key passes forward and executing powerful runs up the pitch to help initiate attacks.
The match finished with an excellent win of 7-1. Overall, it was a fantastic team performance.
Mr Perry
3rd VII
Roedean faced a strong and athletic team from Bede’s. The match began with Roedean performing well, showcasing a brave and fast-paced attacking style. In midfield, Deema worked tirelessly throughout the game to maintain possession and connect defence with attack, earning her the title of Attacking Player of the Match.
While Bede’s had limited chances, they were clinical during counterattacks when opportunities arose. Cara excelled in defence, winning the ball numerous times and making excellent forward passes to initiate attacks; as a result, she was awarded Defensive Player of the Match.
The game concluded with a 4-2 defeat, but the team played some superb hockey, and the outcome could have gone either way.
Mr Perry
U14 vs Downlands in the Sussex Cup
The second stage of the Sussex Cup unfortunately wasn’t meant to be for us. With a depleted squad due to illness, we took on a well-drilled Downlands side. Despite a strong fightback in the fourth quarter, early errors left us with a steep scoreline to chase. Downlands capitalised on our mistakes and built a gap that proved difficult to close. There were, however, plenty of positives. Ruby was outstanding, playing in three different positions brilliantly, and proving essential to our comeback efforts. Heidi also earned recognition for her excellent shooting stats and sharp movement. While consistency was lacking at times, the team showed resilience and flashes of great play. There is lots to work on before our next match, but plenty to be proud of too!
U13A vs St Albans High for Girls
We had a very tough match against a highly athletic and well-drilled team from St Albans High, but what a fight our girls put up!
Despite the scoreline, they battled throughout and played some of their best netball of the season. With seamless through-court play, the team delivered a performance to be proud of. Although the result didn’t go our way, we were extremely pleased with how the girls kept their heads up and showed resilience.
A massive well done goes to the whole team, and a special mention goes to Fifi, who took on board all the feedback and played a brilliant game –her strong front holds opened up the circle beautifully.
Miss Agnew
Miss Agnew
4th VII
U15A in the Quarter Finals of the Independent Schools' National Cup!
On Monday, the U15As made the long journey to Lord Wandsworth College in the third round of the ISNC. Despite travelling for over two hours, the girls made a strong start, taking the lead by 7 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, LWC were more awake and asked more questions of us. We made countless turnovers, but were not able to capitalise on them, meaning that we drew this quarter and were still 7 up at half time.
We made some errors in the third quarter and allowed them to close the gap down, coming back within 3, but we managed to get one turnover back to make it 24-19 going into the final quarter.
Just two turnovers would get LWC level, so we knew it would be a tough final 12 minutes. The girls gave their all and we benefitted from fresh legs off the bench.
U13 HocNet Tournament
HocNet Hockey Tournament
The girls arrived at Hurst on a bitterly cold day, but warmed up well and looked ready for the challenge. Their opening match against local rivals St Christopher’s was tightly contested, with our team holding the upper hand for most of the game. Unfortunately, heartbreak struck in the final seconds as St Christopher’s scored just five seconds before the hooter.
The second match against Great Walstead was another competitive game, with chances at both ends. Yet again, a late goal, this time in the final minute, saw Great Walstead snatch victory. In the final game against a strong Brighton College side, the girls fought bravely after conceding early goals, but Brighton’s solid defence proved too much.
The final score was 36-28 to Roedean. This is a huge achievement which puts the squad into the quarter finals of the National Cup. Congratulations to all, and Chiara and Heidi deserve a special mention, as they were named 'Opposition's Players', and Ruby was the 'Coach's Player'.
HocNet Netball Tournament
After braving the cold for hours, the girls entered the Netball tournament with frozen hands, and the slippery courts made play difficult. Despite this, they produced two excellent performances: a fantastic win against Seaford and a narrow loss in another close match. The final game against Hurst saw fatigue and errors creep in, allowing Hurst to capitalise.
Throughout the day, the girls displayed resilience, determination, and outstanding teamwork. Their energy and commitment were evident in every match, and they should be proud of their effort in challenging conditions.
Miss Agnew
Mrs Hammond
Tormead 6s Hockey Tournament
Six girls attended the Tormead 6s Hockey Tournament for the first time, and were excited at the opportunity to compete against some local Surrey Schools. The matches were 12 minutes one-way, and in our group we had Tormead, Gordon's, and Kingston Grammar.
First up was Kingston Grammar and the girls took a few minutes to get up to speed with the intensity of the game and settle into their shape. We settled better than KGS and, with a turnover in our half, Megs delivered a great pass through to Sorrel who beat her player and shot past the GK into the bottom corner. We seemed to brim with confidence as we scored another in a very similar fashion to the first and looked good to finish the game with a clean sheet. KGS came through however and scored one of their own, a well-finished goal, making the final few minutes tight. The girls however were sound in the game management and saw off any further attacks on goal, kept their shape, and almost scored a third a couple times.
The second game would be a tougher challenge, as Gordons had already beaten Tormead 4-2 and looked skillful, quick, and physical. The girls set to their task and created a couple opportunities of their own, but struggled with the quick passing and strong carries by Gordons. This, coupled with a very strong drag-flicker of
the ball, meant they were going to be a tough challenge to overcome, and we went down 3-0, but with crucial lessons learnt and plenty of fight and determination shown on the pitch.
The final group game was Tormead and the girls showed all the fight and resilience to finish 2nd in their pool. We managed to take an early lead through Sorrel carrying the ball brilliantly and scoring past the keeper. Tormead however, came back with a goal of their own to level things at 1-1. The girls kept their shape, matched Tormead's intensity, and were disciplined moving up and down the pitch and were rewarded with a goal to win the match 2-1.
Our semi final of the cup was against St Teresa's who finished top of their group. The girls set to work: Lily made some crucial saves, Flo and Megs distributed the ball clinically to Kayla and Sorrel leading onto the ball well, and Izzy held the ball up well higher up the pitch. We put in a perfect performance, and even dealt with a late goal by St Teresa's and scored a third to put the game to bed and manage to get into the final against Gordons.
Rematch time! Gordons easily overcame Farnborough Hill in their semi and it was time to see if we could challenge them. We planned how to deal with their attacking play and how to
beat their aggressive pressing, and it was down to implementing this on the pitch. We matched their physicality, with Megs leading the team by being incredibly difficult to get around, and Flo backing her up with excellent marking. Gordons however did threaten with their quick passing around the pitch, and they scored off two short corners to take a 2-0 lead, their drag-flicker certainly enjoying her day. After a quick counter through Izzy, we managed to get a short corner – Flo drag-flicked the ball to the left side and Megs absolutely melted the ball into the goal to keep Roedean in the game. There wasn't long left and we were still pushing to get a goal back, but Gordon's managed to get through twice more before the final whistle and we lost 4-1 in the end.
The six girls played some incredibly exciting hockey, showed tremendous fight and discipline in how they supported each other all over the pitch, and scored some fantastic goals. Lily in goal made some crucial saves to keep us in, and even winning us some games, and each and everyone of them can be proud of their performance in finishing silver medalists. Thank you to Mr Foggoa who supported and umpired all the matches.
Mr Campleman
Staff-Student Hockey
The annual Staff-Student Hockey match was another great spectacle. With the sidelines full of spectators, it was great to see the two teams playing some excellent hockey, with impressive skills on display from both sides. Congratulations to the Staff, who remain on their undefeated streak, after a 3-0 victory. Well done to everyone involved!
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
