It has been so fantastic that the new academic year has started so well, with the students and staff ready and excited for the new term! Following our outstanding A Level and record-breaking GCSE results, it is all the more wonderful to find out in the last week that Roedean has been announced as a finalist in Talk, Education Choices Awards 2025, and that the School has won the Best of the Best Award in The Week Schools’ Guide in the categories for both Creative Arts and SEND – I am so proud of our outstanding community!
Congratulations to our BSL cohort, who all dis brilliantly to pass the Level 1 qualification, and I am also delighted that we have another crop of straight distinctions for all those who took LAMDA exams in the summer – well done!
There have also been some wonderful and remarkable individual success stories over the summer, which are included in this review: Clara successfully swam solo to France – what an astonishing achievement; Juliette won an international Chinese writing competition; Ellen sang with the National Youth Choir; Cherrie performed brilliantly in the London K-Pop competition; and Finya and Maisa took on amazing open water swimming challenges. Others have challenged themselves in other ways, such as Lydia, who spent three weeks in Costa Rica, and Molly, who did an intensive ballet programme. Well done!
The House competitions started with a bang yesterday, and it was lovely to see Roedean’s renowned house spirit so strong even at this early point in the year. Well done to everyone, but particularly to House 2 who took the overall prize in this first House battle of the year!
Well done again for a wonderful first week, and I wish you all a restful weekend!
Nine Students Achieved Level 1 in BSL
House 2 Win House Shout
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.
for leading
Lois (Yr11) – for evicting a huge spider from her study in House 4, while her friends and Mr Halsey screamed and quaked in terror!
[Dr Barrand]
First Place in the World Chinese Writing Competition for Juliette
Congratulations to Juliette in Year 11, who has won first prize in the World Chinese Writing Competition. This is organised by Middle School Student Study Newspaper China and the Global Association of Culture and Education Exchange. When she was younger, Juliette lived for ten years in Hong Kong, which is when she started
learning Cantonese, and it is wonderful that she achieved a Grade 7 in GCSE Chinese in Year 10. Her essay was about the significance of her name, and her handwriting is exceptionally neat and beautiful. Well done!
Ellen and the National Youth Choir
Well done to Ellen (Yr13), who has had musical summer holiday: 'This summer, I spent a week as a member of the National Youth Choir, rehearsing for a concert at The Stoller Hall in Manchester. The concert was entitled ‘Earth, Air, Water, and Fire’, and it was divided into four sections, with repertoire that focused on each element. The music ranged from traditional Scottish folk music to modern choral music in languages such as Italian and Hausa, and it explored themes of environmental conservation and tradition.'
Ruby (Yr11) and Charlie (Yr12) –
beautiful prayers in our Chapel services this week [Mrs Green]
Mrs Wu
Distinctions Galore in LAMDA Exams
Congratulations to the 23 students who took LAMDA examinations in June last year – every single student was awarded distinction, adding to the remarkable list of successes at this level for those having private lessons for Acting, Verse and Prose, and Musical Theatre.
Well done to Year 8s, Marvel, Thea, Holly, Emmanuella, Juno, and Sela, who all achieved Grade 3; to Emma, Heidi, and Ariella in Year 9, and Janelle, and Lindo in Year 10, who were all awarded Grade 4; and to Year 10s, Alma, Jolie, Maddie, Saffron, Flo, and Greta, who all achieved Grade 5.
Particular congratulations go to Isla and Honor in Year 10, and Molly and Gabriella in Year 11, who all achieved Grade 6, and to Bella in Year 11, who achieved Grade 7. The most impressive achievement was from Olivia (Yr13) who was awarded Grade 8 in Acting with Distinction!
Well done to every single candidate, and we look forward to even more successes over the course of this academic year!
Mrs Sellers
K-Pop Success for Cherrie
Molly's Ballet Intensive
Congratulations to Cherrie, who last Sunday competed in the K-Pop Awards 2025 in London, where she achieved an impressive second place.
The awards, held annually in New Malden, bring together talented performers from across the country to celebrate K-Pop music and dance.
Earning second place in such a vibrant and competitive event is a fantastic accomplishment. This is truly an achievement worth celebrating!
Dr Del Campo
This summer, Molly (Yr11) had the chance to go on a ballet intensive with SYM Dance (co-founded by Sophie Mergaliyev, Royal Ballet School Affiliate Teacher and Company Manager/Repetiteur for Mergaliyev Classical Ballet). At SYM, she learnt choreography from professional dancers, including Sarah Wildor (former Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet) and Christina Gibbs (dancer for Matthew Bourne), ending with a performance of professional repertoire from Giselle.
Alongside ballet, Molly engaged in classes in Contemporary, Jazz, and Musical Theatre, where she learnt choreography from a wide range of styles, and some of the West End choreography from The Great Gatsby. She had a great time dancing alongside some of the best performers in the industry and learning new techniques outside of her comfort zone.
Miss Abaza
Adventure in Costa Rica for Lydia
Lydia (Yr13), who is applying to study Spanish and Italian at top universities, spent three weeks over the summer holidays in Costa Rica: ‘For 20 days over the summer, I traded in my usual routine for life in Monteverde, Costa Rica. I lived with a host family and spoke exclusively Spanish, which made even simple moments – like dinner or running errands – a chance to learn. Each morning I was in school, and every afternoon turned into something unforgettable: hikes through jungles and cloud forests, swimming in hidden waterfalls or hot springs, and ziplining 2 kilometres Superman-style over the treetops. What I didn’t expect was how close I’d become with the people I met. My host family treated me like one of their own, and the friendships I made felt like they’d been years in the making. By the end of the trip, I’d improved my Spanish, found a new perspective, and learned to embrace Costa Rica’s favourite phrase: pura vida.’
Interests: Football, rugby, trampolining – I love pretty much all sports!
You'd never guess: I was in an advert for a paint company when I was a child
Name: Mx Ambrose Lisboa de Paula
Role: Resident Graduate French Assistant University: BA with (Hons) in History & Politics from Warwick University
Previous School: None
Interests: Drawing, reading, painting, and writing
You'd never guess: that my grand mother has over 25 cats which comes in handy whenever I watch TV at hers and can't find a blanket
Name: Miss Giada Romani
Role: Resident Graduate Boarding Assistant University: SSML Carlo Bo, English and Chinese Translation and Mediation, (Florence)
Previous School: Buckswood School
Interest: Ballet and modern dance, cooking and baking, learning new languages, and pilates
You'd never guess: I am a member of the most ancient Tuscan horse-racing society!
Name: Mr Tom Williams
Role: Resident Graduate Sports Assistant University: BSc in Physical Education in Secondary Years (Chichester), and PGCE in Physical Education (Chichester)
You’d never guess: I studied at one of the top 3 dance schools in England
Name: Ms Deni Agnew
Role: Resident Graduate Sports Assistant
University: BSc Sports Management and Coaching at the University of Bath
Previous School: Warwick Senior High Interests: Netball mainly but any sport really, shopping and family time
You'd never guess: I swam with wild dolphins and Manta rays when I lived in Australia, and play international netball
Name: Miss Saskia Purdy
Role: Resident Graduate Marketing Assistant
University: BA (Hons) in Business and Marketing
Previous school: The West Bridgford School Interests: going to the gym, knitting, and Grey's Anatomy
You’d never guess: I've bathed an elephant and been inside Gregg's HQ (not on the same day)
National Education Awards for Roedean
The School deserves to be fantastically proud that Roedean has recently won two awards in The Week School Awards: while we are in School, we might not necessarily appreciate how wonderful our School is.
This week, we have been announced as a finalist in four categories for the Talk Education Choices Awards 2025, for Developing School Partnerships, Working with Local Charities, Opportunities in Art and Music, and for Inclusive SEN Provision.
All the more impressive is that the School has also won two categories in the Autumn/ Winter 2025 issue of The Week Independent Schools Guide, in which Roedean has won Best for SEND and Best for Creative Arts.
Congratulations to everyone in the wider community who played their part!
Roedean in Moldova 2025
The first week in July saw Roedean’s third visit to Moldova, Europe’s poorest country, where twelve students from Years 11 and 12 taught English to eighty under-privileged children, some from Moldova and others who are refugees from the Ukraine and Syria.
Derin, Elspeth, Farah, Hunny, Lydia, Mary, Nathania, Olivia, Poppy, Rhea, Sam, and Zaha did something extraordinary – they stepped way out of their comfort zones, went to a country they knew little about and whose language they could not speak, and they delivered their first ever English lessons, and they did it so well.
These Roedean students are not teachers, but it was wonderful to see them grow in confidence as the week progressed, trusting in the skills and techniques which they had learnt from Mrs Howson, Head of EAL, in their weekly sessions since January. They learnt to adapt in response to the children’s engagement, to move on if something wasn’t working, and to develop their planned tasks on the hoof.
Poppy said: ‘This trip not only inspired me, but uncovered abilities that I didn’t even know I had. Being able to stand up in a classroom and make an impact was definitely a massive highlight for me.’
It was also fantastic to see the rapid improvement in the children’s English over the course of a very short time, and to watch a rapport build between teachers and students. This was perhaps all the more impressive since some of the students were 17 or 18, while their
‘teachers’ were only 16! After a slightly nervous start, Nathania and Mary won over their class, with a combination of clear expectations and positivity – Nathania reflected on this, saying: ‘By the end of the week, our class had achieved so much and I was shocked at the pride I felt for them. This made me realise that teaching isn’t about drilling knowledge into students, it is about encouraging perseverance, fostering a growth mindset, and ultimately making students feel seen and heard.’
Proficiency in English opens doors, providing access to a range of different opportunities, and Roedean is proud that our students have brought potentially transformational change to nearly 200 children and young people over the last three years. On the last day, Hunny looked back at the week and said: ‘I feel that this is such a rare opportunity that many Roedean students don’t get to experience. I got to reflect back on my own life and how lucky I have been to be able to study English from a young age.’
Our project draws quite a lot of attention, and it was our privilege to have the Moldovan Minister of Education and Deputy Ambassador from the British Embassy present at our ‘graduation ceremony’, where each of the children received a certificate. Not only that, but some staff and students were even featured on national television!
There can be no doubt that it is a tiring week, both physically and emotionally, and adrenaline is what kept us going for quite a bit of it! Farah loved the experience: ‘Travelling to Moldova this summer and being given the opportunity to teach English to children of various backgrounds is an experience I will forever hold in my heart. It has been a week of laughter, tears, and pride, and I know the skills and memories I have gained from this trip will remain with me for life'
As well as teaching English, we had the chance to visit the Rainbow of Hope orphanage in Vadul Lui Voda, an institution which Roedean has been supporting since our first visit. After meeting the children and staff, we pledged to cover 3% of the annual running costs of the orphanage, not just for a year, but for a decade – this would mean raising about £5000 each year. This year, as a community, we raised over £7600, which will cover one twentieth of the total running costs for this year – congratulations, and thank you to everyone who contributed to this fantastic sum. Valentina, who manages the orphanage, was so grateful for the financial support, which will make such a difference to the children’s lives, but also for the fact that we have built a partnership over the last few years. Derin was rightly proud of our contribution: 'One of the most meaningful parts for me was seeing the direct impact of Roedean’s donations. It made me realise how the support we give at school can truly change lives. Being there brought everything into perspective and made me proud to be part of a community that actively works to help others.’
None of this would be possible without the invaluable support of Hope4, overseen by Chris Lomas, and the team on the ground in Moldova who smoothed our path at every turn. Sam commented ‘I feel so lucky to have come across people like Ivan and the Hope4 team, who go beyond their way to support children in Moldova, and give them the best opportunities and experiences that we are privileged to have.’ Lydia agreed: ‘The Hope4 team was absolutely fantastic – I’ve never met a more compassionate group of people!’ Thank you sincerely to Ivan, Iuliia, Iuliia, and Zhenia, and the entire team who dropped everything for the
week we were there to support us – we could not do it without you!
It was also wonderful that we were joined by Moldovan Roedeanians during the week –Irina, an HMC East European Scholar in Year 12, joined us, as did Sabina, who left in 2023 and is now hugely successful studying Biotech at university in Austria. It was such a pleasure that they could support us, and that we were supporting young people in their home country.
From a hare-brained and a seemingly unachievable idea which started in 2022, Project 125 Moldova has developed into an enduring partnership with the NGO, Hope4. Together, we are helping, in our small way, to make a difference, by teaching young people English and supporting the aptly-named Rainbow of Hope orphanage – long may it continue, and at least for the next seven years!
Dr Barrand
Nine Students Achieved Level 1 in BSL
Congratulations to all those who took the BSL Level 1 examinations last term – they all passed! To achieve the qualification, students are required to pass each of the three modules individually. Success at Level 1 signifies that the students are equipped with the skills to understand and produce signs for everyday conversations, including greetings, numbers, and directions.
It is wonderful that these students are from a variety of agegroups in School, and they have attended this challenging co-curricular activity and learned BSL together. Well done to Alma, Bea, Hannah, Livvy, and Saffron (Yr10), Ady and Victoria (Yr11), and Angelica and Anna (Yr13) – particular congratulations go to Alma and Angelica, who were awarded the highest mark in modules 1 and 2, and Livvy, Anna, Saffron, and Angelica all achieved the top mark in module 3.
Well done!
Mrs Palmer
Maisa's Open Water Success in the Summer
Well done to Maisa (Yr9), who took part in the South East regionals – she competed in the 2km race, which took place in Redhill at the end of June. She came 3rd in the region, an excellent achievement.
It was a great swim and a beautiful sunny day as well. With a third place finish, she qualified for the Open Water Nationals 3km, which took place in Sheffield at the end of July. Maisa swam incredibly well, and came 4th in the country for the 13 year-old age category – this was a phenomenal achievement, with what was a very tough swim. For the first 2km, she was top 3, and, in the last round, unfortunately she went
off course as wind picked up considerably and current was very strong. Despite swimming defiantly to get back into the top 3, she came fourth by just a touch.
This was a great experience for Maisa, and a very good learning curve on the practice required, especially to ensure she keeps on track in difficult conditions. It was an amazing achievement, and, no doubt, she will only be motivated to achieve even more in the future.
Mr Campleman
House 2 Win House Shout
The House Competitions got off to a thrilling start on a gusty Thursday afternoon this week, after a week of intensive rehearsals, designed to pull the House teams together and build on the strong sense of sisterhood at Roedean.
The wailing sounds knocked seagulls off their perches, Brighton Marina residents were seen closing their windows, and teachers were seen passing ear plugs to one another. But there was plenty of rhythm and pans clanging from House 4, an enormous amount of excitement from House 2, overwhelming passion from House 3, and masterful footwork and style from House 1.
The judges conferred for what seemed like an eternity as the girls quietly sat down on the Quad lawns. They soon began bashing pans, blowing vuvuzelas, and screaming as loud as they possibly could, as the results came through: House 1 were awarded the prize for the Best House Spirit; House 2 won the prize for Creativity and Humour; House 3 won the Word Clarity award; and House 4 were the loudest.
A massive well done goes to all the girls who took part and made the event such a resounding success, but special congratulations go to the overall winners of the House Shout competition 2025, House 2!
Mr Wriglesworth
This Week in Boarding...
This week we have welcomed back out wonderful boarders from their summer break. We started the welcome celebrations by making smores around a bonfire; there were lots of giggles and marshmallow-covered faces as the new girls got to meet our returning boarders.
House 1 have taken bingo very seriously this week, with some new and improved prizes which were highly sought-after, and toastie-making with their Year 12s.
The girls have also been keen on being on the courts for boarding netball and, last night, boarding hockey too, so we have been limbering up with our fitness levels at the beginning of the year!
In House 2 this week, they enjoyed some Saturday baking – our juniors rolled up their sleeves and whipped up some delicious Coco Pop cakes, which were later presented at their weekly House meeting.
House 3 have had a busy week in boarding, and the girls have enjoyed picking berries to make into jam (a classic start to term), Harry Potter movie night, smores and ice cream at the bonfire, and even chocolate pancake-making! House 3’s newest Year 7 and some Year 9s too enjoyed a walk around the school grounds, with a trip past the Farm to say hi to the friendly goats.
House 4 have made homemade bedroom decorations; the older boarders enjoyed painting mug masterpieces, while some of the younger years had a go at the chocolate game, getting everyone involved with a biscuit-decorating activity! And, as is tradition in House 4, Pancake Tuesday.
For the first weekend back, the Keswick girls got creative, making their own door signs to add the finishing touches to their rooms. They had some 'get to know you' activities on Sunday, and then the firm favourite, Bingo, was back!
Miss Frank-Keyes
Weekend Trip – Brighton Pier
This weekend, the girls took a sunny trip to Brighton Pier, surely the perfect way to ease into boarding life! They enjoyed the sunshine and thrilling rides, and tucked into some seriously tasty treats, making core memories from day one!
Miss Romani
Clara's Solo Swim to France
Three years after swimming across the English Channel as part of a relay team of six Roedean girls, Clara has gone one step further – she has made the crossing from Dover to France alone.
The 21-mile crossing took her an unbelievable 12 hours and 56 minutes, which is faster than the 2022 team time of 13 hours and 13 minutes. Unaffected by a two-day delay because of a propeller issue with her pilot boat, Clara, aged 17, set off in the early hours of Thursday morning, and she powered her way across the Channel, dealing with strong currents along the way, the worst off which are perhaps near the French coast. This achievement is the result of hours of endurance training and cold water-acclimatisation in the build-up to the challenge. Reflecting on her journey to this success, Clara said: ‘The swim started 3 years ago straight off my relay when I said to my parents I wanted to do a solo. Finishing the solo was a dream come true. Motivation took the back seat determination was what helped me get through the harder times.’
Clara has always loved sports, especially netball and swimming, but it was at Roedean that she discovered sea swimming: ‘When I joined Roedean at 11, I was lucky enough that one of our teachers, Dr Hobbs, started up the sea swimming club and came up with the idea of a team crossing the Channel, and my enthusiasm for it all has just gone from there.’ That was the catalyst that led to her successful relay crossing in 2022, another relay attempt in 2024, and then this solo swim. When asked why she wanted to take on this enormous challenge, Clara’s answer was clear: ‘I really enjoyed crossing the Channel the first time when we did it as a school team. I loved the challenge and really pushing myself. But I felt like it wasn’t enough for me to do it as a relay so I decided to tackle it alone.’
Not only has Clara achieved something remarkable, something which will stay with her for a life-time, but she has also raised over £8600 for Taylor Made Dreams, a local charity, which helps children with life-limiting illnesses. This charity has personal significance for her, and the valuable funds which she has raised will, no doubt, make a difference to the lives of many children and their families. The entire Roedean community is incredibly proud of Clara’s achievement, summed up perfectly by a former Chemistry teacher and sea-swimmer: ‘Never have I been so delighted to see a boat trace on my phone screen turn and head away from the French coast. You are now a Channel swimmer, and nobody can ever take that away from you! Congratulations. A truly inspiring and epic achievement.'
Hockey vs Brighton College
U15A 7–3 Victory
The Roedean U15A team produced an excellent performance to secure a 7–3 victory over Brighton College U15Bs, in what was a fast-paced and end-to-end contest.
From the very start, both sides attacked with intent, creating chances, and putting pressure on each other’s defence. Roedean quickly settled into their rhythm, moving the ball with confidence and linking up well in attack. Their sharp finishing proved decisive, as they repeatedly found a way past the Brighton defence. Brighton, however, showed determination and resilience, responding with goals of their own to keep the game competitive.
Kayla and Erin shared the goals, while defensive highlights from Sophie and Sorcha provided a strong platform for the team to attack with freedom. The team now looks ahead to Friday evening’s fixture against Ardingly, which promises to be another compelling encounter.
Mr Foggoa
Despite a 4-0 loss to a strong Brighton College side, it was fantastic to see the girls back on the pitch for the first time since last term, playing some lovely hockey throughout the match.
There were clear signs of progress as the team responded brilliantly to coaching feedback, showing great determination and teamwork. Stand-out performances came from Tilly, who was named Coach’s Player for her work rate, and Astrid, who impressed the opposition and was named their Player of the Match.
There are plenty of positives to build on going forward – well done!
Remarkable Endurance in the Water for Finya
Well done to Finya, who last week achieved an extraordinary feat during cold water training, a six-hour swim covering 15 kilometres in Loch Lomond. Beginning at 3:00am, in complete darkness and freezing conditions, the effort demanded not only physical stamina, but also immense mental resilience. To swim such a distance under these circumstances is an outstanding accomplishment, one that is truly worth celebrating – congratulations, Finya!
Miss Agnew
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
