Head’s Introduction
A week ago, the Year 8s were partway through their exciting 24-hour challenge to raise funds for MNDA. Most of all, I was impressed by their spirit – they were positive and raring to go, and the result was that eight covered a marathon distance or more, which is outstanding. I was also pleased to see how other students and staff came down to walk a few laps to add to the total, which was 2862 kilometres – what a great collective effort. Together Year 8 raised over £6300! Congratulations also to the Year 7s, who have been abseiling down Peacehaven Cliffs today for their charity, Rockinghorse.
I am delighted and proud that Roedean has been successful in two Education Awards in the last week, highlighting the School's broad provision at the highest level. We were highly commended in the Debrett's Education Award for Outstanding Pastoral Care for the Muddy Stilettos Awards, and we won the award for Working with Local Charities, presented by Education Choices Awards 2025.
Last Friday’s whole school Climate Action Day was such a success. The students had a free choice from a range of activities, and I was impressed with the way they got stuck in. Not only were they learning about the current issues, but there were also tangible outcomes – well done to everyone who was involved.
Congratulations to all of Year 7 and our other junior musicians, who played in their music showcase earlier in the week. The concert rounds off their year and allows them to show what they have learnt as part of this project, which sees them choose an orchestral instrument from a selection of six. All the players deserve to be very proud and thank you to their teachers.
Hot on the heels of the DofE expeditions, some Year 10s also completed an overnight camp for CCF last week, and a smaller group also had the exciting opportunity to go flying this week at RAF Boscombe Downs. It was no surprise that they loved it, actually flying the plane to do a loop the loop!
I am delighted that we have had a number of successes in academic challenges recently: Elianna achieved Gold in the Junior Maths Kangaroo; Cindy was runner-up in a national translation competition; Year 8 and 10 students did well in the Physics Challenge; and some Year 12s honed their analytical skills in a national Chemistry challenge – well done!
I am pleased that this week’s Rockpools Admissions event so went well, as did the Year 10 Futures Day, when they are able to start thinking about their education over the next few years.
Last night’s Private View of this year’s Art Exhibition, which will be open for Roedean Day, was fantastic – I am in awe of the girls’ stunning creativity, which is so diverse and so personal. It really is a must-see before the end of term!
I am looking forward to Roedean Day and Sports Day tomorrow, and to celebrating the successes of our school community at Speech Day on Monday. I hope that you all have a restful day on Sunday ahead of the last week of term.
Year 7 Charity Abseil
MNDA Challenge
Study Buddy Breakfast
The study buddy end of year breakfast was a fun and friendly way to wrap up the academic year together. It was great to see buddies and mentors chatting, laughing, and reflecting on the programme together over a delicious assortment of pastries and fruit. As we look ahead, we’re even more excited for what’s to come – continuing to grow and improve the programme next year.
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.
Two National Education Awards for Roedean
We are delighted that, this week, Roedean was highly commended for Muddy Stilettos 'Debrett's Education Awards for Outstanding Pastoral Care', in recognition of the consistently excellent provision by our Pastoral Team.
In addition, at the end of last week, Roedean won the Working with Local Charities award, from the Education Choices Awards 2025 – in the term when 3 year-groups are undertaking large-scale charity fund-raising events – the Year 9 i360 Sky Walk for Raystede, the Year 7 Peacehaven Cliffs Abseil for Rockinghorse, and the Year 10 Sleep Out for Off The Fence, this seems a highly appropriate award!
Congratulations to everyone involved in these key areas of school life!
Dr Barrand
Unsung Staff hero in the spotlight
Mr Williams (IT) – for helping set up the timing chips for the 24hour challenge [Dr Barrand] Maddie (Yr8), Dayspring, Luisa (Yr9), Scarlett (Yr 10) – for speaking so thoughtfully in Chapel this week [Miss Orrells]
Rida (Head of School Team: Academic)
MNDA Challenge
Congratulations to all of Year 8 and all those who took part in the 24-hour challenge over the weekend, to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association – together we covered 2628 kilometres and raised over £6300! The total distance is impressive, particularly because we had to pause for 2 hours from 10:00pm because of a huge lightning storm, and they beat the total from last year’s group by 750 kilometres! Overall this year, the year-group has raised £6716, and hopefully there may be more to come at the Parents’ Guild Summer Fête!
The race was started by Majid Hafezparast, Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, with a special interest in Motor Neurone Disease, there was also a representative from the MNDA charity present. Professor Hafezparast cut the ribbon, and the Year 8s streamed over the line to begin the challenge. They slept in the Studios and had pizza late in the evening to sustain them – it was a bit like a huge sleep-over – and throughout the whole thing, they were chatting as they went round, running some sections, listening to music, kicking a football, dancing – it was brilliant!
The event was great fun, and I was incredibly impressed by the way the Year 8s threw themselves into it – they were up for the challenge, and their commitment to doing well is clear from the fact that 24 Year 8s covered 30 kilometres or more. Particular congratulations go to the eight students and four members of staff who covered the marathon distance of 42 kilometres or more, which is astonishing: Lily (42km), Amara (43km), Isabelle (43km), Olivia (44km), Ruby (45km), Alexa (46km), and Evelyn (51km) – I am really proud of them, and I’m sure it was their enthusiasm which dragged me around the marathon distance too! However, covering a remarkable 60 kilometres, the highest accolade goes to Phoebe who was determined to do well as this charity has personal significance for her. Well done to everyone involved.
Thank you also to the wider community who joined in – we were joined by students as part of Climate Action Day, staff came along on Saturday morning, and parents and family joined as the race came to a close. I am grateful to my colleagues who were there throughout to support the girls, and in so doing they covered lots of ground too – well done to Mr Bond (63km), Mr Wilson (75km), and Dr Barrand (85km). Thank you to everyone involved – it was a community event, with the Grounds and Estates teams marking out the track, and all those students, members of staff, and parents who got stuck in to make a difference for MNDA!
Miss Bamford
Climate Action Day 2025
Climate Action Day at Roedean last Friday was a truly inspiring and energising occasion, bringing our whole school community together with purpose, creativity, and commitment. From the very first session to the final performances, the day showcased not only the passion of our students for sustainability and environmental justice, but also their ability to lead, innovate, and collaborate.
Throughout the day, students engaged in a wide variety of meaningful activities, from taking part in simulated global climate negotiations and designing wind farms, to building bug hotels, a beach clean-up, leading biodiversity projects with St. Mark's Primary, crafting striking junk couture fashion, and expressing their ideas through art, music, and drama. Every corner of the School was alive with conversation, creativity, and action.
One of our amazing guest speakers, Isaac Keynon said, 'What a fantastic day the Climate Action push at Roedean was! I really enjoyed the whole experience of being a speaker at the event. There was such lovely engagement and thoughtful questions from young changemakers during and after the talks. I also thoroughly enjoyed participating in the UN negotiations politics session; the students were so engaged, it was a real joy to witness. It was a pleasure meeting you. Everything ran so smoothly, the venue was marvellous, and I appreciated you showing me around the School. It just so happens that a distant family relative is likely to be choosing Roedean next year, and they spoke
very highly of the School! I’d be delighted to meet again to discuss future talks or workshops.'
A particular highlight was the ambitious swimming challenge: two of our students, Kayla (Yr9) and Evelyn (Yr10), swam a combined total of 434 lengths to raise funds for WWF. What a phenomenal achievement and a powerful symbol of the dedication shown throughout the day. Our thanks go to all those who sponsored their efforts.
Congratulations to House 4 for winning the Art Mural Challenge, their work in the Wellness Garden beautifully captured the spirit of climate action and left a lasting impression.
I would like to thank every student, member of staff, and guest speaker who contributed to the success of the day. Climate Action Day was not only a celebration of learning and leadership, but also a reminder that our collective actions, big and small, truly matter. Roedean’s commitment to sustainability is not confined to a single day. But this event made clear that the next generation is more than ready to take on the challenge of protecting our planet.
Well done to all involved!
Ms Pashley
Excitement and fun at our Roedean Rockpools Day 2025
Life Lessons from Nature – Chapel
Miss Orrells: Let us take a moment to arrive, to let go of the rush, the noise, the weight we may be carrying. Let’s close our eyes, if that feels comfortable. Feel your breath, steady and slow. Feel the ground beneath your feet, holding you up. Let the world be quiet, just for now. Let the space around you become still, and open.
As we take a moment to pause towards the end of a busy week, a busy year, we’re going to reflect on a message that’s both powerful and gentle, a message about who you are, where you're going, and how you take care of yourself along the way. Whether you’re in Year 7, just beginning your journey here, or Year 13, thinking about what’s next, university, college, apprenticeships, jobs, it’s easy to feel pressure to have everything figured out.
Today, we’re going to explore a poem that invites us to let go of that pressure and trust the quiet guidance of our own hearts. It’s one of my favourites. I find it beautiful. It is a poem not just to read, but to feel. It’s called Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver, read by Maddie, Dayspring, Luisa, and Chloe:
You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place in the family of things.
Miss Orrells: There is something in nature that welcomes us as we are. Something unearned, unqualified. "You do not have to be good." What a radical idea in a world that seems to constantly measure us, evaluate us, asks us to
prove our worth. Many of us carry quiet, invisible burdens: that we are not enough; that we must work harder to earn belonging. You don’t have to audition to watch the sunrise. You don’t need a perfect CV to stand in awe of the ocean. You don’t have to explain your sorrows or regrets to the trees.
Ms Boobis: You do not have to be good. That line can stop us in our tracks. Not because it tells us to give up, but because it invites us to stop trying so hard to be perfect. The world around us, school, social media, even our own thoughts, can tell us that we must have perfect grades, the perfect path, a perfect future lined up. But Mary Oliver reminds us that being human is enough. You already belong – not because of your achievements, but because you are part of something bigger.
When we take time to find ourselves, we authentically discover who we truly are. When we do that, we are able to pursue opportunities that we believe are good for us, not just opportunities we think are objectively ‘good’ and for which we are ‘not good enough’. When we stop judging ourselves by the standards of others, but look for who we are, what we want, how we will flourish, then we will find our place, be it at a university, in a job, or on another journey.
Over the next week, Years 9, 10 and 12 have a range of opportunities to contemplate choices for their Futures, be these next steps in their educational journey, or looking further ahead to their careers. These events can seem like less of a priority when we are living in the very structured day-to-day routines of the present, but if we do not take the time to work out who we are – what we are good at, what we enjoy, what we value – then our future can never be the bright one we all want for ourselves. The ‘wild geese’ in the poem are symbolic. They fly with purpose, not because someone told them to, but because it is in their nature. In the same way, each of us has a path that may not look like someone else's. That’s okay. There is no one right way to succeed.
Scarlett: When considering my future, I was completely clueless on what I wanted to do because working out what fits me was hard, so I began by looking at what I was good at. I loved debate and standing up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves, so I originally wanted to become a lawyer, but then shortly realised that reading and analysing essays was definitely not what I loved, forcing me to change my plan and consider a different path. So I tried another approach; I asked myself what impact I wanted to have on the world, and I decided that, paired with my science skills, medicine suits me best, because I wanted to help people improve their lives physically and mentally, while standing up for people in healthcare at the same time. Going from lawyer to doctor was a huge change, and I
shifted my focus of subjects and picked up some other supra-curriculars like shadowing. For those of you still figuring out your future, I would recommend just asking yourself, 'what impact do I want to make, and what can I envision myself doing?' And maybe, you'll find what fits too!
Ms Boobis: My grandmother always told my mother, and my mother always told me: ‘what’s for you won’t go by you’. While there is so much in this world that we cannot control, taking the time to foster self-awareness, and being at peace with who we are and where we fit into the interconnected web of existence, will attract people, opportunities, and experiences that are for us.
There is a Hebrew saying from Rabbi Hillel, one of the most influential Jewish thinkers: 'Im ein ani li mi li? Uksh’ani l’atzmi ma ani? V’im lo achshav, ei matai? (If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?' What this means is that it is important to focus on ourselves, but not so much so that we neglect our responsibilities to, and connections with, others. And that there is no better time to commit to ourselves than now.
Miss Orrells: ‘Wild Geese’ says, 'You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.' Trust the things that light you up. That bring you peace. That make you feel alive. Because the world, in all its beauty, 'announces your place in the family of things.' Nature offers us this place in the great unfolding, interconnected web of being. A place among rivers and rocks, among stars and storms, among foxes and flowers and, yes, wild geese.
May you go today with the assurance that you are loved,
Simply for who you are.
You have value
And you are enough.
May you listen for the voice of wild geese
Calling you home.
And may you know, Deep in your soul,
That you already have a place In the family of things.
Pride and Inclusion
As this month is World Pride Month, I thought it would be good to reflect on how our wonderful Rainbow Club provides a space for inclusion of everyone who identifies as LGBTQ+, or who is just interested to find out more. The club runs on Mondays in Activity 1 and is a great opportunity to make friends and share interests. Sometimes, the session might be creative, sometimes discussing favourite TV and film representations of LGBTQ+ people, and sometimes working on materials and actions to help make the whole school community a more inclusive place for LGBTQ+ people.
Sooyeon (Yr12), who joined this year, had this to say: ‘Although my initial motives were curiosity, I believe the experience I was able to gain in Rainbow Club was beyond meeting new people – it was an experience to shape the way I perceive different ways of interpersonal communication within different communities. It was indeed a life long experience that has shaped my internal perception of identity.'
Sooyeon has gone on to advocate for other groups in School as a peer listener, as well as running a group for neurodivergent students to get together and share their thoughts and experiences. Affinity groups are so important, and Roedean's well-established Rainbow Club leads the way in demonstrating that shame and sidelining can always be gloriously replaced with Pride.
National Runner Up for Cindy at the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators
Huge congratulations go to Cindy (Yr 8), who has been selected by the Queen's College judges as National Runner Up for Mandarin Level 2 as part of the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2025.
Cindy translated a Mandarin poem into English with impressive flair and precision, standing out among over 22,000 student entries from across the UK. This is a brilliant achievement and a testament to her exceptional talent as a young translator.
Ms Boobis
Miss De Jesus
The Schools’ Analyst Competition at Roedean
Twenty one of our Chemistry A Level students recently participated in the 2025 Schools’ Analyst Competition, jointly run by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Northumbria University.
The Competition enables students in Year 12 to demonstrate and expand on their existing Chemistry knowledge, skills, and aptitude for analytical science through practical experiments. The competition is based on real world societal or industrial problems, and the scenario for this year involved the students undertaking the role of an analytical chemist, assisting the Department of Housing to evaluate the suitability of an old industrial area for building new houses. The students were required to prepare samples on which to carry out techniques, such as titration, thin layer chromatography, and flame tests.
The winning team from Roedean was Team 3, made up of Isabella, Aisling, and Emma. Congratulations to the team, and a huge well done to all those who took part.
Gold for Elianna in the Junior Kangaroo Year 8 and Year 10 Online Physics Competitions
The results of the Junior Kangaroo, the follow-on round for the top scorers in the Junior Mathematical Challenge, have been published. We are delighted that Elianna (Yr8) achieved a Gold award, which is astonishing, with a score of 118.
Desire should also be congratulated on her participation, which in itself was an achievement.
Congratulations!
Mrs Hopper
Many congratulations to sixteen students who participated in the Physics online competitions this term. The results are as follows:
Year 10 Results:
■ Gold: Coco, Selina, Claudia, Liz, Emily, Scarlett, and Aminata
■ Silver: Sohana
■ Bronze: Lucy
Year 8 Results:
■ Gold: Cindy, Isabelle, Charlotte, Amara, Ottilie
■ Silver: Mabel
These are fantastic achievements – well done.
Mrs Barker
CCF Overnight Exercise at Lancing College
Last weekend, our cadets took part in a fantastic overnight CCF exercise at Lancing College, an unforgettable experience that tested their limits, built resilience, and forged memories that will last long after the camouflage paint has faded!
The programme was packed with diverse and challenging sessions tailored for each section. In battlefield first aid, cadets were trained to manage injuries under pressure, a vital skill that develops leadership, calm decision-making, and composure in high-stakes scenarios.
Later in the day, cadets were briefed on section attack tactics, and moved stealthily through
woodland terrain to execute a carefully planned ambush. The energy and focus were outstanding, with cadets practising silent communication, coordinating movement, and, a real highlight, firing blanks in a realistic and controlled combat simulation. The exercise demanded discipline, teamwork, and precision, all of which our cadets delivered in full.
The pace shifted to an adrenaline-fuelled session of laser tag, where cadets applied the day’s tactical lessons in a fast, fun, and highly competitive scenario. It was impressive to see the level of strategy, collaboration, and sheer enthusiasm on display. After a full day of action,
cadets set up camp under bashas and embraced the full military experience, cooking and eating army rations, sharing stories, and settling in for a night under the stars. It was a true test of independence, resilience, and good humour.
Huge thanks to the CCF staff at both Roedean and Lancing College for delivering such a wellorganised and inspiring experience. Activities like this go far beyond fieldcraft, they build confidence, character, and camaraderie. Well done to all the cadets – we’re incredibly proud of your commitment and spirit!
Ms Pashley
U13C Cricket Match vs Brighton Girls’ School
On Wednesday, the U13C Cricket team hosted Brighton Girls' School for a home match. Winning the toss, we elected to field first. Brighton’s batters made some impressive big hits, scoring several boundaries. However, our bowling was disciplined throughout the game, with very few wides or noballs conceded.
When it was our turn to bat, we knew we needed to chase down a target of 98 runs. The early pairs showed strong promise and set a solid foundation. Unfortunately, some of our shots were hit too high, allowing the opposition
to take easy catches. Despite a valiant effort from the entire team, we fell just short, finishing with a total of 93 runs.
Well done to all the players for their hard work, focus, and commitment throughout the match. The team showed great potential and determination, which will surely pay off in future games.
U15B Battled Bravely against Brighton Girls
The U15B team played against Brighton girls, looking for their first win of the season. We won the toss and elected to field first. Brighton managed to get off to a solid start with first two pairs scoring 20 and 27 respectively. Lula and Yan Yan then pulled them back, with the third pair getting 7 runs. With some accurate bowling and a few wickets along the way, we restricted Brighton Girls to 308 in their 18 overs.
We needed a good start to our batting, but we didn't get it as Brighton Girls bowled well and were on top early in the innings. Lois and Athena
batted brilliantly to catch us up and, with solid runs from Kat, Amber, Lula, Liv, Yan Yan, and Lily, we needed 30 from the last three overs. Brighton Girls' bowlers however had other plans and bowled tightly, taking two wickets and stunting our chance of a first victory with a loss by 25 runs.
■ Bowler of the Match went to Yan Yan.
■ Batter of the Match went to Athena.
Mr Campleman
Miss Walsh
U14A Cricket vs Mayfield
The U14A team lost to Mayfield’s U15s this week. Mayfield overcame the loss of an early wicket and raced to 76-1 at the halfway stage. However, Roedean managed to stem the flow, and limited the hosts to 132 from their 20 overs. Andrea returned an excellent 1-10 from 4 overs, but 58 of the Mayfield runs, approaching half, came through wides and no balls.
Roedean’s reply never quite got going, largely due to some accurate and full Mayfield bowling. At 41-1, there was a slim chance of victory, but a steady flow of wickets kept the threat at bay and Roedean eventually reached 91-7 in their 20 overs.
Mr Smethurst
U12A Fall Short of Great Walstead
of England
The U12A team took on a superb Great Walstead side away. We won the toss, and put Great Walstead in to bat on a very warm afternoon. Maisie, Lottie, Chloe, and Harrie all had brilliant first 2 overs, taking 4 wickets, and restricting the batters well. Great Walstead's number 4 batter however had other plans... She played some brilliant shots to reach 50 runs off not so many balls, and this catapulted Great Walstead to their final score of 155 for 4 in 20 overs.
Tilly and Chloe stepped in to bat, hoping to get us off to a flyer. Tilly, who has been scoring good runs this season unfortunately walked around her first ball and was back at the side. Harrie and Chloe scored a few runs before Chloe was run out with a mix up and some good fielding by Great Walstead. Harrie and Maisie then steadied the ship and batted well, rotating the strike and hitting a couple boundaries too. After Maisie chipped a ball back to the bowler, it was downhill from there, with Harrie struggling for batting partners to stay with her and eventually falling for a robust 16 off 28.
Roedean were quite a bit short of the target, but were beaten by the better side on the day.
■ Bowler of the Day – Maisie for 22 runs for 1 wicket in 4 overs
■ Batter of the Day – Harrie for scoring 16 runs off 28 balls.
Mr Campleman
Sporting Stars So Far This Term
Well done to the sporting stars of the last fortnight.
Year 7
Lottie, for excellent progress in all areas of PE this term, and Farhana, for excellent progress in batting this term in Cricket
Year
8
Maddie, for an outstanding knock with the bat this term and progress made in Cricket, and Ruby, for outstanding consistency in Tennis performances for Roedean
Year 9
Rosa, for fantastic effort and good performances in Cricket, and Bella, for fantastic progress and effort in all areas of cricket this term
Year 10
Poppy, for consistent performances in Athletics competitions, and Abbie, for achieving two personal bests in athletics this week and consistent performances in athletics competitions
Year 11
Romey, for consistent performances in Athletics competitions
Year 12
Marija, for excellent progress in Volleyball, and Olivia, for having an outstanding attitude in cricket this term and supporting her peers excellently
Team of the Week (for last week) – U15 Tennis Team, for consistent high-quality performances in the U15 Sussex LTA Tennis League this season.
Team of the Week (for this week) – Swimathon Team - Kayla and Evelyn swam a total of 434 lengths in the Swimathon last week Friday for Climate Action Day (Evelyn swam 234 (5.85km) and Kayla swum 200 (5km) in 1 hour and 40 minutes, an outstanding achievement in both durability, determination, and in raising awareness for the respective charities for Climate Action Day!
Well done to all!
Mr Campleman
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