2 October 2020 - Issue 4
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
7 Concurrent Macmillan Cake Sales
Raise £333.96
Head’s Introduction
This week has seen lots of individual stories and successes, all of which highlight the range of talents and skills, and the high level of endeavour, in the student body. I am delighted to hear that we have received our first university offer – the first of many. Knowing that the coming year may be more challenging for university entry, we have made a concerted effort to move quickly with Year 13. I am also pleased to hear that an impromptu performance in Keswick one evening last week revealed Alyssa’s musical talent on the accordion – you can click on the video on page 2 to hear something which sounds as if it belongs in a Parisian café. Members of the Catering Department had an opportunity to showcase their skills too last week – to produce 1000 wrapped pieces of cake for Friday’s charity event was no mean feat, but Ruth and Suzie rose to the challenge, and the money raised will be warmly received by Macmillan Cancer Support. Furthermore, I am pleased to hear of some excellent individual successes in the sporting arena, which are included in this review, but it is fantastic to see so many girls out on the fields playing sport. Although the current situation means that we are unable to play competitive fixtures with other schools, the Sports Department is working hard to give the girls every opportunity to train hard and develop their skills in anticipation
of when we will be able to play matches again. The girls are taking full advantage of our wonderful location, the space, and the fresh air, not least playing cricket on our new wickets on the cricket pitch and in the nets. Our virtual Year 7 Parent-Tutor Meeting this week went well, giving both parents and tutors the chance to touch base and chat informally about the first month of term for the new Year 7s. I hope that you were able to spend enough time with your daughter’s tutor, but if you would like to speak in more detail, please do request a further Teams meeting directly with her tutor or with Mrs Chandler. It was also wonderful to welcome a some prospective Sixth Form students to Roedean’s Sixth Form Open Evening this week – the girls, some of whom attended the Roedean Academy last academic year, were able to listen to our Sixth Formers describing their experiences. Some of our girls spoke about moving up through the School into the Sixth Form, the bespoke programmes which result from being able to do electives and an Extended Project Qualification, and the opportunities for leadership and independence, while others talked about joining in Year 12, the range of co-curricular activities available, and about the detailed one-to-one university guidance and preparation they are receiving. The transition from GCSEs in Year 11 to
A Levels in the Sixth Form can be a daunting one, so I hope that hearing strong, positive messages from our Sixth Formers will allay some of those fears, and encourage top students from the local area and beyond to join our excellent Year 11 cohort in the Sixth Form next year. Our own Year 11 will be exploring and hearing more about the Sixth Form in the near future. Tomorrow, we will be holding two Year 7 Open Day events. At the current time, when there is such uncertainty, it is incredibly important for Roedean and other schools like us to demonstrate that we are continuing to provide an outstanding education, and to show this to families whose daughters may be joining the School in September 2021. We know that the current situation is unlikely to improve in the immediate term, so providing the continuity and certainty of a strong all-round education is perhaps more important now than ever before. The Open Day tomorrow will focus on specific aspects of the School, through presentations in the Theatre, to give an impression of what is available here, while also following the necessary safety protocols to safeguard both the girls and our visitors. Thank you in advance to everyone who is involved with this. I wish you all well for a wonderful weekend, and for next week. Liepa makes U14 National Premier League Basketball
Socially-distanced Year 7 fun in the Cloisters
Creative Competition – ‘Rabbit in the Headlights’