YOUR SHOUTS Voices of Roedean
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Roedean School Newspaper
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN “Honour the wordy”
The BIG Question Food Revolution with Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko
“Is there any word that isn’t in the dictionary, but has a meaning to you, that you use frequently?” Have you ever felt alienated from the world just because you use a different “tongue” to everyone else? Well, fear no more! This issue’s investigation proves that you are not alone. Mr. Atkins uses the word “dot dot” dot to describe anyone that is of small height. Wouldn’t you love to be called a “dot”? It’s brilliant!
Belinda Onoja feels strongly about the word “spongofela spongofela” spongofela when a person is agitated. Ladies and gentlemen, be aware of the “spongofels” wandering the corridors of Roedean!
Serena Esiri-Bloom adores the word “runkle” as “the pinch of an inch” of your love handles.
By Phuong Dinh A group of students were buzzing excitedly in front of a board. They seemed focused, discussing in low murmurs and occasionally pointing at one of the laminated pieces of paper. They were soon joined by three girls who hurried away after quick peeks. Even a few teachers went out of their way to the dining hall and glanced curiously. So what’s the cause of all this? An important announcement? A new blockbuster? Not at all. If you listen carefully to the cheerful girl who broke into a small dance, you can hear her repeat the phrase “Pork escalope on Tuesday!” an innumerous number of times. All this hype is due to the new Catering board located outside of the Dining Hall; one of the changes made by the Catering department as part of their mission to improve all the food-related affair.
“Everything is looking very promising” I was most impressed by the effort put in not only with every week’s menu for breakfast, lunch and supper but also all the information about school food: daily nutrition, where our food came from, etc. It also has the Chef’s email address (thechef@roedean.co.uk), which so far has received quite a lot of contributions. It brings me great relief and pleasure that the student body has not been
cut off from issues that…would affect us most. The themed nights have also proved to be widely popular amongst the students. Fighting the monotony during Friday supper times, it is gradually becoming the highlight of the week for some of the boarding community. The girls are glad that they have an alternative to the usual menu with a lot claiming the themed dishes taste better. And though it’s still at the experimental stage, everything is looking very promising. Kudos to the chef! Having perceived all the positive changes, there’s still one matter that concerns us: has the food actually changed? And the answer is yes. There are noticeably an increase amount of greens available, and the chef has worked hard on trying to create new dishes and spice up the choices for us. And for those who are still bothered by the fried factor, there are options for us to take the healthy route. I mean, who wouldn’t love a piece of poached salmon, right?
Caitlin Boyland finds the word “natchi” very helpful as it helps her describe anything from a satsuma to a clementine. She loves her fruits!
Chioma Ike-Nwabuoku is addicted to the word “bunz bunz” bunz making sure that it only occurs in describing anything satisfactory. Roedean is definitely a “bunz” school then!
Ivy Robin uses the word “bullyish” when a person is mean to another person. I hope you Upper Threes don’t fit this description.
As for Boudicca Bulletin’s layout editor? She just verbs all her nouns.
Volume 1, Issue 2
Our Country’s Good The school play has come and gone, but Harriet Kember recounts
the production to explore the wider benefits of theatre.
By Harriet Kember By the time you read this, the Roedean thespians will have all ready donned their costumes and embarked on this year’s school production of ‘Our Country’s Good.’ Scripts tossed aside, and with memories in the outline, the hard work of this year’s cast and crew will appear that of an ancient memory, much like England to the convicts in the play. But, before casting this year’s performance to the depths of scrapbooks and other memorabilia, a reflection on the production, its intricacies and ambiguities, is in due order. In case you were unable to witness the performance, allow me to recap the storyline. ‘Our Country’s Good’ tells the story of the first fleet of convict ships that arrived in Australia. With the camp running out of supplies and the convicts stealing the little food that is left, the officers of the colony decide to put on a play to keep the convicts occupied. This attempt to create a ‘normal community’ results in new friendships formed, lovers being found, and redemption achieved. The play features a wide breadth of characters, all of whom challenge Roedean actresses to the extremities of their abilities due to their demanding and complex personas. To name a few: Robert Sideway, the pick pocket who fancies himself as a professional actor, Ketch Freeman, the convict hangman who merely desires social acceptance, and Liz Morden, a woman seemingly void of all morals and social virtues. However, as was taught both within the theme of the play and within the creation of the performance itself, the benefits of a play expand far beyond that of an enjoyable two hours for audiences.
School Calendar: Upcoming events • • • • • • • •
30/4/09 01/5/09 02/5/09 20/6/09 27/6/09 28/6/09 02/7/09 03/7/09
Funmbi Adeagbo, 6’1, a fellow actress within the play, said “I’ve always been in the school play but this year has been particularly good because it has given me the opportunity to strengthen my relationships with both those in my year and those in other year groups.” In addition to being an enjoyable recreational activity, the theatre teaches lessons applicable to all regions of one’s life. Dedication and commitment are fundamental skills acquired, as the highlydemanding project can take a toll on one’s enthusiasm and dedication. In the words of Captain Arthur Philip, a central character in the play,“... (the theatre) requires attention, judgement, patience, all social virtues”. These learned skills do not limit themselves to the boundaries of the stage, and spill over into all aspects of the participant’s life. The school play is an undeniable highlight on the school calendar. It is an opportunity for the Roedean community to come together and enjoy a piece of theatre and have a genuinely fantastic evening. From the ghost of the past I can honestly declare that despite its turnout, the virtues and skills acquired from the journey of creating the play have been well worth the effort.
Summer Term Begins Team Rounders Brighton Festival Fringe Concert Bronze DoE Expedition Roedean Day & Sports Day “Roedean’s Got Talent” & Summer BBQ Team Music & Last Day of School Gold DoE Expedition
You can miss the doughnut all together if you look through the hole. ©
By Camilla Longman I drifted into our English classroom with the usual questioning thought in my mind: “what will we be doing in our English lesson today?” As Mrs. Wilkinson walked into the room, there was an awkward unknown silence. She appeared merry, so we supposed that we would be doing something reasonably fun, but nobody knew just how different this topic would be… We were asked to write to an author of our choice to ask them to come to our school for a visit. The most popular authors chosen were Louise Rennison (author of the Georgia Nicholson Diaries) and Stephanie Meyer (author of the Twilight series). Around two weeks later, and after checking the mail boxes around a thousand times daily, the highly anticipated English lesson arose. Some authors had actually replied! The luckiest person in the whole year was Morgan Taylor whom had written to Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha. She received a signed copy of the book, and an informative letter. This left us all thinking, “why didn’t I write to him?”
March 2009
Groovin' Roedeanians Recapture the 70's By Georgina Wheatley Well, we’ve done it again! As has been proven to be quite a trend over the years, Miss Fewkes and the Roedean musicians have once again blown music convention out of the water. This term’s ‘70’s Gala Music Night’ dazzled audiences and musicians alike, enveloping them in a world of bell bottoms, big hair, and groovy music. Within this large overhead theme, the types of music performances varied greatly, from the Jazz Band even to our boy band, the Roedents! This vast variety of music combined with the overall jocular theme produced the light-hearted atmosphere that made this concert quite different from any other. To briefly recap the evening, the concert opened with Mrs Armes providing the audience with a wonderful trip down memory lane. For those of us who have never worn platform shoes, this introduction served as an enlightening history lesson. Conversely, for all the oldies it served as a delightful memory jog, wetting their palates for the retro music to come. The Jazz Band and String Orchestra kicked off the evening with medleys from the likes of The Carpenters and Queen. The next act up was our resident boy band, who showed Joni Mitchell and The Rolling Stones how it’s done. The Roedents got us all clapping along to their performances of “Big Yellow Taxi”, with Mrs Spendley taking the lead vocals. Their performance of ‘Brown Sugar’ too extolled the virtues a truly 70’s evening, where Mr Back, reminiscing the days of having a full head of hair, drove the audience wild with his wicked guitar playing. This performance was supported by Mr Thomson on bass, Mr Orys on drums and Dr Kaye on guitar, all sporting hair do’s well beyond their expiration date. Overall, a complete success - I’m sure they’ll be headlining their own gig soon! More on page 8 Entertainment…
Author adventures
Last thoughts: PAGE 12 YOUR SHOUTS
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
What’s Inside • • • • • • • • • • • • •
A Taster of Boudicca’s Lair He Stands for Hope — Page 2 Procrastination vs. Revision — Page 3 Dr. Birch, a tribute — Page 4 Roedean Environmental Committee — Page 5 Let it Snow — Page 5 An Exciting New Initiative — Page 6 Page 7 model — Page 7 Fangs for the Memories — Page 8 Grooving Roedeanians Recapture the 70s continued — Page 9 Alternative Weight Loss — Page 10 New York Fashion Week — Page 11 The Big Question — Page 12 Food Revolution — Page 12
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
He stands for Hope By Nneka Mbadugha The newly elected president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, represents and stands for many things. For example, he is a symbol of change, opportunity and He is © hope. symbolic in the sense that you can do anything if you truly believe in yourself, no matter your race, sex, age etc. But what exactly does he stand for in England? Although Obama has no say of what goes on in England, he is now regarded with great authority and respect as whatever decisions he makes in the future influence England and many other countries greatly. Therefore meaning that whatever he represents to those in America, he represents to those all over the world, England included. He is an international figure. Here, he should be looked upon as someone who didn’t let discrimination and endless criticism keep him down. He is a walking symbol of great willpower and determination. As I know of an English person who did meet Obama, and once they did, was speechless. Not because of his status or how tall he was, but because of the legacy he was creating. She was completely awed and from that day forth was filled with optimism and is now completely driven to complete whatever she starts. Many people believe that if Obama did stand for anything in
England it would be just for the black people, which is very wrong. President Barack Obama does not just represent black people; he is a figure who transcends race. He represents to people around the world to be content with who they are and work with it, and see the outcome as it will be great. He insinuates to people that anything is possible. He even has people thinking now in England that maybe there will be a Black or Chinese Prime Minister. On April 6th 1968 Martin Luther King Junior, who was an
He is a walking symbol of great willpower and determination. important activist and leader of the African-American civil rights movement, was shot dead. Like Obama, he stood for many things and today Barack Obama carries on that legacy, but to a wider range of people. He shows that no matter how “different” you are, you are still able to succeed. Neither your race, sex, age nor sexuality should define who you are. It is what is within you that counts, which is why he won over the position as President of the United States. In general, President Barack Obama does stand for something here and there is only one word needed to describe it, “hope”. And within this word are the words confidence, courage, faith and so many other positive words. This is what Obama represents in England and everywhere else in the world. A few years ago, it would have been hard to say that the American presidential seat represented more than a certain circle of people; but now with Obama president, he stands for something more than political beliefs. This is why in England, when people think of him they also think of hope.
Compromising Culture What are we losing by sharing all the good we have? By Victoria Woo Although the term “flattening the world” is clearly a bad analogy for globalisation, it doesn’t stop it from happening; it has been set in motion ever since time began. We were first struck by the phenomenon when explorers from the West set out during the Age of Discovery (15th-17th centuries) and began colonising. But now in our age, where tourists dine at Burger King in Venice and I © NY shirts are sold in Sri Lanka, has it become more than merely sharing cultures? Are we soon to become one homogenous mixture? You can’t deny that as part of an international community you haven’t noticed that travelling around the world is at what it seemed to be. You can travel from country to country staying at the Hilton, eating at Pizza Hut, and going shopping at the local centre ending up with a pair of Nike shoes. It could be that the only difference from trip to trip is the background landmark of the family holiday snapshot. Sometimes it isn’t even worth buying souvenirs anymore as you can just get it shipped to your doorstep via an order off the internet. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with being interested in worldwide trends), it’s brewing a problem we can’t dismiss. What was born from the want of certain branded products or services locally has resulted in the spread of it globally, which makes for a very mundane world. We’re not just becoming similar commercially and materialistically; we, as a people, are merging too. We’ve become so comfortable with this situation that even the people we meet from halfway around the world wear the same clothes and eat the same cereal for breakfast. It’s great that there’s common
“There may be jewels in the rough being lost through the gaps of time as we speak.”
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ground but what if that’s all there is? We are losing the individuality and diversity that had once created the many facets of the human race. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this. On the other hand, it could be wrong to think that this situation is a problem; indeed, it could even be merited as a helpful turn in human society. Globalising in fact increases chances of world peace (or at least deters the likelihood of war) as countries rely on each other for trade and tourism. The mixing of cultures is our best hope to overcome ethnic barriers entirely. Adding to this, ever since the Internet was pioneered in the early 90s, it has never been easier to share information and become aware of global matters. Nevertheless, in the throes of chasing equality and becoming a global citizen, it is important to remember our heritage and the small peculiarities of our surroundings. This can range from knowing the historical context of religious or cultural traditions, to the story of the old man who sells lily buds at the busy city crossing. There may be jewels in the rough being lost through the gaps of time as we speak. Luckily, the Earth is small place for some but for others who chose it, it is really is greater than any imaginative ability. Indigenous people and developing countries are slowly being forced into “society”, but their culture will never be lost as they strive to keep it alive. That’s a responsibility we all should take with the utmost resolution. The mixing won’t stop but learning the most we can about our area, our family, our school, and the communities in which we live in, will keep diversity alive. It’s simple, just don’t be too busy to take a route of the beaten track no matter how unfamiliar it is; by taking this action, you’re doing a service to humankind and yourself.
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN
NEW YORK FASHION W
EEK
By Julia Kisray From 13th February, Fashion Week was in full swing in New York. With 15 shows in 14 hours each day, it wasn’t just the designers under a great deal of stress. Models, hairdressers, make-up artists and wardrobe specialists were being rushed in yellow cabs and private cars from one show to the other; two odd earrings in one hand, a bottle of chilled water in the other and massive sunglasses to hide in between make-up stages. Of course, seeing as New York was on show, a few little surprises were pulled to keep those harsh critics at bay and customers happy. The city was happy to inject the talent of its architects and interior designers into this very special week. Breathtakingly bizarre backdrops and uncomfortably clashing colour schemes were only a few things that were on the menu, so obviously clothes weren’t the only things getting attention out in the land of Fashion Week. One of the favourites for 2009 was the lovely Anna Sui with her spencers and tailcoats in luxury black and deep purple velvet. She was but one of the many designers that pulled out all the stops to flaunt the power she has over the fashion image. All garments in her gothic bohemian range for autumn and winter were adorned with ribbons, jet beading, fringing and lavished with embroidery and lace. The predicted celebrities in the front row included a very blasé Peaches Geldof; even with her seriously “cool” expression, she was stunned by the clothing range and very obviously enjoyed it, however much she tried to hide it. As the week and all its antics progressed, the Metropolitan Museum of Art saw the likes of Marc Jacobs, Anna Wintour and Giorgio Di Sant’Angelo, the timeless designer who revolutionised the 60’s outlook on style. During the week, the museum also unveiled this year’s main exhibition “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion”. The exhibition space will be designed by John Myhre, of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ and ‘Dreamgirls’ wellearned fame, and will launch on 6th May. Everything on the catwalk seemed to be following the same lines: highlighter coloured, one-shouldered, padded, tailored and sharp. Maybe not all in one outfit but certainly enough to dress you for a week. The Cyndi Lauper inside every single woman is now able to be free and dance around the streets since the 80s are back: the big hair, the snazzy make-up, the bling bling, the lot. Unfortunately none of the designers touched on the environment issues or recession, but who can blame Victoria Beckham? She has her new range out and that’s all that matters. Besides, the ‘Credit Crunch’ is surely a new ska band or brand of flap jack, right? Other celebrities included Sarah Jessica parker, Eva Longoria and Heidi Klum but besides the star-studded crowds, this gorgeous week has given fashionistas everywhere plenty of information to stick into the style bible and sink their teeth into. Seeing as the Big Apple has yet again not failed us, it’s safe to say that that’s a New York wrap.
The Chosen One By Hazel Robin Usually when we hit our teenage years we want to escape from our parent's grasp. We want to explore, become more independent, and rebel against our parents to distinguish ourselves as individuals. This 'adventurous' outlook often translates into our personal styles, best represented with fashion! When it comes to clothes we explore the hippy, the punk, the rock, the chique, the famous fashion label, and the vintage in order to find our place in the fashion world. Once we've discovered which style suits us the most, this self-definition can often assist with developing our entire persona, much less superficial than that characteristic pair of Jimmy Choos. Many girls like to mix and match, choosing to explore their options within different styles. A peer of mine, Joy Crane, is a prime example of this exploratory approach. She has
FASHION
Madame FashFash Hails New Westfield Shopping Centre By Aimee Taylor As you walk around those posh houses and prim looking flats of London, somewhere, you come across an enormous roundabout. If on foot, you let your life hang on the line as you dash across the road, eager to get to that roundabout. Why, you ask, is a roundabout so special? Don’t be so stupid, Mme FashFash replies, chastising your dimwittedness. For it is not the roundabout that is so special, but what lies around it. Westfield looks magnificent from the outside, let alone the inside. There are people milling about, arms aching from carrying around large, patent, bowadorned bags from Topshop, Apple, Zara… Miu Miu. Miu Miu! Oh, if only my bank account would stretch a little further! What more could one ask for? It simply is a shopaholics dream (and I’m not referring to Becky Bloomwood). In fact, it’s so massive that it even has it‘s own “village” (granted this is a collection of shops, but still…), all under one roof. Architecturally, it’s genius. Imagine a “floating” staircase! And those enormous boots! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I suggest you go there and see for yourself. Back to the topic of shops! Yes, it’s the old cheese “there’s something for everybody”, but in this case there truly is. From the icy depths of my shoedesiring, vain heart, I honestly believe that men and women can exist in perfect harmony under one magical, Prada-sheltering roof. Hell, maybe even reconnect over some retail-therapy! With an enormous Apple Store and plenty of men’s fashion apparel shops (including 16 that have never been introduced to the UK) men are hardly left out of the fun. As for children, whining will surely seize when entering one of the many toys shops dotted all over the place. There are shops filled with toys, clothes, more toys and - wait for it - a gym. How cool! Appropriately named “The Little Gym”, what a way to prevent child obesity in London! It is clearly Westfield, the Zeus of all shopping malls that holds the greatest wealth of services. We would do ourselves a duty by going there. It caters for the every need; the optical, the economic (banks…), the floral (yes, indeed, there is a florist), the pharmaceutical and even the dry cleaning. Now if only they employed personal “buyers”….
the hippy, chique, rock, rave, and country style. This is a gift because she can put anything on and look great in it. She can seduce any style to make it look good on her. I'm more of the office black and white style. My model example for the middle-age woman style is Gwen Stefani, She has the “I don't care about what I'm wearing, I'm going to make it look good on me” look. This attitude she has matches her the style that is similar to Joy’s attitude, which makes what she wears more alluring and “WOW” like. Both Joy and Gwen create new styles without feeling ashamed or conscious of what other people think, this is an admirable quality proving that fashion goes belong vanity as it can express individual qualities. ©
PAGE 2 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
PAGE 11 FASHION
SPORT
Alternative weight loss By Joy Crane An all girls community: the very notion of such a place wreaks of weight obsession. A surrounding swarming with bizarre exercise habits, extreme diets, diet pills, and other equally unhealthy and useless dieting methods. As individuals, many of us perceive ourselves to be above such mediadriven tripe, but the truth is undeniable: size matters. Whether the media is to blame for idealizing certain figures, or the government for over-compensating in anti-obesity schemes, the world is aware of their weight. But lost in the vastness that is the current health industry an eminent question arises: are we truly as unhealthy as we perceive? Undeniably, obesity and other health-related maladies are pressing problems in today’s society. About 38% of adults are obese in the United Kingdom alone. Although a daunting statistic, the media’s negative perception the ‘threat’ of excessive weight has been blown out of proportion. ‘Human Interest’ stories prey upon the woman who shed 100 pounds and ‘gained her life back’. Entire television series (such as ‘The Biggest Loser’) are based upon that un-said, but
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BOUDICCA BULLETIN society-driven conceptual norm that your poundage is directly related to your self-worth. After all, if these motifs didn’t coincide with people’s beliefs, on a sub-conscious level at the very least, then these soul-sucking media sources would not exist. Being overweight is not a crime, a disease, nor a cardinal sin, so why do we perceive it as such? Nevertheless, I’m able to rationalize and recognize that optimum health has many benefits. Increased energy, flexibility, and elevated mood are some popularized effects of weight loss, which are undeniably positive. However, another diet article will not change these facts, nor provide the masses with a revolutionary way to tackle those love handles. Yes, summer is around a bend, and (dare I say it) the dreaded ‘bikini’ will soon cross many of our minds. Aside from suntans and beach parties, magazines will once again play the diet-mantra audio loop, that miraculously somehow manages to make front page headlines each year. Whether you view it as tainting or a blessing, the reach of health/diet media has made its impact on you. Arguably, for some it has offered convenient solutions to what they perceive to be a problem, but for others it has created a problem in order to support an enterprising industry.
I’m looking for some representation for the happy fat people. Health, by definition, is not confined to that in the immediate biological sense, but is also applicable to your mental outlook. The health/diet industry has drummed into my mind that ‘a healthy mind is a healthy body’, but if such a motto carries any weight (no pun intended), than a healthy, happy, overweight being is achievable. Classic caricatures of merry, plump people seem to have virtually disappeared, with even Santa in some modern representations appearing without his characteristic pot-belly. Are we really as unhealthy as we perceive? Yes. Because although our size 8 trousers fit comfortably, our minds are bursting the seams of sanity. So, I entreat you; go lose some weight for summer. That is, rid yourself of unrealistic and pointless body shape ideals and take some weight off your mind. As a renowned philosopher of our times put it, “Big girl, you are beautiful.”
Karate Chopping through Convention Internal statistics: By Jazz Baharie and Sharon Jacobs At Roedean, we have our fair share of sporty gals representing the sport department, but somehow between the numerous netball matches and basketball tournaments people forget about little old karate. However, this sport doesn’t take the bench when it comes to self-protection, perseverance, and strength. With this sport, the vital components that define a true athlete are learnt and practiced with precision, dedication, and perseverance. Many athletes swear by the mantra ‘no pain, no gain’. Whilst Roedean martial artists are performing gruelling warm-ups each Monday night, the meaning of that expression certainly rings true. To give you a taster of a typical class; Chris, or sensei, usually arrives in a typically jolly mood, fooling us into doubting the arduous work to come: twenty star jumps, ten push-ups and then ten sit-ups. The rest of the lesson consists usually of either sparring or katas. Sparring consists of controlled punches, kicks and blocks, whereas katas are series of movements which must be learned. These both help one in kumite (freestyle fighting). I know, I know, all these strange words , but what other sport broadens your vocabulary as you work out? Sometimes we get to try more invigorating techniques, such as take-offs. No, unfortunately that isn’t some kind secret karate flying technique like in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. It’s a way, put plainly, to get an irritating opponent to stop holding your collar. It consists of literally grabbing someone and throwing them over your back. As daunting and complex as such a move sounds, it’s actually relatively simple. Put off by mainstream sports because of your height? During these sorts of techniques shorter people hold the advantage as they have a lower centre of gravity. Literally chopping through sporting conventions, Karate serves numerous Roedean girls with a unique outlet to do more than merely spice up those dreary Monday nights. It’s looked forward to by a handful, as a legal way of releasing steam and becoming more and more like Bruce Lee (can netball do THAT?). Short, tall, young, old, Karate doesn’t discriminate, and invites all students to come join in for the only hour in the week where you can fight someone without being sent to the headmistress’s office.
PAGE 10 SPORT
Hockey: Brighton and Hove Ladies leads the league table with 45 points – 15 wins and 1 loss, while Roedean Ladies 1st team holds second place with 36 points at 12 wins and 2 losses, ahead of Hailsham Ladies and Southwick Ladies. Top two scorers of the season are Naomi Falcone and Sofie Cawley. Netball: Our Roedean netball teams are currently doing very well with our win percentages – holding an impressive 100% of matches won by both the U16 team and the 1st team. 2nd team has won 66% of their matches played this season. Well done, ladies!
External statistics: Top 10 Football teams in the League Table 2008-2009 Team
Points
Manchester United
62
Chelsea
58
Liverpool
58
Aston Villa
52
Arsenal
49
Everton
44
West Ham
36
Wigan
35
Fulham
34
Bolton
33
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Recycling A thrilling pastime of today’s green obsessed eco-warriors or a waste of time? By Aviva Lipmanowicz In terms of doing our part for the environment, recycling is the immediate solution that comes to mind. Popularised by the media and other social pressures there is a perception that everyone does it without question. To outwardly proclaim “I don’t recycle” is as shameful as claiming to never bathe: considering the need and convenience of the act, it’s irrational and selfish not to. These littering culprits whom refuse the green bins are hardly adorned in ski masks and pro -Satanism T-shirts, but rather a mind-set of laziness and isolation. Take, for instance, Roedean. Our school is littered with paper recycling bins, green beacons of hope in the dark corners of our classrooms. They serve as a constant, if unused reminder of our lack of action in saving the planet. So what is the true purpose of these mysterious objects, and why on earth should we bother making the trek from chair to bin in order to dispose of single sheets of doodled-on paper? The average family uses 6 trees worth of paper every year. If that’s just for one family, think about how much our big community at Roedean uses. Now imagine, how much of that could be recycled? The school has recently added more bins around the houses, making it even easier to recycle our unwanted paper and plastic. All we’ve got to do is make sure we put the right things in them. Many a time, I have peered into the recycling bin to see objects such Kit-Kat wrappers and old chewed-on pens and conversely plain paper in ordinary bins. It seems to me like some people simply just don’t get the concept recycling. Recycling involves placing various unwanted recyclable materials in their designated bin. Simple. However, what’s the point of us all making an effort here at Roedean if no one else is willing to go the extra mile with us? If we stand alone, the difference made by our efforts will not make an impact outside the school gates. The UK produces enough rubbish to fill Wembley Stadium everyday, and from that rubbish, over half of it could be recycled. This waste is clearly easily preventable, but in order to tap into our inner ‘green’ being we must be honest with ourselves. Next time you contemplate dropping that piece of paper in the ordinary bin due to sheer convenience, think of Wembley Stadium and the massive consequences of your actions. If we learn our lesson and play our part, saving the world is perhaps within our reach.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
BOUDICCA BULLETIN
Level-up from Lego From Russia with education By Hayley Lau Tetris (designed and programmed by Alexei Pajitnov of Russia way back in June 1985) is a very simple game, yet strangely addictive. Apart from being a fun experience, it enables our brains to stay active to keep it running at its prime. Arranging coloured building blocks around under pressure requires usage of a large part of the mind, increasing brain function and activity, thus enhances one’s concentration level, spatial ability and memory. The increasing complexity and difficulty as we advance through the game allow our brains to evolve problem solving as well as pattern interpreting skills. Tetris, as a holistic alternative to firstperson shooter games, enables gamers to gain skills which will in fact be helpful within work and academic lives.
Volume I Issue II The Boudicca Bulletin; Roedean School Newspaper Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ Editor-In-Chief Joy Crane News Editor Megan Matthews Features Editors Anouska Wise & Grace Matthews Opinions & Editorial Editor Victoria Woo Sports Editors Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko & Alex Colombo-Sansom Fashion Editor Hannah Redwood Entertainment Editors Grace Allwood & Felicity Paterson Business & Advertising Manager Natalie Wong Layout Design Sheena Cheung Photography Manager Esme Brand Faculty Advisor Mr. Back
Photographers Oluwafunmbi Adeagbo Esme Brand Joy Ip Aviva Lipmanowicz Megan Matthews Natalie Nzeyimana Su-bin Park Mrs. Spendley for the childhood photograph Any copyright infringement is not intended Illustrators Claire Ng
Procrastination vs. Revision By Jasmine Gordon-Brown “To revise or not to revise”. The question we face everyday after what feels like yet another “worst day of our lives”. You have gathered five preps, have two tests next week only an hour apart, and only slept three hours the night before (due to discussing “important” matters with your friends). But as the world moves on outside the sphere of your education, you cannot help but speculate: will Serena and Dan in
“As I write this article (as close to the deadline as possible), I sympathise.” Gossip Girl ever get back together? Teamed with a desire to get the latest news about the world and checking your Facebook wall for the seventh time that day, there is simply no time to work. Later, you moan about the workload, unleash your stress in strangled screams, receive therapy from friends, and once again wind down with a good episode of House. Is it any wonder the cycle repeats over and over again? As I write this article (as close to the deadline as possible), I sympathise. I have often walked into someone’s room with no other purpose than to escape my own doom. I too know the feeling of looking at a pile of papers and near-fainting at the prospect of attacking it. I have written schedule on schedule, piled excuse upon excuse until the day before, I cry a little
and finally am forced to make a start. Then a black cloud descends as relentless criticism by teachers and parents smothers you as they try to make you understand they know what is best. Unfortunately, they do. These are teachers who have taught for whole decades and have seen remorse on many a face of an idle student when they receive the results of a test they didn’t revise for. However if we make the effort, we could (in theory) be stress free, caffeine free and free of our anxieties. There is hope for us all to live healthy and ultimately happier lives. On the other hand, when again will an opportunity in our life arise where we can marvel and swoon at the beauty of our TV heroes? No. I say “Hail procrastination!”
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NEWS
Dr Birch, a tribute A Strong and Caring Woman By Students of Class 2007 Dr. Birch, who had been a valuable part of the Roedean community, sadly passed away during the C hr i st ma s hol id a ys . On e memory which stands out in the minds of us former pupils is that of seeing her spending her evenings on duty in the study knitting rainbow socks with Tommy the dog sitting on her lap. She even inspired many of us to learn to knit ourselves, although we never quite progressed to the point whereby we could make
“gave us a chance to grow and mature as individuals” our own socks. The nature of a boarding school’s close-knit community means that those around you become almost a part of your family, so news of her death was widely greeted with a mixture of shock and
sadness amongst her former pupils. In her role as housemistress Dr. Birch was both a calm and practical woman. She was passionate about maintaining order within Keswick. Her leadership in the final year at Roedean was an invaluable experience that acted as a stepping stone between boarding school and university life. Dr Birch trusted us to be sensible and granted everyone increased independence, which gave us the chance to grow and mature as individuals whilst learning to respect others without the need for a rigid set of rules. Dr. Birch also taught us to consider the consequences of our actions, not just because of the repercussions of rules but also of how they would affect others. She encouraged us to resolve problems amongst ourselves but would be there to step in if help were needed. We all remember when she stood up for us so that we could have dinner in Keswick Hall instead of having to go all the way to Main School at weekends. Dr Birch’s influence permeated all aspects of the functioning of Keswick House; she was a dominant figure without being oppressive and strove to ensure that Keswick’s environment was one which was characterised by respect for one another. She encouraged this in a variety of ways, whether it was keeping quiet at night, or trying not to “leave a trail like a snail” of personal belongings. As her former pupils, our thoughts are very much with Dr. Birch’s family at what must be an incredibly difficult time for them. Everyone who
DoE: Destination — oh exhilaration! By Anna Augousti The Duke of Edinburgh Gold planning weekend took place on the weekend of the 7th of February just before the half term holidays. A large group of excited sixth form girls arrived at eight o’clock in the morning, in order to start the day of planning their Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. The day started with the group learning how to pack their rucksack. Then everyone was warned of the problems they would have to overcome such as blisters and sore feet. However, this did not deter anyone from continuing and if anything it just encouraged people to continue as it made everyone determined not to fail. The real expedition will take place in France in the Saverne mountain range; this will give everyone the chance to see the beautiful scenery displayed from the mountain top. The Duke of Edinburgh expedition lasts for five days in which, in groups, the girls have to walk a distance of at least 80km, which was planned during the training weekend. The weekend gave the group the chance to have an insight into what the expedition itself will be like and mentally prepare. Many girls thoroughly enjoyed the weekend
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including: Funmbi Adeagbo: “I was able to encourage the team dynamics and my team had a laugh on who would be the best person to hold onto the map during the expedition.” Also Ali Williams said: “From the training weekend I was able to gain a more realistic idea of what working in a team for the expedition would be like, and the weekend also allowed me to get to know my team members better” Most people left the planning weekend aware of the long term commitment it involves but knowing that at the end of it they will have an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction. In conclusion the weekend was a very encouraging, fun couple of days, with everyone now looking forward to the main expedition which takes place in the first week of the summer holidays.
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Palladio: What a Brick
had her as their housemistress is grateful to have benefitted from her guidance and influence in an extremely formative period of their lives, and look back on their time spent in Keswick House under her leadership with fondness.
Maths Challenge By Grace Swann On Tuesday 24th February, a team of two girls from Lower Four: Grace Swann and Ashley Seong with two girls from Upper Four: Charlotte Winch and Jane Min, travelled up to Lancing College to attend the UKMT Team Maths Challenge. The Roedean team was against fifteen other schools, and could not wait to get started. The teams did various activities including a maths paper, then a head to head challenge which was very exciting. In which everyone was divided into pairs and then had to answer each of the questions, but every answer had to be right before the other pair could do the next question. Following on from this everyone went and had a lunch of sausages and chips. After lunch everyone was ready to get going again, and start the next task. This was a crossword where everyone was given questions and the answers had to be filled in on the grid. Finally, the teams did a maths relay; the pairs had to answer the questions, and then run to hand in the answer and pass the next set of questions to the other pair. At the end of the day the results were given out, with Roedean coming in at seventh place. Everyone was delighted, and Team Roedean received a geometry set and a maths puzzle. Then everyone went back to school feeling tired but happy.
By Rebecca Johnson Palladio, the architectural classicist and innovator has been celebrated in an exhibition Andrea Palladio His Life and Legacy at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Packed full of artefacts including drawings, computer animations, paintings and architectural models it is a feast for the eyes of the architecturally minded. The exhibition tracks his life from his birth in 1508 to the Basilica, palaces, rural buildings to his Venetian churches, concluding with the Villa Rotunda. Palladio’s fame was not just limited to architectural designs but he wrote and illustrated the famous Four Books of Architecture, arguably the first ‘how to build’ handbook. This new language of architecture he created answered the practical and social demands of the time, and later had a particular influence on British architects. To put Palladio in context he was Italian and was alive at the same time as Bramante, Michelangelo and Raphael, born just in time to witness the heights of the Renaissance and change into mannerism. In the exhibition this is shown through paintings by Titian, El Greco and Veronese establishing his circle of friends and patrons. Works by Canaletto display the popularity of his architecture to the eighteenth
BOUDICCA BULLETIN century ‘men of taste’. The exhibition was scholarly rather than exciting, but succeeded in displaying his drawings in a logical order. The walls were punctuated by informative and inspirational quotes and drew useful links between Palladio and more contemporary architects; however this arguably is not hard as art historian James Ackerman put it he is the “most imitated architect in history”. Scale is also not explored in the exhibition there was a lack of variety in size of models and you could not gain a true feeling of the buildings, instead you are left to interpret dolls house like structures. My personal highlights of the exhibition were the drawings of the Teatro Olimpico, Palladio died in 1580 before its completion so his son continued the project and the theatre was opened in 1585 with Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex. The narrative discursive videos showing contemporary architects exploring the relationships between themselves and the architectural heritages of Palladio are enlightening. Despite the scholarly emphasis in the exhibition it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to view and celebrate Palladio’s 500th anniversary surrounded by drawings of magnificence and grandeur. As the Vitruvius of his age the world would look undoubtedly different without his creations and influence.
Blogging, the new mass media? By Natalie Nzeyimana The internet has undoubtedly taken the front seat in the way we communicate with each other in this day and age, and with our lives becoming increasingly accessible to the rest of the world, a dilemma has arisen in the blogging world. Blogging for those in the dark, originates from the word “weblog” and refers to the act of posting anecdotes, aide de memoirs and all things which influence one’s raison d’être. In
ENTERTAINMENT
Continued from front page… From the mellow to the gutsy we moved into the choir’s first performance of the evening: ‘I Will Survive’. The fabulous soloists with the support of the choir flashed their sass when belting the legendary lyrics. All two-timing men quickly checked their general proximity to the nearest exits in response to the singers’ powerful “Walk out the door.” The audience was then transported through their memories, with the wonderfully romantic theme tune from The Onedin Line, and the majestic tenor of Dvorak’s Largo, now always associated with Hovis! The swelling of music in the Adagio left the audience speechless at the incredible expansion of sound, which had drawn them into that back and white TV set all those years ago. Grace Allwood’s moving solo on the Cor Anglais in the Largo too contributed to the subliminal advertising of the evening which, again, lured us all in to buying yet another loaf of Hovis. Of course, the show wouldn’t have been a true tribute to that groovy era without some of the fantastic hit songs from the legendary Eurovision band ABBA. Renditions of songs such as ‘I Have a Dream’ and ‘S.O.S.’ from the choir too enraptured the foot-tapping audience. The silent mouthing of lyrics ceased only whilst the final soloists performed: solos from Jodie Gough, Jasmine Gordon-Brown, Hin Hin Wong and the Six Two’s shined new lights onto their songs’ classic melodies. With arms flailing, the evening peaked in enjoyment and flare-tastic fun with the finale, must-have performance of the ‘YMCA’. An incredible evening, The Gala 70’s music night was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience and the performers. Made complete with the retro costumes, the disco ball, the teachers’ pictures and, of course, the tremendous music, all left the Roedean theatre in a much ‘groovier’ mood.
layman’s terms, blogging gives a platform for anyone in the world to say anything they want and anyone can read it. The dilemma arises when bloggers begin to receive huge site followers. Famously, Stephen Fry fans can follow his every thought as he travels throughout the world and updates his blog. Where does admiration morph into freaky internet stalker-ish behaviour? Another debate which has emerged in the blogging community is the effect of fans and advertising on the truthfulness of a blog. Karla Derass, Californian Fashion Blogger extraordinaire is perhaps the best example of this; prior to being poached by American Apparel to be their exclusive model for this season’s campaign, she was just your average (of course, by average I mean ex-teen pop-star sensation with a seemingly endless fashion budget) American college fashion student. Has her blog changed as a consequence of the fame she has accrued through it? And if so, are her fans and readers being unfairly pulled into a marketing campaign by companies who recognise Karla’s influence on the fashion blogging community? Ultimately, blogging does present itself as an emerging platform for advertising, but more than anything else, it is a creative outlet of thoughts, which can’t be bad for anyone.
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Fangs for the Memories By Jazz Baharie It is interesting to note the reaction when you stand in a densely populated area, say, near the biscuits at morning break, and yell at the top of your lungs “I LOVE EDWARD CULLEN!� You see, many people will look at you with shining eyes and say “ohmygod me too�. Others, however, develop a rather amusing facial tic around their left eye and make a similar face to the one seen at Banana Day in PSHE. I would be one of them. In the beginning, vampires were ‘discovered’ by simple farmers; people of the land, folk of the clay. Having no knowledge of bacteria or pathogens, whole families were sometimes laid low by illness. Naturally, one of course assumes that it is in fact the vengeful body of Auntie Sal wandering abroad causing your tummy upset, rather than, for example, the fact that you were just mucking out the pigs before lunch. So it was off to the graveyard to dig up Auntie Sal just to make sure that she wasn’t causing any more mischief. Due to some rather gross biological things, internal pressure caused bodies to look plumper than they had in life and sometimes blood ran from their nose or ears. Thus vampires were believed to resemble well-fed, ruddy country folk. Then along came a chap named John William Polidori who was Lord Byron’s personal physician (yes, Byron, the incestuous one). As Byron and Polidori were moseying through Europe in around 1819, they stayed in a villa next to Lake Geneva where they were visited by some friends. Kept inside by depressingly English drizzle they found that there was nothing on the box so decided to make up ghost stories. Mrs Shelley came up with what would go on to become Frankenstein and Byron came up with a bit of vampire nonsense which was quickly discarded. Polidori however, thought it was great and ended up with The Vampyre. In it, Lord Ruthven, a character obviously based on Byron, secretly seduces and kills members of the aristocracy. Thus, this roughly 50 page novel turned the country bumpkin vampire into Count Dracula, red cape and all. It was published in the New Monthly Magazine and attributed to Byron, to the initial annoyance of Byron and then later, when it became a huge success, to the annoyance of Polidori.
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The Vampyre triggered a chain reaction that landed us with the Cullens. Evidently God knew of what was to come and decided to punish Polidori with some truly whopper eyebrows. Wikipedia him and check it out. Anyway, the Victorians were rather strange, what with not letting the sexes mix till they were eighteen which quite frankly is just stu-oh...oh wait a minute. However, they ate up illicit seduction and gore, of which there was an abundance in the vampire novel. Polidori’s book was translated by a man named Š Cyprien Berard whose book Lord Ruthwen ou Les Vampires was wrongly attributed to Charles Nodier, who then decided to write a play about vampires, called, with blinding originality, Le Vampire. Lost yet? It all boils down to a chain of inspiration which ran through Edgar Allen Poe, Bram Stoker, the most famous vampire novelist ever, right down to Stephanie Meyer and her frankly worrying dream. Along the way was the noteworthy and amusingly named Varney the Vampire published in 1845. This was not exactly a classic and could have been written by a particularly morbid Upper Three, yet at a total of 868 double column pages it also functioned as a useful and interesting doorstop. However, it was the first novel in which vampirism is depicted as an unfortunate disease, gaining a reader’s sympathy. And thus, from country bumpkin roots, through suave evilness and finally at a tortured soul with amazing super powers, we are left with Edward Cullen. Just add glitter.
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Roedean Environmental Committee Calling all girls to their role of ‘green’ duty. By Na Basaria (Kerri) Pandjaitan Used to the idea of taking the earth’s resources for granted, the generation of today has begun to realize the importance of environmental awareness as a basis for the future of humanity. The issues of conservation, recycling and reusing, and sustainable living come to mind, and even more so today, occupying the agendas of global institutions and individual states as a priority. The illusion that the earth’s natural resources are never-ending has begun to falter and there is a building sense of paranoia that the earth will not survive for much longer. The reality has hit harder than anyone would like it, and it is clear that something needs to be done. In the course of twenty years or so, the green issue has started a revolution never before seen, capturing the hearts of many who have decided that the next step for the new generation is to go green. The ignorant write them off as tree-huggers, the pessimistic have counted the days until the icebergs melt and oil will run out, while the rest have started to measure their individual carbon footprints. So how does Roedean join the new generation who has opted to go green? The answer really is with each individual girl and her willingness to participate. How can you
learn to be more aware and show the world that you care? The Roedean Environmental Committee (REC) allows girls who are interested in environmental issues to gather together, and in due course help the school prove to the world that it has chosen the green way. Ideas, suggestions, plans, and schemes to make Roedean a greener school are thought up and then discussed within the committee, which is later brought to members of staff responsible for each issue. The committee has set to concentrate on three major issues: energy, paper, and water. The abundance of electricity used in the school can be avoided, the use of paper can be reduced, and water supply can be preserved for much longer. Another area of concern is also left-overs from meals, where the remaining food can be broken down to be used as compost which is useful for the gardens. The committee also strives to encourage more participation from all girls. It is clear that goals cannot be met if the whole school is not contributing. The future of Roedean lies within the students themselves, and REC promotes what can be done in order to live sustainably in the school both as a student and as an individual. Now that the school has chosen the green way, which way do you choose?
Shedding our Skins?
Let it Snow
By Julia Kisray On the 22nd January, Skins exploded back onto the telly sets of millions of teenagers around the UK. As we all can remember, the first two series were a little bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it. With the experimental camera shots, weird outfits, casual drug use, nudity and characters using “pregnant� as the new slang word for “cool� harsh critics, even harsher teenagers and paranoid parents sat at home and watched eagerly as the third series was proudly wheeled out. Yes it is true, Effy and her group have bounced back, bombarding us with all the traditional Skins antics that we know and adore – or maybe not so much. The original Skins had an amazing selection of music; introducing Gossip, Bright Eyes and Lethal Bizzle. It also made room for the timeless classics such as Supertramp, Meat Loaf, Pink Floyd and Aerosmith and no-one can forget the cast’s cover of Wild World by Cat Stevens. Now the music front has disintegrated into what looks like the NME chart from 2007, but all the drugs and kissing in the show clearly makes up for it. The show now blares out the likes of the Klaxons, Britney Spears, Franz Ferdinand and Carla Bruni (my personal favourite). One thing is for sure, Skins has pushed the boat out but it hasn’t worked to its advantage. With every episode focusing in on one of the characters played by unrealistically gorgeous actors, some form of a party, and some lame song while the credits roll, audiences are not fooled: the effort is obvious making it a try-hard flop but somehow kids are still glued to the screen. The mixture of the edgy, awkward, sexy, and cool still manages to make viewers get up afterwards and have something to say; and I am sure that a lot of people in the industry will back up the fact that it’s virtually impossible to please the teenage audience. So nobody truly knows what it is about Skins that makes the viewers tick; everyone says that it’s a waste of telly but who are we kidding? We all still watch it. It’s confusing and maybe it isn’t as “pregnant� as we thought. Watch this space.
By Esme Brand On Monday the 2nd of February, Britain experienced its heaviest snowfall for 18 years, causing dozens of schools to close. Notwithstanding a reputation for never closing without dire cause, the icy road won, and Roedean surrendered to a 'snow day' - the first snow day Roedean has had for over 10 years.
Along the coast road cars were stuck, having slid off of the road. It was almost impossible to drive as it was so slippery and across the country many people were giving up hope of getting into work or school. With teachers and day pupils unable to make it owing to the poor driving conditions the school closed, giving all students a day off. Roedean Hill proved to be the best spot for catching the snow and both pupils and staff
News in Brief Geography trip — Upper Four Geography students visited the National History Museum in London on the 3rd of February. Gap Year — There was an ISCO Gap Year Fair on the 10th of February which girls attended in their breaks. This was mainly aimed at Upper Fives and Sixth Form students, giving a valuable insight into how you can make your Gap Year worthwhile. The theatres calling — Upper Five and Sixth Form German and Theatre Studies students attended the production of Woyzeck by Georg Buchner on the 11th of February. Lord of the Flies — Lower Five and Upper Five students studying the ‘Lord of the Flies’ went to see a production of the text in London, on the 25th of February. Due to an unfortunate coach breakdown, they only managed to catch the last 20 minutes of the performance despite their frantic efforts to reach the theatre by public transportation. However, many students remarked that it was an excellent last 20 minutes, and that the director’s Q&A session with ice-cream did salvage the trip from a total disappointment. Valentine’s Social — The Upper Four students enjoyed their long awaited Valentine’s Day Social on the 7th of February, taking place in Roedean Studios with Tonbridge School. Time to Train — The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award training took place on the weekend of the 24th of February, helping the Lower and Upper Five girls prepare for a successful expedition later this term.
enjoyed snow ball fights, snowmen, snow angels and other snow-filled activities. When sixth former Jazz Baharie was asked how she enjoyed the day she simply replied with “BEST DAY EVER.� Olivia Burke said that “It was my favourite day that I've had at Roedean, and I've been here for 6 years.� Day girls, however, did not have such a pleasing start to the day. The majority of day girls did not know of the snow day. When 34 day girls were asked whether they had been informed, 100% of them said they had not. Many of the girls had to get up before 6am to meet the bus but were left stranded, unaware of the situation. Some day pupils had to wait outside in the cold with Maggie Li, waiting almost an hour in the hope that the school bus might arrive. “I have to wait at a bus stop which is quite far away from my house. After about three quarters of an hour of waiting, I decided to just give up and walk home again.�However, the school has taken account of this mishap and Mrs King announced in the next assembly that they were working on improving communications. Even though the snow had triumphed over staff and day pupils alike, there was one man who fought through the blizzard to get to Roedean School, and that was Hugh Burnett, the High Sheriff of East Sussex who had agreed to talk to the students during assembly. To everyone's surprise the High Sheriff arrived kitted out with a black velvet waistcoat and britches, shoes with buckles, a white ruffled shirt, long white socks and a sword at his side. He then gave his presentation to the school as if the country wasn't in snow
chaos. On Tuesday 3rd of February, despite the continuing poor weather conditions and closure of schools, Roedean opened with only a few of the day buses being cancelled. Although it did not last long, the snow day was fun and a rare treat for all.
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An Exciting New Initiative By Astrid Ainley and Anouska Wise We all filed into chapel, unanswered questions buzzing through the air, fingernails being bitten. “I thought Roedean was becoming mixed” said a dumbfounded Alice McGilligan, 6’1, after the news had finally been broken. The merge of St Mary’s Hall and Roedean was at last revealed to us all before mid-day on Tuesday 24th February. A sense of excitement and apprehension circulated around the now effervescent chapel. As Mrs King announced the news, an outburst of chatter animated the room until we had finally accepted what we had just been told. “Concern for the St. Mary’s Hall girls was the first thing to fill my mind, as it dawned on me what they must be going through” said a worried Rosa Martin of 6’1. Roughly 25 to 50 girls from St Mary’s Hall are expected, 24 of those are guaranteed a place in year 11. Mrs King revealed to the Boudicca Bulletin on that frantic Tuesday that 11 more bursaries were on offer for some of the St Mary’s Hall girls. “But is there any space for them?” asked Gabby Tomlinson, Lower Five. Mrs King assured us that the building’s complete capacity was around 450 girls. The current total stands at around a comfortable 380, and more space will be found if needed. The St Mary’s Hall girls will not be required to undergo any more added stress of an entrance test, but their decisions as to whether or not Roedean is the appropriate place for them will be carefully considered by Mrs Meek, the final St Mary’s Hall headmistress, with the help of her trusted staff; some of whom we can expect to join us along with their girls. Along with the anticipated arrival of the senior school girls, Roedean can expect the onset of a smaller variety of students. Mrs King was proud to announce that Roedean will be expanding, as St Mary’s Junior School will officially be know as Roedean Junior School, with little Roedeanian girls and boys – yes, shock horror, little Roedean boys! A strong link will be established between both of the Roedean schools, as a rota of us will be allowed to go down to the junior school to help with reading and sports activities. In addition, the latest Roedean arrivals will join us up on this hill to use some of our facilities. However, Mrs King made it clear to the Boudicca Bulletin that she is open to any other ideas, as she will be working closely with the Junior School’s headmaster, Huw May. When asked how these junior Roedean boys may affect the allfemale image of Roedean (which has been preserved since the day it was first founded in 1885) Mrs King gave a satisfied laugh. She assured students that the ideas and the aspirational side of the school will not change. To many who wish to preserve the traditional demeanour of the school, this statement was highly reassuring. The Junior School will keep its home, just along
“— yes, shock horror, little Roedean boys!”
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eastern road, about five minutes from our beloved cliff. The St Mary’s Hall senior school buildings, which will still belong to Roedean, will be rented out to another educational establishment. They will still be used for educational purposes, but it is not yet clear who will be using them. During our interview, it became clear how “Operation Merge” was organised
“A sense of excitement and apprehension circulated around the now effervescent chapel.” and run. The staff and students being told within ten minutes of each other, in both schools, the press releases being released within the hour – it was only the beginning of this fu l l - s c a l e R o e d e a n mission. We are proud to announce that the Boudicca Bulletin was among the Times, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and our local, the Argus, in getting interviews with Mrs King on that very same day. However, although the merge (as previously stated) demonstrates potential for further growth within the Roedean community, controversy has arisen within this large-scale transition. The merging flags up the more serious issue that is affecting almost everyone, the dreaded ‘credit crunch’. Roedean stepped in to help St Mary’s Hall due to the fact that within the last year the United Kingdom, and the majority of the world have been suffering from the effects of our economically dire state. Therefore, the reason that the Senior School has to close is because it is no longer able to remain open in these financially unstable times. For us Roedean this minor tragedy can be translated into good news, as the merger provides the school with more financial security and certainly much closer links with a school that we have always had friendly contact with. However, some of the St Mary’s Hall girls may not feel quite so merry about this transition at the moment. Claire Stokes, who is a St Mary’s Hall girl, but has been a part of 6’1 at Roedean this year (she has been taking classes that St Mary’s Hall does not offer) said that it felt like “losing a friend”, but is pleasantly relieved that Roedean has stepped in to help her school. She explained further that her and friends will undoubtedly miss St Mary’s Hall, but that they are also filled with excitement about being part of our community and meeting new people. Despite such an overwhelmingly positive response, there are still members of the student body, staff, and parents that are hesitant to welcome this change. It is stated in the Argus that Roedean will be taking on St Mary Hall’s land, but also a staggering 1.9 million pounds debt as well. Roedean School will begin paying for St Mary’s Hall teachers’ salaries beginning in April this year – a mere one month away – which prompted many to question what initiated this seemingly sudden decision to adopt ‘our
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sister school’. Both St Mary’s Hall and Roedean girls as well as their parents expressed surprise, and in some cases, disbelief, in this announcement of a merger. Although many understand the board’s need for discretion regarding this move, they were unhappy at the short notice. One parent (who wishes to remain anonymous) said “Considering how we much pay for the school fees, we should be entitled to a say, or at the very least be informed throughout the consideration, to such a large-scale decision”. Another point of concern amongst some St. Mary’s Hall parents is the late announcement of such a change. Students who wish to explore alternative schools for the following year following the announcement of this decision will find difficulty within finding spaces at their desired schools in such a late period in the academic year. A large number of St Mary’s Hall parents will not be able to afford the infamous Roedean tuition fees despite the repeated reassurances of a fair chance for education, thus are having to rush to enrol their daughters in other schools. Apart from the untimely announcement of the decision, many students stated
“undoubtedly miss St Mary’s Hall, but that they are also filled with excitement about being part of our community and meeting new people” that they are wondering if their money will be continued to be spent on themselves, diverted to the junior schools, or for repaying the inherited debt. These all raise the question, “are we still going to get the same quality education for our money?” The drastic move, decided by the council, also worries our staff. There has been almost nothing but talk of this topic since the announcement since that Tuesday, the 24th of Feb, and it has made everyone, especially the Roedean staff, extremely nervous, due to the constant pressure of their suspended job security, at the possibility of their positions being redundant by the addition of the St Mary’s Hall staff. Tension amongst the staff runs high as the anxious wait for feedback grows longer. One staff member, who wishes to remain anonymous, commented that some staff are more anxious than others because of the disadvantaged feeling one feels compared to others, prompted by some more controversial job application information such as participation in weekend activities and number of sick days taken in the previous year. As the decision of who to keep and who to let go is rumoured to be dependent on ‘points’ given to each aspect of one’s profile, only a few remains completely safe. As students, we are also concerned with who is going to be able stay and teach us next year as well. We have no doubts that all the replacement staff will be competent – but compared to our current community – will it be a change for the better, or worse – because of the need to fill in the quota of St Mary’s Hall staff in order to appear non-biased when appointing job positions? Some rumours as well as many genuine concerns have swiftly circulated around the school, particularly after the first few days in which this bittersweet news set an uneasy feel around us all. However, it’s key for us to look at this change “as an exciting new initiative”, as agreeably put by Miss Walker. This change will not be an easy ride for everyone, St Mary’s Hall was and is a fantastic school, and we welcome all the new girls who are looking for places here, as we are sure they would have welcomed us if our roles were reversed.
Page 7 model An interview with Mrs Spendley
By Grace Allwood and Felicity Paterson The history office provided the location for our Jeremy Paxman style grilling of the paraglider, teacher and pub quiz champion Mrs Spendley. In our gruelling three-hour interview we quizzed her on her thoughts about mullets, doctors and her plans for ‘Cholera: The Musical’. BB: So Madam, we all know about your favourite doctor, but tell us a little bit about your second favourite doctor? S: Really easy. Tom Baker. Or if it doesn’t have to be a Dr Who Doctor then John Snow who worked out cholera was a water borne disease not an airborne one. BB: What about your favourite person from history? S: Um, not sure about that. BB: Surely you’ve been asked that before? S: Probably Malcolm X. He did all the pimping and drugs but then after going to prison he pulled himself together. And he was very driven. I respect that. Another good civil rights guy was Marcus Garvey. Great selection of hats. BB: He could work a good hat. One last history question – if you could live in any historical era, which would you choose? S: Now. Definitely now, because of Women’s Lib. I like that I don’t have to stay at home and stare at children all day. BB: What if you were a man? S: I’d like to have been around in the 1960s. A journalist in New York. I would have loved to have seen Bob Dylan and James Taylor in concert. Actually maybe I’d like to have been a musician. BB: Have you ever been in a band? S: Several. I was in a band called ‘Pristine’ that supported Radiohead. That was the height of my musical career. Haha. BB: Did any members of Radiohead talk to you? S: No they were all too cool and aloof. At this point, the interview is interrupted by Ms Jones poking her head round the door and asking us to ask Mrs Spendley why any of her friends put up with her. We politely declined. BB: Are you aware that when you, Ms Jones and Ms Ladouceur hang around together you all wear black and look like a gang. What would your gang name be? S: Well our pub quiz team name is ‘The Facilitators’. We thought ‘The Educators’ would be a bit presumptuous. And on that note, we left the sixth best female paraglider of 1996 to get back to her true calling. Facilitating.
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