24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW Head’s Introduction
The Magical Music of Disney
These last few weeks of term and everything happening in them provide a perfect snapshot of the Roedean experience. Last week’s outstanding Disney-themed gala concert was followed, just a few days later, by the Open Mic event, which was great fun. This evening, we have the Dance Showcase, followed by three performances of Jane Eyre next week. Alongside these Performing Arts events, many girls are proudly representing the School in fixtures, while others have taken part in a calligraphy workshop or been to the London Design Museum – well done to everyone involved in these activities, which I have no doubt are hugely rewarding. In the week’s Chapel services, Dr Barrand spoke to the School about the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which is the point where a person’s interests, skills, personal benefit, and altruistic motivation all meet to highlight their ‘reason for being’. I feel in many ways that these final weeks of term, which include performances, university interviews and academic work, competitive sports matches, and the charity Christmas Fair, encapsulate Roedean’s Ikigai! I would like to congratulate you all on your contributions to the breadth of school life at this busy time of year – thank you, and well done! It was lovely to welcome so many prospective students to yesterday’s Discovery Day, which was a great success. Our visitors clearly enjoyed themselves, and I am grateful to the Admissions team, and to my colleagues who ran the sessions and hosted on the day and in the boarding houses – thank you also to all the student helpers who were so welcoming. I’m really looking forward to this evening’s Dance Showcase, which I know will be brilliant. I hope you all have a relaxing weekend!
Year 10s Delve into the Realm of Design
Open Mic at Roedean
Art Scholars Learn Calligraphy
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
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.
Ella (Yr12), Florence (Yr8), Almen (Yr9), and Jasmine (Yr11) – for sharing their experiences of discovering interests and talents in Chapel [Dr Barrand]
Unsung Staff heroes in the spotlight Mr Harrison – for a thoughtprovoking Academic Lecture on ‘Civil Disobedience, Comedy and Social Change’. Thank you so much! [Ms Ibanez Barcelo]
Gabriella at the Houses of Parliament
Amazing Senior Maths Kangaroo Results Congratulations to all those who took part in the incredibly challenging Senior Maths Kangaroo – the results are in, and 3 students achieved merits, the highest possible score!
Haewon (Yr12)
45
Tracy (Yr12)
30
Julia (Yr12)
80
Julia in Year 12 achieved an exceptional result of 80 points, Emma did fantastically well to get a Merit with 50 points as she’s only in Year 11, and Yilin in Year 13 also achieved a Merit with 50 points. Haewon, Rose, and Vicky unfortunately just missed out on a merit by 5 points.
Qingruo (Yr12)
45
Zoe (Yr13)
40
Rose (Yr13)
45
Yilin (Yr13)
50
Natalia (Yr13)
10
These are excellent results – congratulations!
Emma (Yr11)
50
Merit – Best in School
Merit – Best in Year
Merit – Best in Year
Mrs Hopper
Staff Raise £1000 Sleeping Out 'Last Friday night, four members of staff took part in the Big Sleep Out 2023, to raise money for the Year 10 Charity 'Off The Fence'.
homemade brownies. They were still warm and helped us get through that little bit easier – thank you!
Mr Bullock, Miss Fortes Ortega, Miss Holmes, and I all slept out with only a sleeping bag and cardboard box in the centre of Brighton. Despite sleeping on the hard ground of the car park, it made for a quieter night compared to previous years. The weather was clear and dry, however, the cold temperatures came around 2am and continued until sunrise. Miss Fortes Ortega and Miss Holmes woke up with ice on their sleeping bags!
Although the staff see it as a challenge, the harsh reality is that many people in Brighton have to do this every single night. If you would like to donate and support, then please use the link below:
A huge shout-out goes to Amelie and Caroline in Year 10, who came down to deliver
Congratulations to Gabriella (Yr9), who is a member of the Lynk Up Crew (LUC) – she had the amazing opportunity to speak in the Houses of Parliament as a representative of this group of young Londoners. They usually meet on a monthly basis, to talk about the issues which affect young people. Gabriella was Chair of the Environmental Panel, and she gave two speeches, talking about the environment and climate change. She also gave the introduction to the entire event. Well done!
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https://www.justgiving.com/page/ roedeanfundraisingy10 I am grateful to my colleagues who took part, and I look forward to seeing the Year 10 pupils participate in a similar challenge in the summer term under the stars on our fields!' Mr Halsey
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
Jane Eyre – 29-30 November The cast of Jane Eyre worked so hard in rehearsals all day on Sunday. Having everyone together for the whole day provided us with an exciting opportunity to run through the play in its entirety; it’s going to be an incredible show! The story of Jane, a fiercely independent and resilient heroine, is a powerful exploration of a girl’s journey towards self-empowerment, self-respect, and equality. Our cast of 14 pupils never leave the stage for the 90-minute duration, telling her story as a beautiful, innovative, and dramatic ensemble. Tickets are available via https://roedean.ticketsolve.com
Admission £1.00
If you come on 29 November, you will also get the opportunity to see the actor, Madeleine Worrall, who played the title role at The National Theatre, and whose performance has inspired our students' production. She will be holding a workshop for our Drama Scholars, and giving a Q and A after the show on Wednesday 29 January.
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Mrs Woodbridge
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
The Magical Music of Disney Last Thursday, the Roedean Theatre shimmered with anticipation as families, students, and Disney enthusiasts gathered for an unforgettable evening. The stage was adorned with a beautiful fairy castle, twinkling lights, and silhouettes of beloved characters projected onto clouds. The standard of the musicians, from the Junior Orchestra and Year 7 Singers through to the Orchestra, Choir, and Senior Singers was extraordinary. Conquering complicated repertoire, from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Pirates of the Caribbean, to lyrical pieces like Remember Me, Ave Maria, and April Shower, our musicians demonstrated remarkable flexibility and musicality.
Thank you to all our soloists, small groups, comperes, and every single student who performed. Congratulations to everyone in the Music Department for putting the whole thing together and creating a symphony for the imagination. Thank you also to Mr Wailes and the Theatre team for working so hard to help create the magical world of Disney, and sprinkling a little fairy dust over proceedings. Thank you also to all the Music Teachers for their constant help and support. It was brilliant, and we have had some amazing feedback!
Mr Rous
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'The Magical Music of Disney was absolutely fantastic. I cannot tell you how many times I uttered the words 'AMAZING!' and 'INCREDIBLE!'. We were all totally mesmerised by the whole performance. A MASSIVE well done to all those who delivered this wonderful experience to us all. We could see the hard work and dedication from each and every one of you, and you should all feel very proud. Thank you all. This will stay with us for quite some time.'
t. 'Thank you all so much for last nigh was er ght It was incredible. My dau g blown away by the show – so inspirin for a little 7-year old!.'
HEAD’S REVIEW
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
'I just wanted to write and thank you for last night's Gala Concert, which was an absolute triumph of entertainment. It was spectacular in every sense of the word: so much variety in performance, genre, tone, and visual spectacle.'
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HEAD’S REVIEW
Open Mic at Roedean This term's first Open Mic kicked off with a bang with incredible solo and group performances by all involved. From Dolly Parton and Jeff Buckley to Blur, this had something for everyone. Well done to Annabelle for opening, which is always tricky, but her performance was faultless. There were some fantastic solos, and it was wonderful to hear Lola and Imi perform for the first time with such confidence and commanding voices. Well done to all the bands who managed to get together and rehearse – it’s never easy to organise! A very big thank you to all the staff who also performed, and a special call out to Mr Carter for his epic rendition of Parklife with Emma, Candis, Chaya, Hebe, and Sigrid. What a band! Thank you to Miss Izzard Davey on sound, who made the event so successful. The next one will be an evening event in March – look out for it in the Bulletins, so that you can sign up if you would like to take part. Get rehearsing!
Ms Bartlette
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24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
House 1 Music Recital and Pizza Party! 'We are really happy to have been able to organise the music recital because it is one of our most meaningful House traditions. Firstly, we made posters and placed them around in the house in order to advertise this event, and to introduce the idea to our newest members of House 1. We also followed last year's tradition of ordering Domino’s pizzas afterwards. "We were thrilled that a lot of the boarders were interested in this recital and they all performed so well! The Domino's Pizza Party was an unforgettable part (probably everyone’s favourite bit...!) The music recital was not just a chance for students to share their talents, but also the best opportunity to make some new friends and create even stronger bonds between one another. We hope everyone had fun, and we can’t wait to do the recital next year! HOUSE ONE – WE ARE ONE!"' Bernice and Charlene, House 1 Boarding Captains.
Miss Studdart
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24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
Year 10s Delve into the Realm of Design On Tuesday, our Year 10 students delved into the realm of design at the Design Museum in London. Their exploration centred on the 'REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion' exhibition, providing a profound insight into contemporary fashion culture and the career prospects within the fashion industry. The students also engaged in a Smart and Sustainable Materials Workshop, immersing themselves in the study of forward-thinking and environmentally-conscious materials that are influencing the trajectory of future design.
Mrs Quirk
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24 November 2023 – Issue 10
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
Art Scholars Learn Calligraphy
Last week, the Key Stage 3 Art Scholars attended a workshop run by calligrapher, Ian Barnard. After watching a presentation about how Ian had got into 'beautiful writing', and now does it as his full time job, the girls then learnt to write their own names using Crayola marker pens. They learnt how to apply different pressures to the up and down strokes, and how to join letters together. They then moved on to using chalk pens on blackboards to create a slogan using different fonts. Everyone really enjoyed both activities, and Ian was impressed with how quickly they picked up the process and also how creative they were. Well done to everyone involved!
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Mrs Alexander
HEAD’S REVIEW
This Week in Boarding... What a lovely week we have had in boarding this week. Festivities for Christmas have truly begun in the Houses, and the girls have had a blast! In House 1, at the weekend the girls enjoyed home-baked cookies and Strictly Come Dancing. They got crafty for Christmas, making their own decorations and Christmas cards. The girls also had a lovely time on Monday’s games night, with toasties and trivia that ended in triumph for some! In House 2, the girls enjoyed a game of Giant Hungry Hippos, started the “elf on the shelf” countdown to Christmas calendar, and have loved looking for what cheeky antics elf has been up to each night. The girls have also been getting crafty, decorating tin cans ready for the boarding social on Monday! In House 3, the girls got into the spirit of things for Cross Country, and were super speedy racers. This was rewarded by delicious chocolate brownies when they reached the finish line – what a motivator! They also celebrated Gossip Girl Day with a NYC quiz and truffle oil toasties! And they had a creative evening, making Biscoff pastries and preparing their activity for the upcoming Boarding Social. House 4 made some delicious festive-looking hot chocolates, complete with marshmallow snowmen! How cute! Lawrence House enjoyed a Dominos pizza party – what an amazing treat!
Miss Roe
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24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
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24 November 2023 – Issue 10
24 November 2023 – Issue 10
HEAD’S REVIEW
House Cross Country The results from House Cross Country are in! Only 6 points divided first and fourth place! On Friday, the clouds finally blew over, leaving a glorious blue sky for the annual competition. Spirits were high, and coloured pompoms of blue, yellow, green, and red were plentiful. Having endured what seemed like weeks of rain, the wet grass and muddy conditions provided ideal conditions for the race, although the same can’t be said for the threat these conditions posed on the abundance of Air Force 1s. With over 100 runners participating in three
categories, Senior, Inter, and Junior, there was a huge turnout with excellent performances. The Senior race was won by Georgie (10:33); the next four scorers were Tiffany, Mancy, Kelly, and Chaya. The Inters was so close, going to a photo finish between Megs, who took the tape (8:19), and Alicia; Kitty, Abi, and Natalie followed close behind. The Junior race did not disappoint: Katherine was majestic, with a fabulous run (5:25) to win the race. However, you could barely divide the second and third place finish, as Maddie and Maisa sprinted for the line, the former triumphing. Ruby and Lily rounded off the scoring athletes. Page 12
Thank you to all of those who took part. Each one of you was awarded a point for your efforts! An extended thank you goes to all staff, in particular, Tom and the Grounds team, who laid out the route for us, the PE Department, for the safe and smooth running of the event, and House staff for gathering the athletes! In the end, House 1 was victorious. House 3 was second, House 2 came third, and fourth place went to House 4. Congratulations!
Mr Wriglesworth
HEAD’S HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW REVIEW
Roedean Football vs Brighton College In the highly anticipated first Football fixture of the school year, a mixture of Roedean students hosted local Brighton College for a huge game of football under the lights. With the crowd in full Roedean voice, the girls started in high spirits and were pumped for the game to start. With some clear nerves from our students, we could not connect passes together, and Brighton took advantage of this by taking over in the first half and ending up 3-0. However, we had plenty of chances to break the deadlock. At half-time, the team talk was key, just to reset and reorganise, the messages were to keep to positions and remain structured, and also to play a high defensive line.
24 November 13 October2023 2023– –Issue Issue106
Sport Stars of the Week
The second half started well, with the Roedean students on top and pushing to secure a goal. Chances were a plenty, with Fen, Zella, and Eloise all having chances saved by the Brighton GK.
Well done to this week's Sports Stars of the Week – congratulations! Mr Campleman Year 7 Heidi, for her consistent effort and excellent attitude in all PE lessons
The full-time score ended at 4-0, which is definetly a harsh result for our team, as we couldn't find the back of the net. In summary, the game was a very positive experience for all, and we will arrange more games going forward.
Year 8 Andrea, for great progress and attitude in hockey lessons
Mr Foggoa
Year 9 Hannah, for superb effort and progress in Hockey and Swimming
Medals for Roedean Badminton Players
Year 10 Minnie, for fantastic progress and understanding in Sport Science
Year 11
Last weekend, Athena, Mancy, Natalie, and Jolie took part in the Sussex U17 Bronze Tournament in Horsham, where they played in both the single and doubles rounds against some of the best young players in the county. Well done to Jolie who won Silver in the girls' singles, and Athena and Jolie for winning bonze in the doubles.
Jolie, for her fantastic performance in the Badminton Tournament and progress in Hockey
Year 12 & 13 Skylah, for her excellent effort and attitude in all Badminton lessons
Miss Kirby-Jones
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
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