Head's Weekly Review - Autumn Issue 5

HEAD’S REVIEW

Head’s Introduction

Last week’s Open Day was bathed in sunshine, and all our visitors were incredibly impressed both by what they saw and the confidence and naturalness of the tourguides. This was followed by the Sixth Form Open Evening yesterday, for our current Year 11 families and those from other schools looking at our Sixth Form offer. I am grateful to all my colleagues for their contributions to these events, and I am pleased that both went well.

On Monday, our whole school lecture with Tessy Ojo kicked off Black History Month at Roedean. She is an impressive woman, who spoke about the role we each have to play as part of a collective endeavour. Together, we can stand up for openness and inclusion, and against excluding behaviours in School and in society. Tessy’s lecture was followed by Chapel services in which some of our students shared their favourite black female inspirations. Thank you to everyone involved.

In the Performing Arts this week, we have enjoyed a lovely teatime recital, featuring performers from Years 7-11. The programme pulled together an electric mix of pieces, from Guns N’ Roses to Telemann, as well as younger players alongside more experienced performers. Year 7 also enjoyed their Drama workshop with a focus on using props, and some Sixth Formers enjoyed a performance of Kafka’s Metamorphosis at the theatre.

I am delighted that some of our sports teams have enjoyed success in their fixtures this week. The range of teams representing the School is wonderful, and playing in fixtures provides opportunities for the girls to develop their approach to match-play. Well done to the PE Department and to everyone involved.

I wish you all a restful weekend, and good luck for next week.

Tessy

Black History Month

Wild Fridays by the Water for Year 7

Last Friday saw 7D's intrepid sailors heading out in the sunshine for another exciting Wild Friday session. After a tasty packed lunch by the lake, the sailors recapped on how to rig the toppers, and learnt all about the points of sailing. They worked on the bank in teams to move the boats around to the correct position for

sailing. 7D worked hard to practise tacking and adjusting the sails accordingly, until they were all confident in doing so. This helpful session has now prepared them all to go out onto the water next week, and put it all into practice. Great work, sailors!

Miss Donovan

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.

Celebrating Nigerian Independence

To celebrate Nigerian Independence Day last Sunday, the girls had a food party in Lawrence. They ate delicious Nigerian food, which was homemade by Onose's mum. Everyone had a lovely time!

Dr del Campo

Rhea,

and Charlie (Yr10) – for chaperoning our Roedean Academy visitors to the Black History Month lecture [Dr

Sigrid (Year 13) – for a fantastic Academic Lecture on 'Ancient Philosophy and Homer', which made everyone reflect on human existence. Thank you so much!

Maria's in SIX!

Matilda and Phoebe (Yr13), our Diversity Prefects – for introducing our guest speaker for the Black History Month Lecture so well, and for their vote of thanks [Ms Boobis]

If you are looking for some entertainment over half term, you should come to see Maria (Yr13) as Anna of Cleves in SIX The Musical, run by Apollo Theatre Arts. It promises to be an amazing show, with some seriously talented performers. It will be performed at Roedean Theatre and Maria's cast is on at 5:00pm on 27 October and 8:00pm on 28 October. Here is the link for tickets: https://roedean.ticketsolve.com/ ticketbooth/shows/873638246

[Ms Ibanez Barcelo]

Xena, Elspeth,

Barrand]

Drama Trip: Guys and Dolls and Metamorphosis

The Drama Department have had an amazing start to the new academic year with a variety of activities. In September, we had a trip to London to see Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre, then we had auditions for Jane Eyre, and rehearsals are now well underway.

While this week alone, we have had a wonderful Year 7 workshop in storytelling, and an A Level trip to see Metamorphosis at the Connaught Theatre. We hope you can get a chance to see Jane Eyre – tickets are available at the Roedean Box office and performance dates are 28 and 29 November.

Olly (Yr13) wrote a review of Metamorphosis: 'I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to see this performance of Metamorphosis with the A Level Drama students. This particular version of the play was adapted by one of my favourite poets, Lemn Sissay, whose poetic style could really be felt in the writing. The ground-breaking use of physical theatre really captured and brought to life Kafka’s surrealist style, in a way that felt very true to the original book. The fact that the story still rings true and feels relevant today (almost 120 years after the novella was originally published) speaks to the universal and poignant nature of the themes of transformation, isolation, and alienation that are explored. There were many other drama students at the performance, and it made me so happy to see so many of my peers engaging with and expressing interest in contemporary theatre, particularly pieces like Metamorphosis, which are so unconventional and innovative in both conception and production.'

Year 7 Drama Workshop

This week, our Year 7 Drama students created still images using props, which included sheets, umbrellas, and buckets! – they had to tell a story with these items, but the one rule was that they had to use the prop differently to the way it was intended. For instance, a parasol became a parachute, or a weapon in a shootout, and finally a walking stick for an old man.

Another example was the multi-use of an old wooden chair – the chair became a drum, a wheelbarrow, and even an upside-down rocking chair. Fran Moulds, the workshop leader, trained at Jacques Lecoq in France, and she is a theatre practitioner who specialises in physical theatre, who has worked extensively with Punch Drunk, the internationally renowned immersive theatre company.

Fran then helped the pupils to see how their still images could then fit into that story, and it was lovely to see the pupils imaginatively create other worlds – a parasol became a mysterious flying saucer, and then a man-eating plant that opened and snapped as the students reacted, using expressive vocal and physical skills.

This then enabled students to create short devised plays, so one group turned a sheet into

a shroud – the commitment once they had a story was very moving. As one student stamped a foot, the bride who wore the sheet quickly turned the sheet into a shroud.

Fran also created set pieces from professional productions that she had performed in – she showed them how the cloth of a sailboat (the sheet) could transition into representing a baby with accompanied sound effects of crying babies and whistling wind.

The Year 7s showed outstanding commitment, and imagination was in abundance as they created specific, clear, and coherent images that went on to create a story and the beginning of a piece of theatre. Anything is possible when you use your imagination in drama!

Woodbridge

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Tessy Ojo at Roedean for Black History Month

It was a great privilege to welcome Dr Tessy Ojo CBE to Roedean this week, as the guest speaker for our annual Black History Month lecture. To provide context for the amazing work she does, Tessy spoke a little about her background and experiences. She is CEO of The Diana Awards, an organisation which partners with young people to drive change. She works closely with Princes William and Harry, and she is incredibly proud to have been entrusted with their mother’s legacy.

Tessy spoke about ‘becoming’ as her overarching focus, namely that we are all constantly developing and assimilating ideas and skills, and these form the ‘toolkit’ which we can use to effect change. Throughout our journey, we are able to borrow other people’s assets, so that our skills and knowledge become greater than ourselves, and therefore more effective and powerful. Tessy described how, as a child, she heard about Sickle Cell Anaemia, and also that it affects certain demographics primarily. This made her ask why, and led her to the realisation that privilege brings with it responsibility. She understood that we each have a purpose, and that she should try to use her abilities to make a change.

Tessy encourages everyone to channel their audacity. This is the ability both to say ‘no more – we want a better outcome’, and to be proactive, sometimes irrespective of the consequences. We need to be audacious in situations where we come the the point when we have had enough. To illustrate this, she played a video featuring the voices of young black people sharing their negative experiences in schools. Under Tessy’s leadership, The Diana Awards’ programme is designed to challenge racism in UK schools,

and to help young people to aspire higher.

The last principle Tessy advocates is ‘curiosity’ – we must all ask questions, notice other people, widen our focus, and be determined to be proactive in ensuring inclusion is the norm. Modern society should dictate that everyone deserves their place at the table, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, orientation, or background, and there should be no need to feel proud of being included since it should be an expectation. She said, ‘Having a badge of honour for being the only black person or the only woman –that’s so yesterday!’ Tessy’s final statement was that we should collectively call out behaviour which excludes others – ‘Be an upstander –don’t be a by-stander!’

The theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Saluting the Sisters’, and this chimes perfectly with Tessy’s lecture, the School’s ethos, and the Month we are marking. It was wonderful for the whole school to hear this address, along with 50 Year 10 students from the local state schools which are part of the Roedean Academy. Thank you to Dr Tessy Ojo CBE for such an inspirational lecture.

Dr Barrand

Black History Month Chapel – Saluting our Sisters

As Nigeria’s Independence Day kicks off Black History Month I decided to share with you an inspirational woman from my home country. Commonly overlooked in our nation's independence, women played a crucial role, and I would like to briefly tell you about Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, one of Nigeria’s pioneering women, who was involved in gaining our independence. In 1949 she led a protest against groups of people who collected taxes on behalf of the United Kingdom as well as those who additionally created separate taxes just for women. In the years coming up to Nigeria’s independence in 1960, she continued to champion women’s rights through the Federation of Nigerian Women societies, which she had founded in 1953. Alongside these achievements, she was one of the first Nigerian women to form a political party as well as one of the delegates who negotiated Nigeria’s independence from Britain. She inspires me as she is a strong leader, who persevered in the face of adversity who became a leader by serving those around her.

Onose

I chose to talk about Mary McLeod Bethune. Who is she? Well, she was an American educator and philanthropist who founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established the organization's flagship journal (Aframerican Women's Journal) and presided as either president or leader for a wide range of African American women's organizations throughout her career, including the National Association for Colored Women and the National Youth Administration's Negro Division. Mary McLeod Bethune stands out to me because she started a private African American school now known as Bethune Cookman university in Daytona beach Florida and maintained high standards. She promoted the school with tourists and donors to demonstrate what educated African Americans could do. She was president of the college from 1923 to 1942, and from 1946 to 1947. She was one of the few women in the world to serve as a college president at that time.

Khadija

Sisterhood is one of the most meaningful benefits of being a black woman. From supporting each other as we follow our dreams, sharing loud laughs in times of joy, or being a shoulder to cry when we face adversity, we’re constantly there for one another. And while no relationship is perfect, in a world that doesn’t always see our full value, it feels good to know that we have other black women in our lives who remind us daily that we’re loved. We are lucky at Roedean to have a sisterhood that comprises a diverse group of different cultures, nationalities and backgrounds, but sometimes it is empowering to know that there are people there who don’t just empathise; they know. This is a brief description of my experience with my sisters in Lawrence house: from our exciting corridor conversations, to the silent comfort we offer one another, we have been able to build a community within ourselves, creating a home away from home. This has impacted me in many ways, providing me with emotional, mental and physical support.

Sisterhood is not just about those we live with and see on a day-to-day basis, now, Onose, Solari, Khadija and Eni are going to tell you about the independent black women that inspire them personally.

Tammy

A black woman who inspires me is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Born and raised in Nigeria, she is the first African and first female Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. She has broken barriers for black people in the economist workplace and motivates aspiring economists like me, with her achievements. Her commitment to addressing global issues, like trade fairness to vaccine access, or helping African countries prepare and respond to extreme weather event and natural disasters, reflects a deep sense of how much Okonjo-Iweala strives for positive change in the world. Her journey from a modest upbringing to global prominence embodies the spirit of black excellence and her work offers hope to people everywhere in the future.

Solari

Matilda: It's amazing to hear about these inspirational black queens who have been internationally recognized but I personally get inspired every day by the students who are around me that have become like sisters to me. In society, it can be the small things, the unnoticed things, that grind a black woman down and that can be exhausting and sometimes it can feel like it is deliberate. I want to leave you with a poem by Nayyirah Waheed that inspires me:

Matilda

In 1958 Katherine Johnson became the first black woman to work for NASA as a scientist.

In a time before compact computers, or Casio calculators, her almost superhuman mathematical ability was beyond instrumental in missions. The most notable of these missions was Project Mercury — the first human space flight program in the United States. When new technology was introduced, she did not fear redundancy, as it only made her presence even more necessary. She didn’t just welcome the digital age but facilitated it. At the time when racial tensions were at their highest, Johnson overcame barriers of race and sex to not only achieve the respect of her peers, but of physicists, mathematicians, and leaders around the globe.

Eni

A black woman can write of loneliness, or love or softness or the moon. you may try valiantly to cripple her. but she will still grow flowers in her flesh.

The First Few Weeks in Boarding

As the girls settle into the Autumn term, there has been plenty of laughter, fun, smiles, food, and creativity in the boarding houses!

House 1 have baked, and eaten, plenty of cookies. They've also successfully made and packaged a big batch of tasty marmalade! Cosy nights in have been spent watching the celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing, we wonder who will win...

House 2 have emersed themselves in self-care, with homemade brownies, facemasks, and mocktails! Competition has been high on game nights, including Pictionary, which challenged the girls' drawing skills! The famous baking nights with Mrs Burns have returned, including pancakes, with all the toppings you could desire, and apple and blackberry crumble. Welcoming all the new boarders, House 2 have made a miniature pebble family of the whole house! Homemade playdough was a hit, with girls experimenting with a variety of colours.

House 3 experimented with breakfast, making creations including giant s'mores, pizza rolls, scrambled egg, and homemade chocolate croissants! They also made and decorated party ring biscuits, and very kindly shared their yummy treats with girls from House 4. House 3 turned Roedean into Hogwarts for an evening of Harry Potter-themed activities, including a costume competition, a game of Quidditch, and magical

treats! It wouldn't be October 3rd without the annual Mean Girls night – everyone was dressed in pink and had yummy strawberries, waffles, and milkshakes.

House 4 celebrated National Cheeseburger Day in a very fitting way – with McDonald's cheeseburgers, of course! There wasn't a crumb left at the end! To welcome all into the boarding community, House 4 girls made and traded friendship bracelets with each other. Girls enjoyed foraging for blackberries around the school site on a sunny Sunday morning, and baked chocolate chip and blackberry cookies with their haul. Movie night was a must in preparation for the Performing Arts House competition, and you can't have a movie night without popcorn! Mrs Wilson held a 'fondant icing masterclass', teaching girls how to make a wide selection of different animals to decorate biscuits, which were almost too cute to eat! Arts and craft nights are always a hit, however it was extra special to make cards to send home, with messages of gratitude and love.

Keswick have enjoyed an abundance of silliness, with games of skittles and space hoppers! Keswick experimented with lots of tea... They have produced homemade iced tea and homemade bubble tea. There wasn't a drop left of either, so it's safe to say it was delicious!

Lawrence gardening club have planted a variety

of flowers and vegetables, and are already seeing lots of growth. As the weather gets colder, girls have been eager to make, and drink, hot chocolates, with toppings of cream and marshmallows!

All Houses have celebrated various occasions such as Culture Day, with an array of different cultural outfits and baked goods with country flags incorporated. Mexican Independence Day was recognised with nachos and various other Mexican cuisines. Girls enjoyed Nigerian Independence Day and had lots of good food and mocktails. Mid-Autumn festival was also celebrated, with plenty of delicious mooncakes, tangyuan, spring rolls, bubble tea, prawn crackers, hotpot and fried rice. A few birthdays have been celebrated among friends too, and with plenty of cake!

We have enjoyed countless sunsets as the Autumn days get shorter. Junior boarders have cooled off on those warm Autumn days by jumping in the swimming pool. Every Saturday, girls have enjoyed exploring and shopping in the centre of Brighton, even spotting some of the decorated Shaun the Sheeps! House Captains have been appointed across the boarding houses, a big congratulations to those selected, and very well done to those who expressed their passion and spirit through their speeches!

Miss Barnett

Mid-Autumn Festival in House 1

According to the lunar calendar, the 15th day of the 8th month holds significant cultural importance in China. It marks the revered Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, a cherished occasion for gathering with loved ones, savouring mooncakes, and appreciating the beauty of the full moon. This year, on Friday 29 September, we brought the joy of MidAutumn Festival into House 1.

We started with a Lantern Riddles Quiz, for which many of us got into groups and worked together to solve the tricky riddles which were attached to 15 colourful lanterns around the house. As the game proceeded, excitement and laughter filled the room. It was so impressive that all participants did a fabulous job in solving the riddles, and two groups even got all the answers correct!

After the game, we gathered our lanterns and were greeted by a gentle, cool breeze as we ventured towards the small pasture facing our House. The flickering of the electric candles through the paper lanterns illuminated the

darkness and magically warmed the chilly air around us. As we continued to walk into the cool crisp night, the captivating splendour of the beautiful full moon filled our hearts full of warmth.

As the night unfolded, we returned to House 1 and enjoyed delicious mooncakes, which are an indispensable element of the Mid-Autumn Festival. These delectable pastries, distinguished by their golden-brown crusts and intricate designs, brought our celebration to a contented close.

From the engaging Lantern Riddles Quiz to the enchanting walk under the warm glow of our lanterns and the enjoyment of mooncakes, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at House 1 gave us an unforgettable evening, weaving together friendship, culture, and lovely memories.

Melissa

Open Teatime Recital

Tuesday saw our first open Teatime Recital of the term. The programme was diverse, including classical pieces alongside a drummer and a rock band.

The first piece was performed by Candis (Yr11) on Viola, and she was able to show the instrument’s mellow and rich tone in Passacaglia by the twentieth century composer, Rebecca Clarke. Hettie, also in Year 11, then played Rumores de la Caleta by Albeniz, another composer of the same period. She captured the rhythms of Iberia beautifully.

The next unaccompanied piece was Rains of Castamere – Daisy in Year 11 was undaunted by performing without accompaniment, and she played the Flute with great confidence. The next piece was one of Debussy’s Preludes, and Natalie in Year 9 was able to demonstrate confident playing on the Piano.

Starting a run of three pieces for woodwind, Meghan and Claire in Year 10 played a lovely unaccompanied duet on the Flute by Telemann – they played two contrasting movements from this sonata, and their timing was very precise throughout. Michelle (Yr10) performed

Troubadour on Clarinet, and her dynamic range was excellent. Chloe, also in Year 10, followed, playing Cahuzuc’s romantic Cantilene on Clarinet. She copied very well with a piece which ran from the bottom to the top of the register and back again.

In a complete volte-face, Year 10's Charlie wowwed the audience with her performance of Sweet Child of Mine by the Guns N’ Roses – she was in complete control of the drum kit, and it was clear that she was enjoying her performance!

Jemima (Yr8) played a traditional Chinese folk melody on Violin called Bamboo Stem. There was a lovely Far Eastern flavour throughout her piece, with its wide vibrato and slides between notes. The piece was Olivia Rodrigo’s Vampire, played by Maisa (Yr7) on the Piano, and she performed with great composure, particularly when the tempo of the piece suddenly increased.

Lyla (Yr9) played Petite Rhapsodie Hongroise on the Violin, and she maintained a strong tempo throughout. Cherrie in Year 11 then sang Anyone Can Whistle by Sondheim, and the tone

Hockey vs Ardingly

U13B vs Ardingly U13C

After our first win of the season versus Bede's, the Year 8s travelled to Ardingly in their first away fixture of the year, meaning everyone was in good spirits and looking forward to the game.

The game started very close with both teams not being able to fully convert their chances, however the Roedean girls were fighting to win the ball back as quickly as possible and were threatening the goal, but they could not find a break through.

The girls were disappointed at half time not to be leading, but my message to them was simple: less dribbling, more passing.

The team really listened to this message as the hockey in the second half was a joy to watch, and the team scored three excellent goals. The next job for the team was to keep a clean sheet, however, with the dying seconds to go, Ardingly scored on the full time whistle.

It was a great start for the U13Bs, winning 2 out of 2.

Mr Foggoa

of her voice and her storytelling were lovely. Daisy (Yr10) performed Peter Maxwell Davies’ Farewell to Stromness on the Piano – it had a melancholic feel and she captured this emotion well in her playing.

In a contrast of periods and styles, Ellen (Yr11) played Hummel’s Romanze on Trumpet – she demonstrated strong technique and excellent control. Aisha then sang Juke’s Golden Hour, accompanied by Mabel – both are in Year 7, and they performed excellently, with great confidence. Oyinda played My Favourite Things by Rodgers and Hammerstein on Classical Guitar, and the section with the harmonics was particularly effective.

The recital’s finale was a brilliant performance of Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis – it was brilliant to hear a rock band performing, and congratulations to Samantha, Emma, Candis, Hebe, and Sigrid!

Well done to everyone who performed, and thank you to the Music Department for such a varied programme.

Dr Barrand

U13A Out-Played by Ardingly's Power

The U13A team played a strong Ardingly team away from home midweek. Ardingly started the strongly and the girls didn't switch on in the first 10 minutes. 2 goals went in for Ardingly, then the girls showed some more fight and, in the second half, they played much better and took it to Ardingly. They managed a goal at the end after some good play down the right and some hard graft from Bella. The game ended 5-1 and the girls learned a lot of where next their hockey needs to go and how to improve for the tournament next week.

Mr Campleman

U14 & U16 Pre-National Schools Tournament

On Sunday, our U14 and U16 National Schools squad attended a local tournament to prepare themselves for next Saturday. It was an extremely positive day, where both squads displayed some high-quality netball. It gave us an opportunity to rotate the squad and try out new combinations. All players responded well to this and worked at high intensity all morning, despite where they were playing. The morning replicated how National Schools will run, so it was beneficial for the players to experience the timings and have a clear understanding how what is to come. Thank you and well done to all players and parents for giving up their Sunday for this – we really appreciate it and are looking forward to seeing them all take to court on Saturday.

Miss Hammond

U12B Hurst Hockey Tournament

The U12B hockey team showcased their determination, teamwork, and resilience at the recent tournament held at Hurst. Despite a shaky start with a 3-0 loss to Sevenoaks in their opening match, the girls rallied together, learned from their mistakes, and demonstrated remarkable growth throughout the tournament.

In their second game, the team faced Brighton Girls, and it was evident that they had absorbed the feedback from their initial match. The girls worked cohesively as a team, passing with precision and defending with determination. The turning point came when Phoebe executed a fantastic strike, scoring the winning goal and securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

Next, they encountered a formidable Hurst side, known for their strength and skills. Ruby and Isabella stood resolute in defence, guarding their territory with unwavering dedication. Despite the intense contest, the match ended in a well-earned 0-0 draw, showcasing the girls' resilience.

The momentum continued into their encounter with Burgess Hill Girls, with Bea proving her mettle with remarkable saves in goal. Sorarya exhibited her dribbling prowess, manoeuvring the ball skilfully down the line before feeding it into the capable hands of Ore. The match ended in a draw, showcasing the girls' adaptability and teamwork under pressure.

As the day progressed, the U12B hockey team faced St. Christopher's with renewed confidence. Heidi and Hester executed a brilliant pass that seamlessly reached the forwards. The entire team displayed great coordination and determination, resulting in a well-deserved victory.

In their final match against Handcross Park, the girls were eager to conclude the tournament

on a high note. With their spirits soaring, they displayed impeccable teamwork and relentless effort, ultimately securing another win.

Overall, the U12B hockey team finished the tournament in 5th place out of 12 teams — this is an impressive accomplishment considering the competition they faced. Their journey throughout the tournament was characterised by remarkable growth, resilience, and some outstanding individual performances.

Phoebe emerged as a key player, scoring crucial goals and setting the tone for the team's success. Ruby and Isabella's unwavering defence was instrumental in maintaining a solid backline, while Bea's goalkeeping skills were nothing short of exceptional.

Sorarya's dribbling skills and Ore's finesse in the forward line were pivotal in generating scoring opportunities. Additionally, Heidi and Hester's brilliant passes showcased the team's proficiency in midfield.

The U12B Hockey team's journey at the Hurst tournament was a testament to their resilience and determination. Despite a challenging start, they harnessed their collective strength, listened to feedback, and improved with each passing game. Their 5th place finish reflects their dedication and the impressive progress they made throughout the tournament.

Congratulations to the U12B hockey team for their outstanding performance at the Hurst tournament. Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to the sport. With their continued dedication, there's no doubt that these young athletes have a bright future ahead in the world of hockey.

Miss Haymans

U13C Hockey Continue their Winning Ways!

The U13C team continued their winning ways on Wednesday when they played Mayfield’s B team. With all players now settled into their positions and with the whole team confident in their roles on the pitch, the team were able to produce another brilliant performance.

Yet again Momo, Bea, Chiara, and Ying were strong in midfield, using both dribbling and passing skills to link up. Erin continued her scoring ways, this time with a hat-trick, and Chiara netted twice, with one spectacular cricket drive into the goal. Hazel and Lili continued to be the rock-solid in defence helping Jemima keep the goal clear. Only one goal passed these girls, helping us to a 5-1 victory.

Hockey vs Mayfield

U13D

On Wednesday, the U13D team made their way over to Mayfield for their second game of the season. They had been working hard on having forward, back and side options, holding their positions and being hard to beat… and that they were! In the first two minutes, the Georgie managed to smash one past the GK to make a quick 1-0. In our next phase of play, it was Georgia who trickled one over the line into the corner! 2-0. Georgie was quick to strike back and made it 3-0 at half time. We reflected as a team and we were happy with our first half. A quick talk about giving stronger passes and some clarity for our short corners, the girls were ready to go again. Mayfield made a quick turn and dribbled hard towards Sofiia, but with a huge save and a big wide clearance to Georgia, the ball was crossed in for Georgie to take her 3rd goal of the game. 4-0. We shuffled the team around and with Lucia managing the subs and the sideline, the girls played out of position to try and strengthen their skills. Tilly H’s tricky stick skills out on the right were outstanding and allowed Georgie to bag yet another goal. Final score: 5-0. A huge well done to the team for their hard work all game and I was massively impressed with their ability to put our training into practice. Congratulations to Georgie for Girl of the Game and to Tilly H for taking Coaches' Player. Great work, team!

Miss Bamford

U12C

The U12C team beat Mayfield 2-0 to record their first win of the term. More positional awareness was evident and this team holds a vibrant attacking threat. The goals were scored by Jess and Shahdi, and there could have been more, but for the heroics of the Mayfield goalkeeper.

Miss Kirby-Jones

Mr Smethurst

U14A Hockey Loss to Brighton College

The U14A team played Brighton College at home after Open Morning. The match would be one of the most competitive all season and the game started just as expected. Brighton went 1-0 up early and Roedean switched it on for the remainder of the half, playing brilliant counter-attacking hockey. We just couldn't put the ball past the very good GK of Brighton.

Brighton managed to run-in a second goal which seemed to push us to fight back for a goal of our own. With a little more fight, cleverness to pass through space and to go right more often, Roedean will improve for the next match. Lily in goal had an unbelievable game and the best I have seen her play this season, which is fantastic! The game ended 2-0 to Brighton College.

U14A Hockey Fall Just Short of Final at Sussex Tournament

The U14A team played in the Tier 2 Sussex Cup Tournament at Bede's. They played 3 pool matches, in the hope of playing a 4th in the final. First up was Lancing College, and it was a tough first match, to switch on and start the tournament with. Often we found ourselves passing through players and being very direct, instead of being calmer on the ball and passing past defenders and not through them. The match ended 1-1, with both teams having good chances and Lily in goal having a great game!

The second match was against Burgess Hill, and we set the tone from the start and won 2-0, with some excellent hockey played and two goals by Sophie, finished off very well.

The third match was against Worth, and we expected to beat them and the team were ready. We created some chances and were the better side, but again found ourselves being too direct and not passing through space to go forward. The match ended 0-0, and a win would have put us in the final – a draw meant that we had to wait for the result between Lancing and Burgess Hill. Unfortunately, Lancing managed to beat Burgess Hill by 2-0 and sent us out of the competition ending 2nd in the pool.

Mr Campleman

U12 & U13 HocNet Competition

On Friday, the U12 and U13 squads travelled to Hurst for ‘HocNet’. This is an annual competition which is loved by all, the players participate in both a mini netball tournament and a mini hockey tournament, and the winner is the combined winner of both. Both age groups performed extremely well and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!

The U12A team took to the Astro in their first fixture against a very good Sevenoaks, who always prove very strong opposition. After a few minutes, Sevenoaks were up by a goal and Bea in goal had been quite busy in the first few minutes. We stepped off and didn’t quite play the hockey we were capable of, difficult being the first match. Sevenoaks carried forward well and managed to score another 2 more, ending 3-0.

The second match against Burgess Hill was brilliant, the girls switched on and fronted up, and they scored three impressive goals to win 3-0. Hurstpierpoint was next and both teams battled to a 0-0 draw, with Roedean having the better opportunities to score but just not finding the final finishing touch. We then played a friendly against Brighton College, due to a school not showing up, and we wound up 3-0 winners with a very impressive display to finish the hockey part.

In Netball, the U12s displayed smooth, high-quality play, taking convincing wins against both Brighton College and Burgess Hill. As a result, the U12s came 3rd overall – a fantastic performance despite only being a squad for a few weeks. Well done all – we are looking forward to seeing you progress this term, after an exciting start!

The U13A team started on Netball, where they faced Burgess Hill and Brighton College. They had a fantastic start and dominated in the Burgess Hill match. They started off strong against Brighton College and the first few minutes went goal for goal. Unfortunately, we let Brighton run away with it in the second half, and they took the win! After transitioning from Netball to Hockey, they found Sevenoaks a difficult opposition, losing 4-0 and not quite getting into the game.

Burgess Hill were next and, after some better play, they just couldn’t finish off the attacking movements and found they were too direct at times, and easily tackled in the middle. Then came Hurstpierpoint to finish things off and, after a good game, Roedean just managed to switch off towards the end and lose 2-1.

Performances did improve, but the girls know that they have better showings within them. It was a great day of sport for the U13s – well done everyone!

Mr Campleman

Miss Hammond

6 October 2023 – Issue 5 HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW

U18A Netball vs Walthamstow Hall

This was the first Netball match for the U18A team in the Cup competition, so it was a little nerve-wracking to be starting off with an important match, but it was a great chance for them to practise as a team against a strong opponent.

The first quarter was competitive, it was fairly even, with both teams moving the ball well down court, into the D, and converting into goals. It was 11-6 in the first quarter to them. We were defending nicely as a team – arms were up quickly over the ball, then blocking the run once the pass had been made. Erin and Alice, our new shooting partnership, were working well together, and had to pass the ball around the D a fair bit to try and evade the tall but quick GK. This worked well, although the long lean of the GK was quite off-putting for them when shooting. Walthamstow were a team that had clearly played a lot together and had some very talented players. The shooters barely missed, and the WA/GA were very nippy and difficult to mark in the D.

In the second quarter, they started taking it away from us, but we never gave up and worked hard for the entire match. I am always impressed with the team’s attitude, and, even when the score is not going their way, they never give up. Our target was to double our score each quarter and we generally were able to do this. I was also looking for every player to have small

successes, where they were proud of some part of their performance. Maria (WD) did some incredible interceptions, flying in and tipping the ball, and disrupting their player. Amelia (C) never stops running, her drives and dodges are so effective, and she links attack and defence beautifully. Izzy’s (WA) drives to the pocket for the second ball were great and her passes into the D have certainly improved, pushing them further into the space for the shooters. Elodie also played WA and was very effective at driving away to clear space, then front cutting in front of her player for the ball. Erin (GA) is a natural in this position, even though she has only just started playing it, and her changes of direction and ability to lose her player are amazing. Alice’s vision and movement in the D, so as not to get into Erin’s space, is very effective, and she had a very tough defender to play against as well. Lila and Solari in defence were light and fast on their feet, moving around their players, trying to keep them away from the goal. Zara as WD stuck tight to her player and got her arms up quick to pressure the pass.

There were lots of positives to take away from the match. The final score was 56-20 to Walthamstow. Players' Player was Amelia, and Coaches' Player was Izzy, for improved movement and passing.

U13A Netball Through to the Next Round of the National Cup!

The U13As faced Cardinal Newman in the first round of the National Cup. The squad put out a very strong performance, despite only having a couple of training sessions before the match. They linked up effectively and, with some fantastic shooting, we build up a comfortable lead. It was a full squad performance, with all 10 taking to court. The final score was 23-3 to Roedean. I am looking forward to seeing this team continue to impress in this competition, well done all.

Miss Hammond

Sport Stars of the Week

Congratulations to the following, who are this week's Sport Stars of the Week. Well done!

Mr Campleman

Year 7

Anna, for her excellent effort and progress in Hockey this term

Year 8

Momo, for good effort and progress in Hockey this term

Year 9

Sana’a, for consistent effort and commitment in Hockey

Year 10

Isobel, for fantastic progress and determination to improve in Hockey this term

Year 11

Kelly, for all-round great attitude and commitment to PE

Year 12 & 13

Zara, for consistent effort and progress in all Games and Co-Curricular lessons

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