9th June 2017 - Issue 6
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Roedean Mock Election Soon after the snap General Election was announced, our Year 12 Politics students metamorphosed into campaign managers and launched campaigns for the four major parties. With their sterling teams of campaigners drawn from all years, they distributed cakes and biscuits, and posters and mini-manifestos. Despite half the school being on exam leave, turnout on the day was high, with 336 votes being cast by students and staff. The total Key Stage 3 turnout was 76%, which is higher than the 68.7% national average. The results of the Roedean elections were as follows: Greens – 131 (Campaign Managers: Loretta Sargeant and Abigail Tarran)
Welcome back after half-term! I hope that you all had the chance to spend some valuable time with your families and friends. The end of last week was blighted by another tragic event in London, and I know that this must be hugely unsettling for our young people. I hope that the girls have had the opportunity this week to reflect on and discuss how they feel. This could have been just with friends or in tutor time, but I am also grateful to Mr Reid for running a session in Chapel yesterday to allow the girls to do exactly this in a quiet and open forum.
I can, however, comment on our own internal elections. I am delighted that the
Conservatives – 85 (Campaign Managers: Maggie El Beleidi and Georgie Williamson) Liberal Democrats – 26 (Campaign Managers: Maria Paduroiu and Emike Ajiamah)
26 92
131
Greens Labour
85
Head’s Introduction
I will, as is only right, avoid any comment on the General Election, save to congratulate Mr Lutwyche who stood as an independent candidate. While we was not elected, we are delighted that he will be continuing as a Maths teacher for the foreseeable future and have been impressed to see his commitment to the political process.
Labour – 92 (Campaign Managers: Nahida Usha and Yasmin Mahmood)
Conservative
These results are perhaps surprising, but the result of the General Election was itself a surprise – a hung Parliament. The Roedean results also reflect the general tone of Brighton politics: Green MP Caroline Lucas increased her majority in Pavilion; Labour’s Peter Kyle was comfortably reelected in Hove, and Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour) took the marginal Kemptown seat from Simon Kirby (Conservative). Thanks to Mr Marchant for all his organisation, and Mrs Ellis for her support; to Maria Paduroiu for manning the polling station; and, of course, to the campaign teams. Well done!
Liberal Democrats
Politics Department here at school organised such a brilliant mock election, with Year 12 Politics students ‘standing for parliament’. Congratulations to all candidates and to our winners, the Green Party. You can find out more about the Roedean results in this review, but we would like to make green issues a central school concern next year. With a backdrop of the elections, this has been a very busy first week back, with public examinations continuing, and End of Year Exams for Years 10 and 12. On Wednesday, we welcomed nearly 60 girls who are coming to Roedean in September, or hoping to do so a year later, to take part in our Visual and Performing Arts Day. The girls had a great day, and their final performance in front of their parents, after just a few short hours of preparation, was excellent. This was followed yesterday by our annual Primary Science Day, when 180 pupils in Year 6 from six local primary schools enjoyed a day of experiments, which finished with a brilliant showcase in the Theatre.
The girls in Years 7 to 9 also enjoyed our Women in the Workplace event only this afternoon. They heard from a variety of professionals about gender inequality at work, and they had the opportunity to ask questions of the panellists in order to try to understand better why it exists, as well as hearing about how a variety of professions function. I am sure that they have taken away a great deal from it. Despite the windy and wet conditions this week, there have been rounders matches and a football tournament, our talented musicians have been auditioning for Roedean Young Musician of the Year, and rehearsals for Annie are building towards the performances next week. Well done to everyone involved. Congratulations too to Mr Rous, our Assistant Director of Music, whose wife gave birth to their son, Theo, over half term. Thank you and well done for everything you have done this busy week, and I wish you all a wonderful week to come – if you are in Annie, break a leg!
Come and join us for the Roedean Race for Life Tuesday 27th June in the afternoon!