11 January 2019 - Issue 1
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Head’s Introduction I would like to start by wishing you all a very happy new year. At the end of last term, my hope for you all was that you would enjoy time with family and loved ones over the break, however, being back at school over the last week feels very much as if the school community is a treasured family too, who have been overjoyed to be reunited. In chapel and assemblies this week, we have reflected on the Roman god Janus, for whom January is named, and the opportunity the new year affords to look back on the past year and forward into the year ahead. We have reached the conclusion that it seems that ‘goals’, rather than ‘resolutions’, are the way to make progress out of our best intentions. All week, our year 12 students have been working towards their academic goals in their in-class tests. Next week, these tests continue, and Year 13 are into their trial examinations, alongside Year 11 completing theirs. It has been great to see the industriousness and dedication of these students, especially over in the Sixth Form Centre, and I wish them the best of luck in this process.
The Roedean Academy also continued this week, with pupils beginning their chosen courses of lessons in Humanities, Arts and Sciences, as well as their selected masterclasses and seminars. The visitors and Roedean girls alike really enjoyed the opportunity to explore ideas that they would not necessarily normally talk about. The teachers were very impressed with how engaged, interested and perceptive the pupils were in response to the new topics. Everyone involved is excited about next week, and exploring their topics in greater depth following this week’s solid foundations. The temperature may have dropped a little this week, but it certainly feels like Spring at Roedean, with news from the farm of several lambs on the way! The lambs are due in March and the ewes will be treated with the utmost care and attentiveness by our dedicated farm prefects until the big day comes. And we are celebrating another new arrival this week, with the birth of Dr Barrand’s new daughter Eve. Congratulations! It has very quickly become business as usual at Roedean, full of life, laughter and intellectual pursuits. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Roedean Academy challenges 50 students After its launch at the very end of last term, the Roedean Academy has its first sessions this week. This programme of academic enrichment was attended by nearly 50 students from Years 10 and 11 at Roedean, Blatchington Mill School, Longhill High School, and Peacehaven Community School. For the first hour, the students chose between three core strands, in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, designed to develop existing skills working on material which is beyond that required at GCSE level - these elements last for 3 weeks. Some explored the writings of the Brontës and the Gothic, others worked in groups to tackle complex mathematical and statistical problems, and a third group discussed Mary Queen of Scots, particularly pertinent with the recent première of the film.
In the second hour, the students were able to choose elements of pure academic enrichment, to do something completely different, just for the love of indulging their curiosity. In this first week, the students chose to learn some Portuguese with Dr John Hobbs, our Deputy Head Academic, or to explore the problems and pitfalls associated with sustainability with Mr James Sheriff, Head of Geography, or to attend an interactive talk led by Professor Peter Thomas from Sussex University on Black Holes. The Academy will run for 8 weeks, and will provide the 50 participants with a wonderful opportunity to work with like-minded students from the Brighton area, to push themselves outside their academic comfort zones, and maybe even to spark a deep and lasting passion.
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
11 January 2019 - Issue 1
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.
Tabitha K (Yr7) for making a poster to advertise the campaign to donate books to St Mark’s during her Christmas holiday [HBO]
Olivia C (Yr7) for welcoming and looking after a new student in her tutor group [SCH]
Breeding Success This week has been a rather exciting one on the School Farm. We have been looking to enhance our flock of rare breed sheep and give pupils a full education around flock management and breeding. With this in mind, we welcomed a South Downs Ram onto site in October. Fast forward to January and, crossing our fingers, we took three South Downs and a Jacobs to be scanned this week. We were delighted to discover that a number of the ewes are pregnant with lambs! Charlotte A (Yr9) for helping settle a new Y9 flexi boarder in House 3 [MMU]
Charlotte K (Yr7) for showing great resilience and always having a smile on her face [MMU] Flo IS for practising lots in the holidays [SOB]
Amelie S, Jessica M, Priya T (Yr11) for helping our Roedean Academy visitors find their way to their classrooms [DRO]
Each week, a member of staff who has gone above and beyond the call of duty can be nominated by their colleagues or the girls.
Reaching this stage of successful breeding was due to the dedication of the Farm prefects, who provided the ewes with the correct nutrition, conditions and care. The farm team are now looking forward to working towards what will hopefully be a successful lambing in the spring.
House 3 On, Thursday, The H3 boarders enjoyed an evening of crafting and cooking. The girls made individual felt birds to put in their bedrooms. They have mastered some new skills and had a really enjoyable evening. We look forward to seeing their creations brightening up their rooms!
Miss Hyams for stepping in at the last minute and doing an interview for us, despite being busy herself [Admissions]
Mrs Antoniou for being amazing at sorting out heating problems in both Keswick and Lawrence, even when she is at home late at night! She also helps with all our maintenance requests, always with a smile and no complaints
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The grounds team and Miss Bergin-Parsons, the School Farmer, for bridging the gap up at the farm over Christmas break (and, of course, the goats lent a hand too!)
11 January 2019 - Issue 1
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Chapel Services Thursday 10th and Friday 11th January Good morning – our chapel service this morning takes you on a journey about how a new beginning is the doorway to the year ahead. Now is a time for new beginnings: it is a time to remember what is important, and to commit again to what is real and true. And so I would like to take this time to-day, to think about what a new beginning really means for all of us…
What is a new beginning?
A new year means new beginnings and fresh starts. If you can let go of the past, freeing yourself of failures and disappointments, you can embrace a new perspective - a fresh look at the future and all the wonderful possibilities it holds. With the new year, come 365 new and exciting days to shape your destiny; now is the perfect time to pursue a new beginning. T.S. Eliot wrote ‘Every moment is a fresh beginning’
entrance to somewhere fun or exciting; many of us will have experienced the excitement of passing through the doorway or turnstile into a theme park, or an event. January is a fascinating month. It’s a fascinating month because statistics tell us that January is the month where people attempt to make more changes in their lives than any other time of the year. It has to do with the close of one year and the beginning of a new. You can liken this to the closing of a door and the opening of another. It is a time when we try to start new things and the vast majority of people also run headlong into the fact that they don’t do very well with their New Year’s resolutions. One possibility is that the steps people are taking are too big! It needs small steps, doing a little thing each day that makes a difference, over time, and makes big dreams possible and the bigger things can then just happen.
You are aware that we are now in the month of January, which is named after the Roman god Janus, the god of the doorway. The word ‘Janus’ actually comes from a word meaning ‘doorway’.
Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Picture in your mind Janus, the god who looks both forwards and backwards. This concept of looking both forwards and backwards has similarities with a doorway, which is a place where we can go in and out. January is the doorway to a new year: we can look back over the previous year, but we can also look forward to a new year.
Year 7 girls have been reflecting on their new beginning here at Roedean
Consider some of the actual doorways you have faced in the past… A closed door can sometimes be daunting; we don’t always know what sort of a welcome will greet us on the other side. Doors can be a barrier. Some door handles can be tricky to open, and sometimes, we get confused about whether to push or pull the door open. A door may be locked; we may need another person’s help to get through it. We might have to ring the bell or knock first. Sometimes, the bell doesn’t work, and we’re not sure whether the person inside has heard. Perhaps we’ve been the person on the inside and we just don’t want to open the door to the person who we suspect is knocking. When we face a closed door, we face a choice. Sometimes, we face doors that open and close automatically, or revolving doors. In theory, these doors are designed to make life a bit easier, but that’s not always the case. There are choices that people make, that help to make doorways easier for us. Some doors are propped open. Some companies and schools have ‘open-door policies’, where they deliberately leave the door open to communicate that they are happy for people to pop in. The aim is to indicate that they have nothing to hide, and to welcome visitors and feedback. A doorway can also be the
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For Olivia, it meant new friends and a new way of learning. It also meant reshaping her personality. Making new friends meant a lot for her because these would be the friends that will be with her until school is over and maybe through university. The new beginning this term means she knows what does and doesn’t work for her. It is a chance to set new goals and complete them. For Amelia, it meant the introduction of new subjects, friendships, teachers, experiences and a new stage in her life. It meant more chances to take, more records to break, more fun to have. She can let out a sigh, enjoying the skies above this wonderful school by the sea. The new beginning this term means new HHH subjects, she is one term older and the lighter evenings mean she can see the sea again. For Evie a new beginning here meant that she would have a clean slate; a new start. She would be able to make new friends and meet new people. For Lucy this was a new beginning, meaning a new adventure, new friendships and a new mind set; also turning over a new leaf. […] After being at Roedean for a few weeks, Fleur felt she belonged here and that she was made welcome. Galina felt she could not imagine herself anywhere else. For Eva, this term means a fresh start and a Page 3
chance to continue learning again after a long break. It is an exciting time to see everyone again. For Natasha, it means trying new clubs and playing different sports. It means trying to make more friends and talk to different people. After a few weeks at Roedean, Suraya found herself looking forward to each day and knowing what was to follow. She felt comfortable and amazed by so many opportunities. This term’s new beginnings means being faced with new challenges and it is all about learning new things in lessons and clubs. During this term, Jess is going to focus more in her lessons and try new things. She will also know what works and what doesn’t and what she should do. Flora has loved being able to go to the farm and becoming a farm prefect. She wants to be a vet, so the farm opportunities are great. Mairi feels a new beginning this term means she does not feel so nervous, as she knows her tutor group, year group and teachers and her way around the school! She can manage her prep and feels settled. Sara said a new beginning at Roedean was a fresh start and a new journey. A place to make new friends, discover new subjects, get involved in shows and after school activities. Also it was starting ‘fresh’ at a brand new school. Mollie said a new beginning here meant making new friends and having new opportunities. The new opportunities were available to everyone - for example new sports, new subjects and being able to learn new languages, and even new and more homework! […] Dear Lord, Thank you for a new year with new starts and new beginnings. Let us always remember how exciting new beginnings can be. They open new doors, provide new opportunities, and present new possibilities. Although they can be daunting, new beginnings are wonderful . Let us remember to look back and learn from previous experiences, and draw strength from them, so that they can inform our choices for the future. Let us also always be grateful for the fantastic opportunities we have. We ask this in your holy name. Amen.
11 January 2019 - Issue 1
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Netball vs Hurstpierpoint College On Wednesday, Netball Term officially kicked off at Roedean with no less than 85 girls from Year 7 and 8 involved in a competitive fixture. Netball Clubs are back up and running and with shooting clinics, Sussex Cup games and a visit from Gold Commonwealth Medalist – Eboni Usoro-Brown looming, Roedean girls are going from strength to strength with their Netball. Please check Roedean School Sport for all the upcoming fixtures on a Wednesday/Saturday and come along to support your friends and family! Having support on the sideline is always a welcome boost to our girls. GCR
performance in the second half by Roedean, the host team claimed the early season victory. At half time, the Roedean team were set unit specific targets: the attack to stay under the post, the midfield to focus on possession and the defence to improve their stage one defence. All players stepped up to the mark and this was reflected in the statistics where we drew the third quarter one all and won the last quarter 2-1. This takes real commitment and inner strength when faced with a non-favourable score line and the girls should be extremely proud of their performance. In particular, strong performances were seen by Rania K and Tallulah H. Scores: 13-5 (11-2) Goals scored: Rania K, 4; Georgina G-W, 1
U13D
U13A
U13A
U13D team has a narrow loss on Wednesday against Hurst. It was extremely close with Roedean leading after Q1 by 1 goal! It was a low scoring match overall showing how good both teams were defensively! Roedean battled on and at half time were 1 goal down. Sadly, Hurst picked up the pace and won the game overall 11-6 but a fantastic display from our girls! Well Done!
U13A team had their first match against Hurst on Wednesday. It was a great start with only a few goals in it, and the play was very competitive. Unfortunately, we started to make many mistakes and attacking play was broken down by a very strong Hurst mid-court. Our defence was superb also, turning the ball over many times, but we struggled to feed the balls into our shooters. Lots of things to work on and we can take a lot of positives from the first loss. Player of the match was Bella D.
U13B
The U13B team had a competitive match v Hurst on Wednesday; although a loss, there were beautiful passages of play which really showed promise and excitement for the future matches! Special mention to Maria who played absolutely out of her skin! Also, to the birthday girl, Nettie G who also performed fantastically in defence. A great team performance! Well Done.
U12C
U12C
The U12C’s had their first match of the season against Hurst. They were excited to get on the court and to work together as a team. Roedean worked well and made some fantastic interceptions. It was neck and neck throughout the whole match. Our defence was effective, and the players applied pressure for the opposition during the game. It was clear to see that Roedean were improving throughout and it also highlighted some areas to work on in future matches. The overall score was a draw with 1212, a fantastic result and a great first match! A huge well done to all and a special mention to Fleur F, who received Player of the Match.
U12D
U12A
U12A
The U12A’s had a great start to the season with a great performance. The match was goal for goal right until the last 5 minutes. Both teams worked tirelessly in defence to keep their teams in the game! A great performance from all the team, in particular Ruby A and Pearl P, who received Opposition Player. It highlighted areas to work on moving forward, but it looks to be a promising season! Well done girls.
Congratulations to the U12D Netball team who celebrated their first match of the season with a 3-1 victory. Jess and Amelia were steadfast in defence and closed down much of Hurst’s attacking play in the goal area. Meanwhile our attack initiated by Olivia and Lara led to some very good team work with Galina scoring 2 goals and Manon clinching our win with a third. Well played, everyone.
U12B
U13C
U13C
Roedean U13C’s faced a tough Hurstpierpoint College side on Wednesday. Despite an improved
The U12B team started the season playing Hurst Prep which was a good competitive first match. The girls started well defensively, showing good intensity and putting a lot of pressure on Hurst Prep. After a quiet first quarter, Roedean began to find the goals in the second quarter finishing 5-2. However, as Roedean began to tire, more passes were turned over, which resulted in Hurst Prep taking their chances in front of goal. Nonetheless, this was a fantastic first game with lots of lessons to learn from. U12B
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11 January 2019 - Issue 1
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Speed Skating Success for Alex
Swimming
Alex’s New Year started a little differently to yours: she was in Germany last week as she had training in Berlin on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and then travelled to Inzell, in the Bavarian Alps, where she competed in speed skating last weekend.
On 16 December, Mollie T was awarded the girls 11 year olds’ Points Cup at the Brighton Swimming Club Championships. She took part in 16 races over 7 sessions, showing her strengths, and she won medals in all strokes and distances: an amazing achievement!
She excelled herself in Inzell: she raced in four distances - 100m, 300m, 500m & 1000m. In each distance she earned both a Personal Record and a Season Best. She achieved a 100m time of 13.69 seconds (a new distance for her), a 300m time of 31.91 seconds (shaving off 1.44 seconds), a 500m time of 50.45 seconds (shaving off 3.58 seconds) and a 1000m time of 1.46.55 seconds (shaving off 4.73 seconds).
It looks like Alex may represent Great Britain at the Viking Race on the 1st/2nd March. This is one of the toughest speed skating competitions in Europe and it is an honour to be chosen to go. They have a minimum speed requirement on the 500m of 52 seconds so Alex has now formally qualified. Well done Alex!
Just before Christmas, Brighton Swimming Club held their Championship presentations at the Malmaison Hotel and Roedean girls made a clean sweep of the overall age-group trophies! Age 11 overall champion - Mollie T (Yr7) Age 12 overall champion - Rose O (Yr8) Age 13 overall champion - Jemima V (Yr9)
To put these new times into perspective, Alex has now moved up the international rankings (U13) and is sitting just outside the world top 50 for the 300m & 1000m! Alex could have done even better on the 500m, but had to swerve to avoid a fallen competitor on the ice. Both the British Team Manager and the British Team Head Coach believe had this not happened she would be in the global top 20 right now! As a result of these results Alex now holds two British season record times for her age group (U14), namely the 500m and 1000m, and is the Youth Ladies British Number One (U14).
Happy to return to my boarding home
9 student and this I am Cherry. I am from Hong Kong. I am a year is my first year studying at Roedean. in this wonderful I am really fortunate that I have a chance to study my life so much school. Roedean’s teachers, pupils and houses make happier than before. ess and house staff plan lot of I am a member of House 2 tigers! Our house mistr e football. I was quite a chubby fabulous house activities for us; one of them was bubbl the bubble, but I am glad that I little girl at that time (!) so I could barely fit in ever done in my life! did, as it was the most hilarious thing that I have being with my friends, so I’m Also, I am totally obsessed with movies, football and l in the boarding house is the lucky enough to be able to say every day after schoo highlight of my day! be a boarder and to have to stay Some people might think that it must be boring to Boarders have loads of options, such in school at the weekends, but they are so wrong! time with friends. Often there are as sports, crafts, cultural trips or simply spending such as ice-skating, visiting shopping trips too, but I like the really exciting ones in House 2 at the start of this football stadiums etc. I am really happy to be back of boarders. Happy New Year to new year and to be back living with a community you all. Cherry Lai
We welcome contributions from all parts of the Roedean community. If you have something you would like featured in the Headmaster’s Weekly Review, please email: marketing@roedean.co.uk
JJ WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE
Mon 14 Jan
WEEK AHEAD?
New Scholars’ Celebration Swimming vs Mayfield School (A) Swimming vs Burgess Hill School (GH)
Wed 16 Jan
U13A&B vs Worth School (A)
Thur 17 Jan
Year 8 Gamelan workshop and teatime recital
Fri 18 Jan
Year 9 Gamelan workshop and teatime recital
Sat 19 Jan
1st, 2nd, U15A & B Netball vs Ardingly (A) U14A * B vs Ardingly (H)
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