Heads Review - 2024 Issue 17

HEAD’S REVIEW

Head’s Introduction

Yesterday’s Chapel service in the Front Quad was a fitting way for the Roedean community to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Standing together in silence, looking out to sea as the School’s flag was hoisted, we had just a glimpse of what it must have been like for the members of HMS Vernon as they watched boats passing in the English Channel on their way to the French coast. It was also an honour to be presented, on behalf of the School, with the White Ensign. This was given to Roedean in gratitude by the Navy when HMS Vernon left the School, and it has been conserved by the Old Roedeanians’ Association.

We have welcomed quite a few visitors to Roedean this week, including all those who will be joining the School in Years 7-9 in September. It was such a pleasure to see them and their parents – their Roedean journey is just about to start, and they were excited about the next steps. Congratulations to the Admissions team, who ran a wonderful day for them all. On Tuesday, 57 children in Year 5 at Peacehaven Heights Academy also came to School for an activity day. They spent time on the Farm, took part in a workshop on Shakespeare’s The Tempest in the Theatre, and undertook forensic testing in Biology – they loved the experience, and I am grateful to Dr Barrand, Ms Woodbridge, Mr Fieldsend, and Dr Turner for making their visit such a success.

Good luck to all those students and staff taking part in the assessed Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver expeditions this weekend, and also to those in Years 7 and 8 who are going to Wales for the Sustainability trip – I am looking forward to hearing all about their experiences in a few days’ time.

Lastly, good luck to our intrepid Channelswimming team – from Tuesday, we will be waiting to hear that the tides and weather conditions are right for them to set off on their swim to France. What an adventure!

I wish you all a great weekend!

Netball Tour to South Africa

Sea Swimmers

Cross-Channel Training

D-Day 80th Anniversary

The Roedean Sheep have been Shorn!

Unsung Heroes

Sofia (Yr9)

for baking beautiful cakes to donate to the Project 125 Moldova charity bake sale – well done and thank you to all those connected to the trip who also baked [Dr Barrand]

Mairi and Tamanna (Yr12)

for delivering fantastic Academic Lectures on 'Are humans still evolving?' and 'Geriatrics and Dementia' – well done! [Ms Ibanez Barcelo]

Volunteering with the Anna Foundation in South Africa

During our trip to South Africa, we were given the opportunity to visit a rural primary school overseen by the Anna Foundation. The primary objective of this organisation is to address the educational and social needs of rural children, and offer them lifelong learning in order to build positive self-worth and self-respect.

Our Roedean students absolutely loved visiting some of the young children who are being supported by this foundation, and many reported this as their most treasured experience of the trip!

In addition, prior to our departure from the UK a message was sent out to the Roedean community to request donations in aid of

supporting this foundation. The response was wonderful – we took many netballs and basketballs, along with 8 full suitcases from Roedean to a rural community where we donated various items, such as clothing, educational toys, books, shoes, and much more – they were extremely grateful and overwhelmed with our generosity.

A very special thank you to everyone who supported this initiative – you have truly made a genuine difference to the lives of many young children living in South African rural communities.

Mrs Wilson

'This trip has been an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life, and the kindness that the locals in the township and at the Anna Foundation showed us had to have been what made it so special. At the foundation, we played games with the younger kids and, despite the language barrier, we got to know a bit about them. They were such welcoming people and the love that they showed us has made it unforgettable.'

Amelie (Yr9)

Project 125 Moldova – £7001

D-Day 80th Anniversary

80 years ago yesterday, boats passed in front of Roedean, crossing the Channel on their way to the Normandy beaches. The school community marked this anniversary in the Front Quad – our Chapel service was held there, in the Front Quad, looking outto sea, which made it both poignant and respectful.

The Year 9s attended a live event with the broadcaster, Dan Snow, run by the National Archives. It really helped put this year's anniversary in context for them.

Our Chapel service included the presentation, by Noelle Chase, President of the Old Roedeanians' Association, of the recently conserved white ensign, which was presented to Roedean by HMS Vernon after this naval institution left and the evacuated students returned.

Dr Barrand

This week, we had a charity non-uniform day on Wednesday, where everyone was invited to wear red, blue, and yellow, the colours which represent both the Ukrainian and Moldovan flags. Then yesterday, there was also a bake-sale – in total, the community raised £482 for Project 125 Moldova.

Following last year's hugely successful trip to Moldova in the summer holidays, in less than a month, twelve students and two members of staff will be returning to Chisinau to teach English to Ukrainian refugee children. Agnes, Alicia, Angelica, Chaya, Eve, Fen, Haewon, Kaitlin, Kate, Liv, Mackenzie, and Mia have been in training with Mrs Howson, learning about teaching English and preparing materials to take with us, ready for an exciting challenge.

While we are there, we will also be visiting the Rainbow of Hope Orphanage – after last year's visit, we pledged to cover 3% of its annual running costs, about £5000, every year for the next decade – it is amazing that we have already hit our target and raised £7001, and we will be raising more valuable funds on Roedean Day, with the Moldova car wash!

Thank you all for your support!

Dr Barrand

The Roedean Sheep have been Shorn!

The start of the week saw the sheep on our farm being shorn! If the weather continues to get warmer, they will definitely be glad of it!

New Girls' Day

It was lovely to welcome many of those joining Roedean in September in Years 7, 8, and 9 this week. They had a lovely afternoon, and their parents also had the chance to meet their tutors, our Prefects, members of staff,

and the Senior Team. With only a few weeks to go before the summer holidays, we hope that they are all even more excited about September than before they came yesterday!

Year 7 Charity Abseil

As a finale to their year of Wild Fridays on a Friday afternoons, like last years Year 7, the current Year 7 students will be undertaking an exciting abseil down Peacehaven Cliffs next week – this charity event will raise money for the Rockinghorse charity they support.

J IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THEM, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Mr Wilson

Netball Tour to South Africa

A group of 20 pupils and 3 staff travelled to South Africa for a half term of a life–time! They learn lots about South African history and culture, amongst lots of netball and fun activities.

They had a training session and played 6 matches against Leap foundation, Groote Schuur High School, and Paarl Gimnasium, and they were all very exciting matches to witness.

Our students explored Robben Island, Table Mountain, visited the District Six Museum, as well as surfing, and going on a safari. We also helped out at a

local primary school with the Anna Foundation, an organisation which helps underprivileged children access education and sports. Thank you to all of you who donated items – we collected enough for 8 suitcases, which is incredible, and they were extremely grateful.

Our students were excellent ambassadors for Roedean, and I was very proud of them all, on and off the netball court!

Miss Hammond

Sea Swimmers Cross-Channel Training

All of their hard work and training will soon be put to the test – we are very excited that our Cross–Channel relay team will set of next week, on a remarkable challenge to swim from Dover to France! Good luck to Clara (Yr11), Farah (Yr8), Finya (Yr11), Katherine (Yr8), Rose (Yr13), and Trinity (Yr12), and to Abby (Yr11), Astrid (Yr8), Evelyn (Yr9), Maisa (Yr7), and Matilda (Yr9) who are the reserves.

Trinity (Yr12) – 'On Saturday morning, we started the training camp with a meeting at 11:00am on the shore by Sea Lanes. We replicated a qualifying swim session by starting with a 90–minute swim, keeping around the buoys as the current was pretty strong. Then we got out and warmed up for an hour, and ate some food to refuel.

After this break, we went back in for another hour, staying close together as the waves were big. After the second hour, we packed up and went home, to rest and prepare for our night swim. At 10:00pm, in the dark, we met again on the beach, and had a safety briefing all together, putting glow sticks on our backs and lights on our goggles. Then, in the sea, we swam in a close group, following the lit paddle board so we knew where to go. We swam in intervals between the buoys for just over 30 minutes, and then came back to a very well lit camp… and the parents cheered us in!'

The window for the race opens next Tuesday, but the decision about when to set of depends on the tides and the weather conditions. The team has to be ready to set of to Dover, with just a few hours' warning, ready to get into the water and swim against the currents to make it to France. Two members of the team which successfully crossed the Channel two years ago, are in the team again – because they are in the middle of taking their A Levels and GCSEs, they may not be able to take part, this time, in which case some of the reserves will step into the team.

We wish them the best of luck – and a link to follow their progress live will be shared with everyone in the school community when they set off. The team have chosen to raise money for Rockinghorse, which supports sick children locally – they have a drive to get recovering children to swim in the sea to help their recovery and wellbeing, so this is a perfect fit.

J IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO ROCKINGHORSE, PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK

Isabelle Wins in the U14 Southeast Hockey Championships

In a fantastic end to the season, Isabelle (Yr7) won the U14 Southeast Championships with HC Knole Park. It's a great achievement for her, particularly as she continues to play two years above her age group. To win, Knole Park beat the other southeast area league winners – Chertsey Thames Valley, Burnt Ash, and Horsham.

Congratulations, Isabelle –well done!

Sport Stars of the Week

Well done to this week's sporting stars, and the team of the week is the U13A Hockey team for a fantastic first 11–aside performance against Bede’s School.

Mr Campleman

Year 7 – Madeline, for her excellent attitude and effort this term in Cricket and on the Netball Tour to South Africa

Year 9 – Amelie, for an excellent effort in Athletics this term and for incredible support of the younger girls on the South Africa Netball Tour

Year 12 – Eve, for fantastic effort and a great attitude in Games this term

Year 8 – Sophie, for her fantastic contribution and effort in all sporting activities this term

Year 10 – Megs, for an incredible effort, attitude and commitment to Cricket, Tennis, and Athletics this term

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

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