Head’s Introduction
This week has seen outstanding success for our students in Sport, the Performing Arts, academics, and in enrichment, highlighting their broad experience at Roedean. Following last week’s success for the U13 netballers, this week the U16s have qualified for the National Plate Semi-Finals, and there were also some great victories over Christ’s Hospital. On stage, Charlie (Yr11) and Ellen (Yr10) performed brilliantly in the SemiFinals of the Sussex Superstars, meaning that they will be two of the acts in the Finals on 1 February, and we wish them the best of luck. Congratulations to those in Year 11 who took Maths GCSE early this year - they received their results yesterday, and they are hugely impressive across the board. Well done also to a group of Year 7s and 8s who took part in an ESports tournament this week at Cottesmore Prep School, and particularly to the team who actually won the Rocket League tournament!
While I am very proud of the Netball teams who are progressing through the rounds in Cup games, I am also delighted that so many girls are enjoying the opportunity to represent the School, with successes for the A to F teams celebrated equally - well done to all the players and their coaches.
I am always very grateful to all my colleagues for providing the students with such wide-ranging opportunities, and the last ten days have shown us a snapshot of what happens as a matter of course at Roedean: there has been a World War I living history workshop for GCSE historians, a ‘Draw and Dissect’ workshop for Artists and Biologists, a Teatime Recital featuring a range of musicians, success in the British Physics Olympiad, a Puppetry Workshop for Drama Scholars, and Year 13s showcasing their EPQ projects. Well done, and thank you to everyone involved.
I am looking forward to next week’s activities on Tuesday to mark Lunar New Year, and thank you to Kaitlin, who is overseeing these. It is disappointing that our planned fireworks that evening have been cancelled, but the weather forecast for the next week is very poor indeed. Congratulations to Mrs Wu, one of our Chinese teachers, who has the great honour of being invited up to London by the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, to share the Chinese New Year celebrations with him!
Well done to you all for a brilliant week, and I hope you can enjoy a restful exeat weekend!
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.
Year 13 EPQ Presentation Evening
We were thrilled to celebrate the success of our Year 13 students, who showcased their hard work and dedication at the Extended Project Qualification Presentation (EPQ) Evening. The event was a resounding success, with students confidently presenting their research projects to an audience of peers, staff, and family members. From fascinating investigations to creative projects, the evening was a true testament to the breadth of talent and effort within our Year 13 cohort. They are now on the final push to complete the qualification, which is the equivalent of half an A Level, and highly regarded by universities. Well done to all involved!
Lara, Aisha, and Lily (Yr8) – for giving up an iPad in Prep when it was needed by someone else [Dr Barrand]
Mr Bond
Success in Round 1 of the BPhO Journaling Club
Congratulations to Julia and Haewon, both in Year 13, who participated in the Round 1 British Physics Olympiad competition this year.
Julia won a Gold award, and Haewon achieved a Silver award. The paper was a 3-hour written challenge of very high level, so both have done exceptionally well!
Dr Mistry
Every week, one of our school counsellors, Sophie Brown, runs our Journaling Club. The students learn to document their feelings, be imaginative, and chat together in a creative way, helping them learn skills to look after their wellbeing.
Miss Orrells
Culture Day Fashion Show
Winners at the CottESports Girls 2025
Eleven intrepid students in Years 7 and 8 stepped into the comparative unknown on Tuesday this week, when they entered the Cottesmore Girls’ Esports Tournament.
We arrived to find ourselves among over 100 girls from nine schools. In last year’s events, only 3 of the 120 participants were girls, so this event was focused on girls, to encourage them to believe that they also have a place in the gaming world.
There were 25 teams, playing Minecraft, Brawl Stars, and Rocket League, each in a tournament format. Cora, Soraya, Hester, Perla, and Ruby (Yr8), and Harriet, Kosi, Emmanuella, Isabelle, Zé, and Juno (Yr7) split into three teams to compete in each event. Those playing Minecraft reached the quarter-finals, which was brilliant.
However, huge congratulations go to Soraya and Ruby (Yr8) and Juno (Yr7), who actually won the entire Rocket League tournament! The final was a very tense affair – it was best of five matches, but, after winning the first two, our opponents won the third, so the pressure was on! However, there was no need to worry, as they won the fourth game convincingly to bring home the trophy! Not only that, they also each won a gaming headset.
Congratulations to everyone involved!
Dr Barrand
Teatime Recital
Tuesday's Teatime Recital showcased such a broad spectrum of styles and highlighted the remarkable talent of every performer. It is always such a lovely way to end a busy day.
Thank you to Catering for the delicious cakes, and to Mr Rous and Mr McGregor for accompanying, and to everyone who took part.
Prelude No. 1 in C Major – Chopin Piano: Charlie (Yr11)
This opening piece was a quick, flowing work, showcasing Chopin's lyrical style, and Charlie displayed real mastery in this.
Angels – Robbie Williams
Trumpet: Ellen (Yr12)
Ellen played a modern classic re-imagined for Trumpet. Its emotive melody translated beautifully to brass and this highlighted Ellen's control and tone.
Praeludium und Allegro – Gaetano Pugnani-Kreisler
Violin: Natalie (Yr10)
This virtuosic violin piece combined Baroqueinspired grandeur with Romantic flair. The contrasting sections allowed Natalie to display both her technical brilliance and expressive sensitivity.
Milonga del Ángel – Astor Piazzolla Piano: Sohana (Yr10)
Sohana captured the emotional depth of this tango-inspired piano piece, which demands both technical precision and interpretative depth.
The Rose – Bette Midler Voice: Phoebe (Yr13)
Phoebe showcased her vocal talent in this heartfelt ballad. Its poignant lyrics and soaring melody made it a memorable addition to the programme.
Six Dances In Bulgarian Rhythm No. 2 –Béla Bartók
Piano: Hanna (Yr13)
Hanna chose a piano work which exemplifies Bartok’s fascination with folk music. The second dance is a lively and rhythmically complex piece, featuring irregular meters and sharp accents. Hanna’s precision and keen sense of rhythm brought this out.
Charleston – Cecil Mack & James P Johnson (arr. John Iveson) Trumpet: Siyun (Yr12)
Siyun captured the playful energy of the Charleston dance, and played the syncopated rhythms and lively melodies confidently. This was an upbeat and crowd-pleasing performance.
Arabesque – Debussy Piano: Natalie (Yr10)
Natalie took on one of Debussy’s most beloved piano works, known for its flowing, ornate melodies and impressionistic style. She performed it with delicacy and fluid phrasing.
Elegy No. 1 in D Minor – Bottesini Double Bass: Zyta (Yr11)
Zyta delivered this expressive piece on the Double Bass, with a lovely sense of phrasing and good projection. The Elegy is a lyrical work that showcases the instrument's ability to produce rich, singing tones.
Danzas Argentinas Op. 2 – Ginastera No. 1 Danza del viejo boyero No. 2 Danza de la moza donosa Piano: Alicia (Yr13)
Alicia presented two strikingly different dances, reflecting the vibrant culture of Argentina. No. 1 was a bold and rhythmically intense dance, with big chords and driving rhythms which were full of energy and character. In contrast, No. 2 was slower and more lyrical. Alicia demonstrated expressive phrasing and communicated the piece well.
If you would like to watch the concert the link is below.
https://vimeo.com/1049577645/985b8ad20c
Ms Bartlette
House Dodgeball
The House Dodgeball event was an absolute blast from start to finish!
Each House competed exceptionally well, and the atmosphere was filled with fun, excitement, and team spirit. From the moment the games began, the noise was deafening, with each House bringing its own unique vibe to the tournament.
House 2 was all about energy, with their fans growing louder with every point scored. House 1 maintained a calm and collected demeanour, but their players were full of surprises, always keeping the game interesting. House 4 contributed to the fun with an anything-goes attitude, but it was House 3 who emerged as the overall winners, showcasing thrilling dodgeball skills throughout.
Overall, the event was a great success, with excellent team spirit and sportsmanship shown by all.
Mr Perry
GCSE History WW1 Workshops
We were thrilled to host Dickie and David’s educational and immersive WW1 Battlefield Medicine Living History Workshop at Roedean last week.
Through their use of authentic costumes, fascinating artefacts, and compelling storytelling, they immediately captured the attention of the Year 10 and 11 GCSE History students, achieving a perfect balance of being both informative and entertaining, and bringing history to life.
The sessions enhanced the students’ understanding of their GCSE content, as well as providing teachers with fresh ideas and inspiration for future lessons. The interactive activities were especially well-received. Our students were excited to handle historical artefacts, including rifles and gas masks, act as stretcher bearers, and model a British soldier's uniform. It was heartening to see the students
so thoroughly involved and enthusiastic – so much so that we had to drag some away at lunchtime!
The hands-on approach truly brought the period to life and deepened their grasp of the subject matter. We’re already looking forward to welcoming David and Dickie back next year!
Ms Benton-Stace
Drama Puppet Workshop
A wonderful local theatre company called Puppetbox came to Roedean theatre on Thursday 16th January using original rod puppets designed by Annie Brooks, to introduced KS3 drama scholars to puppetry. They experienced areas such as focus, independence, active stillness and breath. They also looked at ways into devising work with puppetry. It was a wonderful 90 minute workshop and the students created delightful scenes by the end of the session.
Ms
Woodbridge
'I most enjoyed teaching the puppet a trick and performing, feeling free to do what we wanted with the puppet.'
Bea (Yr8)
'I enjoyed learnig about the movement of different creatures and how we incorporated different voices and personalities.'
Harrie (Yr7)
'I loved that you just forgot that the world around you was there when you were controlling the puppets.'
Grace (Yr8)
'We just loved connecting with our puppet.'
Eva and Andrea (Yr9)
'We thought that Andrea and Eva's use of the table legs demonstrated their ability to think outside the box, and made their piece even more interesting.'
Sorcha and Joy (Yr9)
'We most enjoyed how inclusive and interactive it was.'
Dita and Maddie (Yr9
This Week in Boarding...
House 1 did an excellant job at hosting, putting on a wonderful evening of 'Music, Mocktails, and Munchies' for all to enjoy! Girls from every House gathered together to socialise and have some tasty drinks and treats.
House 2 got cosy, baking a homemade apple crumble, which sparked a debate about the perfect apple to crumble ratio, topped with either custard or ice cream. The boarders' cooking had an Italian theme this week, making pitta pizzas and fresh pasta! The girls enjoyed cuddles with their new resident, Penny the dalmation, who sported a House 2 bandana!
House 3 marked National Bagel Day with toasted bagels topped with avocado and salmon! The girls treated themselves to a relaxing spa night, with face masks, nail stickers, and even massage tools! The evening was accompanied with some fresh fruit-infused water and healthy fruit kebabs. Blue Monday arrived, but that didn't get House 3 down, as they baked warm gooey cookies, and paired them with positive messages to gift to other boarders.
House 4 had plenty of January birthdays to celebrate with friends, and some impressive cakes too! The girls marked Winnie the Pooh Day by making bear-themed toast and, of course, honey! With the resident Italian, Miss Romani, it was only right that the House 4 boarders celebrated World Pizza Day! There were funky pizza shapes and lots of toppings to choose from. Homemade biscuits were devoured by all, a perfect sweet treat to round off the weekend!
Keswick have been busy cheering friends on at Netball matches, and having cosy film nights! The boarders had a go at DIY fruit boba tea – which was a success!
Lawrence celebrated Winnie the Pooh Day with a themed afternoon tea and suitably tasty treats! Girls loved catching up over French toast and avocado smoothies – a perfect midweek snack!
Miss Barnett
An Evening of Biological Drawing
On Wednesday, the Art and Biology Departments joined forces for a great evening of observational drawing.
Skeletons and bones jumped from boxes, a lamb's heart was observed inside and out, microscope slides were placed on the stage, and pens sharpened to produce some wonderful pieces.
Others used old books and fresh lilies to look at plants and fungi. We all enjoyed slowing down for an evening and taking the time to observe the natural world in different angles and light. It was a thoroughly pleasant evening and, hopefully, will be repeated in the near future!
Mrs Andrew
Netball vs Brighton Girls
U12A
'Our game against Brighton Girls had a good display of skills, strategy, and determination from both sides. On the first whistle, both teams came out strong, with fast-paced attacks from Lara playing Centre, and Chloe playing Goal Attack for the first quarter.
As the match progressed, we had a few switches in positions: I went to Centre and Lara went to Goal Defence. We scored a few goals throughout the quarter, with more determination between Sara and Chloe’s shooting.
Lara and I were both pleased to be named the Players of the Match. We unfortunately lost 17-6, with Brighton Girls taking the win.'
Valerie (Yr7)
U14A
The U14A Netball team faced Brighton College for the fourth time this season, and, although they were defeated, the girls produced their best performance to date.
The team set specific targets for each quarter, which helped them focus on key tactical areas and improve throughout the game. While the scoreline didn’t reflect it, the team showed great progress in both defence and attack. The defensive units forced numerous turnovers, while our attackers created strong scoring opportunities, and the transition down the court was much improved.
The team's attitude, motivation, and teamwork were exceptional, and they continued to improve as the game went on. Despite the result, the girls should be proud of their performance, which marks a significant step forward. They are eager to build on this and look forward to their next challenge.
Players of the Match go to Naomi and Sophie, for their strong presence at opposite ends of the court.
Miss Kirby-Jones
U12C
The U12Cs had their first match of the Netball season on Wednesday against Brighton Girls. We started off well, bringing the ball nicely down the court and getting it into the D to our shooters, Wren and Desire. Lexi at GK made some great interceptions down their shooting end, and Sela at GD was also making lots of tips and disrupting play.
The score at the end of the 1st quarter was 3-3. They then took it away from us in the 2nd quarter, and got a 5-goal lead. We were struggling to get free from our players and were resorting to doing lots of overhead passes, rather than someone coming forward for the ball. Alia, at C, was working hard all over the court, and she did well at both attacking and defending. Matilda played at both WD/WA, and did some lovely drives into space to get away form her defender and receive the ball. Emmanuella at WD did some great tips, and Deema was steady at WA and was driving into space and getting free from her defender.
As a team, I thought strengths of the match were that everybody was showing good footwork when catching and landing with the ball, and, when defending, getting their arms up over the ball and pressuring the pass.
The final score was 15-6 to Brighton Girls. Players of the Match were Desire and Alia, and the Coach’s Player was Wren, for moving well, dodging her player, and getting free in the D for passes.
Mrs Patching-Jones
Netball vs Christ's Hospital
U14E
The U14E team played Christ's Hospital this weekend. We had 9 players warming up ready to take to the court. In the first quarter, we managed to pass the ball with ease down the court and through the net. By half time, we were up by a few goals, which allowed us to make lots of changes, giving everyone enough match play. The girls played incredibly well, staying tight on their players and reacting to excellent defence and fast sprinting down the court. The shooters were scoring with great ease, after receiving the ball under the post. Everyone played really well, communicating positively to one another and working hard despite the cold.
Miss Walsh
U18A
This was the second match for the U18A Netball team, after winning their first against Brighton College C team the previous week. The match was closely contested throughout, and it was great to have such a competitive match where it could go either way.
Roedean won the first quarter 7-6, won the second 1413, won the third 20-18, then lost the last quarter, with the overall score ending up 28-25 to Christ's Hospital. We were great defensively as a team, with Solari at GK in particular making many tips and interceptions down in their goal third, and really pressuring the GS. Clara’s GA was probably the best player on the team, and she stuck to her like glue and forced the shooters to have to pass the ball around the D, which then created opportunities for interceptions.
As the game went on, we were really slowing them down from getting the ball into their D. However, we were struggling when attacking to get free and receive the ball, as they were very tight on us, tall and physical. However, Gabi and Alice did a great job of getting the goals in, often from far out. There were some lovely feeds in from Molly (WA/C) into the shooters, and Elodie at WA/C was doing some excellent dodges to get free from her player. Zara at WD was great at cutting in front of her player to create a forward option, and linking defence and attack nicely.
It was a tough game and they just pipped us at the finish, but the girls didn’t give up and it was a really good game against a very strong opponent. Player of the Match was Gabi (GA), and the Coach’s Player was Solari (GK), for all her interceptions and tips, turning the ball over a lot in the goal third, with some great reverse hand interceptions too.
Mrs Patching-Jones
U14B Victory
The U14B Netball team delivered an outstanding performance against Christ Hospital's U14A team. Captained by Sorcha, who demonstrated exceptional leadership and sportsmanship, the team worked cohesively to secure a convincing win. Eva and Alex showcased fantastic shooting accuracy, while Naomi and Maddie anchored the defence with determination.
In the mid-court, Paloma and Jasmine were instrumental, providing excellent feeds into the circle, while Martha impressed with several brilliant intercepts. The team’s dominant first half saw them leading 16-0 at halftime. Despite a stronger second-half effort from Christ's Hospital, the U14B team maintained their composure to finish with a 23-8 victory. A stellar team effort!
Miss Hayman
U15C Team Shine
The U15C Netball team had their first fixture of the term, after a Brighton College postponement last week. They began the game strongly, with a 4 point lead in the first quarter. This continued and they managed to pull ahead to a 7 point lead after two quarters.
Genevieve and Molly fed the shooters excellently, with Lois and Lily defending and getting the essential rebounds off the Christ's Hospital shots. After halftime, we managed the game tightly and pulled a little further ahead, with Lola defending brilliantly, picking up important interceptions.
In the final quarter, we switched up the shooters after an impressive shooting display by Anya, backed up by Claudia in the final quarter. It ended with a thoroughly-deserved 21-8 victory for the U15Cs, and we are looking forward to another hard week of training this week and next before Ardingly after the exeat.
U14C vs Christ's Hospital U14B
In a hard-fought and even match, both teams played to a 12-12 draw, with neither side able to gain the advantage. The game began with both teams displaying solid defence and attack. Roedean edged ahead with a score of 5-4 at the end of the first quarter, thanks to strong shooting and excellent defence. The CH shooters responded well, keeping the match close. The competition remained intense throughout, with both teams playing fastpaced, sometimes frantic netball.
Roedean went goal for goal, and the score was tied 9-9 at the end of the third quarter. Despite the determination of both sides, the game ended in a 12-12 tie. The Players of the Match were Joy, who made excellent interceptions in defence, and Florence, who worked tirelessly in attack. Overall, the 12-12 draw reflected both teams' equal skill and determination, resulting in a thrilling contest.
Mr Campleman
Mr Perry
U14E
U14D Victorious vs Christ's Hospital U14C!
On Saturday, our U14D team played some excellent Netball away at Christ's Hospital, building a steady lead through the quarters.
We moved the ball quickly through court, not allowing them to set up defensively. which gave our attackers the majority of the possession. Our shooters, Michelle and Isla, were extremely accurate and there were some brilliant turnovers from Bea and Dayspring.
The final score was 19-10 to Roedean. Well done to the entire team, and special mention goes to Isla who was named Player of the Match for her excellent shooting.
Mrs Hammond
Christ's Hospital Results & Summary
On Saturday, we had 15 teams out playing against Christ's Hospital. Thank you to Ms Bysh, Miss Hart, Ms Harker, and Mr Schuetze for taking some of our teams this weekend, to allow all the teams an opportunity to compete.
Our U16C team had a closely fought match, but unfortunately ended up losing by 6 – it was a great effort against CH B team, and well done to Alicia and Michelle who were named Players of the Match. The U15F team chalked up a convincing 9-2 win, and well done to all who played. The U16D team had a tight match and, despite winning the final quarter 5-3, the comeback was too late as Christ's Hospital took the win 9-7 – it was a great contest, and well done to Bea and Poppy who were Players of the Match. The U14F team stormed their match, winning 26-1, with an excellent display of Netball! – congratulations to Annie, who was Player of the Match.
Overall, there were some brilliant results, with 9 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses. These results are especially good, considering our U16-14 teams were all playing a team up. It was a great effort by all. I hope you all enjoy a well-deserved exeat, and we look forward to seeing you back on court on Saturday 1 February for our big block versus Mayfield.
Mrs Hammond
Netball vs Hurst
U12A
'In our second match of the week, the U12As travelled to Hurst for Round 1 of the County Cup. It was quite one way from the beginning, with Hurst’s greater experience showing throughout the court. But, by the last quarter, our defence were reading the ball well and Nkem got lots of interceptions. Even though we held possession on most of our centre passes, the Hurst defence was very strong and we were pushed to the side lines. We will work on our second phase and come out stronger for the next match!'
Chloe (Yr7)
U13A Win the Hurst U13A Tournament!
Last Wednesday, the U13A team played in the U13A Hurst tournament, which has 18 Prep Schools taking part.
We had a wobbly first game against Windlesham House, and an early injury shook the team, but they managed to recompose themselves to bring it back to a 3-3 draw before the final whistle.
In our next game, we took a 5-1 win against Westbourne House, and then continued to win the next four matches versus Great Walstead, Brambletye, Hurst 2nd team, and Cumnor. Our penultimate game of the group stages was against Brighton College, and the girls went on determined, fighting for every ball. It was goal for goal, and it ended in a 4-4 draw. Our final group game was against Danes Hill, where we dug deep to finish the group stages undefeated. This meant that we topped our group and led us into the final.
In the final, we faced Hurst 1st team. The first few minutes were goal for goal, and fortunately our defensive pressure paid off and we forced errors. Our shooters' accuracy was high all day, and this allowed us to capitalise off these turnovers. With steady play we took the win 6-3, securing the 1st place title!
Congratulations to the whole squad for their
U15 County Cup Match vs Oscar Romero
'On Tuesday, we faced St Oscar Romero in the first round of the County Cup. We struggled to pass the ball through court in the first quarter, but we picked it up in the second, and we went into the second half leading by four.
In the second half, we played a lot smoother, with some excellent rebounds and turnovers
from defence, great movement in the mid court, and some accurate shooting to finish.
We finished the match winning 37-21. Well done to Lula and Yan Yan for being named Opposition's Player.'
Izzy (Yr10)
U12B Netball vs Ardingly
The U12B Netball team secured a 10-4 victory in their latest match, with a stand out performance in whole-court defence.
The team made numerous turnovers across the court, applying constant pressure on the opposition and disrupting their play. Although the height of the opposition presented a challenge, particularly when transitioning the ball to the attacking end, the team adapted and pushed forward.
The three shooters worked well together, scoring 10 goals between them with precision and composure. Overall, it was a strong team effort, with everyone contributing to the well-earned win. Well done to the whole team, and especially Bethany for being named Player of the Match!
Miss Kirby-Jones
Sports Stars of the Week
Well done to this week's sporting heroes:
Well done!
Year 7
Chloe, for excellent attitude and effort in Netball and Hockey this term
Year 8
Gracie, for fantastic performances in Netball this term and having a consistent attitude to learn and improve in lessons
Year 9
Bea, for great progress in Netball this term and playing up a year group in matches
Year 10
Genevieve, for outstanding performance and effort in Netball against Christ's Hospital and in lessons
Year 11
Peony, for fantastic effort in Netball this term
Year 12
Hayley, for fantastic effort and attitude in Volleyball this term
Year 13
Gabriella, for her excellent performance in Netball against Christ's Hospital
Mr Campleman
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