Heads Review - Spring Term Issue 7

WEEKLY REVIEW

Head’s Introduction

Today is the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, and today the Roedean community stands in solidarity with those who have been forced to flee their country, with those who live in danger and difficulty, and with those who are defending their country, and risking their lives for the freedom of their country and its people. It is a very difficult and sad day for all Ukrainians, and for the world, and we acknowledge the depth of feeling of all our Ukrainian students and their families. Our thoughts, prayers, and hopes are with you today, and always.

At 11am, we will join with the national minute’s silence to mark this important anniversary, and in today’s very poignant Chapel service, our Ukrainian students shared their experiences with the community, and we lit candles, both as a memorial and a symbol of hope to shine out in these dark times.

This month is also LGBTQ+ History Month, and the School has marked this in a variety of different ways. I have been particularly impressed by the student-led initiatives to improve awareness and understanding, including this week’s Assemblies and other materials about LGBTQ+ representation on our screens, which was written and delivered by three Year 12 students. I would like to thank everyone involved.

At the very end of the last half-term, three groups of Roedean students and staff enjoyed international trips, each with very different aims: those who went to Hamburg to choose our new Steinway pianos had an amazing experience in the factory there, and we are looking forward to the delivery of the eight pianos in April; the Year 10 and 11 students who visited Spain enjoyed Valencia and the chance to practise their language skills; and the forty students who went to Iceland were able to explore the extraordinary geographical features of the country. I am pleased that each of the trips was such a great success, and I am grateful to all of my colleagues who gave our students these exciting opportunities.

There have been a number of successes in different areas of School life this week, underlining the amazing range of activities which go on every week at Roedean. Well done to all those students who did so well in the Intermediate Maths Challenge, and in particular to Emma, whose remarkable score takes her straight into the Hamilton Olympiad. Congratulations also to all of our netballers who have played so well this week, especially in the block fixture against Lingfield. Well done to all the performers in yesterday’s teatime recital, and I was impressed by our students’ musical talents and their obvious desire to communicate their love of music with the audience.

It was great to welcome 75 students from local schools to Roedean to take part in the Roedean Academy this week. The aim is to bring like-minded students from across the city together to enjoy academic challenge for its own sake, and I hope that something from the range of interesting modules available over the next four weeks will spark an interest in each of them. Thank you to my colleagues for contributing to this programme, and for sharing their interests and passions.

Finally, the School welcomed a visitor from the Tatler Schools’ Guide this week –she met a number of students and members of staff during her visit, and she left Roedean incredibly impressed by the warm and natural manner of the students, as well as by the students' many talents and the excellent facilities. Thank you to everyone who was involved in this visit.

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

Roedean Tours the Land of Ice & Fire –Iceland 2023

Spanish Trip to Valencia

LGBTQ+ Month at Roedean

House Chess Competition

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.

Chapel – Reflections on the Anniversary of the Invasion of Ukraine

Today all around the UK, people will be observing a one minute silence to mark the one year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine.

This is a moment for us as a nation and as a community of nations to pay tribute to the Ukrainian people and to highlight our solidarity with them and their families and loved ones.

We should pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people – those who have fought, those who have been injured, those who have lost loved ones, and those who have been forced from their homes, and the country that they love.

As a community we are incredibly fortunate to have been joined by Zlata, Elizabeth, Anna, Sofiia, Mary, Sonya, Yeva, Mariia, and Daryna – and whilst for them the past year must have been more difficult than any of us can imagine, they have, we hope, been able to continue their education here with us at Roedean, until they are able to return home.

I am very grateful to the girls for speaking in Chapel today and for lighting candles in honour of their country and their people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance and resilience in the fight for freedom and independence, and in the fight against tyranny and despotism.

As a leader he is both courageous and straightforward. He is passionate and resolute. He has fought with bravery not only in his own country, but beyond its boundaries to win hearts and minds, and build support from friends and allies across the world.

He has spoken in Munich, London, Washington Paris, Brussels, Poland, and spoken repeatedly on TV and via the internet, to tell Ukraine’s story, to tell the truth and to keep spirit high in the face of enormous and tragic challenges.

His words have offered comfort, his words have united and his words have raised the indignity of people across the world. When he speaks, he invariably speaks not for himself on behalf of the Ukrainian nation.

Before Congress in December last year, President Zelensky said: ‘Against all odds and doom-and-gloom scenarios, Ukraine didn’t fall. Ukraine is alive and kicking. And it gives me good reason to share with you our first, first joint victory: We defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world. We have no fear, nor should anyone in the world have it. Ukrainians gained

this victory, and it gives us courage which inspires the entire world.’

He went on to explain this war as a battle ‘not only for life, freedom and security of Ukrainians.’ But as a struggle that ‘will define in what world our children and grandchildren will live, and then their children and grandchildren.’

To the European Parliament, in May 2022, he explained how difficult the struggle was in graphic terms, but dwelt on hope, telling his audience ‘This is the price of freedom We’re fighting just for our land and for our freedom. And then life will win over death and light will win over darkness. Glory be to Ukraine.’

And on 24 August 2022, just 6 months into the war, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, President Zelensky addressed his own nation, using a simple repeated phrase: ‘The free people of independent Ukraine!’.

I will leave you to listen to his own words, words spoken to his own country:

‘After six months of the attempts to destroy us, we are the free people of independent Ukraine. And this is the truth about our future. The free people of independent Ukraine.

‘On February 24, we were told: you have no chance. On August 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine! During these six months, we changed history, changed the world and changed ourselves. Now we know for sure who is really our brother and friend. And the whole world learned who Ukrainians are. What Ukraine is. And we united.

‘The Ukrainian people and their courage inspired the whole world. They gave humanity a new hope that justice has not completely left our cynical world. And it is still not force that wins in it, but truth. Not money, but values. Not oil, but people. The free people of independent Ukraine!

We are facing this day in different circumstances, conditions and even in different time zones, but with one goal – preservation of independence and victory of Ukraine!'

Daryna

I feel very strongly about what is happening in Ukraine, and that is because of the impact the war has had on me.

My feelings are strong, and for me, whatever Russia’s president’s hostile hand touches is turned into ruins, ashes, and despair. Page 2

Sigrid, Maria, and Hebe (Yr12) – for presenting such a considered and thought-provoking assembly for LGBTQ+ Month [Dr Staniford]

Dawn (Yr12), and Onose and Isis (Yr11) – for sharing their thoughts on leadership and great leaders in Chapel [Mr Wriglesworth]

Miss Ibanez & Miss Fortes Ortega – for putting on a brilliant trip to Valencia – the pupils are so lucky to have had such a wonderful experience. [Mr Halsey]

Mary (Yr12) – for producing an amazing 'zine' for LGBTQ+ Month, with 'Active Allyship –for LGBTQ+ History Month' as the theme of this first zine [Ms Friedman]

Holly (Yr8) – for playing ‘Alleluias’ by Corinne Hepburn on the Organ in Chapel – this must have been quite a daunting prospect, but she handled it with style [Dr Barrand]

Staff

One year ago, my mum woke me up at 4am shouting and crying that war have started. Since that day I have not being sleeping a single night without thinking about it.

Russia sent more than 30 missiles on all Ukrainian airports during the first hour on the 24th of February. More than 50 thousand military soldiers have passed away fighting for Ukraine.

Today, I want to honour all the people that have given their lives to save our country and our people. I also want to say thank you to the Roedean community who welcomed and helped Ukrainians. Please keep supporting Ukraine!

Sonya

Why me? Why my family? Why my friends? Why my country? I wonder at times. Why am I afraid of the sound of fireworks when I should be happy when I see them? In my opinion, I will never be able to answer this question.

When I look at my old photos taken before the war, such an unpleasant feeling comes to my heart, along with the realisation that my life as it was before has disappeared and will never come back. During a history lesson on the topic of World War II, I felt a coincidence with the reality of what is happening in my country now. While I'm here in England and have a lot of new opportunities, my relatives are sitting without energy, listening to the sound of a siren. My grandparents were occupied when the war first broke out. It was one of the most horrible feelings I had ever experienced. No one knew when it would end or how long it would last.

But thank you for the support and work that everyone has done. Support from other countries; the soldiers who are now fighting at the front; my host family, who took me into their home and supported me as their family; and finally, thanks to Roedean. Because of other people's support, I can continue to live my life here. It helped me better understand the value of life and how easily it can be destroyed. Thank you.

Zlata

I was born in Ukraine. I lived there for 12 years. I love my country very much.  She gave me everything, childhood, friends, many memories and,  most importantly family. Exactly one year ago, I lost it like million of other people. If I go to my house now, I can die under the rubble, get shot by a gun, or just get hit by a rocket, it's very sad and difficult. On this day, I want to thank you to all people who did any help to my country. Thank you. And also want to say a big thank you to all soldiers who protect Ukraine. On this day, I want us to remember who died this year in Ukraine. And especially I want to thank the Roedean family for their support, help and opportunities. Thank you all.

Elizabeth

Good morning everyone!

My name is Elizabeth, and exactly one year ago I left my native country, Ukraine, during a full-scale war. All my life I lived peacefully and in the circle of my relatives and friends carefree and happily. I remember how on February 23, the night before the war, we talked with a friend and prepared for the math test, which we were constantly afraid of. I remember my best memories, my school, the dance team, all the feelings and experiences that could only happen, but on February 24 at five in the morning, we, the entire Ukrainian people, woke up as if they were different people were in great panic and anxiety listening to President Zelensky's speech, and did not yet understand what it was all about. as well-known Ukrainian deputies were sure that it would end in 2-3 days, and that there is no need to panic, but a year has passed, and every day I listen to how the best brave soldiers who continue to fight for their native country and for its freedom, sacrificing their own life I listen to how thousands of innocent children and civilians die or are captured every day.

And finally, I want to say a big thank you to Roedean School, who accepted us, supported us and smiled at every step and did everything necessary to help us. I thank all Roedean girls who got to know us well, were friendly and joyful. And once again thank you all for everything!

Anna I want to thank all the teachers for helping us understand English, helping us, explaining everything, accepting us into the school family. Last year the situation and life in Ukraine was bad. Many Ukrainians have lost their homes and were forced to leave the country. Thank you very much for your kindness.

The one minute silence was broken by the playing of musical piece called Elegy in Memory of Shevchenko by Ukranian composer, pianist and conductor, Mykola Lysenko, widely considered the father of Ukrainian Music.

Beyond providing the inspiration for a national compositional school and founding numerous choirs across the proto-Ukrainian countryside, he is also a national hero whose music academy in Kyiv was a hub for intellectuals, poets and musicians. Thank you to Mr Rous and Ms Bartlette for playing this piece so beautifully.

Prayer – Yeva

When evil darkens our world, give us light. When despair numbs our souls, give us hope. When we stumble and fall, lift us up. When doubts assail us, give us faith. When nothing seems sure, give us trust. When ideals fade, give us vision. When we lose our way, be our guide, that we may find serenity in your presence, and purpose in doing Your will. Amen

Sport Stars of the Week

Congratulations to this week's Sports Stars!

[Miss Kirby-Jones]

Year 7 Sophie and Andrea, for excellent commitment to Netball

Year 8

Claudia, for great Netball engagement

Year 9

Peony and Romey, for brilliant Netball performance

Year 10

Bella, for all her Netballing commitments

Year 11

Biba, for great work in the gym

Year 12 Erin, for great engagement with all areas of school sport

Year 13

Boudicca, for great progress in Swimming in games

Roedean Tours the Land of Ice & Fire – Iceland 2023

Over the February half term break, the Geography Department led their first trip to Iceland since 2020. Forty students flew out to the land of ice and fire straight after finishing school on the Friday. We arrived late, slept soundly, and then awoke to extreme wild and windy conditions across the whole country. However, thanks to our amazing guide and driver, we were able to stick to most of our original itinerary and head east out of Reykjavik and along the dramatic southern coastline. We had a guided tour around the sustainable town of Selfoss, visited the amazing Lava Centre and two of Iceland's breathtaking 'landmark' waterfalls, before staying the night overlooking the glacial lagoon at Dyrholaey.

The second day began with the stunning coastal features around Vik, including the vast arch and headland features at Dyrholaey and the neighbouring black beaches and basalt columns. The morning reminded us of the sheer power of the northern Atlantic Ocean, as we witnessed the battering waves at work. The afternoon saw us joining local mountain guides to ascend the Solheimajokull glacier. After attaching crampons and learning the use of an ice axe, we followed the experts up onto the middle section of the glacier, avoiding crevasses and witnessing the raw beauty of this natural phenomenon.

Our photos illustrate the experience perfectly – it was an adventure but great fun. We then spent our third night in our favourite hotel of the trip, where the food was excellent (and limitless), and we had full use of the hot tubs, sauna, and new gym.

We started our final day with a hot and soothing swim in the geothermal Secret Lagoon, before taking the classic 'golden circle' tour of southern Iceland. This included seeing the active geyser at Geysir, the massive Gulfoss waterfall, and finally the awesome vistas of Thingvillir, where the two tectonic plates are tearing Iceland apart, and where the Viking parliament was traditionally held.

A visit to a Pizzeria in Reykjavik concluded our tour before rising very early and returning to Gatwick on the morning of Valentine's Day.

Much of the credit for this wonderful trip must go to the girls, a typically international group of Roedean students from Years 10-12, who were perfect ambassadors throughout, and were open in sharing their joy as we toured Iceland. Our photos tell the story perfectly.

Thanks to Mrs Finn, Miss Smith, and Mr Marchant for all they did to make the trip go so smoothly and for being in such good spirits throughout.

Mr Carter

A String of Awards for Roedean Mathematicians

Congratulations to all those who entered this year's Intermediate Maths Challenge – the results are in and we have some fantastic scores.

18 students achieved Gold awards, there were 38 winning Silver, and 42 have received Bronze awards – this is a remarkable haul for Roedean Maths students. Fourteen of those with Gold awards have qualified for the next round of the competition, which is no mean feat.

Congratulations to Emma (Yr10) in particular – she scored a remarkable 123 points, which

is exceptional given that the score required for a Gold award was only 71! As a result, she has qualified for the Hamilton Mathematical Olympiad, which is a 2-hour challenge consisting of six problems requiring full written solutions. In addition, Farwa and Chloe in Year 9 have qualified for the Grey Kangaroo competition, and Rachel, Abbie, Ronni, Elsa, and Martha (Yr10) have qualified for the Pink Kangaroo.

Well done to everyone involved!

Mrs Hopper

Evening Music Recital

If you missed the wonderful evening recital just before we broke up for half-term, you can have a look at this video to see what you missed – it was fantastic!

Ms Bartlette

Music and Mystery

Book now for an evening of Music, Mystery, and Intrigue! Let yourself be transported back to the 1920s with a Cocktail reception, top class musicians, world renowned artists, and just a little bit of Drama!

There are limited tickets for this event so don't miss out!

There is an optional dress code: 1920s Evening Glamour. roedean.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows

Please be aware that the event is a promenade performance and takes place in a variety of venues, so it is unfortunately not suitable for those with restricted mobility.

New Student Newspaper

Ella (Yr12) is keen to start a new student newspaper, and the first meeting will be next Monday – why not go along if you are interested?

LGBTQ+ Month at Roedean

This week, Sigrid, Maria, and Hebe from Year 12 have led our Assemblies, talking about the importance of LGBTQ+ Month. They researched the theme, and wrote the script independently, making the message all the more impactful.

LGBTQ+ History Month takes place every February. It allows LGBTQ+ people to celebrate the progress made towards recognising us whilst also remembering the past and what the community has been through.

We feel it is imperative that everyone is able to be aware of queer history, the sacrifices made before, the struggles that have been overcome, and the battles still ahead.

This year’s theme for LGBTQ+ history month is ‘Behind the Lens’. The achievements of people within the LGBTQ+ community in film and on television have gone unrecognised for many years; our voices have been suppressed by government legislation, narrow-minded organisations, and a fear of educating people fully. This has led to creativity being censored, erased, and, at times, even outlawed.

Now though, we see a record high in the amount of LGBTQ+ representation on our screens. According to Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation organisation (also known as GLAAD), in 2022, almost 12% of characters in TV programs and series were part of the LGBTQ+ community – a record high. And the percentage continues to rise – shows like ‘The Last of Us’, and ‘Gotham Knights’ that feature queer characters are two of the most anticipated releases in 2023. We are finally starting to see queer contributions in film and media being appreciated in the mainstream media.

However, that is not to say that discrimination no longer exists in the TV & film industry. Legislation and rules such as the Hays code and Section 28 still leave their lasting effect on the industry and queer people.

Section 28 has been at the core of limiting LGBTQ+ voices in educational settings. For nearly 15 years from 1988 to 2003, it was illegal across Britain for local authorities (which governed schools) to ‘promote homosexuality’. This meant assemblies like this one were not allowed to take place; we wouldn’t be able to have a LGBT+ Club; we wouldn’t have books promoting queer people in the Library. It was incredibly damaging to many people who never saw positive role models around them when growing up. Luckily, this is not the case anymore and we can stand here freely talking to you today.

You may also not be familiar with the Hays Code. It was created in the United States to ensure, through censorship, that films only promoted ‘morality’. Homosexuality was classified under the category of ‘sexual perversion’. This led to any film produced in the US between 1934 and 1968 not allowed to be released and therefore banned whilst falling into this weird, ridiculous and broad category, brandishing everyone in our community as a sexual pervert.

Queer people were still included in films, but they had to either be an unsympathetic character (that is a villain) or die at the end. This led to queer people only being represented as the perpetuators of malevolent crimes, like in the movie Rope from 1948, where sexual perversion was

equated to social perversion, with the main characters committing a murder because they were gay. This kind of representation was clearly very harmful.

Due to rules imposed by the Hays Code, discriminatory beliefs and behaviours were reinforced widely. This led to a need to hide one’s homosexuality, as portrayals of queerness had always been negative. Despite the abolition of the Hays code, the repercussions of it were felt for many years.

There is still work to do in unravelling the negative stereotypes enforced during the era of the Hays code and beyond. And for that, we need more queer people working behind the camera to deliver realistic portrayals of the queer experience. We need to undo the years of demonisation our community has suffered.

more accepted in our Roedean community. It nurtures genuine inclusivity amongst our school and establishes a culture that doesn’t isolate –intentional or not.

Being an ally means using your privilege to stand up for and support marginalised communities in their road toward progress. Although it would be greatly appreciated, allyship doesn’t need to be big sweeping things!

It can be small simple things – like listening to the struggles that LGBTQ+ people face, or seeking out further educational resources to better understand the community, or speaking up for the community if you hear someone saying something ignorant or hateful. Silence is an enabler of oppression.

Thank you and we hope you have an amazing LGBTQ+ History month!

Hence, this year, the theme of LGBTQ+ History month is ‘Behind the Lens’ where we celebrate the queer trailblazers in the film industry. They paved the way for progress as they continue to struggle in the industry due to their sexual identity, and continue to face environments full of homophobia and transphobia.

But there are safe places for people of the LGBTQ+ community and last year, Netflix’s Heart Stopper hit our screens and really made waves far beyond the LGBTQ+ community.

This show has taken significant effort to include LGBTQ+ people in both those in front of camera and behind the lens! Whilst this show is really making an effort, there is still more that can be done to ensure LGBTQ+ representation continues to not be side-lined so that people in the LGBTQ+ community can feel more accepted.

Allyship is an important brand-new zine available in the Library, which ensures that more LGBTQ+ people around the School will feel safer and

Teatime Recital –Thursday 23 February

This week’s teatime recital is the last of the term, and it began with a lovely performance by Hettie (Yr10) of an Impromptu in B minor by Coleridge-Taylor on the Piano. The fast florid sections in the right hand were a lovely contrast to the strong chords in the left hand. The second performer was Elspeth (Yr10), who played a piece by Marais on the Viola, demonstrating great confidence and excellent dynamic range.

Sorcha in Year 7 sang next, and her version of Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn was full of emotion, and she managed the wide vocal range very well. Sky in Year 9 then played Questa Notte by Einaudi – the piece is very typical of his style, with a beat which pushes the piece forward, and it was clear that she enjoyed playing it.

The fifth piece was Veracini’s Allegro played by Sabrina (Yr12) on the Violin. She performed this baroque piece with great skill, and was in complete command of her instrument. In a change of style, the next piece was played by a Year 10 band – Siyun, Sihu, Sam, and Emma gave a great performance of Taylor Swift’s Enchanted. It was great to see a band performing at this recital, and they did a fantastic job.

Jemima in Year 7 played Mazurka by the contemporary composer, Béra-Tagrine, on the piano – she captured the feel of this dance very well indeed and played with great poise. Our second piece on Viola was played by Megs in Year 9 – her rendition of La Cumparsita by the Spanish composer, Rodriguez, was lovely and the folk elements of the piece were clear.

Gabby (Yr13) was able to draw on her experience of performing on stage when she sang Come to Your Senses from the show, Tick Tick Boom, and it was great! Sofia in Year 8 then played an exciting waltz movement by Farrenc – her strong left hand underpinned the melody very well, and she played with great confidence.

Audrey (Yr9) sang Down by the Salley Gardens by Rebecca Clarke, and she was able to demonstrate a lovely tone, particularly in the higher register. In her second performance of the afternoon, Megs played the 3rd movement of a Haydn Sonata, and her musicality shone out.

Jade’s performance of Rachmaninov’s iconic Vocalise was lovely – her tuning was excellent throughout, and it was great to hear such strong vibrato. Lucia in Year 9 then sang A Change in Me from Beauty and the Beast – her voice was warm and rich, especially in the lower register, and she held the long notes beautifully.

from Mozart’s twelfth Piano Sonata – she was in complete control of the fast passages and she demonstrated a confident dynamic range.

Sarah (Yr9) performed the unaccompanied piece, Broadway, by Minsky on the Cello. There is nowhere to hide when playing without a piano, but she clearly relished the challenge.

The final piece of the afternoon was Rumores de la Caleta by Albeniz, perhaps one of the foremost composers of the post-Romantic era, and Elin in Year 11 played this lively piece with exuberance and warmth, perfectly capturing Spanish rhythm, flair, and style.

It was another lovely teatime recital, underlining the impressive strength in depth of our Roedean musicians. As ever, we are grateful to Mr Rous and Mr McGregor for accompanying so well, and to Ms Bartlette for pulling the recital together. Congratulations to everyone involved!

The next piece was the Andante movement from a Handel Sonata, and it was excellent to hear Amyra in Year 7 demonstrating strong bowing on the Violin, along with excellent musicality. Isla in Year 8 gave a very evocative rendition of Nevada’s Starry Dome on the Piano – it was slow and wonderfully moody.

The second performance of Vocalise was given by Candis on Viola, and she too captured the mood of the piece with great skill and dexterity. Emily in Year 12 next played the first movement

Dr Barrand

Innovations in Music

The Friday before half term Mr Rous and Ms Macdonald took a group of 8 students to the Steinway factory in Hamburg to choose a number of magnificent pianos including 3 Steinway Grands, a Boston Grand, and a number of uprights. We are excited to learn that our new Steinway pianos should be delivered mid-April.

Mr Rous experienced the effect of playing a superior instrument when he first played a Grotrian-Steinweg piano as a student (which is the brand of piano located within Roedean’s Chapel), and then later when taking his Undergraduate Degree at the Royal College of Music, where he finally got to play a Steinway Grand. 'Once you play them, you realise that they actually make you play differently. The bookable slots to practise on Steinways at the Royal College of Music were like gold-dust!' he says.

According to Steinway, over 97% of concert pianists would choose to perform on a Steinway piano, which makes it all the more exciting that the girls will have access to these prestigious pianos.

Our main Music Room has also recently been refurbished with 23 brand new latest generation Apple iMac suite, including Casio keyboards and an extensive suite of software, so that students can easily compose their own music.

This refurbishment also included a Roland LX706 digital piano, an Alesis electric drumkit, and a Roland HS-5, which the girls can use for a silent band set up – which is exactly what was used by the student band in rehearsals for our production of ‘Six’.

Mr Rous, along with Ms Bartlette, Assistant Director of Music, are constantly coming up with new ideas, especially for musical performance. 'We’ve recently introduced Roedean to promenade concerts which offer a dramatic and immersive musical experience. Our ‘Romance and Tragedy’ performance was a major success; telling the classic tale of Romeo & Juliet within the totally transformed spaces of the Library, the Cloisters, and the Chapel, with the audience moving interactively among the performers. The next one is a 1920s ‘Music and Mystery’ themed promenade event, which looks to be full of intrigue and glamour!'

Tickets for this concert can be booked here: https://roedean.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows

English and Geography – Joint Brighton Field Trip

The Year 13 English and Geography students combined for a great day visiting the less visited corners of Brighton before half term.

The English students are reading Graham Greene's classic Brighton Rock as a core text, whilst the Geographers are studying Brighton as their 'near place' case study for their Changing Places unit.

Utilising Mr Woodhouse's deep insider knowledge of the city in combination with Mr Carter's expertise on the Eastern Seafront regeneration, the students visited key haunts of the novel's main character, Pinkie, and sites of current urban rebranding.

Fortunately the sun shone brightly for us on a crisp February day as we travelled from Montpellier Crescent to the Urban Greenway, and from the North Laines to the new Edward Street Quarter, taking in Blackrock and the Pier, before dropping down from the Racecourse into Whitehawk.

For those students less familar with Brighton, this was an opportunity to see the city from an insider point of view, whilst bringing the story of Brighton Rock to life.

Jemima’s Donated her Hair to Little Princess Trust

Well done to Jemima in Year 7, who has cut her long hair over half-term to donate it to the Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children who have lost their hair, often as a result of medical treatment. What a wonderful thing to do – Jemima is hoping to raise funds for the charity too, so if you would like to support her, please click here Sophia Williams is fundraising for The Little Princess Trust (justgiving.com)

Mr Carter

Chapel – Leadership

Mr Wriglesworth led this week's Chapel service on Thursday on Leadership.

Mr Wriglesworth

‘People of loving service are rare in any walk of life, leaders of loving service, are still rarer’ – this is what Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury, said about the Queen, when speaking at her funeral.

In another quote from Braveheart, William Wallace says to a group of noble leaders: ‘There’s a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom.’

I wonder what you think are the most important leadership qualities.

For me, loving service, and sacrifice are high up the list of important characteristics to see in a good leader. There are many characteristics that good leaders possess – they envision the future, use their initiative and take risks, they empower others, have integrity and lead by example, they listen to others, and they are good decision-makers.

There can also be confusion over what being a good leader looks like. To highlight some misconceptions on the other end of the scale, leadership is not about having command or control over others, or-barking orders at people, or making people do what you want.

Leaders can inspire, serve, and empower – and these are the kind of qualities that the best leaders have.

Although some leaders or leadership roles are more obvious, we are all leaders in different ways. It’s not just the school prefects or sports captains who can influence. We are leaders when we make a point of standing up against something that’s not right. We also lead when we are kind and generous to others. People are influenced when they see these kind of things – leadership is not just big decisions and public figures, and it can equally be seen in the small acts that we all make.

Dawn – ‘When thinking of inspiring leaders, I picture an individual who is a constant force of motivation, someone who learns from mistakes and is accepting of others; and I believe that this can be exemplified through the character Joy from Inside Out. Many of you will be familiar with the Disney movie, with Joy being the main emotion in character Riley’s head.

Joy reflects the idea that even leaders of highest positions make mistakes, because it is just part of our nature. However, what makes Joy a particularly inspiring leader is her ability to realise, accept and build on from these mishaps. At the start of the movie, Joy encouraged her companion emotion, Sadness, to stay away from the control panel which dictates Riley’s behaviour as she invalidated the emotion. Only later, does Joy realise that Sadness is the only one capable of saving Riley, once Riley is able to cry and let her emotions out does she gain a sense of relief and comfort in life.

At the end of the movie we see that Joy along with the other emotions continue to work together at Riley’s control panel, ensuring that all emotions are channelled, and all aspects of her emotions are embraced. A leader is not only able to work independently but is also capable of working as a team. Therefore, in my opinion, we see her gradual journey of becoming an inspiring leader, only with resilience, acceptance and most importantly joy, does she achieve this. To incorporate this lesson into our lives, I think that we should take greater initiative to accept, include and build relationships with those around us yet also tackle challenges with a positive outlook.’

Onose – ‘One leader I look up to is General Yakubu Gowon. He was the youngest Nigerian leader that kept Nigeria as one during the civil war at the age of 31. He came to power after the 1966 crisis, when young soldiers killed Nigeria’s leaders from the north and west as there was a counter coup – he brought much needed stability.

One thing he did was to introduce the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) which is a one-year compulsory national service where university graduates work in various schools, farms or offices in a different part of the country from where they came from. This brought unity to the country as people got to know and understand different regions – a great forward-thinking leadership initiative.

He also created 12 states out of the four regions that existed at the time and appointed a governor to head these individual 12 states. This was seen as a ploy to weaken the Eastern Region and their leaders, which were trying to break away from mainland Nigeria – and ruin the unity he was trying to achieve.

In the 60s and 70s leaders like General Yakubu Gowon were so important as there were different unrests and power struggles in a newly independent Nigeria. He and some other leaders, helped bring the unity we still see today and put the unity in ‘peace and unity’ that ends our national anthem.

Given the current elections going on in Nigeria now, and the potential tension and unrest that comes with it, it is important for me to share with you a leader, in General Yakubu Gowan, who contributed to our rich history. He is someone I hold in high regard, and I particularly admire his bravery.’

Isis – ‘A leader I feel particularly inspired by is Leah Williamson, who led the Lionesses, England’s women’s football team to victory in the Euros this summer. To me, her leadership demonstrates perseverance and strength as not only a leader, but as a team-mate. Having not seen a large amount of representation for women playing football as a child, Leah had to forge a path that was somewhat unknown to her and after training as an accountant, eventually returned to her love of football.

In 2022, after years of facing the challenges that so many women in sport must endure, such as under-funding and lack of media representation, the nation watched as Leah led her team to victory, with the drive and determination that is so key for all leaders in both sport and in life. Despite the many challenges women in football face, Leah demonstrates the passion and drive that connotates a good leader, one that is able to motivate a team to victory despite the odds.’

In April 2021, covid-19 was still prevalent in our country and there were many restrictions still in place as we were slowly coming out of lockdown. Various reports were surfacing of how senior figures in our country had broken lockdown rules. On the 8th April, 2021, Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband of 73 years died, and his funeral was held 9 days later on the 17th April. In the funeral the Queen refused to accept different rules to others and sat alone in the church, an isolated figure, maintaining social distancing while grieving her late husband. True leadership requires sacrifice.

“People of loving service are rare in any walk of life, leaders of loving service, are still rarer”. What kind of leader are you going to be?

Spanish Trip to Valencia

'Over the half term break, some of us Year 11s and 10s went on a Spanish trip to Valencia for 4 days. Some of the activities we did included a tour around the city, Spanish lessons, visiting the Fallas museum, having a flamenco lesson, and watching a flamenco show. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the Spanish culture we’ve learnt about in lessons in person. For instance, we were introduced to a few traditional Spanish celebrations in class just a few weeks prior the trip, and having the chance to see the winning sculptures from the Fallas festival over the years truly brought the pictures we saw in lessons to life.

We also got to try the famous ‘horchata’, which is tiger nut milk, and the churros of Valencia, alongside popular dishes of Spain like paella and patatas bravas. Many of us worked up the courage to speak in Spanish in shops and in restaurants, which was a nerve-racking

experience at first, but became increasingly effortless over time, and proved to be good practice for our speaking exam.

However, the highlight of the trip for me would be the flamenco class on day 2. We were greeted by a friendly lady who got everyone, including the teachers, involved in the dancing. The night was topped with a tapas dinner and an exhilarating flamenco performance, and, although it was an exhausting night, it was definitely one to remember.

Lastly, and most importantly, on behalf of everyone, I just want to say a massive thank you to Miss Ibanez, Mr Halsey, and Miss Fortes for looking after us during the trip, and making it all the more unforgettable for all of us!

Hannah (Yr11)

Video made by Chaya and Lydia

House Chess Competition

■ 1st Place: House 2

■ 2nd Place: House 1

■ Joint 3rd & 4th Place: House 3 and House 4.

Our House Team Competition this week was House Chess, and it was a huge success! The Blyth was buzzing and the girls really got stuck in and enjoyed themselves, with some intense matches. If you would like to be part of a competitive chess club, speak to Ms Marek so that she can get an idea of interest.

Roedean Welcomes

New Head of Swimming

'I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself – I’m Mr Pocklington, the new Head of Swimming at Roedean. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was not able to join the School in January, but I am here now and I'm raring to go. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to build and develop swim teams in two of the largest schools in Singapore over the past 8 years. I have worked under and with some of the best coaches in the world, and have helped to develop swimmers to national level in Singapore. I’m extremely

excited to take Roedean on to the next stage in swimming.

Having met many of the swimmers over the past couple of days, I’m very much looking forward to working with them, and helping to make them achieve their goals and aspirations. With this in mind, we have revised the swimming programme. Please email MPO if you would like a copy of this.

I'm looking forward to working with you!'

This Week in Boarding...

This week has been a very foodie one! All the Houses enjoyed Pancake Day, with plenty of flipping, and none landing on the floor! Toppings varied from bananas and strawberries to chocolate and toffee sauce – yummy! A special mention goes to the Queen of pancakes, Mrs Leckie in House 4.

Other homemade foodie treats included fruit skewers, French toast, and cinnamon buns. A few birthdays were celebrated with lots of cake – thank you to the girls for making those days extra special!

House 3 prepared for a half term full of learning with some fun brain teasers. Here's a riddle for you to try: how is a cricket team like a pancake?

Miss Barnett

Riddle answer: they both need good batters!

U12E Netball vs Great Walstead

The U12E team played a competitive U12D Great Walstead side on Wednesday. Despite the loss, the girls played well, winning the 3rd quarter 4-1.

The overall score was no reflection of the game play, and it was great to see that all the shooters (of which there are 5 in the U12E team) got a chance to shoot.

Well done to Dayspring, Lily, and Hazel, who were Coaches’ Players of the Match, and Amyra who was Players' Player. A special well done goes to Tilly and Tilly, who both greeted the opposition and took them to match teas.

Miss Wakeling

Anya Selected for Chelsea FC!

The PE Department are extremely proud of Anya (Yr8), who has been doing really well in her football. She has just been accepted into Chelsea’s Player Development Programme after two trials.

The programme includes weekly sessions and competitive matches, and focuses on developing technical, tactical, and movement skills as part of the scouting network for the WSL’s current most successful team.

A huge well done to Anya, and we are looking forward to hearing all about it!

Miss Bamford

Swimming Gala vs Ardingly

Roedean enjoyed hosting Ardingly for our first swim meet with them before half term. Mollie (Yr11) captained the Senior Team, which consisted of 5 swimmers. Alice captained the Intermediate Team which was made up of 9 swimmers, and the Juniors were captained by Evelyn with 6 swimmers. Matilda and Katherine had some impressive wins in backstroke and freestyle. The races were extremely close, and Roedean only just lost out on taking the win. We are delighted to have welcomed our new Head of Swimming recently, who will be taking the girls to 4 galas this half term.

Miss Wakeling

Sport Scholars Talk – Diet and Nutrition

'On Wednesday, our Sports Scholar talk was led by Miss Wakeling, and we spoke about nutrition and diet, and why this was important for us as athletes.

This was very useful because now we know to eat before, during, and after performing (in a match) or training. We learnt lots of new facts, for example, we learnt about complex carbs and simple carbs. When talking about this, we decided when it is best to have complex carbs (like before a marathon or netball tournament all day), and when simple carbs are useful (during a match or tournament).

We discussed snacks that we could make and eat during matches. Some things we learnt were that protein aids muscle recovery, we should always carry a water bottle around with us, complex carbs help with your attention span, and milk and coconut water aid hydration. We also went through the food groups, and talked about what we should be eating as athletes and why it was important to eat certain food groups at certain times.

It is important to eat a balanced, varied diet in order for us to perform to our best. Overall, this was very useful to us and others, and we all feel like we learnt a lot.'

Gaby and Izzy (Yr9)

Netball vs Lingfield

U13D

The U13D team beat Lingfield 9-4, but the team still has lots to work on. The first quarter ended 8-1 to Roedean, which resulted in positional changes, and the introduction of some conditions designed to make things difficult and to see how the girls adapted.

The second quarter was 0-0, the third 1-1, and the final quarter 2-0 to Lingfield, so this means that we need to work on being more adaptable. That said, this was a very important learning experience for the team and they will become more rounded netball players as a result.

Mr Smethurst

U12A Win

'The U12A team played really well against Lingfield. The score was 3 -3, but after a team talk, we ended the second quarter 12-6 up. Everyone was playing their best, and it really showed in the match play.

After three quarters, we were leading 19-8. We pushed hard in the last quarter to win 23-12. Well done to the defence for jumping for rebounds and getting lots of tips and interceptions.

A special mention goes to Chiara for going into defence in the last quarter. Mid-court did a super job of transferring the ball through the court and supporting shooters on the circle edge. The shooters – Sophie, Matilda, and Chiara –were amazing for putting their shots up.

Chiara was Opposition's Palyer, and Coach's Player.'

Andrea and Sophie (Yr7)

U12B

The U12B team played very thrillingly, because they always defended the ball very well, and are great at their long passes and great interceptions.

One thing they have improved on in this match is sticking with their players and working on their marking. They also put up some excellent shots, which led us to a 9-13 mafinal score.

Very well done to the B team – the Opposition's Player was Alex, and Coach's Player was Martha.

Miss Palmer-Jones

U13E

The U13E Netball team played against Lingfield. Matilda continued her strong form across the court. Lily was reliable and versatile with impressive skills in all areas of the court; while Anya worked hard and played well in the shooting circle. It was a brilliant effort from every player, which resulted in a winning score of 22-2 – well done!

Wilson

U13B Victorious

The U13B played a drizzly game of netball on Wednesday, at home, against Lingfield. The team got off to a good start, with plenty of turn overs and attacking possession. The girls got on to a roll with their shooting, and we were 7-2 up after the second quarter.

With the ball getting more and more slippery as the game progressed, the girls found it difficult to maintain possession of the ball at times. They did, however, work hard to regain the ball once they had lost it.

At half time, we were 12-5 up. Lingfield make some changes to their team, and with some tall players in both the shooting D and defensive D, they were able to reduce the difference in the scores. However, Roedean held strong and finished 19-13 winners.

Sophie was awarded Player of the Match for her fab shooting.

Miss Kirby-Jones

U12F Win 13-2 vs Lingfield U12E

The U12F team boarded the coach ready for a superb win against Lingfield U12Es. Under the watchful eyes of Lingfield’s Headmaster (the umpire), Roedean executed their warm-up with precision, intimidating the opposition.

Excited for their second match, they started off with three quick goals from Joy and Luciana. In the first quarter of the match, we did really well at passing, shooting, and defending. Despite a dominant performance and leading in goals, by half time, there was a desire to work on improving other elements of the game. The team communicated together and experimented with different playing positions.

The team continued to improve every quarter, and produced a thrilling performance. Joy was recognised as the Players' Player. Even the Headmaster noted her talent in GA and GS. The team were shocked at their 13-2 victory, and were surprised to later discover that they were playing Lingfield’s E Team! We discussed later the benefits of not knowing this before the match, so we were not defeated before we started.

Many positive mental and physical lessons were learnt from this match. Congratulations on remaining undefeated this term, U12Fs!

Miss Marek

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: abw@roedean.co.uk

Mrs

U12B

U13E

U12A