27 November 2020 - Issue 10
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Year 11 Hockey teams working hard in beau
tiful weather
Head’s Introduction The ducklings take a bath
The Christmas trees and decorations have already gone up a around School, and there are just two weeks left until the end of term. Over the next two weeks, we have the Performing Arts Showcase and the Carol Service – both are pre-recorded in the current climate, but it will be wonderful to see and hear the performers on stage and in Chapel. I am delighted to hear that the recording has gone well – thank you to the Dance, Drama, and Music Departments, and to Miss Markey and Mr Wailes and their teams, who have overseen the complicated process of recording the performances over four days and editing the footage. It feels like long time since we have been able to see the girls on stage and singing in Chapel, and I can’t wait to see these performances. Congratulations to those girls in Year 13 who have been called to ‘virtual’ interviews at Oxford and Cambridge in the last week of term – it is great to hear such positive news at this point. Thank you to all my colleagues who have been conducting practice interviews for them in recent weeks, and to Ms Boobis for organising this year’s RoedeanLancing interview Forum, which took place this week. Good luck for the interviews! Well done to all those in Year 11 who, alongside external entrants, sat for Sixth Form Scholarships and had their interviews on Monday and Tuesday this week. I am grateful to my senior colleagues who were involved in this important process. Thank you also to all those members of staff who have been involved in Year 10 Parents’ Evening this week.
Performing Arts Showcase
Well done for a busy week, and I wish you all the best for the last two weeks of term.
French Culture through the senses
The Roedean Shop Need Christmas presents? Struggling to find the gifts you need because the shops are closed? Well, scroll no further – here they are! Our new book, 100 Roedeanians, a gorgeous compilation of biographies and photographs of 100 of our notable Old Roedeanians, and Brighton to Bulgaria, a stunning illustrated children's book by Emily, Megan and Olivia (Year 12), are on sale now on the Roedean Shop! Profits from the sale of 100 Roedeanians book will go towards supporting the Secret Garden Library at St Mark’s Primary School, and profits from the sale of Brighton to Bulgaria will go to the charity Door of Hope to buy school supplies for vulnerable school children in Bulgaria. There are also gorgeous prints, tea towels, and greetings cards of our bespoke Katie Cardew illustration of Roedean available. Happy shopping!
27 November 2020 - Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
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.
Recording of the week
News of Friends
This is Erin (Yr9) singing Colours of the Wind from Pocahontas
Rosie Jones (House 2, 2015-20) Just wanted to drop in and tell you a bit about how everything is going! I absolutely love it here! Obviously it hasn’t been the normal experience I was expecting, but still amazing so far.
Dara (Yr11) for being a constant ray of sunshine! [JSH]
Being in Cambridge just feels right – I adore the city already, and love walking around and just thinking that I’m so lucky to live somewhere so pretty, cool, and interesting. College life is good as well – I feel so fortunate that I have a college experience this year considering the circumstances. I have met so many people and have made some lovely friends already. Everyone is on a similar wavelength, which is so refreshing.
Megan, Holly, Millie, Clara, Daisy and Martha (Yr8) for agreeing to show me around the farm and teach me to hold a chicken properly (which was terrifying!) [KOR] Edrea and Aurora (Yr10) for stepping in to read in Chapel to cover absence – brilliant! [GH]
Dominique (Yr10) for showing consistent resilience and a fantastic positive approach [NBE]
Performing Arts Showcase – A Night At The Theatre: Friday 4 December at 19:00 Broadcast ‘live’ from our wonderful theatre, this is a fantastic evening’s entertainment brought to you by a selection of our co-curricular performers. Including dance, drama, music and musical theatre this will be a lovely way to start the wind down to Christmas, from the comfort of your own home! To receive the live link, which will be sent to you a few hours before the performance begins, please ‘book’ using this link www.roedeantheatre.co.uk For those of you who are unable to join us live, a link will be sent at a later date for you to watch the recording at your leisure.
Sixth Form Shining Stars Victoria (Yr12) for helping me with all the Maths questions I had [nominated by Tuhina]
Ive had some ups and downs – I had to go into isolation for two weeks as my friend tested positive. It was a very tricky experience, but so great when it was over! It also sorted out my sleep schedule. The work is very hard at points, but that was always going to be the case! I think it’s impossible to make it through Cambridge without ever feeling a crippling sense of imposter syndrome every now and again. But I’m so thankful for the supervisions this year – I think I appreciate them even more, as otherwise it would be so easy to just watch the lectures and not actually retain any knowledge. I’ve already had my fair share of Cambridge experiences – I’ve been rowing, fallen off a bike, gone to awful club nights (but actually enjoyed it), discussed stupid meaningless academic waffle, swum in the Cam, pretended I knew what was happening in a supo, slept through a lecture – the list goes on… I really just wanted to say that I’m loving it here, and I’m so glad everything worked out eventually – even if it wasn’t exactly straight forward. Obviously it’s ridiculously hard at times, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Even with all the Covid things going on, I know that I still have plenty of time here to do all the other things I’m missing out on now. Garde Ta Foy!
Thanksgiving Lunch Jess (Yr13) for helping me to move all my books [nominated by Liv]
Thank you to the Catering Department, who produced a menu requested by Eden (Yr7) to celebrate ‘Thanksgiving’ on Thursday – she and all of Year 7 would like to thank our Catering Department for a delicious lunch yesterday and every day!
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
27 November 2020 - Issue 10
French Culture through the Senses In our continued study of French Culture through the Senses, 7B HHH class have been learning about the origins of the Impressionism movement in nineteenth century France. They have been thoroughly engaged in experimenting with Impressionist painting styles, such as Pointillism, to recreate their own vibrant Impressionist master pieces. SLA
Photography Challenge Winter Solstice Celebrated in Nature A photography competition open to all year groups and staff taking the poem At the Solstice by Shaun O'Brien as inspiration. Think about the theme of nature and how it survives in the dark winter months – evergreens, berries, nuts and ferns. The winter landscape with it’s low cold light and bare trees. Birds on a feeder or flying south in formation to warmer climates. How do we experience nature in the very depths of Winter? Submit your entries to ssn@roedean.co.uk by Wednesday 6th January. At the Solstice – Shaun O'Brien We say Next time we’ll go away, But then the winter happens, like a secret We’ve to keep yet never understand As daylight turns to cinema once more: A lustrous darkness deep in ice-age cold, And the print in need of restoration
Starting to consume itself With snowfall where no snow is falling now. Or could it be a cloud of sparrows, dancing In the bare hedge that this gale of light , Is seeking to uproot? Let it be sparrows, then e, hedg Still dancing in the blazing Their tender fury and their fall, Because it snows, because it burns.
Susan Derges
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Ansel Adams
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
27 November 2020 - Issue 10
Letters for Plan UK The Roedean community has supported 10 girls from around the world through the charity PlanUK for 3 years. The charity’s aim, through its #BecauseIAmAGirl campaign, is to allow girls to benefit from an education, and to protect them from early marriage, child pregnancy, and exploitation. This week, Ms Shevah’s Year 8 HHH group has written letters to the girls, and they will be sent to them via the charity. We hope they enjoy receiving them, and look forward to their replies. These are the 10 girls we support: Karina (13 years old) from Paraguay ■
In Paraguay in South America, 1/3 of the population lives under the poverty line
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Karina is healthy, but only 10% of the population where she lives has access to health care
Wenci (11 years old) from China ■
She lives in a remote part of Yunnan Province, which has a population of 15 million
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1/3 of them live in poverty – they survive on just over US$1 per day per person
Afoua (9 years old) from Togo ■
Almost 100% of children go to Primary School in Togo, but only 55% continue to Senior School
Finding Out What It Feels Like To Be Blind Adolfo (10 years old) from Mozambique ■
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1 in 5 girls have had a pregnancy by the age of 19
Joseferina (8 years old) from Timor Leste ■
Timor Leste became independent in 2002, and is half of the large island north of Australia
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Only 5% of children have a basic pre-school education
Asrar (12 years old) from Sudan
Only 7% of those who live where she does have access to running water Many girls suffer from sexual exploitation at school in Mozambique
Cheslande (10 years old) from Haiti ■
Haiti is an island in the Caribbean, which was largely destroyed by hurricanes in 2010 and 2017
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Attendance at Primary School has risen from 47% in 1993 to 88% in 2011, as people begin to believe in the power of education
Agnes (14 years old) from Rwanda
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There has been a civil war in Sudan going on since 2011, most of Asrar’s life
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She has a twin sister, 4 other sisters, and 1 brother
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In Sudan, parents can legally marry their daughters off when they are 10 years old, and over 30% are married before they are 18
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Families often have many children because 1 in 9 die before their 5th birthday in this African country
Carla (12 years old) from Bolivia ■
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Karima (12 years old) from Bangladesh
Last year, PlanUK provided 600 street children where Carla lives with school materials
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6 out of 10 girls experience violence at school in Bolivia
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In Bangladesh in Asia, PlanUK is working hard to modernise educational methods in schools The average age of marriage for girls is 18 Page 4
Eleven members of one of our Year 8 CoCurricular Clubs are supporting our neighbours, the ‘Blind Veterans’, by participating in a sponsored visual impairment this weekend. Blind Veterans UK supports ex-service men and women of every generation to rebuild their lives after sight loss. Since 1915, they have provided rehabilitation, training, practical advice, and emotional support to tens of thousands of blind veterans. The Roedean girls undertaking this challenge want to support this charity by raising awareness of the challenges those with blindness and visual impairment live with every day, and to raise essential funds for their various initiatives. In addition, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the students to experience sight loss from the perspective of the impaired, generating empathy and understanding. The students will share their experiences and be able to educate our school community about what it feels like to be blind or visually impaired. Wearing goggles that imitate various levels of visual impairment, the students will commit to the challenge for between one to four hours. They will record their experiences and reflect on what they have learnt at the conclusion.
If you would like to sponsor the girls in this fantastic endeavour, follow this link. GWI
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
27 November 2020 - Issue 10
Chapel For this week’s Chapel, Dr Hannan did some research into Roedean’s history, and she discovered that this is not the first time that the School has been through a situation like the current pandemic: GH: We hear quite frequently that 2020 is an unprecedented year, but when we look through literature or study the History of Medicine, we see that epidemics and quarantining actually used to be quite common. We’ve also had to think about community in school in a different way because of social distancing and year group bubbles, which has meant that our experience of school is a bit different to the one that we usually have. When I spoke at the Leavers’ Chapel the day before school closed on 20 March 2020, I remember reflecting that we would have to do community in a different way. Little did I know what this would actually mean, as Microsoft Teams and Zoom suddenly flew into our lives, and we experienced things like lockdown and quarantining for the first time! In today’s Chapel we are going to look back through the memories of some Old Roedeanians to explore their experiences of health and of community at Roedean, and weave these in with some of the ways we have found ourselves in communities this year. Community activities have always shifted depending on what was popular in a different culture at a particular time, and a look through some of the experiences of former students at Roedean is very interesting as it is often very different to what we have today – even if there are also some similarities! Eliza (Yr13): There are quite a few references to epidemics and illnesses that girls at Roedean were affected by, many of which have vaccinations to protect us against them now. Influenza was frequent and there is a reference to most girls being affected by the Spanish ‘flu in 1919, with all of them recovering. Most of the school reportedly had Chicken Pox in the winter of 1929 because the head girl at the time, who didn’t know she had the virus, went around getting a signature from every girl on a card to welcome a teacher home from a visit to Roedean South Africa. Measles, Mumps, Whooping Cough, and Scarlet Fever were all treated in the San (which is now Lawrence House) with corridors in the Houses sometimes being used as isolation wards when the San became too full. Just after the Second World War there was a nationwide Polio scare. Massive precautions were taken, the new penicillin tablets were handed out and one student remembered that all the food tasted of Dettol and that temperatures were taken two or three times a day.
Because it was a bit of a distance from Main School, transport to the San was at first by a horse-drawn carriage with girls smuggled in secretly, covered in eiderdowns so that no-one could see who was going inside it. This was replaced by an old ambulance from the First World War after 1945. Some of the girls were terrified of the nurses, one of which was described as wearing a uniform like that of a nurse in the First World War, whilst other nurses were described as being very kind. Lisha (Yr13): There is a memory from one old girl who thought that being in the San was an excellent opportunity to make contact with other age groups, and with girls from different houses. When they were recovering or isolating in the San, there were lots of books for the girls to read, jigsaw puzzles and they used to write letters to their friends in the main houses in the absence of any sort of social media. The food was reportedly better than in the main Houses, and by the 1960s they could watch TV and listen to the radio. There are many examples of girls who pretended to be unwell so that they could go to the San for a while with their friends and have some time away from school. There were, of course, no online lessons via Microsoft Teams! Whilst I was quarantining in school in August 2020, I realised how important it is for us to socialise, to communicate with one another. We had two activity slots every day and these were the times that I looked forward to: fun games encouraged us to be positive and work as a team. Before 2020, I think we often were too busy getting on with our work and sometimes forgot to meet our needs as human-beings, that is, communicating face-to-face, meeting in real life and not just through sending emails, texting or video calling. This hard period of life taught me whilst remaining independent we also have to lean about how to work as a team and complete a goal together. Through working together we can all win together and gain happiness together. GH: Every period in history has its own challenges to overcome and these challenges always feel difficult at the time, even if that sense of difficulty is lost to later generations. But what often remains common is that it’s more fun to go through things together with your friends in a community – even if in 2020 that community has sometimes been ‘virtual’, ‘socially distanced’ or ‘bubbled – and to creatively make your collective memories along the way.
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27 November 2020 - Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Literary Supplement Southern Schools Book Award The SSBAs are going virtual this year, and the prize will be announced via an online award ceremony in January. Many of you have already read some of the books on the list, so, if you would like to provide a review for the SSBA website, please email it to library@roedean.co.uk. Details of voting will be released after Christmas; if you haven’t read any of the books yet, but would like to do so during the Christmas holiday, please contact Mrs Bailey in the Library.
NON-FICTION
Reading Reps We are happy to announce that the following students are now Reading Reps for their yeargroups: Year 7 Farwa Jemima Daisy Alice Asmitha Chloe Year 8 Rida Year 9 Amelia Year 10 Maria The Reading Reps will be introducing themselves at Assemblies after Christmas, we are very excited to hear all their wonderful plans for promoting reading at Roedean! We are still looking for suitable reps for Years 11-13, if you are interested please email: library@roedean.co.uk.
Generation Hope: You(th) Can Make a Difference! – Kimberlie Hamilton Generation Hope looks at everything from climate change and plastic pollution to radical kindness and animal welfare style.
Black and British: A Short Essential History – David Olusoga David Olusoga’s insightful and invaluable history of the Black experience in the British Isles ranges from forgotten Africans in the Roman legions to the multicultural society of the present day.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women who Changed the World – Elena Favilli Treasury of inspiring immigrant women – from Josephine Baker to Madeline Albright - who left their birth countries for a multitude of reasons: some for new opportunities, some out of necessity.
Truth is stranger than fiction! Don’t forget about our great selection of Non-Fiction books in the Library to keep you informed on current affairs, inspiring people, amazing events, and incredible real-life stories! Not sure where to start? Have a look at some suggestions below:
A Life on Our Planet – David Attenborough Empowering and inspiring, Attenborough’s new autobiography sends a powerful message about the crucial importance of will in tackling the climate crisis and preserving our precious ecosystem for generations to come. Page 6
The Warmth of Other Suns – Isabel Wilkerson From 1915 to 1970, an exodus of almost six million people would change the face of America. With stunning historical detail, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson gives us this definitive, vividly dramatic account of how these journeys unfolded.
Can you Hear Me? – Jake Jones Jake Jones has worked in the UK ambulance service for ten years. This is a memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty of life on the front-lines of medicine in the UK.
Question Everything – Susan Martineau We live in an information jungle! This book will help you to find your way through it with essential critical literacy skills. From spotting fake news to solving mysteries and investigating disasters.
Fear – Bob Woodward Bob Woodward turns his unflinching attention to the chaos and dysfunction of the Trump White House. Fear lifts the lid on the most unconventional presidency in history and what its legacy is likely to look like.
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Christmas reading Don’t forget you can take out library books over the Christmas holidays! Come along to the library at break or lunch to choose your festive read!
House 3’s AntiBullying Activities House 3 was keen to spend a focused week on anti-bullying, looking at the importance of kindness and ensuring no-one gets left behind. We put together a range of activities for the week to provide opportunities for discussions on being a bystander, the impact of bullying, what we can’t see, and the importance of filling everyone’s buckets with positive energy. The House took part in a secret angel activity, which involved each girl being allocated a girl in House to leave a kind message for – it was lovely seeing post-it notes and letters being left on girls’ doors.
Bath time with the Ducklings
Competition time! This week we are launching a new competition and we want you to get creative! We’d love you to write a short story or poem that has a Christmas or wintery theme. Here are some some suggested themes: • • • •
Retelling of a Nativity The Gift Snowed In The Best Christmas Ever
Deadline for entry – 9 December 2020. Hand your entries in to Mrs Bailey in the Library or email library@roedean.co.uk. Prizes for the winner and runner-up!
Les Misérables – Roedean’s Spring Production I am delighted to announce that this year’s Spring production with be the iconic musical Les Misérables. If you are in Years 10-13 and would like to audition for a part, please email Miss Markey km@roedean.co.uk the moment you have chance!
We chose Indian Runner ducks for the farm for a variety of reasons: they are docile and friendly and compatible with our chickens, they do not fly so we do not need to worry about them turning up in unusual places around the school, their quack is not too loud so they will hopefully not disturb the girls in Keswick and Lawrence in the early hours and, of course, Indian runner ducks are very comical to watch as they waddle like penguins. They also generally need less water than other varieties and are perfectly content with a small pool in order to dunk their heads, so every day the ducks enjoy bath time in a bucket! They were rather reluctant to jump in at first on Wednesday, but once everyone was in they had a riot, including splashing the photographer! The bantam chicken isn’t interested in a bath, though he does seem to have made firm friends with the ducks. They are growing up fast and will hopefully all have names soon! The girls are still voting on names for him and the four Indian Runner ducks and we should have clear winners next Friday; in the meantime, they have been given affectionate nicknames by Miss Barling and Farm Prefect, Holly.
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27 November 2020 - Issue 10
27 November 2020 - Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Sport This week, the girls have been busy in PE, Games, and Co-Curricular sessions, including gymnastics, strength and conditioning, cricket, netball, ultimate Frisbee, and Sports Leaders. In the curriculum this term, we find consistency really important for the girls to see their growth and learning take place. With the complex world we currently find ourselves in, providing consistency is important to be organised, stay focused, and be determined to improve. Another important element of the curriculum is variety, providing the girls with a range of sports and activities allows them to express themselves in different ways and enjoy learning new skills. These two elements of the PE Curriculum aid their learning, and keep them motivated to be better every single day. We are so excited to see how far they have come since the beginning of this term. SMC
Charity Beanies! As the temperature is starting to drop beanies are now available for purchase! They are navy blue with the Roedean logo and a navy bobble on the top, as modelled by Demi and Jemima (Yr13) above. The beanies are £13, £2 of which goes to our chosen charities, supporting Chimpanzee Babies in Liberia and the Beachy Head Chaplaincy! To purchase one, please complete the following wufoo, and it will be added to your daughter’s school bill. We aim to hand them out in the first week back in January. The deadline for ordering a beanie is Friday 27 November. Any questions about the beanies, please email ahd@ roedean.co.uk ORDER HERE: https://roedean.wufoo.com/forms/ p5omzts1s33h05/
Community through Sport Amelia (Yr10) Currently, I play netball and hockey out of all school. I am a member of SNC U19 Netb for ted selec tly recen was I squad, and Surrey Storm U17 Academy. I also belong I to Brighton and Hove Hockey Club, where am fortunate enough to be playing for the d Ladies’ First team. Last season, I was prou to have been chosen as Captain for the U15 g Sussex County Hockey team, and I’m hopin be the restrictions will soon be lifted so I can back training with the County again this year. Belonging to these external clubs has given play me exposure to extra training and match of with different coaches, players and levels play. This has really helped me improve my own skill level and tactical play. However, equally as important, is that they have all from been great fun. I have met lots of people ds frien new e mad nds, grou different back and had some great social events. It gives and you an opportunity to bond with a team .I play more of the sport you love with them gh. enou y highl it d men cannot recom
Nia (Yr10) I have been playing hoc key for Brighton and Hove Hockey Club for alm ost the U16s and I’m also inv 4 years. I play for olved in the ladies' hockey teams there as we ll. I really enjoy meeting new people fro m different schools, since everyone at the clu b is so friendly and welcoming. Since getting involved in the ladies teams it’s been a great exp erience to play with a higher level of hoc key players and I really look up to some of the older members of the club. All of us that play for Brighton are very motivated, but we lov e having fun too, so it is a great environment to improve and have some fun with friends. 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
Elsa (Yr7) Every week I go to Magic Netball for the U12 team, and during lockdown we've been training online together. This means we have been doing two fitness sessions a week and then our team weekly session, where we analyse matches that we played earlier this skills season. We also have to practise our ball so that we don't lose them before we start t for training again. Every summer, I play cricke ts Hurst hard ball team, and play in tournamen play I year the ut ugho and matches. Thro for Sussex, we play hard ball and train for also matches that take place in the summer. I run for a local club which I enjoy, and train us alongside netball. I have taken part in vario races, including cross country and the mini mile. I really love being a part of so many clubs, because I enjoy competing with and s. against all my friends in many different sport Gracie (Yr13) I run middle-distance and cross-country for Brighton and Hove Athletics Club in the U20 age group, and swim with Brighton Swimming Club in the Open age group. I love training and competing with both of these clubs, as I am able to work with amazing coaches and train alongside like-minded athletes. I especially enjoy the social side to them, as it has meant I have made friends with so many different people of all ages.
Minnie (Yr7) I am in the acrobatic squad at Horsham in Gymnastics Club. Acrobatics is a team sport team my with ly close train I pairs or trios, so mates, which I really enjoy. Training at such a high level really helps me in other aspects of sport, as I have learned to be incredibly , disciplined, and I train up to 16 hours a week so it makes me very fit. I play netball for Magic Netball Club in the U12 team. I enjoy playing for Magic, because I get to develop0 my skills and play in challenging, high-level matches. I really enjoy being part of a team to with girls from other schools, and getting h travel and play with them around the Sout Storm of ber mem a also of England. I am r Dance Project which is a dance squad at I-Sta es danc p grou on ing work Academy. I enjoy with my teammates and meeting other girls of different ages. Polly (Yr8) I play for Lewes Hockey Lionesses and CD Phoenix U13 squad. Playing for these clubs means I get to mix with different players with varied abilities, and it really helps me in training at school. I enjoy meeting other people and exploring different experiences of hockey and netball out of school.
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