29 November 2019 - Issue 11
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Head’s Introduction
The focus of this week at Roedean has been Academic Week, with its theme of Tricks of the Mind. It has provided the girls and staff with an extraordinary range of lectures and activities, and challenged them to reconsider and think differently. Congratulations and thank you to Ms Boobis and her team of Academic Prefects, led by Elsie – it has been incredibly impressive and very thought-provoking. It was our privilege to host the Brighton Kemptown parliamentary candidates for the three main parties, along with a Green councillor for the city for Roedean’s Hustings on Tuesday. The audience of a packed theatre of students and staff enjoyed hearing our guests outlining their priorities. The questions from the floor challenged them to explain how they will deal with local and national issues. At a time when there is a concern nationally that young people may not exercise their right to vote, it was heartening to hear Roedean girls engaging whole-heartedly with the debate. They have continued in corridors, classrooms and Houses ever since. Thank you to our former colleague, Mr Andrew England, and to Mr Marchant and the A Level Politics students for inviting the speakers and the work they did to prepare for this event. Thanks also to Mr Sheriff – chairing a political debate is perhaps even more challenging than keeping hundreds of pupils focussed and on task. I am very much looking forward to this evening’s ‘Around the World in 80 Minutes’ gala concert, which I know will be spectacular, and also to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which will transform the Chapel into an exciting space for the performances next week. I wish all our performers and staff the very best. To put on a week’s worth of events such as this is the product of a great deal of work behind the scenes, so I would also like to thank and congratulate our Theatre and IT teams, the Housemen and Maintenance teams, and the Catering Department – it really is a team effort, so thank you. Seeing the Christmas trees going up around School today was wonderful – good luck to you all for the last two weeks of term!
Hustings As the General Election approaches, political discussion is plentiful at Roedean. We were therefore delighted to host a hustings of parliamentary candidates on Tuesday evening. We were joined by Joe Miller (Conservative), Lloyd Russell Moyle (Labour) and Ben Thomas (Liberal Democrat), all of whom are hoping to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Kemptown. The Green candidate, Alexandra Phillips, unfortunately could not attend, owing to duties in the European Parliament, yet was represented by Hannah Clare. Well over one hundred interested and excited students watched as the candidates answered questions from our Sixth Form Political Scientists, with topics including how to improve the representation of young people, helping rough sleepers, getting to net zero carbon emissions, and of course, Brexit! Many thanks to the Sixth Form Politics students who introduced the candidates; Nour, Lottie, Lara, and Mia gave an excellent overview of the candidates’ careers and their ambitions for the local area. We are also grateful to Mr Sheriff for chairing the panel so well. JHM I was so glad to see that all the parties were so enthusiastic about addressing the ever-growing problem of our climate emergency and rough sleepers in Brighton. Eloise (Yr12) I have never been to a political event, but I really enjoyed it! I loved hearing the candidates campaign for their stance on worrying issues like Brexit. Courtney (Yr12) The hustings was really enjoyable. It was great to see who could be representing Brighton in Parliament and what they had to say. Holly (Yr12)
The hustings were really interesting to watch, especially given the uncertainty of the result at the upcoming election. I found it very interesting to hear about the background of each candidate, as well as their plans for the future of Kemptown. Gracie (Yr12) It was interesting to see politics first-hand and feel closer to the political process. Jess (Yr12) The hustings was a really exciting and interesting experience. It was nice to see the actual applications of political theories which I have learnt in A Level Politics. Annie (Yr13)
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
29 November 2019 - Issue 11
Unsung heroes in the spotlight House 4’s international food and festive fun! 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.
In celebration of Roedean International Day, the House 4 girls enjoyed making (and eating!) a variety of food from around the world – we had Mexican nachos, American pancakes, Italian pizzas, and Australian pavlovas!!
Lara, Lottie, Mia, Nour (Sixth Form) for introducing each of our guest speakers at the Hustings [RB]
Each week, a member of staff who has gone above and beyond the call of duty can be nominated by their colleagues or the girls. Mr Sheriff for chairing the Hustings so calmly [JHM]
The festive season has begun in House 4! The girls have enjoyed various Christmas themed activities this week – they had a wonderful time making lovely homemade Christmas tree decorations, sparkly reindeer headbands, decorating cupcakes and gingerbread cookies, all whilst singing along to Christmas songs! SWE
Mr Marchant for doing a lot of the preparation work with the students ahead of the Hustings [RB]
News of Friends Sorcha Harris
Congratulations to Sorcha Harris (No.3, 2015-19), who has been chosen to direct Exeter University’s theatre company’s production ‘Me, Myself, Myself, Myself, Myself’. Sorcha, who started studying English at the university this term, applied for the role of director in her second week there. The play is written by a second-year Drama student, and is being produced by the University’s theatre company ‘Theatre With Teeth’. It is a dark comedy, dealing with mental health issues and feelings of isolation and loneliness, and it is an ensemble physical theatre piece featuring five talented actors. The play goes through waves of emotion, with childlike highs and anxious lows. The company will be performing the play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival next summer. Page 2
While at Roedean, Sorcha threw herself into Performing Arts at the School, as well as running a children’s theatre in Brighton, and it is clear that she is doing just the same at Exeter University – congratulations, Sorcha!
29 November 2019 - Issue 11
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
A Big ‘Thank You’ from Off the Fence Roedean was delighted to receive the following comments from Off the Fence about the continued weekly supply of food: ‘It honestly has made such a difference with clients receiving top quality food from Roedean. Not exaggerating, but it has been one of the greatest blessings we have had happen for the clients. In recent months, they have been so happy to receive such great food for the incredibly tough circumstances they are in. Sincerely, thank you so much to all of you.’
Brighton Shopping Trip
Well done to everyone involved, and thank you so much for your ongoing support. MWE
29 shoppers went on the Brighton trip on Saturday – it was a very wet day in town, but nothing holds our girls back from shopping! The Brighton Christmas lights looked amazing even in the rain! The girls sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Nick, our minibus driver who was celebrating his birthday! This Saturday's trip is to Crawley – don't forget to sign up early!
House 3 Build Gingerbread Houses This week, House 3 have been getting ready for the House Decorating Competition, listening to Christmas songs, making decorations, and enjoying Christmas food delights. We held a gingerbread house making competition in house, where the girls also had to show off their decorating skills. It was a real joy to see the girls throwing themselves into the activity, determined to create the best masterpieces. The seven teams worked tirelessly on their creations, with both teams 1 & 6 winning the competition overall. It was such a shame that a number of our houses collapsed into piles of gingerbread, icing and sweets, but the girls seemed very happy to eat the remains of their efforts! EHA
Year 7 Birthday Treats! Thank you and well done to Poppy who made a delicious cake for Erin’s 12th birthday, and to Freya who organised doughnuts for Orla’s birthday – what a lovely thought! JC
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
29 November 2019 - Issue 11
ACADEMIC WEEK
Tricks of the Mind This week, the Roedean community has indulged in a dazzling array of events, experiences, and lectures, all themed around tricks of the mind. The intention was to explore common misconceptions, illusions, and delusions, as well as looking at some of the amazingly weird and wonderful capabilities of our minds.
girls were, and one university lecturer was excited at the prospect of having more Roedean girls in his Chemistry classes.
On Monday, we were treated to some mind-bending experiments from the Chemistry and Physics Departments, as we saw jumping electricity and towers formed from pouring liquids! After school saw a hotly-contested version of The Chase – Dr Barrand, Ms Boobis, and Miss Walker fought valiantly, but were ultimately no match for one of the Year 13 teams, who took home the Celebrations.
On Wednesday, we were treated to the centrepiece of the week: a Trompe d’Oeil Roman Feast, complete with suckling pig (actually made out of cake!) created by Roedean’s very own star baker, Ms Sambrook – things were not definitely not what they seemed! The symposium indulged not just the senses, but also the mind, as Dr Alex O’Bryan Tear, a Cambridge University PhD, delivered a keynote on ‘Ghosts in the Mind: Why We See Things That Aren’t There’. All who attended agreed it was a clever, delicious, and fascinating event. On Thursday, Tim Marshall, who is nominated for a Waterstones Award, came to talk to our pupils about his book, ‘Prisoners of Geography’, a fascinating exploration of how climate and physical geography inform politics. Throughout the week, pupils have also been competing to complete the Academic Prefects’ Alice in Wonderland-themed Escape Room, as well as taking part in a number of quizzes and code-breaking challenges.
On Tuesday, the whole school attended two 50-minute lectures on topics as diverse as String Theory and Building Your Own Mind Palace. One Year 7 pupil told me ‘my mind is a bit blown. I am excited to know more, but there is so much to know!’, whilst one pupil in the Climate Change Denial workshop was able to apply what she had learned about confirmation bias in the previous lecture directly to her response to a question! The external lecturers all commented on how inspiring and inspired the Roedean
What a week! HBO
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
29 November 2019 - Issue 11
ACADEMIC WEEK Throughout Academic Week, the Academic Prefects have been running an Alice in Wonderland-themed Escape Room. It was a lot of fun to put together, and the girls showed some outstanding teamwork to solve a range of different problems. From code-breaking to jigsaw-puzzling, everyone who gave it a go managed to beat the room! Five teams of girls also competed in The Chase, playing against some of the most formidable teachers Roedean has to offer – congratulations to Rosie, Ellie, and Ava, who managed to beat the Chasers, after a series of quick-fire and multiplechoice questions, as well as an exciting suddendeath round! I would like to say a massive thank you to the Academic Prefects – none of these events would have happened without Calista, Connie, Eden, Eris, Mint, and Nancy, and I really couldn't ask for a better team.
Elsie (Senior Academic Prefect)
A Selection of Year 13 Art pieces
Kelly’s pieces are influenced by the work of Tim Mara, whose daughter, Alice, Pageran 5 ceramics masterclasses at Roedean today.
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Junior House Hockey
Netball
On Wednesday, the Juniors experienced, rain, sun, and a rainbow during the Junior House Hockey. Over eighty Year 7 and 8 girls represented their houses and played in a round robin tournament. The hockey was very competitive, with all the houses cheering on the others.
First Team County Cup
Here are the final standings: YEAR 7
YEAR 8
Standings
House
Points Scored
Standings
House
Points Scored
1st
House 2
10
1st
House 2
12
2nd
House 3
8
2nd
House 4
11
2nd
House 4
8
3rd
House 3
8
4th
House 1
7
4th
House 1
0
Junior Standings
House
Final points
1st
House 2
22
2nd
House 4
19
3rd
House 3
16
4th
House 1
7
29 November 2019 - Issue 11
The Netball 1st team had a tough draw in the first round of the Sussex Cup versus Worthing College. With individual and team targets driving the girls forward in the game, they battled throughout the match, but unfortunately took home a loss. The team remains in high spirits, with lots to take back to training and lots of positives to continue working on in preparation for the netball term. The Oppositions’ Player went to Scarlet, who demonstrated great defensive pressure on the wing. The Coaches’ Player went to Liv, who was able work the ball excellently around the circle and her shooting was on fire!
1st Team
U16A
Hockey vs Mayfield 2nd XI
The 2nd XI Hockey team played Mayfield on Saturday, where they displayed some of the best hockey they have played all season. The defensive team showed great perseverance when defending several short corners and lots of attacking play from Mayfield. Esme was voted Player of the Match for her fantastic saves as keeper, which included aerial shots from the opposition. In the first half, Roedean showed some great attacking play and we were unfortunate not to score. It was a great team effort, particularly from those who played out of position, and the girls worked hard to improve their formation and keep up the intensity throughout. Well done!
The U16As had a good run out against Magic before their cup game on Monday. We looked at lots of different combinations, and the girls responded really well to this. They worked incredibly hard on and off the ball. Well done girls!
U15B
The U15Bs improved dramatically from last weekend, playing some excellent Hockey throughout. They created lots of opportunities and worked hard for each other. India was voted Player of the Match for her excellent tackling and distribution. Unfortunately, we lost 3-1, but keep up the hard work girls!
U14A
The U14A team played and won as a team against Mayfield. Everyone played their role and worked exceptionally hard, practising new skills and challenging themselves. Amy was voted Player of the Match by the opposition. She was unperturbed when some of her goals did not go in and fought to come back, scoring both of our winning goals. Talya fed the ball exceptionally well into the D and she was supported by Roma and Erin. Izzy and Stella kept their eyes up in attack, and Tia and Elodie supported midfield very well. Bella, Bridget, Maria, and Lila worked as a unit to make sure that Tilly was never left with a 1 on 1. Well done to all those who played, and a huge thank you to our amazing parents who cheered and supported everyone from the sideline.
U14A
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29 November 2019 - Issue 11
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
J WHAT’S COMING UP IN THE
Feedback from a parent whose daughter came to Roedean for the Prep School Hockey Experience Day, with our Sports Ambassador, Kate Richardson-Walsh:
‘I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say than k you for organising such a brilliant hockey day yesterday. Isobel came back raving about it and she was certainly inspired by Kate – and is now extr a, extra (!) motivated to get out there on the pitch and train hard! She also thoroughly enjoyed your Discovery Day and in particular the sleepover (alb eit she was a little tired! - but happy).’
WEEK AHEAD?
Mon 2 Dec
U16A Netball Area Cup vs Sion (H) Roedean Academic Lecture: How biochemical engineering can help the superbug crisis Junior Swimming vs Roedean Moira House (A)
Tue 3 Dec
Year 10 House Hockey U15A Hockey vs Claremont Senior (H)
Wed 4 Dec
THE CRUCIBLE U13A,B,C&D Hockey vs Lingfield College (A) U12A,B,C&D vs Lingfield College (H) Year 11 Parents’ Evening
Thur 5 Dec
THE CRUCIBLE Year 9 House Hockey Year 12 Poster Conference
Fri 6 Dec
CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY Year 8 trip to South Downs Planetarium House Christmas Decoration Competition
Sat 7 Dec
CHRISTMAS FAIR Junior & Senior Cross Country vs Mount St Mary’s College (A) 1st XI, 2nd XI & U15A vs Lancing College (H) U15B & U14A&B vs Lancing College (A)
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