Heads Weekly Review - Autumn Issue 7 - 14/10/22

Head’s Introduction

This final full week of the half-term has seen the full range of experiences at Roedean. We have seen victory for the U13E hockey team, individual show-jumping success for Jasmine, National Schools’ Netball in three age-groups, a virtual visit from the National Archives on Black History Month, a Dance Scholars’ hip-hop workshop, a talk from an Olympian swimmer, a play-reading of Emilia, and catapult-making on the STEM Experience Day! There really has been something for everyone. Congratulations to all those who have thrown themselves into these wideranging opportunities, and I am grateful to all my colleagues who make them happen and do so with such enthusiasm – thank you and well done.

The Dance Scholars across the School took part in an exciting ‘Some Like It Hip Hop’ Workshop on Tuesday. They had a brilliant experience, with many working on dance techniques which are not part of their normal specialism, and Miss Abaza was impressed by what they learnt and achieved in a short time. The Sports Scholars were also lucky enough to hear from the swimming Olympian, Kate Haywood, on Wednesday. She shared her experiences of the ups and downs of sport at the highest level, and how the preparation in the weeks immediately before an event are different from normal training. It is wonderful that our students are able to have first-hand experience with performers at the top of their fields. Thank you to the Dance and Sports Departments for arranging these events.

Keswick Hall was transformed into an intimate performing space on Wednesday for a play reading of Emelia, as part of our events for Black History Month. The Hall was full with an audience of students, parents, and staff, who were treated to powerful performances with strong characterisation from a small tight-knit cast. Well done to everyone involved, and in particular to Mrs Woodbridge and Olly (Yr12) who codirected the play.

Thank you to the Admissions team for organising the STEM Experience Day on Wednesday. The pupils who came had a great time building catapults, launching rockets, solving Maths problems, and learning on the Farm. The finale was a virtual talk given by our amazing STEM Ambassador, Dr Suzie Imber. Our visitors were brimming with excitement when their parents came to collect them at the end of the day, so thank you to everyone who ran such inspiring sessions.

Congratulations to over a third of the Year 13 cohort, who have submitted their university applications by the early deadline. This is for applicants to Oxford and Cambridge and for those applying for medical courses. And well done to Janice who has received the first offer of a place for this round. I would like to thank all my colleagues who have supported the students through this complicated process, as it is quite an undertaking. Good luck to those who will be sitting university admissions tests on Wednesday morning!

Good luck to those in Year 11 and some members of staff who are running 8k on Sunday to raise money for the local domestic abuse charity, RISE – I hope it goes well. I wish you all a restful weekend and a lovely half term holiday.

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.

Ukrainian Bursary Appeal – Closing Soon!

Firstly, thank you to all of you who have supported our Ukrainian Bursary appeal so far, we have had an incredible response.

Donations will close at half term, and so there is just one week left to support the appeal and the Ukrainian students.

By donating to the appeal, you will help us to ensure that these students receive as much support as possible whilst they are at Roedean. Anything raised over the appeal target, will also mean that we will be able to release School funds currently allocated to the Ukrainian Bursaries to support our general Bursary fund, meaning even more students can be supported in attending Roedean.

Edie, Orla, Farwa, and Asmitha (Yr9) – for being such brilliant chaperones to our visitors on the STEM Day [Miss Clarke]

Elsie (Yr11) – for stepping in for me to teach the class 'domain and range' – perhaps a teacher in the making? [Mr Halsey]

If you would like to read more about the Ukrainian Bursary appeal, or to donate online, please visit: https://community.roedean.co.uk/pages/ukrainian-bursary-appeal

To view our appeal brochure click here (https://issuu.com/roedeanschool/docs/ukraine_bursaries_ brochure_-_final) or to download our Gift Form, please click here (https://issuu.com/roedeanschool/ docs/ukraine_appeal_donation_form_-_final).

Or, if you would like to have a conversation about supporting the Ukrainian Bursary appeal, or another aspect of Roedean, then please get in touch with Grace Chaston on 01273 667398 or glc@roedean. co.uk

Staff

Miss Marek – for going above and beyond to help the girls, no matter what they have lost or how many times they have lost it, and for bringing so much energy to early morning swimming sessions [Miss Wakeling]

Cipher Challenge Winners

Well done to those who engaged with the Cipher Challenge last week. Congratulations in particular to Flo (Yr8), Mr Davey, and Mr Ford-Hutchinson, for both deciphering the code and solving it.

The code was:

Congratulations to Flo, who has won this week's Golden Ticket

Give it a go to see if you can work out the correct answer which is below.

Mr Halsey

"A census taker calls to a woman’s home upon inquiring about the ages of her three children. He receives the following reply “if you multiply their ages, you get seventy-two, furthermore, the sum of their ages is the house number”. The census taker looks at the door and considers the situation for a moment “I don’t think I can work it out from that can you give me some more information please” he asks. “Sure thing” replies the woman, “that’s my oldest child upstairs playing the piano”. The census taker smiles, thanks the woman and walks away happy. How old are the children?"

Some Like it Hip Hop – Dance Scholars' Workshop

This week, Roedean's Dance Scholars from Years 7-13 took part in a workshop with ZooNation, expanding their knowledge and skills in Hip Hop. The students learnt challenging repertoire from their work 'Some Like It Hip Hop', which is a story of love, mistaken identity, and revolution, in a city where books are banned, and where women are kept subservient to men.

The story revolves around two central female characters, Jo-Jo and Kerri.  When they are discovered breaking the rules of the city, they are thrown out. They decide they have only one option – to return to the city dressed as men.  It doesn’t take long for the two women to prove their worth, and it also doesn’t take long for Jo-Jo to fall in love with Simeon, the only educated man in the city. If only she wasn’t wearing a moustache…  It takes all their efforts to maintain their disguise, find love, and change the world.

All the girls performed excellently! Well done!

Miss Abaza

Sport Stars of the Week

Congratulations to this week's Sports Stars! [Miss Kirby-Jones]

Year 7 – Lili, for a fabulous effort in the cross country and helping out last minute; Dhiya, for wondering progress in swimming; and Farah, for being a great coach

Year 8 – Blaize, for going above and beyond in trying to make progress in hockey Year 9 – Elisabeth, for making great progress in hockey this term

Year 11- Solari, for playing two hockey fixtures in one day and being a fantastic team player

Year 13 – Lea, for great progress in Strength and Conditioning; and Cherry, for giving up her spare time to help another pupil

Year 10 – Manola and Izzy, for exceptional commitment to hockey

Year 12 – Edrea and Cathy, for great effort in hockey this term so far

Houses 3 and 4 Cheer on the Lionesses

On Tuesday night, boarders from Houses 3 and 4 went to the AMEX to support the England Women's football team versus the Czech Republic.

Despite the final 0-0 result, there was so much excitement on the pitch, with such high-class football being played, as well as off the pitch, with the good selection of snacks available to purchase and enjoy at half time – it was a much enjoyed evening for everyone involved! It was also very fitting that it was International Day of the Girl on Tuesday, which made the event feel that much more special and poignant.

'A group of us ranging between Years 7-11, from both House 3 and 4, went to see the Lionesses play against the Czech Republic at the AMEX Stadium on Tuesday evening. It was so exciting to go with our friends and experience a football game as group from School. During the game, there were many times that we thought the

Lionesses would score and win, but the ball never made it in. The tensions were high when one of the Lionesses kicked the ball in, but it bounced out in the last second! We all had fun doing the Mexican wave around the stadium!' Isabella and Grace

'Watching women play football to such a high standard was incredibly empowering and, although they did not score any goals, it was a fantastic experience to share with friends.' Sorcha

'I had such a fun evening out with my friends! I couldn’t believe that I could watch people live that I usually can only watch on TV! Wow, what a night!' - Bea

'What an amazing night! We had such a good view, and it was so exciting when they were close to scoring!' – Chloe

'The match was very good and also very close, which made it all the more exciting. It was a very fun evening and I felt excited to be able to have responsibility and go off in small groups at half time.' – Darcey

'It was a great experience; it was a very tight match, so it was very exciting. I also really loved the hamburger and the hot chocolate!' - Kitty

'I will always remember this experience – it was a really fun night!!' – Ella

'For me, it was the first time I have watched a football match live, and I'm glad I was able to as it was a great experience. I had lots of fun and liked cheering loudly for England.' - Jocelyn

Miss Ford-Senior

Year 10 Enrichment – Nature Walk

What a fabulous 6 weeks Year10 have had exploring the grounds of the School, completing different challenges, including a gratitude scavenger hunt appreciating all that surrounds us, testing their photography skills in collating all pictures of native birds, and, of course, loving our special guest Olive for our destination walk and yummy s’mores!

Mrs Shrubsole

Emilia

Emilia by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm was performed as a staged reading on Wednesday 12th October in Keswick Hall to celebrate Black History Month. The play tells the real-life story of Emilia Bassano Lanier, who was of mixed heritage, and was a member of Elizabethan Court Society; she faced many challenges and was the first woman to assert herself as a professional poet and the first woman in 1611 to publish her poems. This play is a modern version of her life and uses humour, music, dance, and poetry to recreate her story. This was an amazing performance as the whole cast created dynamic characters while they sight read from their scripts.

Emilia was played by four students, Naisha, Rida, Gabby, and Onose, as they brilliantly depicted the distinct stages of her life from young innocent girl to a dignified independent woman. The play explores her relationships with guardians and lovers, until Emilia finally gains independence and a voice through her poetry. Ellen, Maria, Olly, and Lydia portrayed the men in her life. They communicated a range of wonderfully observed characters, and were able to show the development of relationships, as Will Shakespeare first loves and then betrays her while her husband Alphonso rejects, ignores, and then accepts her. The students who portrayed the supportive dock women, also doubled up as the “mean” court girls at the start of the play. Merla, Lennie, Freya, and Mia created detailed contrasting characters while Lucy was a commanding governess.

This abridged version of the West End hit play was excellently directed by Olly, a Year 12 student, and was their directorial debut at Roedean. The play was originally performed at The Globe in 2017 and transferred to the West End in 2018. Hence the inspiration to use Keswick Hall, its glorious architecture mirrors an Elizabethan Court Theatre, enabling the performers to use different levels and areas around a thrust staging. The use of Keswick created an electric atmosphere, so we were so grateful to the Sixth Formers, who generously gave up their space and for the theatre technicians who created the set design.

This was a wonderful afternoon that gave us a chance to reclaim Black history and experience innovative theatre styles.

Well done to the cast of Emilia, and thank you to everyone who helped to make it happen, including the audience of 120 people!

Mrs Woodbridge

Black History Month – Books in the Library

The theme for Black History Month 2022 is Time for Change: Action Not Words, with the aim to learn from the past and improve the future. Here’s a selection of our recommendations for what to borrow from the Library, just in time for the half term holiday. For more suggestions speak to Mrs Bailey in the Library.

I heard what you said by Jeffrey Boakye

Before Jeffrey Boakye was a black teacher, he was a black student. Which means he has spent a lifetime navigating places of learning that are white by default. Since training to teach, he has often been the only black teacher at school. At times seen as a role model, at others a source of curiosity, Boakye's is a journey of exploration – from the outside looking in.

Black Britain: A Photographic History by Paul Gilroy

Black people have inhabited the British Isles for centuries. Eminent professor Paul Gilroy, renowned for his work exploring the social and cultural dimensions of British blackness and black Britishness, has assembled a living visual history of their social life in the modern British Isles.

Fight back by A.M. Dassu

An empowering story about finding your identity and the courage to fight for it. Aaliyah is an ordinary thirteen-yearold living in the Midlands – she's into her books, shoes, K-pop and she is a Muslim. She has always felt at home where she live ... until a terrorist attack in her area changes everything.

When I was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

From a Carnegie winning author, a coming-of-age novel about friendship and loyalty across neighbourhood lines –illustrated by award-winner, Akhran Girmay

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Following two young Black women carving their careers in the unexpectedly sinister world of book publishing, Harris’s razor-edged debut is at once a gripping thriller and a shrewd piece of social commentary.

The Black Spartacus by Sudhir Hazareesingh

A definitive new biography of Toussaint Louverture – a revolutionary slave hero, military mastermind and the first leader of the independent Black state of Haiti.

Black London by Avril Nanton

Black London shows us this familiar city anew, gathering together the places that tell the story of its Black inhabitants, stretching back to Tudor times.

The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Set amidst the brutality of Idi Amin’s Uganda, Makumbi's wise and tender novel is a hymn to survival, rebellion and the enduring power of the female spirit.

Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis

Ranging from the age of slavery to contemporary injustices, this ground breaking history of race, gender and class inequality by the radical political activist Angela Davis offers an alternative view of female struggles for liberation.

What are you Doing Here by Floella Benjamin

Floella describes arriving in London as a child, part of the Windrush generation, and the pain caused by the racism she encountered every day. It was offset by the love of her parents, who gave her the pride in her heritage, selfbelief and confidence that have carried her through life.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Color Purple documents the traumas and gradual triumph of Celie, an African American teenager raised in rural isolation in Georgia, as she comes to resist the paralyzing self-concept forced on her by others. Celie narrates her life through painfully honest letters to God.

The Hate u Give by Angie Thomas

Starr Carter, an African-American teenager, faces pressure from various communities and tries to stand up for what is right after she witnesses the shooting of her best friend by the police.

Rice, Peas and Fish and Chips by Pauline Campbell

Pauline Campbell was brought up on Rice and Peas and Fish and Chips after her parents crossed thousands of miles, leaving the warm shores of the Caribbean, to settle in Britain. In this book Pauline will take the reader on a journey into where her generation has been.

Maybe I Don’t Belong Here by David Harewood

In this powerful and provocative account of a life lived after psychosis, critically acclaimed actor, David Harewood, uncovers devastating family history and investigates the very real impact of racism on Black mental health.

Black and British: A Short History by David Olusoga

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.

National Archives and Black History Month

As part of our events to mark Black History Month, we are holding video conferences with the National Archives. Last Tuesday, twenty Year 7 students took part in a workshop where we examined census records and photographs, to learn about the lives of Black people in Victorian Britain. During these sessions, we learnt about the boxer Hezekiah Moscow, the actor Ira Aldridge, with his great theatrical reviews, and Donald Adolphus Knight, who was awarded for bravery and married to a suffragette. The girls

had an opportunity to reflect on how Historians use historical documents, and what they could tell us about these individuals’ lives. It opened up many questions for discussion, and we were able to consider what we could learn about these people's experiences, but also how the documents were limited. We are looking forward to future events with the National Archives, where we will be looking at the records about the protests surrounding the Mangrove Nine.

Mrs Newman

Black History Month

Well done to everyone, but in particular Sarah and Anike from Lawrence, along with Eni and Fadillah, who wrote such considered pieces celebrating Black and Brown people in the Fields of Art and Design for Chapel. To complement this, Lawrence House has a display in its foyer, for the whole of October that celebrates Black History and recognises contibutions to the Arts from Julie Felix and writer Benjamin Zephaniah, as well as Baroness Benjamin DBE OBE and others from the Windrush generation.

Mrs Diplos

Pre-A Level Trip –Getting to know

Brighton Bingo –Full House!

Community Music at St Mark's

On Wednesday, the CAP Musicans performed at St Mark's Music Assembly.

The group planned their repertoire to fit perfectly. Eni and Alissandra sang a duet from 'Frozen', which enchanted the listeners, and then Alissandra and Queena told them a little about the Violin and Flute, and how the sound was produced. This was followed by a group performance of Aladdin's 'A whole new world'. Abi then demonstrated how the Saxophone sounded and played 'The Pink Panther' theme – the childern loved the sound and got very excited! They finished with 'You've got a friend in me', and the whole school joined in.

This was a really enjoyable event, both for the St Mark's students and the CAP Musicians. Their next performance will be on 16 November at 4pm in the Old Ref, with 'A Treat and a Tune' music and food charity fundraiser for New Note Orchestra. Bring £2 and eat delicious snacks accompanied by music!

Ms Bartlette

Our small group of Pre-A Level students took a trip into Brighton town centre to look at all things that are unique and loved in Brighton as part of their Personal Development programme. The students completed a game of 'getting to know Brighton Bingo!' and all achieved a full house. It was so enjoyable to be reminded of the fabulous activities and opportunities we have right on our doorstep.

Mrs Shrubsole

HHH

Our Key Stage 3 enrichment programme for Year 7, 8, and 9 has been in full swing this term, with over 15 different activity sessions being delivered across the three year groups. The 'Head, Heart, and Hand' philosophy has been embded into the Key Stage 3 Curriculum because we know how important it is to provide students with a rounded education. Over the year, the students will be able to complete courses in activities such as textiles, cookery, and first aid, as well as explore philosophical ideas, develop confidence with public speaking, and acquire skills in outdoor education.

The students have embraced the HHH programme with lots of enthusiasm this term, and are enjoying the opportunity to learn new skills, develop new freiendships, and broaden their horizons. For many, it is also an opportunity for self-realisation and discovery, whilst providing a break from academic work and mainstream learning.

Miss Kelsey

STEM Experience Day

22 girls visited on Wednesday for a STEM spectacular!  The busy day included activities covering Maths, Physics and DT, with girls exploring the theme ‘Ready To Launch!’  In DT the girls competed in a catapult design challenge, learning how different materials can affect accuracy in flight; a series of number games put the girls’ maths skills to the test, with the Physics component challenging the group to see who could work out the most effective angle at which to launch rockets.  One of the highlights of the day was a ‘virtual’ visit from one of Roedean’s Ambassadors: space scientist, mountaineer and explorer, Dr Suzie Imber, who specialises in space weather.  She spoke to the girls at length about her amazingly broad experiences, which include winning the 2017 BB2 series ‘Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes?’ Many thanks to Miss Byrne, Mr Foster, Mr Lutwyche, Mrs Quirk and Miss Vincent, and special thanks to Dr Staniford for organising such a fun and interesting day for our visitors.

Hello Autumn from Lawrence

This week, we have all appreciated the changing of the season fom late Summer through to Autumn, so a group of Lawrence boarders collected a selection of leaves to create an Autumnal display, rich in natural golds and bronzes. The girls added their own touches and embellishments to create the impression of falling leaves. I think we would all agree that it certainly captures the spirit of Autumn.

Mrs Diplos

Bringing on the Keyrings in Lawrence

Mrs Sampieri very kindly spent the evening in Lawrence House and helped the girls design their very own key rings. Thank you very much for your patience and kindness – the girls loved making them.

Mrs Diplos

Lovely Lanterns

Lawrence lights up their study area with traditional lanterns. Kira is seen here with some of the lanterns made by the boarders and we think they are beautiful. Mrs Diplos

House Cross Country

Congratulations to the 120 girls from the four house teams who took part in House Cross Country last week.

Hot Chocolate for the Colder Evenings

Thank you Miss Burnett for supplying enough cream and marshmallows to keep the whole of Lawrence smiling as the weather gets cooler –we appreciate you!

Mrs Diplos

Tilda Directs a Masterpiece

Thank you Tilda for directing the Lawrence section of the GSA's video. Warning! – there's a spolier alert coming... but Lawrence girls know how to make a Shania Twain song rock!

This week was such a busy week for our boarders in Lawrence, and it was also the perfect venue to host a tea party on Wednesday for the Pre-A group, along with their tutor, Mrs Hammond. She was treated to home-made cakes and the centre-piece was a traditional Chinese dish with dumplings – it was very spicy, but full of flavour. The girls planned, shopped, and cooked, as well as making home-made invitations. What a lovely treat!

Mrs Diplos

Swimming: Sussex Schools' Team Championships

Roedean took 3 teams to the Sussex Schools' Team Championships on Wednesday 5 October. The Seniors swam first and came 6th in the 4x50m freestyle with a time of 2:13.19. Mollie did an excellent job of captaining the Senior team – she was calm, informative, and supported the team throughout the competition. Her breaststroke time in the Medley was phenomenal. The girls came 3rd in the 4x50m Medley Relay with a time of 1.26.38.

The Intermediates came 12th in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay, with a time of 2:13.00, and 10th in the Medley with a time of 2:32.68. Alice captained the Intermediates and was a fantastic leader, taking the team to their lanes ahead of time and offering lots of good advice.

Evelyn and Kat were brilliant joint captains for the Junior team. The Juniors came 5th in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay with a time of 2:22.52, and 5th in the Medley Relay with a time of 2:46.04.

Well done to all 13 girls who took part and represented Roedean at such a prestigious event.

The gruelling course, which took the pupils around the spectacular Roedean campus, got gradually more demanding – the Juniors ran 1.5km, the Intermediates completed 2km, and the Seniors ran 2.3km. It took the girls up and down hills, over ramps, up steps, and down mounds in their quest for victory.

There were some closely fought races, and here are the top three performers in each category:

Juniors Inters Seniors

1st Rosa Megs Lauren

2nd Lili Nancy Tiffany

3rd Hazel Alicia Euran

House 2 had the most entrants, but House 3 had the most top 10 finishers – it was a closelyrun race for points. Here are the results:

House 2 48 4th

House 4

House

Well done to House 3 for taking the most points and winning the inaugural House Cross Country.

Lawrence host an Afternoon Tea with their Tutor!

This Week in Boarding...

Sports Scholars Talk by Olympian Kate Haywood

Former Olympic swimmer, Kate Haywood, spoke to the Sports Scholars and gave a fascinating insight into her swimming career and journey to the London 2012 Olympic games. Kate covered numerous areas of interest to the scholars. She was training for 20 hours per week when she was still at school as a 15 year old; she then dropped her coach and moved to Australia to train alongside the fastest swimmer in the world, and she believes the mental side of competing in sport is far more important than the physical.

The talk was followed by a Q&A session, where the Scholars had the opportunity to ask questions and learn lessons from an Olympian that they can use to improve their own preparation and performance.

Mr Smethurst

U16 Netball National Schools

The U16s had 9 matches during the National Schools tournament. They had a strong start against Ardingly, taking the win 18-2. They then had one of the toughest matches of the day against Brighton College, and the girls went in with confidence after their success against this squad last week. We made an early turnover, thanks to Jasmine, Jamie, and Ruby marking tight and we took it to goal.

We were leading by 2 at half time, and we knew we would have to remain strong to see it over the line. Unfortunately, a few errors allowed them to bring it back to a draw with a few minutes to go. Brighton then stormed the final minutes, taking the win away from us. The next games against Eastbourne, Mayfield, and Lancing were all strong convincing wins, allowing our attack to regain their confidence and the shooters, Elsie and Lilah, continued to be accurate with both long- and short-range shots. Burgess Hill gave us more of a challenge, but with composure from Pearl and Katie we took the win by 10 goals. Next was Lancing, which was another convincing win 25-2, Clara, Ella, and Lizzie kept the intensity high, and made strong drives for the ball. Our final match against Hurst was a must win in order to get through, as the top two teams get through to the regional round. They gave their all but unfortunately could not get the win needed. Roedean placed third overall and continued to impress other local schools and coaches. They are challenging the top schools in the area and making excellent progress. Keep your heads up girls – you are an extremely talented squad.

SPORT

U12D Hockey vs Handcross Park 6ths

The U12Ds went away this week to Handcross Park. The team were excited to get going and had been practising their stick skills and dribbling right. Izzy, Tilly, and Bea worked hard at the back, putting in strong tackles all game, and Jemima kept her composure as the team's goalkeeper. Elise, Momo, Georgie, and Chiara battled in the middle to get the ball up and down the pitch. Lily was back on her old stomping ground and used her tricky stick skills to outwit the Handcross defenders.

In the first half, Chiara smashed the ball across to Lily who plopped it past the big Handcross keeper. The score was 1-0 to Roedean at half time. Quickly on the whistle, Handcross attacked, making the score 1-1. We then quickly went down to 1-2. The girls needed to work hard to fight back. It was Elise who stepped up to the plate... Momo took on a difficult lifted ball, tapped it to Elise who smashed it past the GK.

It was 2-2 at the final whistle. Congratulations to the team for their energy and resillience all game. Their positivity and determination was unmatched! Lily took home opposition's Girl of the Game, and Izzy took home Coaches' Player of the Match. Well done!

Miss Bamford

U12B Hockey Unbeaten

The U12Bs continued their impressive form, winning another game this term. They worked hard this week to play according to their principles and trying to increase the speed at which they did things on the pitch. A new arrival in Ezzie made her presence felt, with an impressive match, scoring all 5 goals. These goals were well-crafted from good turnovers by Sorcha at the back, driven up the field well, moved into wide channels by Florence, Matilda, and Martha, and finished off by Ezzie.

Roedean was a threat every attack and could have easily scored a couple more. The girls are beginning to play with more confidence and are working hard to play more quickly and with more intensity.

Well done!

Mr Campleman

U16A Netball National Cup vs Hurst

After a tough first round against Brighton College, we then drew Hurst for Round 2. We started off extremely strong, leading after the first quarter by 3 goals. Defence worked hard with Esme, Jamie, and Jasmine making lots of turnovers. Hurst came back at us and unfortunately, we could not maintain the lead, at half time we were trailing by 4. With it all the play for in the second half, we knew we had to step up to reduce the gap. Our shooters, Elsie and Lizzie, were on top form shooting accurately from range keeping it goal for goal for the first half of the quarter. Hurst got another turnover to goal, and we were down by 6 going into the last quarter. The girls did not let their heads drop and Pearl kept their spirits high. They went out in the last quarter fighting for every ball and did not give up until the final whistle went. The final score was 39-31 to Hurst. I am extremely proud of the performance the whole squad put in, well done girls!

Miss Hammond

2nd Match and 2nd Win for U13Es

The U13E Hockey had their second match and their second win of the term on Wednesday against Handcross Park.

The team's warm-up was incredible, and they were ready to go on the pitch within minutes of us getting there. Claudia led the team's pulseraiser, dynamic stretches, and partner-passes, and then the team moved onto 2v1, short corner practice, and 4v3. We were able to watch the U13D team before our match, and the girls watched those who played in their position in the U13Ds, identifying two ‘what went well’ and one ‘even better if’ for them.

We played with 2 at the back, 3 in the middle, and 1 up front. Matilda played up front and scored two goals with solid assistants from both Claudia and Alma. Everyone knew their role on the pitch, and Kelsie and Sabrina worked hard in defence to make sure that the ball never got near Gabby. Ava and Blaize stayed out wide throughout the match, and carried the ball up the wing.

Overall, it was a fantastic match and great team effort by all. We were lucky that the D team coach, Miss Kenerson was able to stay to watch our match, and she gave the team importnat feedback. A huge well done to all who played. We are very proud of the huge amount of progress you have made!

Miss Wakeling

U13D Hockey vs Handcross Park

Roedean U13Ds winning streak continues! We had a fantastic result against Handcross Park: Roedean 3, Handcross 0.

Our U13Ds had a subtle degree of confidence as we arrived to compete against Handcross Park. Despite Polly, Captain and star player, being promoted to the C team, our D team were focused and determined to continue with their winning streak.

A slow start in the first half saw the squad adjust to a new formation and find their new flow. 0-0 was the score. An agreed plan moving into the second half was to move right with the ball,

Michelle, taking on the role of Captain, led by example, providing a strong attacking force, transitioning the ball with confidence through the pitch, seamlessly providing the link between our defending unit, Sohana, Coco, and Miranda to our attacking duo of Lola and Emma. Although not quite utilising the width of the pitch, we saw a great display of stick skills to manoeuvre the ball through the centre channel and a strong defensive wall. Lola, well-position to take the ball and strike, secured the first goal. Not long after, Emma, wanting a piece of the action, went solo, taking the ball from the centre area of the pitch all the way to goal, out-witting the opposition's defence with an array of stick skills to get a 1v1 with the goal keeper and then putting the ball safely into the goal! 2-0 to Roedean.

Confidence amongst the team was evident now and 2-0 was not enough. Maintaining possession, our U13Ds were patient in moving the ball up pitch, Miranda spotting the opportunity of crossing the ball to a wellpositioned Lola, who swept in another goal to take the score to a splendid 3-0!

It was another great display of skill and teamwork from our U13D team.

Opposition's Player – Emma

U13B Win versus Brighton College

The U13B team beat Brighton College 8-1 with a dominant performance. Nathalia scored within the first minute, added another in the first half, and eventually went on to score a hattrick. Iris scored two, before Bella scored a hat-trick of her own in the second half. The team has finished the half term undefeated, and competed admirably in an A team tournament so has made terrific progress so far.

Mr Smethurst

U12C Hockey Victory vs Brighton College

The U12Cs had a fiercely contested match at home against Brighton College this week. They stuck to their 3 key principles and worked tirelessly. Yasmin got an early goal, which boosted our confidence. Farah and Hazel made some strong clearances out of the D, sending the ball out wide for our midfield players, Lili, Flo, Erin, and Bea to run onto. Brighton College then scored from a short corner just before half time, and so the half time score was 1-1.

Roedean came out strongly in the second half, with another great goal from Yasmin. We used the right-hand side of the pitch well, making it harder for Brighton to defend. Janice stayed strong in goal and kept out some last-minute attempts from Brighton, securing another win for the U12C side. Well done girls, you were all brilliant, as always!

Miss Hammond

U13C vs Mayfield and Brighton College

The U13C have played two games in two weeks, one a very damp game at Mayfield and the second the team played a frantic local derby against Brighton College on Wednesday.

There have been movements in the team over the last few weeks, and in both games it taken the players a while to settle into their positions. Once they found their form, they were a force to be reckoned with, both in attack and defence. Goals from the likes of Lucy, Hettie, Lula, and Maud allowed the team to sit high in defence and put continued pressure on the opposition for large passages of play. In defensive Molly, Lois and Amber made sure to limit the damage from the opposition. The Mayfield game ended 4-1 (Hettie was MVP) and the score line against Brighton College was 4-2 (MVP was Polly).

Coaches' Player – Miranda

Miss Marek

U12A vs Brighton College

Strength and Conditioning –Lea's Personal Account

'For me, discovering the gym has been one of my favourite parts of my journey here at Roedean. I already had a history of playing team sports before weightlifting, but I experienced a break for a period of two-and-ahalf years, partly as a result of the pandemic, which for me contributed to a loss of personal identity. Such was the extent to which this period negatively impacted me that, in the summer of 2021, I made the resolution to focus the spare time that I did have to exercise.

Exercise is different to sport, which has immediate reward-systems in that, apart from the euphoria you feel at the end of a tough workout, it tends to yield more long-term results. I thus had to overcome the initial hurdles of maintaining consistency when motivation ran dry, when I committed myself to a series of online home workouts. I had limited equipment available to me at the time: a jump-rope, three kettlebells up to eight kilograms, a yoga mat, and the steely resolve of the human spirit. This made it difficult to continue the process of progressive overload that stimulates progress, and, as you can imagine, the workouts got quite repetitive after some time. So, I really looked forward to using the gym when I returned to school in September.

I had absolutely no prior knowledge of the gym, but through (mostly) fool-proof trial-and-error and some research, as well as support from the Strength and Conditioning department, I have managed to recently reach a 95-kilogram barbell personal record on the barbell squat.

Weightlifting has allowed me to reconcile the part of my identity as an athlete with a renewed sense of ambition. It has been hugely rewarding to discover the many different components of training, such as the differences between hypertrophy, and strength, nutrition, and correct form. What’s more, the gym has provided me with structure and a sense of satisfaction when I reach my goals; it undoubtedly is something I look forward to every day. Next half-term, I am aiming to reach 105 kilograms.

I know that many people are apprehensive about stepping foot in the gym, but the community is so friendly and always willing to help one another out. Aside from weightlifting, there are so many other styles of training that the gym can offer, such as cardio or plyometrics, so I believe that everyone can find something that they truly enjoy.'

National Schools Netball – 1st Team

On Saturday, the 1st team took to the courts in East Grinstead for one of the biggest, toughest, and longest tournaments they will ever play at Roedean. The team were nervous, excited and looking forward to a good day out. The sunshine came out, as the team took to court for the first of 12 matches. Lucy, Millie and Alice worked hard all day against some tall and tough defenders in the shooting circle. Amelia, Phoebe and Izzy worked relentlessly all day, getting the ball back and forth up the court from the middle. And it was Sylva, Erin, and Lila who had to put on the defensive performance of their lives, against tall, accurate and physical shooters.

The day was just as tough as we thought it would be, but here are some noticable highlights: playing possessional netball against tournament winners, Hurst, and winning the second half of the game; winning in a tightly-contested match versus Lancing college; and Sylva playing as a GD with her WD bib on so confidently that neither the umpire or the actual GD, Erin, noticed.

I am extremely proud of the squad's energy, effort, and positivity, in what proved to be a really tough day for the squad. Coaches' Player of the Day has to go to Lucy, who stepped up from the U16s to help in the shooting circle. Her shooting range and composure under pressure was excellent.

Miss Bamford

Jasmine qualifies for National Amateur Championship

Congratulations to Jasmine (Yr8), who jumped really well in last Sunday’s National Amateur Second round. She came 3rd in the jump off, which takes her to the National Championships in Liverpool.

Well done Jasmine we are really proud of you. Miss Wakeling

ESSA Cross Country Cup

On Monday morning, three teams of girls took part in the ESSA Cross Country Cup first round at Waterhall. After a beautiful weekend, the cross-country gods knew it was race day and sent some early morning rain and wind to get the pupils in the spirit for their first race of the season.

The course is an ominous one, with a killer hill in the middle of it. Luckily, the junior team of Poppy, Evelyn, Katherine, and Lili managed to avoid the hill on their 2.5km race, but this made it a battle of the speedy and Katherine won the battle. Even the male teacher running as 'hare'couldn’t keep up with her pace and she left the others in her wake coming in an easy first.

The rest of the team battled hard and kept pace with the rest of the field to finish strongly. The inters (Bella, Aimee, Harriet, Rugby and Eloise) and seniors (Emma, Liv, Lizzie and Katie) had to face their fears on the hill on their routes, and fight they did! Leaders of the team, Ruby and Liv, were in amongst the early finishers, all girls had strong personal races and should be proud of their teams achievements.

Miss Kirby-Jones