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HEAD’S REVIEW

Head’s Introduction

This evening’s Brighton Festival Fringe concert is always a highlight of the school calendar. I am delighted that our remarkable musicians are able to perform back in our Chapel this year. Good luck to all the performers, but particularly to Charlie, Vanessa, Anna, Ellen, Bernice, Candis, and Ellen, who are all performing solos and concerto movements with the orchestra. Our musicians have all been working so hard, and I have no doubt that it will be wonderful!

Last weekend saw our annual 24-hour overnight challenge, spearheaded by Year 8, to raise valuable funds for MNDA, their year-group charity. I was so impressed with how ‘up for the challenge’ they were, and they proved that they meant business. 24 hours after they started, 22 girls in Year 8 had covered at least a marathon distance, and, unbelievably, 3 had covered over 70 kilometres each! Together, they have raised well over £5100. It was a lovely event, bringing together girls, staff from across the School, and parents – it truly was a collective endeavour, and well done to everyone involved!

Last Saturday, we also hosted an OR Netball team in the glorious sunshine. It was a pleasure to welcome back ORs from different age-groups, and they certainly gave our girls a good run for their money on the Netball court! After the game, there was a chance for a little reminiscing, alongside some networking, and some cake in the sunshine overlooking the sea!

We have been lucky to have had some fantastic weather for our cricket fixtures at this early stage in the season. I hope that this will continue so that our talented players have lots of opportunities to develop and showcase their skills. I look forward to the upcoming matches against Hurst and Ardingly in the next week, and particularly the 1st XI match next Thursday against the MCC Women.

GCSE and A Level Art and MFL speaking exams are well underway, and I hope that they have gone well. Year 11 are going off on Study Leave today, and I wish them all the best of luck in their preparation for their exams over the coming weeks – good luck. I hope you all enjoy a restful Bank Holiday weekend!

Roedean’s Start of the Cricket Season

Golds in the 58th Chemistry Olympiad

Roedean’s Heroic 24-Hour Challenge for MNDA

Students vs ORs Netball

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.

Megs and Katie (Yr12) – for their contributions to this week's Chapel services about the value of being active [Mrs Baker]

Candis (Yr13) – for a beautiful performance in Chapel of an excerpt from Dvorak's Song to the Moon, which she will be performing at the Fringe Festival Concert [Dr Barrand]

Unsung Staff hero in the spotlight

Mrs Hopper – for delivering a fascinating Academic Lecture on 'A (Brief) History of Number – from counting to imaginary numbers' [Ms Ibanez]

Physics Intermediate Challenge

Many congratulations to Ady, Claudia, Scarlett, Flo, Aminata, Selina, and Victoria in Year 11, who all achieved Bronze Awards in the written Intermediate Physics Challenge last term. Very well done for participating in such a challenging competition!

Dr Mistry

Year 10 Engage in an Important Conversation with RISE

Year 10 students attended a talk during their Personal Development session this week delivered by Ava Harding from RISE, a local charity dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by domestic abuse. Ava’s visit was both informative and empowering, helping students to understand how awareness, kindness, and action can make a real difference.

RISE is a charity that works across our community to provide practical help, emotional support, and safe services for people who are experiencing domestic abuse. Their work focuses not only on crisis support, but also on education and prevention, helping young people recognise healthy relationships and understand where to find help if it is ever needed.

During the talk, Ava spoke sensitively and thoughtfully about domestic abuse, ensuring the topic was approached in a gentle, age-appropriate, and respectful way. Students learned that domestic abuse is not just physical harm, but can also include controlling behaviour, emotional harm, and a lack of respect or safety

within relationships. Ava emphasised the importance of speaking up, supporting others, and knowing that help is always available.

Students listened maturely and responded with empathy, reflecting real credit on Year 10. The talk encouraged everyone to think carefully about what healthy relationships look like, and how small actions (such as awareness and fundraising) can support those who need help most.

To continue supporting this important charity, students are invited to take part in the RISE 8K in October, which will be a key fundraising opportunity as they move into Year 11. Year 10 students are reminded that if they are interested in running the Rise 8K in October, they should email Ms Orrells. This is a fantastic opportunity to show commitment, compassion, and community spirit, while supporting a charity that truly changes lives.

Mrs Chamberlain

Bella’s Fundraising Initiative for Rockinghorse

At the weekend, Bella and her friend went out fundraising for the Year 7 charity, Rockinghorse.

Bella said: 'Me and my friend decided to cut some of the rhubarb from my back garden and made some multi-coloured bracelets, with a sign saying what charity we were doing it for. What inspired us to do it for charity was the Year 8 MNDA 24-hour walk and they raised lots of money, so we wanted to do the same for the our Year 7 charity, Rockinghorse.'

The girls raised over £40 and we are very proud of them. Well done, Bella!

Golds in the 58th Chemistry Olympiad

Congratulations to all those who took part in the Chemistry Olympiad, run by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This is a demanding challenge, and Roedean students achieved 3 Bronze certificates and 5 Silver certificates – well done to Athena and Elane (Yr12) and Hayley (Yr13) for achieving Bronze, and to Natalie and Irina (Yr13), and

Michelle, Nathania, and Constance (Yr12) for their Silvers. However, particular congratulations go to Ronni (Yr13) and Natalie (Yr12), who were awarded Gold certificates, which is an impressive achievement!

Mr Bullock

Miss Bamford

Roedean’s Heroic 24-Hour Challenge for MNDA

This was the third 24-hour overnight challenge to raise valuable funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the dedicated charity for Year 8. From the off, they were ready for the challenge and talking the talk. ‘I’m going for a marathon’, said some, and ‘my Dad’s just done an ultramarathon, so I’m aiming for 51,’ said another. But these were not throw-away comments or bravado, they were serious and considered personal challenges.

The weather was glorious, as Majid Hafezparast, Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at Sussex University, gave fifty-six Year 8s and some staff an inspiring pep-talk before they set off to walk 1-kilometre laps around the fields. The ribbon was cut at noon on Friday and they left the start line in high spirits, ready to walk the route as many times as they could all through the night before noon on Saturday.

The sleeping arrangements were interesting –think DofE expedition meets massive sleep-over, with sleeping bags and snacks, changes of socks and alarm clocks. Lots of the girls chose to miss their first allocated sleeping stint, so that they could keep walking, and the clear sky let the stars and moon shine beautifully. There were staff down on the field throughout, and at least one student was walking for every minute of the 24 hours.

The result was that the Year 8s smashed it! Remarkably, twenty-two Year 8s covered a marathon distance or more – congratulations go to Harrie, Mattie, Star, Amelie, Bethany, Isobel, Maisie, Florence, Eve, Lexi, Tabitha, Alia, Zé, Chloe, Lara, Marion, Charlene, Holly, and Sela. Truly remarkable, however, were Deema, who racked up 70 kilometres, and Anya and Josie, who both clocked 72 kilometres in 24 hours!

While Miss Bamford (incapacitated due to an ankle injury) supervised the girls, managed the playlist, and cheered everyone on, three members of staff were walking for the whole event – well done to Mr Forte, who covered 62 kilometres, and Dr Barrand and Mr Wilson, who both reached 77, an appropriate number since 7 was the number of the legendary Rob Burrow, the England Rugby league player who died of MND. Together, the Year 8s covered 2362 kilometres, over 300 kilometres more than the previous best, and the whole school walked 3466 kilometres.

This titanic endeavour has raised £5129 for MNDA

– it is wonderful to have raised so much money for this special charity, but also that it was such a collective endeavour, bringing together students from all year-groups, boarders from the Houses walking while the Year 8s had their breakfast, staff walking in their lunch break or in a free period, and parents, siblings, and dogs for the final hour! Congratulations to everyone involved –we’re already looking forward to next year!

Merla in Costa Rica

After completing Year 13 last year, Merla has been working as a Gap student in the Admissions Department. After a busy first term supporting the department in many ways, she went to Costa Rica for three months on what sounds like the adeventure of a lifetime! She is now back at Roedean for the remainder of the year, and here are her reflections on her trip:

'Over the past three months, I have been in Costa Rica volunteering across a range of community projects, inspired by my research into maternal and reproductive inequalities in Central America during my Spanish A Level. Wanting to understand the lives behind the statistics, I first spent a month in a remote Bribri indigenous community in Yorkin, accessible only by an hour-long canoe journey and just across the river from Panama. I lived there in a school classroom, and helped build parts of the school and support childcare. In return, I experienced a unique way of life shaped by strong matriarchal traditions, deep environmental knowledge, and daily rhythms tied to the rainforest and the sacred Río Yorkin.

I then travelled to Dos Ríos near the Nicaraguan border, where I lived with a local family and supported an ecotourism initiative, contributing to projects such as building paths for a wildlife research centre and restoring community spaces, while becoming immersed in everyday village life, filled with warmth, music, and the spirit of “pura vida.”

After dislocating my shoulder, I stepped back from physical work, but became more involved in daily activities like cooking, childcare, and spending time with local children, which deepened my connection to the community. This experience not only strengthened my passion for language learning and cultural understanding, but also shaped my future ambitions to study Chinese and Spanish at the University of Edinburgh, and pursue a career in reproductive, refugee, and children’s rights, leaving me with lasting perspectives on human connection and shared experience. ¡Pura vida, mae!'

Ms Ibanez

Chapel – Active Week

To mark Active Week, Mrs Baker, Director of Sport, led our Chapels, with the help of Megs and Katie from Year 12:

Katie/Megs: Active Week is a chance for all of us to think about how much we move, and why it matters more than we might realise.

How many days a week should you try to do physical activity?

(a) One day a week

(b) Five days a week

(d) Three days a week

Answer: (c)

How much activity is recommended per day?

(a) 10 minutes

(b) 60 minutes

(d) 2 hours

Answer: (b)

What kind of exercise should you do?

(a) Swimming.

(b) Running.

(d) Any, as long as it’s activity!

Answer: (d)

How should you feel after a physical activity?

(a) Absolutely exhausted and unable to stand

(b) Fine – bring on some more!

(d) Like eating a huge meal and several bars of chocolate

Answer: (c)

Mrs Baker: Let me start with a simple question: how many of you sat down for more than 6 hours yesterday? It's completely normal, that that is most of us – school, homework, phones, gaming… it all adds up.

But here’s the thing: our bodies were never designed to sit still all day.

Why activity matters – being active isn’t just about sports or being 'fit'. It affects the following:

�� your brain –helps you focus and improves memory �� your mood –reduces stress and anxiety ❤ your health –strengthens your heart and body �� your sleep –helps you rest better at night

Even small amounts of movement can make a big difference.

Health experts recommend about 60 minutes of physical activity a day for young people. That might sound like a lot, but it doesn’t mean 60 minutes of intense sport. It could be walking to school, dancing and singing in your room, playing football with friends, even doing chores at home. It all counts.

The problem is that modern life makes it very easy not to move.

Streaming, scrolling, gaming, they’re all designed to keep us still.

But the more we sit, the harder it becomes to feel motivated, energised, and even confident.

Katie/Megs: Exercise is not about being ‘sporty’ or being the fastest or best performer – there are so many short and long term benefits to regular exercise and it should form part of our daily lives and routine.

Regular exercise is beneficial to the brain, helping you focus and improving short-term and working memory performances, in turn helping us to learn more effectively and do well in our studies. This happens due to an increase in blood flow to the brain, boosting oxygen and nutrient delivery to the areas responsible for cognition, such as prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. It can also promote better sleep quality, reducing daytime fatigue and improving overall concentration.

Our bodies release feel-good hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin, when we are active, that can lift our mood and keep us motivated. Daily exercise can help us switch off from worries or stress by ensuring we take a break from it, even just going on a walk with someone else can help you get things off your mind. There are so many types of exercise, it means everyone can find something that works for them, whether that is exercising alone or using group exercise to help with socialising. Being active can also strengthen the heart by conditioning it to pump blood more efficiently, lowering blood pressure and raising good cholesterol, which reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Being active is an important element to physical and mental wellbeing, and everyone should find something that works for them.

Mrs Baker: So this week, we’re setting a challenge. Move more than you normally would. Not perfectly. Not competitively. Just more. That could mean taking the stairs instead of the lift, or walking part of your journey instead of going by car, joining in with a club or activity, or getting outside at lunch instead of staying indoors.

It’s not about being the best. Active Week is not about being the fastest, being the strongest, being the most athletic. It’s about trying something new, building habits, and looking after your body and mind. Everyone starts somewhere – good luck!

Weekend Trips –Bluewater Zipwire & Shopping

Sunday trips returned in full force for the Summer term, with 12 girls taking part in the longest and fastest zipline in England! Over the cliffs of an old quarry and the Bluewater lake, girls flew through the sky for over 700 metres. Afterwards, we visited Bluewater shopping centre for some lunch and shopping!

Miss Purdy

Roedean’s Start of the Cricket Season

This week saw the first fixtures of the Cricket season, enjoying the wonderful position of our pitches overlooking the sea. We took on Brighton Girls for a series of fixtures, and everyone enjoyed a lovely afternoon of sport, demonstrating excellent teamwork and enthusiasm.

Students vs ORs Netball

Our annual Alumnae Netball match brought together Old Roedeanians and current students, offering a wonderful opportunity for ORs to return to the Roedean campus, take part in a competitive game, and reconnect with the school community.

Events like these are a highlight of the calendar, giving alumnae the chance to enjoy a match tea, catch up with friends and staff, and relive their Roedean memories.

Noëlle Chase, President of the Old Roedeanians' Association, shared: 'We had a great netball match between ORs and the School on Saturday. This year

the girls won 11-8. The OR team was ably captained by Ashlin Humphreys (No.1, 2000-06). It's not just recent leavers who return to play for the OR Team; we have ORs from across the decades, and it was lovely to see a Mum and daughter playing against each other!

Many thanks to the PE staff who umpired, and to the ORs, parents, husbands, and boyfriends who came down to watch. Also thanks go to the Catering team, who, as ever, provided a delicious match tea.

We hope the next OR vs the School match will be Hockey at the end of August. Players and spectators welcome.'

We welcome contributions from all parts of the Roedean community. If you have something you would like featured in the Head’s Weekly Review, please email: aws@roedean.co.uk