An all-girls independent day and boarding school in East Sussex, Roedean School is renowned for offering an outstanding education. The School’s student-first approach and ethos of holistic development ensure each student feels valued, grounded, and prepared for their future.
Wild Fridays
Choosing the right school for your child’s education is an important decision. For families seeking a school that will nurture their daughters’ talents, spark their curiosity, and let their imaginations run wild, Roedean could be the ideal place.
Roedean School’s History and Values
Founded in 1885 by the Lawrence sisters, Roedean School sought to offer “a thorough physical, intellectual, and moral” education for girls. Roedean moved to its current clifftop location near Brighton in 1898, where it has remained ever since (except from 1940-45, when the School evacuated students to Cumbria).
Oliver Blond became Roedean’s headmaster in 2013. During a dynamic decade under Blond’s guidance, the School has:
- Nearly doubled student numbers.
- Extensively developed its facilities.
- Seen improved public examination results.
Roedean has a reputation for academic excellence and for developing a strong character and sense of global citizenship in each student.
The School’s holistic ethos encourages girls to play a meaningful role in the local community and beyond. As a result, Roedeanians participate in several fulfilling opportunities, including charity work, volunteering, and partnerships.
Academic Excellence at Roedean School
Roedean offers a rich and engaging curriculum with traditional subjects (like English, Maths, and Geography) taught alongside unique programmes (like Wild Fridays and Heads, Hearts, Hands).
The School ensures a broad, thorough academic grounding for Key Stage 3 students. In Years 7, 8, and 9, girls discover new interests and build their skills and confidence, ready for progression to Key Stage 4.
While passing exams is important, the School focuses on deeply nurturing each student’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. Roedean achieves this through its dynamic, modern approach to teaching. This approach embraces innovative teaching methods and technologies in the classroom and nurtures academic curiosity and self-confidence in students.
Extra-Curricular Activities and Opportunities
Roedean’s extensive co-curriculum is one of the School’s many strengths. This co-curriculum reflects the holistic nature of the School’s educational provision. Students choose from over 130 extra-curricular activities across sports, music, drama, and art. These activities provide ample opportunities for leadership development and personal growth.
In addition, the School’s enrichment programme offers stimulating benefits to help students broaden their horizons and stretch themselves academically. Besides academic lectures and mentoring projects, students can participate in study abroad and international exchange programmes.
Student Life and Community at Roedean School
Day and boarding students thrive at Roedean, supported by the School’s teaching, pastoral, and boarding staff. Roedean offers boarding for all ages, with full, weekly, and flexi boarding options.
During the day, girls have six lessons and two activity sessions, with a mid-morning break, lunch, and tea in the boarding houses once lessons finish. All girls can participate in any of the co-curricular activities until around 5 p.m., when day students head home and boarders settle into the School’s luxury boarding facilities.
Roedean’s community values diversity, inclusivity, and tolerance, and its boarding houses represent a welcoming home-from-home for all students. The School’s latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report praised the “multi-cultural nature of the boarding community,” noting that “boarders of all ages speak of their joy of being part of a society that is rooted in so many nationalities.”
There are extensive student support services and resources available at Roedean. Pastoral care lies at the heart of the School’s culture, and all students have access to the pastoral team. This team includes heads of houses, pastoral managers, counsellors, the chaplaincy, the School GP and nurses, and an independent listener.
Meanwhile, the Learning Support Department works with the School’s staff to assist students who require additional academic support. A qualified specialist assessor ensures Roedean meets the learning requirements of every student who has special educational needs (SEN).
Alumni And Achievements
Roedean has many alumni, or Old Roedeanians (ORs), who have found success across various fields. These fields include the arts, education, literature, sports, science, politics, and activism.
Amongst the School’s notable graduates are:
- Novelist Tessa Dahl.
- World champion freediver Tanya Streeter.
- Liberal Democrat politician Layla Moran.
- Musical actress Marisa Abela, who will soon star in a new film about Amy Winehouse.
Roedean’s vibrant Old Roedeanians’ Association (ORA) helps foster connections between ORs and the School. The ORA works with the Roedeanian Society, which includes all School members. Through the Roedean Community Network, ORs can build professional networks and discover career insights and opportunities.
An Empowering Education
Underpinned by a rich heritage of female-focused education, Roedean offers an empowering school experience where girls can challenge themselves in a supportive environment and realise their potential.
Day students and boarders flourish in an inclusive, caring community. Then, through its extensive OR provisions, Roedean continues to support its girls after they graduate.
From nurturing academic excellence to providing copious opportunities for personal growth, Roedean excels at putting its students first. Families should consider Roedean amongst the top choices for their daughters’ education.
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