One of my favourite activities of the year is to visit the Food rooms at the conclusion of the Food, Preparation and Nutrition NEA when staff are invited to taste the fabulous dishes that our Year 11 students have cooked, to a very tight schedule. Lasagne, gyoza, grilled chicken, fishcakes, pavlova, profiteroles and brownies were among the items on the menu this year, and I know Miss Shillito and Miss Lovett were very impressed by the careful preparation and culinary flair shown by all the students. Following the triumph of Sister Act in the week before half term, it was terrific to see so many students engaged in the Drama Frantic Assembly workshops and the LAMDA showcase this week, demonstrating the depth of performing talent we are fortunate to have in our student body. Whilst this half term has only just begun, our ski group have their eyes set firmly on their trip to Les Deux Alpes at Easter and they enjoyed some very successful dry slope sessions this week; many thanks to Miss Croft for the immense amount of work that she has undertaken to organise and lead this trip.
February feels as short as January felt long, and as we rapidly head into March, we are very conscious that our Year 11 and Year 13 students are entering a crucial phase of revision and mock examinations. We know that this is a time of heightened anxiety, and we are working hard to ensure that students have access to the support they need to manage their natural concerns and that they feel able to manage and organise their work well. Please do reach out to your daughter’s tutor or Head of Year if you feel she requires additional help and guidance at this time, either academically, or in relation to her mental health and wellbeing.
You will have seen that the government has issued new guidance on restricting access to mobile phones in schools. As you may also have seen, school leaders have been vociferous in highlighting that most of us have been significantly limiting access to phones for several years. More interesting, is the campaign launched by the mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, to ban social media apps for children under 16 years old. The logistics of this are clearly challenging, but the research is increasingly compelling that parents and schools need to continue to educate our children about the dangers of social media. As Mr Lach highlighted in his recent letter, we also need to do all we can to encourage them to engage in activities away from their screens and limit their access to their phones, particularly at night, for example by ensuring your daughter has an alarm clock, so that her phone can be left safely downstairs when she goes to bed. I know I spend far too much time on my phone, and it is imperative that as adults, we are setting a positive example too, by also putting our phones down as frequently as we can. You may find the guides below useful in shaping conversations about this issue with your daughter:
Use Parental Controls to Keep Your Child Safe | NSPCC
Social Media & Mental Health | Guide For Parents | YoungMinds
Have a lovely weekend.
EXECUTIVE HEADTEACHER
Monday 26 February - Friday 1 March
Y11 Mock Exams
Y7/8 Rolling Read - period 2
Monday 26 February - Tuesday 27 February
Y13 Mock Exams
Monday 26 February
Y11 early lunch, 12.00pm
Wednesday 28 February
Y12 'Take to the Stage' workshop - Royal Bank of Canada, London EC2
Y12/13 Shakespeare Creative Heritage Workshop
Thursday 29 February
Y9 Parents Evening (in-person)
Friday 1 March
Y10 Maths in Action - Emmanuel Centre, London SW1
Sunday 3 March
U15, U16 & U19 Surrey County Netball Finals
Monday 4 March - Friday 8 March
Y7/8 Rolling Read - period 3
Monday 4 March - Wednesday 6 March
Y11 Mock Exams
Monday 4 March
Y12 Geography Field Trip
Y9 SEND Virtual Parents Evening
Tuesday 5 March
Y12 UK University & Apprenticeship Search - University of Surrey
Get Into Teaching Event
Wednesday 6 March
Rosebery Collaborates - Students dismissed at 1.00pm
Thursday 7 March
World Book Day
Y7 Art Trip to Wisley (X)
An Evening in the Life of a Year 10 Student
Friday 8 March
International Womens Day
Y7 Art Trip to Wisley (Y)
It has been delightful to see Year 7 students returning to school with a fantastic attitude towards learning. It has been wonderful to observe their active participation and eagerness to engage in both form time and in lessons. As we uphold our commitment to excellence, we continue to have the highest of expectations for our Year 7 students, emphasising the importance of adhering to the uniform policy and consistently demonstrating exemplary behaviour and kindness, both in and outside of the classroom. We are proud of our Year 7s for continuing to demonstrate integrity as they strive to be the best that they can be in lessons!
As always, there are multiple things to look forward to this half term, including House Cheer, Skills Academy and the art trip to Wisley Gardens! We also have a new rewards initiative that we will be launching very soon, so watch this space!
We would like to recognise two students for their gymnastics achievements over the half term. Grace B 7MX and Zara C 7PX represented their club, Startastic, in a South-East interclub IGA competition. Zara competed at Level 7 and achieved Gold in her floor routine, Silver for her vault and overall 2nd place in her year group. Grace competed at Level 7 and achieve Silver for her Floor routine, Silver on Beam and overall 2nd place in her year group. We are so proud of you both, what incredible achievements!
7CX: Elsie T - for showing great effort daily in form time.
7CY: Mila S - for still being on zero demerits – well done.
7EX: Sienna S - for improved attendance and participation in form time.
7EY: Elle R - for showing great team spirit and determination.
7MX: Grace B, Jess B, Alice C, Emma DP, Imaan L, Annabelle S and Trinity W - for your performance and contribution to the school production of Sister Act.
7PX: Olivia L - for embracing new challenges.
7PY: Lucy V - for showing kindness by successfully planning and running a farewell tutor party for another student.
Miss Canessa - Head of Year 7
Miss Linehan - Deputy Head of Year 7
For all things Year 7, please check out our
Instagram: @roseberyyear7
The start that Year 8 have made to the half-term has been as purposeful and enthusiastic as ever. This is underpinned by our expectations surrounding behaviour and uniform across the school day, which students have been reminded of this week. A big thank you and well done to those in Year 8 who consistently hold themselves to a high personal standard day in, day out!
This week, Year 8 have also heard more about the AIM Award which will be started next week. This award is designed to engage their ambition, integrity and motivation through a variety of different tasks. Miss Morris and I are so excited to see the wonderful things that Year 8 achieve with this award and the subsequent levels of this. Please do ask your daughter about their progress when they start the award.
Finally, next week marks our House Week, where students will get the chance to partake in a series of activities, sales and events over their break and lunchtimes. Our house prefects have worked so hard on this, and I really hope that Year 8 throw themselves in with the same enthusiasm and vigour they have had for everything else this year.
Have a lovely weekend!
8CX: Erica F and Evelyn W - for their fantastic efforts in the Sister Act performances.
8CY: Flo S - for a great start to the half term with her merits gained, and helping her form tutor during form time.
8EX: Mariam E - for excellent effort and great enthusiasm in maths lessons.
8EY: Bella H - for excellent group discussions in this week's form time.
8MX: Rhianna S - for determined effort across all subjects and showing excellent progress in her English lessons.
8MY: Izabella K - for thoughtful contributions to form time discussion on Thursday.
8PX: Matilda D - consistently being kind, mature and a positive role model for all her peers.
8PY: Milly P - for her wonderful work in lessons this week!
Mr Pingree - Head of Year 8
Miss Morris - Deputy Head of Year 8
It has been lovely having Year 9 back in the building, following our half term break. The vast majority have returned with a positive attitude, correct equipment and wanting to succeed. A reminder that students need a pencil case with the expected equipment in – black/blue pen, pencil, ruler, whiteboard pen, glue stick, maths equipment, scientific calculator and in some cases highlighters.
The reports for Year 9 students have been sent out this week, so if you haven’t received it, please check your ‘junk folder’ of your emails. In addition, parents’ evening appointment booking is now live for our in person parents’ evening on Thursday 29 February. Appointments will take place in the school main hall and some nearby classrooms. It is expected that students attend the appointments with their parent/carer.
We continuously work on ‘being brave’ in Year 9 and I am proud to say Elsie S 9PY has received this week’s Brave Award for being courageous in lessons this week.
Thank you in advance for your support in making sure your child has the correct equipment for their lessons and arriving to school with the correct uniform. Have a lovely weekend.
9CX: Evie C - for her consistent positive and diligent approach to school!
9CY: Emma R - for always doing the right things.
9EX: Nidhi B - for her passion in sharing her ideas for House Cheer!
9EY: Aaliyah-Zaina R - for working so hard and achieving a distinction in her Grade 6 piano exam!
9MX: Calista W - for making a great start to Rosebery life and impressing her Science teachers.
9MY: Olivia D - for her positive start after half term!
9PX: Ella P - in recognition for her contributions to the Sister Act band.
9PY: Susannah R - for being part of the team that won the V&A product design competition.
Congratulations to Elsie S 9PY for recieving a Brave Award
Mr Waight - Head of Year 9
Miss Fielding - Deputy Head of Year 9
Welcome back! We are pleased to hear that our students in Year 10 have had a good break over the half term. Whether they have been lucky enough to go abroad, or simply chilled out at home, they have returned fresh and ready to go. And what a busy week it has been!
As part of our reset at the start of each half term, we have reminded them that we have very high expectations with regards to their conduct and presentation around school. We would like to thank many students who always do the right thing and to say thank you to you, at home, for ensuring that students are punctual, working hard, and leaving their jewellery at home.
Year 10 this week have had some amazing opportunities for enrichment, including dry slope skiing; a movie afternoon (plus popcorn) for our top merit winners of last half term - 10PX; the annual French speaking competition and a brilliant teacher benchball match, organised by the Robotics Club to raise money for their equipment and for a charity challenging digital inequalities. Congratulations to everyone who took part in any of these, and keep up the hard work!
Speaking of hard work, we have two exciting opportunities for you in the Year 10 calendar. The first is our ‘Evening in the Life of a Year 10 Student', where you have the chance to sit with your child and experience life in their shoes. If you are curious about what your child gets up to in lessons, or simply want to relive your school days, please complete this form by Friday 1 March to give us an idea of numbers.
Secondly, we are offering Year 10 the chance to experience a bit of life beyond Rosebery as they complete their work experience placements in the week commencing Monday 8 July. A reminder the deadline for students to have logged the details of their placement is Monday 18 March, so please encourage them to contact employers and work their contacts to find a person whom they can shadow for the week.
10CY: Amy M - for achieving the most merits in the form on the first day back after half term and for coming in the top 3 in the form for merits last half term. Well done!
10EX: Abi S - for showing great resilience and conscientiousness when catching up with work she missed while absent.
10MX: Layla S - for having such an excellent mindset and positive attitude during her assessments last half term. Well done!
10MY: Eleanor B - for her positivity during last half term.
10PX: Prathyusha N, Sophie B and Sophie M - for their joyous, brilliant work and commitment to Sister Act, and to Evie B - for having the most merits in the form - amazing to have 242 so far this year!
10PY: Amy H, Elena T and Rosie R - for their performances in and commitment to Sister Act.
Ms Newman - Head of Year 10
Mr Hewett - Deputy Head of Year 10
It's been a busy return for Year 11, who have worked so hard this week in the lead up to their mock exams. As a school, we have overseen a reset with a big focus on uniform, and I just want to thank students who consistently wear the correct school uniform. Furthermore, it was a pleasure to see Year 11 students' dishes they made in their Food Preparation & Nutrition NEAs this week. Teachers were overjoyed at getting the opportunity to try all their wonderful food. Well done to all!
Next week, we start our first round of mock exams, and we just want to take this chance to say good luck. The time and effort that Year 11 have put into their revision over half term and how studious they have been in class is a testament to their determination. As a reminder, students should be in school to register before heading off to their exams, and they are also in their own clothes for this round of mocks. Year 11 students will be given a lanyard with a photo ID on Monday, and they must remember this for every exam.
We have complete faith that this will be a big success for Year 11 and we are so proud of them. We cannot wait to reward them for all their hard work. Good luck, you have got this!
11CX: Emily W - for the fantastic trifle she made for her FPN NEA.
11CY: Olivia T - for completing her lifeguard qualification over half-term.
11EX: Phoebe D - for excellent effort and for consistently trying her best.
11EY: Holly S - for her punctuality, hard-work and determination.
11MX: Swami M - for wearing perfect uniform consistently.
11MY: Jasmine-Lily R - for fantastic effort and hard work with revision.
11PX: Diandra N - for her effort and hard work in interventions.
11PY: Darcy W - for her improved punctuality.
Miss Foster - Head of Year 11
Ms Godwin - Deputy Head of Year 11
Please find our Spring Term Extra-curricular Timetables linked HERE.
I am so proud of the cast, band and crew of Sister Act! They worked tirelessly to create a memorable show and demonstrated creativity, dedication and commitment through the whole process. Work on the show started back in September with auditions and we didn't look back - what a great cast we had! And the biggest cast in a school production at Rosebery! We are so impressed with the talented students we have in this school; you are all amazing and great fun to work with.
Thank you to everyone who supported the show: the staff, the parents, the PSA and everyone who came along to watch!
Mrs Dever - Head of Drama
When Sister Act was first mentioned as a school show, I thought I Could Be That (musical) Guy. It turned out that setting the show in St Pauls was The Perfect Place for such a spectacle and the cast really did Raise Their Voice. At times it felt like we really Didn’t Have A Prayer but the cast proved beyond doubt that it is Good To Be A Nun. Not only did we rehearse several days a week after school, we worked hard on three Sundays and managed to avoid the dreaded Sunday Morning Fever. Special mention to the incredible band who assembled a West End soundtrack in just three weeks, they really did Take Us To Heaven. At times I considered dressing up as a Lady in the Long Black Dress, but no-one needs to see that. It’s been a privilege to be part of an amazing cast, crew and staff team, helping to Spread The Love Around.
Mr Holloway - Head of Music
Next week is House charity week and we are so excited to bring together the Rosebery community whilst raising lots of money for worthwhile causes. The house that raises the most money will win 500 points! The deputy head girls for house explain more about their plans HERE.
InvestIN Education are running a series of online interactive sessions. These sessions serve as a great introduction to a range of industries, while giving students an opportunity to hear from a professional and participate in an interactive career simulation. Please click HERE to find out more and to sign up.
Congratulations to our 50/50 Club Winners for this month!
1st prize - £85.50 – Amanda Spavins
2nd prize - £51.30 - Helen Temlett
3rd prize - £34.20 – Amanda Scally
Can you spare an hour or two to help us serve refreshments at school events? We need more help on Thursday 29 February. Please sign up by clicking HERE.
We are looking for your help in restocking our school’s Pre-Loved Uniform Shop. As the school year progresses, our stock is running low and we rely on your generosity to ensure that all students have access to affordable uniform and PE kits.
If your child has outgrown their uniform or PE kit, please donate it to the PSA and drop it off at school Reception. To buy pre-loved uniform, please email psauniform@roseberyschool.co.uk with your wish list.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 12 March 2024 6.30pm - 7.45pm at school. All parents and carers are welcome. For more information, please contact roseberypsa@hotmail.co.uk .
You can follow us on our Instagram page (@roseberyschool) for updates on events, opportunities and more at Rosebery.
Congratulations to Candace S 9CY, Lottie S 9MY and Susannah R 9PY
All Year 9 Product Design students entered the V&A Innovate competition, in the Autumn term this year, responding to the themes of 'Restore', 'Play' and 'Sense'.
From the 226 entries received from across the country in years 7, 8 and 9, I am delighted to share that the judging panel have selected a Rosebery team as one of the ten finalists this year. Candace S, Lottie S and Susannah R responded to the theme 'Sense' and have designed a soothing sensory neck device for children on the autistic spectrum. They are invited to attend a Pitching & Awards Day at the V&A in South Kensington to pitch their ideas to this years judges which include:
Jay Blades: Eco-designer and Presenter of The Repair Shop
Victoria Jenkins: Garment Technologist and Founder of Unhidden
Camille Walala: Designer and Founder of Studio Walala
Helen Charman: V&A Director of Learning
This is an exciting opportunity for the team to present their ideas to the judges and other finalists, take part in creative workshops, and be in with the chance of winning one of the V&A Innovate Awards. The overall winning team this year will also receive a free workshop. This is such an achievement and we wish Candace, Lottie and Susannah the very best of luck!
Read more about all shortlisted teams HERE.
Congratulations to Alice S 9CX who has completed the Reading Bingo challenge. She has earned 16 merits and a book of her choice!
“I loved the main character and her journey throughout the books. I love the world of faerie that the author created and I wish it was real”
Alice C 8PX
“All about a girl who starts high school and gets embarrassed in front of her crush. Perfect for anyone starting high school”
Chloe R 7EY
“Poisons and potions and confusing love stories. Nationwide hunts and a cure to find. What happens next is shocking”
Morgan W 7MY
“Very funny, engaging and hugely entertaining. My favourite character is far and away, Virgo”
Lottie D 9EX
Year 7: Lily S 7CY
Year 8: Sreeya K 8PY
Year 9: Lois T 9PX
Year 10: Olivia B 10EY
Year 11: Isabel L 11EY
Merryn H 9CX and Sara V 10EX
Miss Watson - Maths Teacher
On Tuesday 20 February, three students represented Rosebery as part of the French Speaking Competition organised jointly by the Rotary Club of Epsom & Ewell and the Epsom & Ewell Town Twinning Association. Annabelle B 8MX read a beautiful poem ('Voilà la Rose', by Elodie Santos) as part of the Junior category, while Matilda S 10PX and Iris A 10CX competed in the Intermediate category, presenting short speeches in fluent French and facing a tough interrogation from the judging panel. I was so proud of all three of them and the wonderful French on show and am happy to share that both Iris and Annabelle were awarded 2nd place in their respective categories. Félicitations!
Ms Newman - MFL Teacher
Friday Live is restarting next week! We are so excited to hear your performances. To sign up, please scan the QR code to sign up for next Friday.
We are so proud of Aaliyah-Zaina R 9EY for achieving a Distinction in her Grade 6 Piano. This is no easy feat and you worked so hard to achieve this. Congratulations!
Miss McCall - Music Teacher
The RS department were proud to take 32 inquisitive and thoughtful Year 11 GCSE students to Southwark Cathedral this week, to look at religion in practice. The day included a guided tour of the cathedral with an informative talk on its various aspects that reflect religious beliefs. A highlight of the day was the opportunity for the students to pose questions to the Sub Dean Rev. Michael. These questions varied from enquiring about the motivation to become clergy, to the more controversial issues of assisted dying and current world events. A purposeful and joyous day was had by all.
"I had such a lovely time at Southwark cathedral, I felt so welcomed to the church and I loved learning Christian views on political topics!"
Gracie N 11CY
"I loved the trip to Southwark Cathedral with the RS department because I found it a very eye-opening experience, not just when learning about the cathedral and finding out about the traditions and symbolism within the church of England, but also finding my own beliefs and values from Islam in the priest's answers during the Q&A session. Also, we go to go the gift shop at the end which was a great conclusion to a great day!"
Mubeen B 11PY
"I really enjoyed the trip to Southwark Cathedral, despite not being religious myself, it was interesting to see such an important place for many Christians. It felt extremely special to get the opportunity to wear bishop clothing and sit in his seat. Also getting the chance to have an open conversation with a member of the clergy was extremely insightful, and I feel that his answers to our questions will benefit me when it comes to my exams. The trip allowed me to put things I've learnt into perspective, while also learning more."
Jasmine-Lily R 11MY
Mrs Watson - Head of Religious Studies
The next Wellbeing Café for students in Years 7 to 10 will be at lunchtime on Friday 1 March in the Main Hall. The Café is hosted by our Wellbeing Ambassadors and students can enjoy a hot chocolate whilst engaging in craft activities and games.
National College has produced a useful guide on self-regulation, which is available by clicking HERE.
Mrs Jenns - Hive Manager
Rosebery Street Dance classes from Motion Dance take place on Wednesdays from 3.10pm - 4.10pm in the Sports Hall Dance Studio. All students are welcome and we hope to see lots of you there!
To book your free trial, please click HERE.
Year 7
Ms Jacob has nominated Lucy V 7PY for her kindness in planning and running a successful farewell tutor party for another student, Mrs Massoudi has nominated Zainab H and Melissa B 7PY, Chloe B and Aimee L 7MY, Jasmine L and Olivia S 7EY, Saanvi M, Jude Y and Neve K 7CY for always being ready to learn in each Maths lesson and for showing great enthusiasm, curiosity and determination and Miss Fielding has nominated Lily S, Jinan A-A, Ivy C and Emilia H 7MY for their thoughtful contributions to PDC lesson on relationships.
Year 8
Miss Fielding has nominated Auguste M and Kaylee S 8MX for their hard work and excellent knowledge of basketball in our lesson and Clara G and Francesca B 8MY for their excellent knowledge and participation to questioning in basketball and Mr Lowde has nominated Freya A and Fiona W 8CY for excellent results in their Forces end of topic quiz in Science.
Year 9
Miss McCall has nominated Ava W, Lily Mae W, Saachi E, Mariana R, Hailey C and Abi P 9EY for always demonstrating integrity in form time and around the school.
Year 11
Miss Fielding has nominated Lucie M 11PY, Emily C 11EX, Lydia O 11CY and Lauren D 11CX for their excellent effort and contributions in their GCSE PE lessons, Miss Fletcher has nominated Keira K 11MY for being very disciplined in her approach to improve her sociological knowledge and application to exam questions. Keira has drafted a number of answers in her own time and has sought feedback, which shows excellent determination. Mr Chamberlain has nominated Camille C 11EX, Matilda T 11MX, Maisie W 11MY, Maia Y 11CY, Elena E and Jessica R 11EY for their superb homework on the Wall Street Crash.