ISSUE 43

31 January 2025

Scroll to view

Dear Parents and Carers

It has been a challenging and emotional week for Rosebery staff, with Miss Devonish’s funeral taking place on Wednesday, so I just wanted to say a final thank you to all our Rosebery families (past and present) for the kindness and support you have shown us throughout this period. We have also passed on our thanks to St Martin’s Church in Epsom, for hosting colleagues who were not able to travel to Tooting for the funeral.

Today we say farewell to our Taiwanese visitors; it’s been a joy to host them and I know our students have really benefitted from getting to know them and understand a little more about their culture. We also hosted our Elephant’s Tea Party this afternoon, with our Year 7 students, which is a hugely important initiative to help young people talk about and cope with bereavement. You can click HERE to find out more.

I am grateful to Year 12 families for attending Parents’ Evening yesterday, as their A Level studies are now well underway, and we look forward to welcoming Year 7 families to their first Rosebery Parents’ Evening this coming Thursday.

Throughout the week a range of activities and interventions have continued to support our Year 11 and Year 13 cohorts as they hurtle towards their public examinations this Summer, and I know this continues next week with further Geography fieldwork visits, Music compositions, and a Product Design NEA day.

For many of our students in Years 7, 8 and 9, mid-year assessments are now coming to an end, and I’d like to thank them for their diligence and hard work throughout this period. It’s nearly time for Year 8 students to start thinking about their Curriculum Refinement choices, and after Easter, Year 9 students will need to finalise their GCSE options – how time flies!

Next week also sees House Netball take place on Monday (Year 9), Tuesday (Year 8) and Wednesday (Year 7) – good luck girls – and rehearsals for the School Production enter their final stages. Please do check the link later in Rosebery News and book your tickets for the show.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Mr David Lach

HEADTEACHER

Change of date - GLF Inset Day/Staff Conference

Please note that the GLF INSET Day & Staff Conference, previously scheduled for 27 June 2025 has been moved to Friday 11 July 2025. As a result, the school will now be open as usual on the 27 June, but closed to students on the 11 July.

This is also true for the following academic year, with term dates now updated to reflect that the GLF Staff Conference will take place on Friday 10 July 2026, noting that the school will be closed to students on this day, as an INSET day.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused to any eagle-eyed advanced planners!

TABLE OF CONTENTS - click to jump to an entry

Rosebery Street Dance

Key Dates - all dates subject to change

Week 2: w/c Monday 3 February

Monday 3 February - Friday 7 February

Y7 & Y8 Rolling Read - period 4

Monday 3 February

House Netball - Year 9

Y12/13 Theatre Trip - Cabaret

Tuesday 4 February

Y11 Geography Field Trip, Guildford

School Production rehearsal

House Netball - Year 8

Wednesday 5 February

Y11 Geography Field Trip, Guildford

House Netball - Year 7

Y12/13 University College London Observatory Trip

Thursday 6 February

Y7 Parents Evening (on-site)

Friday 7 February

First Tech Robotics Cake Sale

Week 1: w/c Monday 10 February

Monday 10 February - Friday 14 February

Y7 & Y8 Rolling Read - period 5

Monday 10 February

Y7 SEN Parents' Evening (virtual)

Wednesday 12 February

School Production

Thursday 13 February

School Production

Friday 14 February

School Production

Head of Year Entries

YEAR 7

This week, Year 7 students participated in the Elephant's Tea Party, a thoughtful initiative created by the Child Bereavement UK charity, aimed at helping children and young people understand and process grief. Through this programme, our students engaged in sensitive discussions and activities that explored the emotions associated with loss, as well as learning how to support themselves and others through difficult times. It was a powerful experience and I am proud of how the girls showed empathy, respect, and maturity as they navigated these important conversations. For more information on resources used this week, or for guidance on how to support your daughter, please visit the Year 7 website by clicking HERE. Alternatively, you can email Child Bereavement UK directly at support@childbereavementuk.org or call the charity’s helpline (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm) on 08000 288840.

A special thank you to the Year 7 students who have been buddies to our Taiwanese visitors this week. Your kindness and generosity in welcoming our guests have made a real difference. As the visitors prepare to depart on Friday, we wish them all the best and I am sure the bonds formed this week will be cherished by everyone involved.

Finally, a huge well done to Sophia C 7PY, Taylor W 7PX, Kaitlyn D 7CX, Lauren K 7PY, and Olivia C 7MY who represented Epsom Ultimate Frisbee Club for their team, the Epsom Eagles, last Saturday at the BYU Indoor Tournament in Brighton. They won 1st place in the Under 14s mixed regional teams and 3rd overall, giving the under 17s some tough competition. Their coach said “having recently won the U14 National Championships, it’s great to see our girls’ team getting some new recruits from Rosebery School. All the girls played so well and the ones that are new to the sport are picking it up so quickly. We’re really proud of all of them". #RemarkableandProud

⭐ STARS OF THE WEEK ⭐

7CX: Sylvie S - for becoming an All-England Champion in Irish Dancing last weekend. Congratulations Sylvie!

7CY: Amelia D – for her fantastic effort and success in her Science lessons and assessment.

7EX: Lucy G - for her excellent contributions in form time.

7EY: Pippa T - for organising the House Netball team.

7MX: Lia R – for demonstrating kindness and positivity everyday.

7MY: Amelia S - for her kindness and helpfulness in form time everyday.

7PX: Leja P - for having a positive attitude this term and for achieving lots of merits.

7PY: Marie G – for being super hardworking, caring and brave in form time this week.

Ms Godwin

Head of Year 7

Miss Monk

Deputy Head of Year 7

For all things Year 7, please check out our Instagram (@roseberyyear7) and the Year 7 Website

YEAR 8

This week, as we said goodbye to Miss Devonish, we encouraged our Year 8 students to honour her memory by focusing on kindness and completing a random act of kindness. We have been overwhelmed with the heart-warming responses and have really enjoyed reading about all the lovely things that Year 8 have been doing. Here are just a few of the thoughtful acts that stood out:

One student helped their mum by feeding their guinea pigs, making their mum’s day a little easier.
Another student gave up their seat on the train for an elderly woman, showing kindness and respect for others in the community.
A student baked lunchtime treats for their friends, spreading joy through delicious homemade goodies.
Another helped their younger brother with his homework, demonstrating patience and support for their family.

These small but meaningful actions show how kindness can brighten someone’s day, no matter how big or small the gesture. We are so proud of the Year 8 students for embracing this challenge and embodying the values that Miss Devonish held dear.

⭐ STARS OF THE WEEK ⭐

8CX: Elsie T - for always being so positive and happy each day and for lifting up everyone's spirits.

8CY: Carys T - for being a wonderful friend and for supporting others.

8EX: Violet W - for her proactive attitude and commitment to her learning, especially with her consistent attendance at LRH support on Fridays. Keep it up!

8EY: Sienna W, Elle R, Mini B, Francesca A, Saanvi M and Sophia P - for showing great team spirit.

8MX: Trinity W and Holly W - for being such amazing buddies to our Taiwanese guests.

8MY: Isla L - for putting herself forward for the JLT.

8PX: Lucy T, Sarah M and Esme E - for kindness shown towards the Taiwanese students.

8PY: Amber C - for being kind and supportive to visiting students.

Mrs Hatfield-Giraux

Head of Year 8

Mrs Waple

Deputy Head of Year 8

YEAR 9

This week has been a fantastic one for Year 9! The assessment window is always a challenging time, but I have been so impressed with how well everyone has handled it. Your focus, resilience, and positive attitude have really stood out - well done!

Looking ahead, we have some exciting events on the horizon. Next week, we’ll see some friendly competition in the House Netball tournament and, as ever, going along to watch the house events is one of my favourite parts of each half term. Then, in just two weeks, the school performance of Peter Pan will take to the stage - it's shaping up to be an incredible show, no less because we have so many Year 9s in both casts (with both leads coming from Year 9 too)!

Finally, I’d like to congratulate Hayley L 9MY for her recent performance in the French Junior open for badminton. To reach the quarter finals in your doubles competition really is such a wonderful achievement, and we’re proud of you for your dedication and commitment to your sporting passion!

Keep up the great work, Year 9!

Mr Pingree

Head of Year 9

Ms Cooke

Deputy Head of Year 9

YEAR 10

Year 10 should have had a session within PDC about work experience by now. Students will be guided through how to write to companies via email or a letter requesting a placement between Monday 30 June and Friday 4 July. We are using an online platform called Unifrog where students should log their placement details so that we can then check the companies.

Work experience will have different impacts on each individual. Some students might already have an idea of what they want to have a career in and therefore will have researched companies and opportunities already. Others might not know, and therefore might just want to experience what a working week is like. My advice would be for students to think outside the box and talk to adults they know and see what opportunities are available to them. You would also need to consider how as a parent/carer you can support your child getting to the workplace and back.

I will be sending out some key dates for Year 10 next week so you can add them to your diary. Please note, however, they are subject to change.

This week, students have navigated their way through a busy week of assessments, revision and planning for the remainder of this very short half term. I have been particularly impressed with the commitment of those involved in our school production of Peter Pan. If you haven’t already got tickets, make sure you do before they sell out!

🏅 BRAVE AWARD 🏅

10CX: Yasmin N and Alice S - for their enrolments as Year 10 Prefect and House Captain for Curie (respectively).

10CY: Chloe H - for putting lots of effort into her Physics revision.

10EX: Lottie D - for standing up and speaking in the Senior Prefect Team assemblies.

10EY: Antonia R - for leading her group during a recent Peter Pan school production rehearsal.

10MX: Amy B - for completing her LAMDA exam.

10MY: Matilda S - for her enrolment as House Captain.

10PX: Ella P - for completing work experience at a photo studio in London.

10PY: Lucy H - for getting back on her horse after falling off during show-jumping.

Mr Waight

Head of Year 10

Miss Fielding

Deputy Head of Year 10

YEAR 11

It is a great privilege of this role to be able to sing the praises of such a talented cohort week after week, and we make no apology for continuing the theme again here.

It has been another very busy week for Year 11, with the first of our Geography field trips taking place in Guildford, enabling students to collect essential data for their own analyses. We were delighted to hear glowing reports from all the staff who took groups this week, all of whom said that the Year 11 geographers conducted themselves impeccably, with respect to both members of the public and to each other. In addition, the Year 11 RS students who visited Southwark Cathedral last week were another group of exemplary representatives for the school. The students who attended last week’s trip to Oxford University must also be highly commended, as at the time of last week’s Rosebery News, we were not able to share with you the way in which staff at St Hilda’s College, Oxford commented on their maturity and engagement throughout the day. And if that wasn’t enough, Drama NEAs have been prepared and performed this week, and rehearsals for the school play are continuing full steam ahead.

This week in Assembly, Year 11 were treated to the first glimpse of their Pre-Public Exam (PPE) timetable. This second set of mocks begin straight after half term, so we would welcome your support in helping your child to schedule revision time. More importantly, your support is vital in helping students decide how exactly they will use their time: will it be a knowledge quiz, making some notes or a past paper? If you are unsure of what students should do, please ask to see the resources provided by class teachers, most of which will have been uploaded to Google Classroom. There, you can find detailed guidance on what and how to revise.

When Year 11 are working so hard, it is hard to pick just one student each week who can win our Rosebery Remarkable award, however, this week we are glad to celebrate Freya B 11PX, who has shown incredible resilience these past few weeks and who always comes into school with a smile and a sense of determination. We are so proud of you Freya!

Ms Newman

Head of Year 11

Mr Hewett

Deputy Head of Year 11

House Points

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

CURIE

60,232

ELIZABETH

54,057

PANKHURST

53,474

MALALA

52,364

Taiwanese Exchange

It has been a pleasure to host our 19 Taiwanese exchange and their two teachers over the past fortnight. They have truly immersed themselves into Rosebery life and been such a joyful addition to our Year 7 and 8 classrooms. To give you a true insight into the experience our Year 7 and 8 buddies have shared over the past two weeks, I’d like to share with you Amber C 8PY's heartfelt farewell speech from our party during Period 5 today.

Hello and Ni Hao (Hello),

When I received the email, informing me that I had been selected to represent the school as a Buddy for our Taiwanese guests, I felt a profound sense of pride and honour. The weekend prior to their arrival, I was thrilled at the prospect of a pleasurable experience and when the two weeks commenced, I was truly elated. When the time had come to meet, my exhilaration had hit its peak!

I can only imagine how daunting it must be to travel to a new, far-reaching country, meet unfamiliar faces and engage in a new culture, however my Buddy surpassed my expectations. After a prolonged and extensive first day, we were handed the task of preforming duologs from script in Drama, my favourite subject and Tinas too, as I came to learn. Our teacher had asked us if we would like to preform our duologue in front of the class and despite having only recently adjusted to unfamiliar surroundings, she did not refuse. So, without hesitation, we performed an outstanding piece of creative art, leaving me in awe of how courageous she had been.

I have developed a deeper understanding of the Taiwanese culture through comprehensive research as well as plenty of conversations with my Buddy. I now have deep admiration for the traditional festivals and cuisine that are fundamental to everyday life in Taiwan. As I have come to acknowledge, their culture shares similar qualities with ours, especially in the sense that both communities value hard work, patience, humility, and respect for others. This sense of unity, I believe, should be something everyone values around the world.

Tina has actively participated in all class activities and has even assisted me in understanding complex equations within maths, which I was very appreciative of. This invaluable experience has taught me that anything is within reach if we approach it with ambition and passion. If Tina can travel halfway across the world, stay with host families she has never met and attend a school where a different language is spoken, it serves as a reminder to the fact that anything is within our grasp if we tackle challenges with a positive mindset and the courage to embrace new experiences.

Thank you and Kam-Sia-li (Thank you).

I am incredibly grateful to all of our students who acted as buddies or warmly welcomed our visitors into their lessons. Both visiting teachers couldn't stop praising their enthusiasm and kindness!

Miss Canessa - Director of Student Experience, Citizenship & Transition

School Production

During the past two weeks, we have had lots of fun rehearsing the Pirate song and the big battle scene in Act 2. We have also moved our rehearsals into the school hall and taken part in a five-hour rehearsal on Tuesday evening, with a six-hour rehearsal to come on Sunday! We are enormously proud of all the hard work this fantastic cast have put in!

Continuing our meet the cast profiles, today we introduce the actors who play the characters of Hook and her Pirate crew, Tiger Lily, the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell.

We can’t wait to share our magical production with you. Tickets are on sale now. Get yours by clicking HERE.

Meet the Hooks

Hook is the Captain of the Jolly Roger, and spends half her time trying to capture Peter Pan and the other half trying to evade the Crocodile who bit off her hand. Vain and cruel, the only thing she loves as much as herself is her dog, Noodler.

Ella C 10PX (left), is the Cast 1 Captain Hook. She attends Stagecoach and takes dance and singing lessons outside of school. Ella studies Drama and Music GCSE and portrayed Ernie in last year's production of Sister Act.

“I wanted to be a part of the school production because I love acting, and all things drama and the school production is a great opportunity to do this. I love meeting all the cast, making new friends, talking to new people, and watching everyone else act and have fun.”

Iris A 11CX (right), is the Cast 2 Captain Hook. Iris studies Drama and Music GCSE and has performed in Rosebery’s previous productions of Matilda and Sister Act.

Iris is the Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for Surrey, representing Ranger Guides.

“My favourite part so far has been doing the song with all the other pirates because it’s really nice to be part of a group when everyone is enjoying themselves, and also because the song is quite funny (especially the bits with the dog)!”

Meet the Pirates

Captain Hook’s crew of Pirates are very loyal, but not very clever. They will do anything to please their Captain, including thinking up many silly ideas and carrying out Hook’s plans which always seem to go wrong.

Pirates, Cast 1

L-R

Kaitlyn G 9EY as Cookson - Kaitlyn has performed in Rosebery’s previous productions of Shrek and Sister Act. Kaitlyn likes that her character Cookson, is not afraid to stop someone from going against Hook’s word.
Olivia B 9MX as Cecco - Olivia took part in Rosebery’s production of Sister Act and had a great experience. She is looking forward to continuing with GCSE Drama in Year 10.
Lois T 10PX as Smee - Lois takes GCSE Drama and performed in Rosebery’s previous production of Sister Act.
Abby B 9PX as Starkey - Abby enjoyed the Peter Pan read throughs and dialogue rehearsals the most, as even if she was not in the scene, she loved to watch the rehearsals. Abby was a part of Rosebery’s previous productions of Shrek and Sister Act.
Lottie D 10EX as Jukes - Lottie wanted to be a part of the school production as she loves drama. Lottie takes GCSE Drama and performed in Rosebery’s previous productions of Shrek and Sister Act.

Pirates, Cast 2

L-R

Tom C 12F as Starkey - Tom takes dance lessons and was previously in Rosebery’s production of Matilda. Tom wanted a final chance to be part of a school production before Year 13 started.
Kai T 12B as Jukes - Kai loves drama, acting and Pirates. Kai performed in Rosebery’s previous production of Shrek as one of the Storytellers.
Georgia P 11CX as Smee - Georgia takes acting and Lamda lessons at YPS. Georgia has enjoyed playing Smee as he is unintentionally funny and the perfect sidekick for the cruel Captain Hook.
Sophia T 12F as Cecco - Sophia takes A Level Drama and has previously performed in Rosebery’s production of Shrek as the Dragon.
Sylvie M 12F as Cookson - Sylvie enjoyed creating comical moves for the battle scenes in Peter Pan. Sylvie attends Laine Theatre Arts and has taken part in Rosebery’s previous productions of Matilda, Shrek, and Sister Act

Meet the Tiger Lilys

Tiger Lily is brave and fearless. As an ally of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys she is always there to help them. Tiger Lily is a strong and independent woman, carving out her own unique path in life.

Molly U 8PY (left), is the Cast 2 Tiger Lily.

Molly portrayed a Core Nun in last year’s production of Sister Act and previously attended Musical Theatre classes at Laine Theatre Arts. Molly achieved Grade 6 in Singing.

“I love how strong and passionate Tiger Lily is and I'm very privileged to be playing this great character.”

Amber C 8PY (right), is the Cast 1 Tiger Lily.

Amber attends Musical Theatre classes at Laine Theatre Arts and has achieved Grade 4 in Singing. She has performed in two pantomimes and portrayed one of the Core Nuns in Rosebery’s production of Sister Act.

“The "Where are You" song rehearsal has been my favourite rehearsal as I really got to embrace the character of Tiger Lily and sing with my cast as a team."

Meet the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell

The Lost Boys fell out of their prams as babies and ended up in Neverland, or that’s how Peter Pan tells it. They are one big family and very loyal to Peter Pan. When Wendy arrives to be their mother, they love her games and stories.

Tinkerbell can be a very naughty fairy, especially when she tries to hurt Wendy. She can also be a truly kind and helpful one, when she saves Peter Pan’s life. Make sure you bring your belief in fairies to our production.

Lost Boys and Tinkerbell, Cast 1

Back row L-R

Rose HL 9EX as Twin 1 - Rose participates in singing, dancing and Lamda lessons. She has taken part in Rosebery’s previous productions of Shrek, as one of the Three Little Pigs and Sister Act as a Core Nun. Rose really enjoys rehearsing the scenes featuring the twins as they get to be very silly together.
Megan E 9EX as Twin 2 - Megan takes singing lessons. She has performed in Rosebery’s previous productions of Shrek and Sister Act as a Core Nun.
Mariana R 10EY as Nibs - Mariana performed in Rosebery’s production of Sister Act and participates in drama and Lamda lessons. Mariana’s favourite rehearsal has been the Lost Boys dinner scene.
Antonia R 10EY as Tootles - Antonia is really looking forward to performing onstage with the rest of the cast. She participates in drama and Lamda lessons and performed in Rosebery’s previous production of Sister Act.
Carina G 10EY as Curly - Carina takes dance lessons. She likes that the curious and playful personalities of the Lost Boys are very similar to her own personality.
Macy M 10MX as Slightly - Macey takes GCSE Drama and wants to improve her drama skills by performing in Peter Pan.
Amelia OF 9PY as Twin 4 - Amelia attends Stagecoach and participates in Lamda, dance and singing lessons. She has previously performed in Rosebery’s productions of Shrek as one of the Three Little Pigs and is really looking forward to performing for the Peter Pan audience.
Billy Y 10EY (seated) as Tinkerbell - Billie attends Laine Theatre Arts and takes dance lessons. Billie thought taking part in Peter Pan would be a fun opportunity.

Lost Boys and Tinkerbell, Cast 2

Back row L-R

Amber S 10CY as Twin 1 - Amber takes GCSE Drama.
Tiana W 10PX as Twin 2 - Tiana takes GCSE Drama. She is really looking forward to performing in Peter Pan as this is her first school production since moving to the UK.
Lois D 11EY as Tootles - Lois is enjoying portraying a comic character in Peter Pan. She takes GCSE drama, Lamda lessons and attends Stagecoach. She portrayed Curtis in Rosebery’s previous production of Sister Act.
Regan P 11EY as Nibs - The most exciting Peter Pan rehearsal that Regan has attended has been the Wendy house rehearsal, as she was able to see the dynamics of the cast as they worked together. Regan has previously performed in Rosebery’s production of Sister Act.
Bethany C 9CX as Twin 3
Violet A 9CX as Twin 4 - Violet attends Stagecoach and has been in many productions. She has enjoyed performing lines with her friends in the Peter Pan rehearsals.

Front row L-R

Alice C 8MX as Slightly - Alice really enjoyed being part of Sister Act last year and wanted to get involved again. Alice attends Stagecoach.
Leila P 10EY as Tinkerbell - Leila attends a theatre school and has taken Lamda lessons. She is looking forward to acting with everyone and getting into character.
Imaan L 8MX as Curly - Imaan likes her character of Curly as she is full of energy and has a great sense of humour. Imaan previously performed in Rosebery’s production of Sister Act.

Mrs House-Lee - Drama Teacher

Maths

Sparx Maths - Stars of the Week

YEAR 7

Lia R 7MX

Zahrah S 7PX

Charmaine W 7MY

Arwen K 7MX

Laguna W 7EX

YEAR 8

Morgan W 8MY

Penny C 8EY

Malia L 8EY

Sophia F 8EY

Alice M 8PX

YEAR 9

Sreeya K 9PY

Chloe L 9EY

Bea T 9MY

Abi P 9PX

Izzie M 9PX

YEAR 10

Freya B 10PY

Sofia A 10MY

Mia H-E 10MY

Darby B 10CX

Sophia S 10MY

YEAR 11

Jessica F 11CY

Tasneem I 11CY

Tilly W 11MY

Mia C 11PY

Keira E 11PY

Mrs Rathore - Maths Teacher

Music

Friday Live

Congratulations and thank you to Erin O 7MX, Jocelyn S 7CX, Arlia P 7CX (performing for the second Friday in a row) and Sophia P 8EY, who performed really well last Friday. If your daughter would like to perform (or you think they should perform) then please email dholloway1@roseberyschool.co.uk

Extra-curricular Music Events

Instrumental Lessons

We are very fortunate at Rosebery to have a fabulous team of peripatetic teachers so please click HERE to find out more information if you interested in getting lessons for your daughter.

Currently we have spaces for clarinet, flute, saxophone and brass (instruments are available to hire from the department too)

If you have daughters who have recently taken grade exams, please email dholloway1@roseberyschool.co.uk so that we can celebrate their success.

Mr Holloway - Head of Music

Sport

Indoor Athletics

The Year 7 indoor athletics event featured an array of races and field events. The obstacle relay showcased teamwork, with each student completing their part of the race with speed and some interesting styles of forward roles. The 2, 4, 6, and 8-lap races demonstrated impressive pace. The 4x2 relay brought excitement, as teams ran to secure a winning spot. In the field events, shot put, standing long jump and standing triple jump, Miss Elms and I were impressed to see the students strength, co-ordination and determination to do well, while the speed bounce challenged agility and speed. Overall it was a highly competitive event, with each participant giving their best performance. Well done to all the girls involved, your hard work and enthusiasm was a joy to watch!

Miss Fielding - PE Teacher

The Hive

Wellbeing Café

The next Wellbeing Café will take place on Friday 7 February in the Main Hall, where students can come along and take part in activities, whilst having a hot chocolate and a chat.

Family Information Service

There is a new 'Parenting Courses and Advice' page on the Family Information Service website. This includes a new ‘Upcoming Courses’ tab, which has the names/dates and contact details of parenting courses and support in Surrey. Click HERE to view.

Mrs Jenns - Hive Manager

Rosebery Street Dance

Please see the image below for more information about Rosebery Street Dance classes taking place on Wednesdays from 3.10pm to 4.10pm.

Page updated

Report abuse