Welcome back! We hope the half term break provided a well-earned rest and a chance for students to recharge after a busy and demanding start to the school year. We continue to be impressed by how well Year 7 have adapted to the transition to secondary school - it's a significant change, and they’ve handled it with maturity and resilience.

It’s been lovely to see students return settled and enthusiastic, sharing their joyful Weekly Wins with their tutor groups. These moments of positivity are a wonderful reflection of their growing confidence and sense of belonging.

Year 7 have also been given an exciting opportunity to lead the school’s fundraising efforts for Children in Need. Each form is planning a unique activity, aiming to raise as much money as possible for this important cause. Thank you in advance for your support - whether that’s helping students gather materials or encouraging them in their sponsorship efforts, if that’s their chosen activity.

Please note: if students are planning to sell food items, these must be clearly labelled with a full list of ingredients to ensure allergens are identified.

We’re also looking forward to our Children in Need Movie Night on Thursday 13 November 2025. A shortlist of films will be shared and put to a vote - so watch this space! Final details will be confirmed via email, so please keep an eye out.

🏆 WEEKLY WINS 🏆

7CX: Courtney M-F, Zoe V, Emma K and Belles T all achieved new gymnastics moves.

7EX: Mira W passed Grade 5 theory for piano(!), Ella D and Nirvayah A received ‘Mastering’ in their Drama exam, and Issy B-S got into the football team!

7MX: Lily A has mastered the Rubik's cube and is now taking on the mirror cube, while Lily H got into a dressage competition. 

7PX: Katie M will be performing 'Oklahoma!' at Epsom Playhouse.

7PY: Hattie W managed to get her very stubborn horse, Floyd, to trot, at last(!), Phoebe S will be performing at the Epsom Playhouse in 'Oklahoma!', Elizabeth C achieved her backtuck in gymnastics, Darcey C achieved her Upstart and her Fly-Away, and Lucy W won a horse-riding competition on her horse, Pixie!

The first week of Autumn 2 is complete, and Year 8 have returned to school rested, recharged, and ready for the term ahead! On Tuesday, students took part in an assembly focused on our expectations, routines, and goals for this half term. We explored how we can achieve our three key aims for the autumn term: improving lesson behaviour, developing integrity, and being kind to one another. To help support these aims, I’ve introduced a  Lesson Behaviour Loyalty Card — think of it like the Costa Coffee app, but with a Year 8 twist! Students can earn stamps for demonstrating positive learning behaviours such as stepping outside their comfort zone, staying focused in class, or producing excellent homework.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Year 8 discussed our annual Children in Need fundraising event. Students have been expressing their creative ideas for sponsored activities — from crazy hair days and gingerbread decorating to a sponsored walk to a particular country. To add to the fun, we’ll also be hosting a Children in Need Movie Night on Friday 14th November, 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Students will vote together on the film choice, and we can’t wait to see everyone there. Who knows - maybe Pudsey Bear will make another special appearance this year!

I have had the pleasure this week of visiting lessons and observing some truly outstanding work from our students. Well done to 8PY in English with Mrs Kay, who worked collaboratively on their dystopian stories — it was fantastic to see such creativity and teamwork in action. 8MY were using mini whiteboards to explore promote messy thinking before committing ideas to their books, showing the importance of taking risks and developing confidence in their learning.

This week’s special shoutouts go to

• Mia S 8PX - Mrs Watson was exceptionally proud of Mia’s high-quality and beautifully presented booklet in Food, Nutrition and Preparation

• Verity W 8EY - for her dedication and pride in completing her Geography homework for Mr Boreham – a picture is attached!

Looking ahead, the Year 8 football team are busy, with matches against Oaks Park on Monday and Three Rivers on Thursday - good luck, girls! We can’t wait to hear how you get on. Next week also marks the launch of our new tutor time activities. Mindful Mondays will focus on context scenarios for Year 8 in particular which the students will discuss and find solutions to - for example, managing feelings of being overwhelmed with homework or navigating friendship turbulence. Warrior Wednesdays is another exciting new addition this term, designed to inspire the girls to aim high by learning about incredible women such as Junko Tabei, Kathrine Switzer, and many more!

As always, thank you so much for encouraging attendance and checking that your daughter wears her uniform with pride, it is much appreciated especially as the cold and dark winter mornings are approaching.

🏆 WEEKLY WINS 🏆

8CX: Celebrated being on the top of the Sparx Maths leaderboard across the whole year group!

8CY: Well done to Lacee T, Evie R and Nina S, who all reached the milestone of having over 100 points!

8EX: Amelie B, Lucy G and Riya R demonstrated excellent commitment and dedication to attending homework club every week.

8EY: During their RS lesson with Mrs Watson, 8EY were praised for their high-level thinking and discussions.

8MX: The form celebrated having the highest attendance out of the whole year group at 98.2%!

8MY: Abi Westcott has been consistently focused, organised and stepped outside her comfort zone, especially during PE with Miss Dawson.

8PX: The form showed great effort and participation during their Girls on Board session on Tuesday!

8PY: The form worked together as a team to come up with Children in Need ideas with creativity and patience whilst hearing other ideas and collaboratively deciding on one idea.

It has been wonderful to welcome Year 9 back to school this week, full of energy and ready to embrace the opportunities ahead this half term.

In Wednesday’s assembly, Ms Watson and I introduced the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to students. DofE is a non-competitive, inclusive programme that encourages young people to challenge themselves, develop new skills, and give back to their communities. Through taking part, students build confidence, resilience and independence - all while having fun with friends.

The Bronze DofE qualifying expedition will take place during Activities Week, and we hope that every student in Year 9 will take part. Last year, it was a highlight for many, alongside their graduation.

If you or your daughter are unsure about signing up, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions by emailing DofE@roseberyschool.co.uk . If financial concerns are a barrier to participation, please do reach out—we may be able to offer support.

At Rosebery School, we are proud to offer:

• Silver DofE in Year 10

• Gold DofE in Year 12, including an overseas qualifying expedition - making us one of the few centres in the UK to do so.

Many alumni have left Rosebery with Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, and speak proudly of their achievements.

Further on are some DofE myth-busters and reasons to sign up, shared during Tuesday’s form time.

 
⭐ STARS OF THE WEEK ⭐

9CX: Elif A - for working hard and being positive during form time and lessons.

9CY: Molly S - for always being so organised and hard-working.

9EX: Leah N - for her kind and positive nature - Leah is always very polite and a joy to have in 9EX.

9EY: Tanya H - for being a great form member - always positive and in a good mood. We wish you well at your new school!

9MX: Grace B - for her kind and positive nature - Grace is always very polite and a joy to have in 9MX.

9MY: Caitlin M - for demonstrating intellectual curiosity throughout her lessons this half term.

9PX: Esme E - for her excellent attitude towards class and homework - well done.

9PY: Thea C - for working hard and being positive during form time and lessons.

It has been wonderful to welcome Year 10 back into the building, and we’re pleased to see the momentum from the first half term continuing.

In this shorter week, students have been practising their study skills during form time, with a focus on targeted mind maps. We’ve explored not only what mind maps are, but also the thinking behind them and how they can be used effectively as part of a broader revision strategy.

Looking ahead, next week we will begin the process of target setting. In assembly, we’ll be discussing what this looks like for Year 10 and how students can set meaningful goals for what they hope to achieve by the end of their GCSEs. As mentioned at the Information Evening in September, we encourage you to begin conversations with your daughter about her aspirations and what steps she may need to take to reach them.

This week, Ms Godwin and Mrs Watson also spoke in assembly about the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and what it entails for Year 10. Following such a successful Bronze expedition, we hope students will embrace the opportunity to take part in Silver and enjoy the many benefits it offers. If you’re unsure whether it’s the right fit for your daughter, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the team.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Welcome back! Year 11 have returned with real determination and a strong desire to absorb as much knowledge as possible ahead of their mock exams next week.

A reminder that the mock exam timetable begins on Tuesday 11 November 2025 and concludes on Thursday 20 November 2025, with an additional exam day for History students on Friday 21 November 2025.

Please note the following adjustments to the school day for Year 11:

• On Tuesday 11 November and Monday 17 November, students will have lunch during Period 4 only, due to earlier afternoon exam start times.

• On Friday 14 November and Thursday 20 November, Year 11 will finish school at 1.00pm.

We were incredibly proud of Year 11 during their Year 10 mocks, and the bar is set high for this next round. Students have been reminded to place their phone, smart watch and bag in their locker before registration and heading to the Sports Hall. Each student has a personalised timetable with seat numbers, helping them prepare and know which entrance to use.

We wish all our students the very best for their exams — “Don’t just fly... SOAR.”

Giving Back This Winter

This year, the Year 11 team would like to give something back to our local community. We will be collecting brand new toy donations for the Casey Ward at Epsom Hospital.

If you are able to donate a new item from the list below, please send it to the Year 11 office. Thank you for your generosity and support. You can also click HERE to view the list.

Suggested Donations:

• Diamond Art kits

• Paint by Numbers sets

• Sticker books

• Colouring books and pencils

• Paints

• Lego sets (for boys and girls)

• Trains

• Small toy figures (e.g. animals or playroom characters)

• Play-Doh

• Toniebox characters

• Bracelet-making kits

• Magic painting books

• Sensory lights or toys

Welcome Back, Sixth Form!

We hope all students had a restful half term and were able to recharge. This half term promises to be a busy one, filled with opportunities for learning, enrichment, and community involvement. Please see below for key dates and updates.

Year 12

• Thursday 13 November and Friday 14 November – Year 7 & Year 8 Fundraiser (Children in Need). A huge thank you to all Year 12 students who are volunteering and supporting our fundraising activities. Your contribution helps make a real difference in our school community.

• Friday 14 November – Art Trip. Students attending the trip will receive further details from the Art department.

• PDC Focus – Emotional and Physical Wellbeing. This half term, PDC sessions will explore the links between health, sleep, diet, and social media use. Students will also take part in a safe driving course, as many begin their driving lessons. Teenagers who get less than 8 hours of sleep are three times more likely to experience poor mental health (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is linked to a 20% improvement in academic performance (British Nutrition Foundation, 2022). 1 in 5 new drivers are involved in an accident within their first year (Department for Transport, 2023), highlighting the importance of safe driving habits. 

• Study and Progress. Year 12 students have now completed a substantial portion of their A Level courses. We encourage them to revisit and refine their notes from last half term, and to use independent study time effectively. Consistent review and self-testing will make a significant difference.

Year 13

• Monday 24 November – Wednesday 3 December – Mock Exams. Mock exams are an essential part of your preparation for the summer series. Start early:

  • • • Create a revision timetable covering all subjects.

      • Practise past papers under timed conditions.

      • Focus on feedback from teachers to identify areas for improvement.

• Friday 12 December – Geography ‘Tectonic Hazards’ Conference
  Geography students will attend a specialist conference providing expert insight into tectonic processes and case studies, supporting A Level exam content.

Year 12 & 13

Christmas fundraiser for the Sixth Form will be to support the Epsom pantry. More details to follow.

Friday 5 December to Sunday 7 December – Christmas Market Trip
A festive opportunity for both year groups to relax and enjoy some time together before the final push toward the end of term. A great chance to celebrate your hard work and build Sixth Form community spirit!

This half term is full of opportunities to learn, develop, and connect. Stay organised, look after yourselves, and continue striving for excellence — both academically and personally.

And if you need any support, please speak to the Sixth Form team. Our door is always open.