It’s been fabulous to welcome our staff and students back to Rosebery this week, as we embark on a new academic year – made all the easier off the back of a summer spent celebrating truly remarkable A Level and GCSE results. 

Below, you’ll find a brief introduction from our new members of teaching staff, who some of your daughters will have been getting to know over the last few days, or perhaps are looking forward to meeting next week – we all extend them a very warm Rosebery Welcome. 

I must also extend my thanks to GLF Schools, the multi-academy trust of which Rosebery is part of, for the significant capital investment they have made over the summer break. It’s not particularly glamorous, but the complete overhaul of the Couper building’s roof and windows, a new boiler system for PE, Drama and Music, LED lighting in every building, and significant electrical works, means our estate is more efficient than it’s ever been. Building on the solar panels installed two years ago – we now self-generate nearly 80% of the electricity we use on a daily basis.  Slightly more glamorous is the new canteen POD in the Quad area, which we are hopeful will be ready to serve students by the end of next week – opening to all, at break, lunch and afterschool – serving a selection of the full canteen menu, which you can access here. 

Of course, our relationship with GLF Schools is about far more than estates – it’s really about education and student experience, as evidenced by the Boundless Festival in July. As I spoke to last year, I will endeavour to keep families better informed of what being part of GLF Schools means for your daughter and her education at Rosebery throughout the year. For now, please find a summary of our end of Year highlights from GLF linked here. 

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be holding Information Evenings for parents and carers in all year groups, so if you have technical, systems or policy queries or concerns, they will hopefully be addressed through these – you should have received an email, inviting you to the evening, with a summary of dates and times available on the website here. 

For new parents and carers, please do be aware that our website also contains most of the information you’ll need regarding uniform, attendance, the school day etc, listed under the Parents & Carers Section, which you can access here.  

Later in Rosebery News you’ll find information about the launch of enrichment clubs and extra-curricular activities, which we will continue to add to – please do encourage your daughter to sign up to several of these, which she can do via ePraise (for new Year 7 students and families, this will be further explained on Tuesday evening) – and the launch of our School Production, SIX the Musical! 

Have a lovely weekend everyone. 

If you take your child out of school in future without the approval of the school, and the total amount of absence is 5 or more days (they do not have to be consecutive), you will be liable to receive a penalty notice per parent/carer and the following will apply: 
 

1. If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court. 

2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996. 

At Rosebery we pride ourselves on being a community school where courtesy, consideration of others and civic responsibility features strongly with our ethos, values and curriculum.  

Therefore, it remains a great source of frustration that a small minority of parents and carers still feel the need to drive as close as possible to the school gates to drop their daughters at school, often stopping close to the gates, or parking inconsiderately across residential driveways. 

Our girls are all more that capable of walking to school from nearby, and if they do need to travel by car, can easily be dropped on Dorking Road, on Rosebank, or in and around Epsom town centre, to then walk the final few hundred metres to school. The same is true after school, where they do not need to be collected right outside the school gates. 

With this in mind, could I please insist that you do not drive down, nor park on Whitehorse Drive in the mornings, nor after school, unless there is a compelling reason why you must do so. 

The mornings are a particular problem, exacerbated by the St Josephs’ drop off, but it has been a concern this week to see cars driving aggressively, blocking driveways, and even mounting the pavement where children are walking to school.  

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Thank you. 

Enrichment Clubs are back. We’re excited to announce that enrichment clubs are starting again this term! Rosebery offers a wide range of opportunities for students to explore their interests, try new activities, and develop new skills. To sign-up, students must register via ePraise.

PE clubs begin Monday 8 September, with all other clubs starting the week commencing Monday 15 September. We’re looking forward to another fantastic term of enrichment and cannot wait to see students getting involved!

• Anyone is welcome to join a club – we want to see as many of you there as possible!

• PE kit must be worn to all clubs

• Come down to the changing rooms by the Purple Gym to get changed and then head to where your activity will be taking place

• Please sign up to a club via ePraise. If you forget to do this, do not worry – just come along and we can sign you in!

• If you are attending a lunchtime club you may stay in your PE kit for period 5

• If you are attending a lunchtime club we recommend you eat your main lunch meal at breaktime where possible

• Please wear the appropriate kit for your activity (i.e. for hockey, please bring shin pads and a gum shield)

During the final week of last term, the Geography Department took thirteen Year 12 (now Year 13) students to Iceland. We've done this trip before with our friends at Glyn School, but this was the first time we went solo - and it was possibly the best trip ever! I'll leave Maia to describe how she felt, but the trip took in everything - from interactive exhibitions to spectacular waterfalls, black-sand beaches to glacier walking, spouting geysers to a luxurious thermal pool spa experience, and much more. We squeeze a lot into those four days and I hope the photos - and Maia's review - give you a sense of the awe and wonder of this incredible place.

Mr Boreham - Geography Teacher

My trip to Iceland felt like stepping into another world.

The waterfalls were mesmerising. I got completely soaked  (no wonder I did considering I got so excited that I decided to go right underneath them). For me to be found, all you had to do was follow the wet footprints! Some plunged with a roaring force that shook the air and sent mist swirling all around, while others flowed gracefully, glowing in the sunlight. Standing there, it was impossible not to feel amazed.

The black sand beach was wild and unique. Walking along it, hearing the waves crash, and seeing the jagged basalt columns made it feel completely different from anywhere else I’ve been. It was the kind of place where you just want to stop and take it all in.

To say I've walked on a glacier was definitely something I never thought I could say. It was huge and intimidating.  It was cold and quiet. It was simply unforgettable.

One of the most striking experiences was a freezing fjord near the hot pools surrounded by the hills. plunging into the freezing water and resurfacing to be met with the scenic views all around was just magical and I've never been so grateful to have gone to such a beautiful place.

Everywhere I went, Iceland felt otherworldly - raw, dramatic, and everlasting.

Maia Y 13AIW

The Learning Resources Hub (LRH) is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. Students have access to the Library, Chromebooks and the printer. Mrs Smith runs an afterschool homework club from Tuesdays to Thursdays.

Year 12 and 13 students provide tutoring afterschool. Please contact Mrs Keaveney if you would like to find out more:  FKeaveney@roseberyschool.co.uk 

Mrs Spencer - LRH Manager

Mrs House-Lee - Acting Head of Drama

Mr Holloway - Head of Music

Miss Elms - PE Teacher

The Rosebery Parents’ Prayer Group is a relatively new initiative for Christian parents which aims to organise biannual prayer meetings. The first of this years will be on Monday 6 October at Epsom Baptist Church at 7.30pm. If you would like to be part of this group or find out more, please fill in this Google Form.

Caroline Napper