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BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 12
PAGE 12 YOUR SHOUTS
YOUR SHOUTS Voices of Roedean
Last Thought: People used to fight to be footloose. It’s time to forget what shoes you wear and supertramp it a little just to see who you really are.
The Play’s the Thing By Sharon Jacobs
There’s always one thing that keeps us on our toes instead of by the radiator in the coming
of a bleak winter: the Team Play Festival, the pandemonium that we have all come to love
like the troublesome family Labrador.
This year, a slight change in the programme presents us with the challenge of directing our
own Shakespearean sketch for the Shakespeare Schools Festival. And of course, returning
home to find that your loveable dog has been exchanged for an arcane boxed creature is
never comforting. But what we will release this September will undoubtedly intrigue as
well as test each of us, however dramatically inclined or not.
It’s not the first time the Roedean community has participated in the event. Two years ago,
the current Upper Fives toiled hard for their productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
and Macbeth. As with any production, there were highs and lows. We were keen to
immerse ourselves into our roles, even reciting parts (“thou painted maypole!”) as we
passed each other in the hall, rehearsals carried on for a good half year and even with such
a generous period, time was still scarce. This will be our main concern. Surely if we only
just manage to pull it off every year with our own scripts, what would happen with preset
Shakespearean ones?
Also, if the joy of the Team Play Festival is to see your own brainchild come to life,
wouldn’t having a script thrust into your hands to merely direct be only half the fun and
satisfaction? There’s no argument about that, but there comes a point where “the lady doth
protest too much” and it’s time just to seize whatever we’ve been given, and what we have
been given is linguistic bliss. There’s always room for deviation, so stick with it just this
once. Besides that Labrador will be back, just when we think we’ve got time for rest and
quiet.
The BIG Question
The world is not always a happy place, and with disaster,
disease and depression constantly surrounding us, it seems
as there's no escape. So here, laugh a little for there's
always time and space for that.
“What hard-hitting imaginary news story
has made you smile today?”
With Victoria Woo
ARMY VEHICLE DISAPPEARS
An Australian Army vehicle worth $74,000
has gone missing after being painted with
camouflage.
-Camilla Gibson
MINERS REFUSE TO
WORK AFTER DEATH
-Joyce Day-Hall
Blind Woman gets new kidney from
dad she hasn’t seen in years. -Jodie Gough
FOUR BATTERED IN
FISH AND CHIPS
SHOP
-Caitlin Boyland
Something went wrong
in jet crash, experts say.
-Sinead O’Dwyer
By Serena Esiri-Bloom
We welcome new members to join our Flock
But say farewell to some of our Herd
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN Roedean School Newspaper
“Honour the wordy”
Volume 1, Issue 3 June 2009 Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
By Olivia Burke
Roedean prides itself on not just on its academic
excellence but, also its range of extracurricular
activities available to students outside lessons. Every
student seems to be involved in at least one of the
various clubs around school. One of the newest of
these is the ‘Environmental Society’, working to make
the school a greener place. It is thanks to them that a
motion sensor has been installed to operate the ceiling
lights in study passage of Tanner 6th form, conserving
energy and saving Tanner girls from that commonly-
overlooked task of switching off the lights. Many of us
are looking forward to the establishment of Esme
Brand’s ‘Film Club’, starting up after exams. “People
can do whatever they want,” said Esme, “editors, script
writers, cameramen...” The first short film that she has
planned will be called ‘A Day in the Life of a Roedean
Student,’ so look out for the first meeting.
For those athletes and sports enthusiasts amongst us,
the various sporting clubs in school such as Badminton
or Trampolining Club will fill up empty time in the
evenings and provide a reprieve from prep and
revision. Amongst some of the more prominent clubs
and associations in School Choir, Orchestra and Jazz
Band take a front seat. Putting that homework to one
side and going down to the chapel to have a little sing-
song definitely lifts one’s spirits. Georgina Wheatley, a
member of all three music groups, says, “I have
enjoyed my musical life at Roedean so much that I
have been inspired to study music at university.” Not
only do clubs and activities taken outside lessons
provide a break from school work and a few extra
skills, but students with a wide variety of hobbies are
valued by Universities. Badminton Club, Jazz Band,
and Film Club are sprinkles of gold dust on your CV
or personal statement. Joining a club in school is also a
brilliant way to bond with other girls. There seems to
be a club for everyone but, if none of them take your
fancy, then start your own!
Let’s Go Clubbing
The Recession and Roedean In the midst of these harsh economic times, everyone is a victim.
Does this include our school?
By Yinxi (Rachel) Liu
Since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, a series of crisis in the global financial
system has swept the world, hitting then UK hardest as the financial sector accounts for a much
bigger part of the UK economy. The UK has officially entered recession at the end of 2008 after
two consecutive quarters of real GDP contraction. However that was far from the bottom, as UK
unemployment raises by 244,000 to 2.22 million in the first three months of 2009, or 7.1% of the
workforce. The Bank of England has just predicted a slow and protracted economic recovery in
its latest inflation report. As a student at Roedean, you might ask: In this recession, what are the
implications for Roedean?
In the last recession in 1991, the number of pupils in private schools fell by 1200 within a year
followed by a further 9300 over the next six years. More on page 4 News...
By Joy Ip
Different education systems suit different circumstances, goals and needs. We
as students normally simply follow the education system that the government
offers.
A-Levels are taken in the last two years of secondary school and require only
the minimum of 3 subjects taken. It is a standard qualification for admission to
UK universities and the British A-Levels are taken all around the world; many
international schools choose this system as it is widely recognized. However,
A-Levels tend to shut out opportunities for students because they have limited
choices, therefore students are strained to make up their mind about their
career at the age of 16 in order to choose the right subjects.
The IB diploma tends to take full advantage of every aspect of a student’s
abilities. Parents would be quite keen to have their children take IB as they
want a more all-rounded education for them. Students are given coursework
throughout the two years and a final exam in the final year. Their curriculum
hopes to achieve the three core requirements: extended essay; theory of
knowledge; creativity, action, service. There are now 2617 schools in 135
countries following the IB curriculum. IB students claim that to achieve this
diploma requires a lot of time and commitment, and in addition, some
universities tend to prefer students that have taken the IB curriculum. Some
schools, such as Sevenoaks School, Rugby School, and King’s College School
in the UK, have dropped A-Levels and switched to IB. Tony Evans,
headmaster of King’s College School, said, “The significance of what is
happening is that schools are trying to escape a defective national system.
Schools and universities have lost confidence in A-levels.” In Germany,
universities even refuse to take students with an A-level qualification. Yet,
students complain that there is intense workload and students sometimes feel
stressed and pressured.
SATs, A-Levels or IB’s?
More on page 4 News...
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 2
PAGE 2 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
By Julia Kisray
The student bodies of many schools worldwide are undergoing the epidemic that is:
Facebook, a social networking website that is completely free and almost too easy to
access. So what exactly is it about this website that has taken the world by storm?
Facebook is snazzy, slick, fresh and cool all rolled into one. You connect instantly to
people you haven’t seen since you were wearing nappies, smearing your mum’s lipstick
all over the kitchen floor; but you don’t have to be prehistoric or technologically inept to
see the downsides. The reason why our relationship with Facebook is so volatile is that
what starts off as harmless research for a project on Wikipedia and a quick type-up of
coursework, turns into a guilt-filled Facebook check. The Telegraph recently posted an
article with the title printed in massive bold lettering, “Facebook students underachieve in
exams.” Of course, we were all humbled even more.
The truth about Facebook is that it begins with a little socialising for ten minutes at the
end of the day but by the time you are a regular user, Facebook creeps up with its sly,
spongy ways and slowly sucks you up into the dark tornado, hours away from where you
really should be, when you could be re-writing an essay that you got a mediocre mark in
or revising for a massive Biology exam that you have in a week’s time. By the time you
drag yourself off it, you get a text from a friend saying “Hey, where are you? Come on facey b!” So the hard-hitting truth is that Facebook turns us all into
sloths. It’s like some crazy drug addiction, but minus the disgusting damage to health.
However it must be said that not everybody is fooled. Smart students choose to de-activate their profiles until after exams, but people must remember that in
taking this perilous choice. They risk spending a week sobbing pathetically into their pillow, clawing at the walls and tearing things with their teeth to relieve
the endless pain of burying your social life for a maximum of two precious months. If there are any parents that are prepared to put themselves in this position,
hard hats, football boots and oven mitts are strongly recommended.
When you feel the harsh, unpleasant urge to log on, do something else. Even if it’s still procrastinating, do it! Learn to knit, fish for mackerel, befriend the
elderly community at ASDA. Just anything to save you from Facebook. Just stay away from the smooth shiny exterior of your laptop, and the enticing,
inviting, eclectic, eccentric things that it beholds. Once you’ve opened it, you’re doomed.
Our Love-Hate Relationship with Facebook
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN EDITORIAL
By Grace Allwood
Ah, the hallowed Mix CD/Tape, many-a budding relationship has been built
up on the music choices upon thee. But is there still a place for your obsessive
creation in this age of iPods, playlists and Limewire? “Of Course!”, I hear you
cry, “But Grace, how could we let this strange and legally dubious art
die?” (On the subject of their legal dubiousness I must, of course, tell you not
to share music illegally. Give people CDs so they can sample the music but
please go out and buy the records of artists you like, support skint and
upcoming musicians y’all.) A mix can be for anything, I find that the
satisfaction is in making one that is just perfect for its intended purpose. Don’t
know how to tell someone that you really like them? Make a mix! Want
someone to hear songs from your new favourite bands? CD-it-up! Just want
the perfect mix to wash dishes to? Put one together!
The joy of a mix is their versatility. Say, for example, you are making a CD to
back a summer barbeque...do you go hyper-literal and follow Ash’s ‘Burn
Baby Burn’ with Nelly’s ‘Hot in Here’ and then finish it off with a little
‘Heatwave’ by Martha and the Vandellas? Or do you go more for ambience,
and if you do, do you choose popular music or obscure? Maybe just
instrumentals? The thing is, no two people will choose exactly the same songs
for a situation and you can learn a lot about someone by the way they construct
a mix. Is there a time consuming specifically created album art/ tracklisting/
lyrics sheet etc.? Are they trying to impress you? If they follow an Animal
Collective B-Side with anything by Captain Beefheart you can definitely say
yes to this one. Is it a collection of songs they like or songs you like? A mix
for someone else is a difficult beast, as Rob Gordon says in High Fidelity “The
making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts.
First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is
a delicate thing.”. The problem really is trying to say let’s get it on without
using ‘Let’s Get it On’ or wanting them to know that baby, you love them
without including ‘Baby, I Love You’. So, yes a very difficult beast indeed.
But my two favourite things about mixes I have shamelessly stolen from Rob
Sheffield’s book ‘Love is a Mixtape’. In the book he uses tapes he has made as
time markers in his relationship with his wife and mixes really do do that, act
as totally effective time capsules of whatever time period you made them.
What you thought of as a brilliantly cool and eclectic mix five years ago falls
apart horribly on a repeat listen but it will inevitably drag you right back into
the moment when you listened to those songs obsessively. The other thing he
says about mixes that I wholeheartedly agree with is the idea that a mix can set
a song free. Lady GaGa’s ‘Just Dance’ becomes a completely different song
when sandwiched between, say, ‘The Party’s Crashing Us’ by Montreal and
April March’s ‘Chick Habit’. I would rather hear a song from Bright Eye’s
‘Cassadaga’ on a mix than on the album itself. A song takes on its own life
when separated from its brothers and sisters, when it is heard in a whole new
environment.
Really though, the best thing about mixes is their now ubiquitous place in our
culture. Sure not that many people make mixes for other people now with the
same obsessive fervour as they used to (though you can find good mixtape
exchanges at, for example charlotwebster.wordpress.com). But people really
make them all the time on their iPods for the gym or for the journey into work
or on the computer to listen to whilst writing coursework. iPods and iTunes
and playlist have not killed the Mix, not at all, they have just merely helped
them evolve. I say let these mixes free! I have tried to, in my own small way,
through the ‘Mix Tapes’ in each Boudicca Bulletin issue and I hope that when
I leave people will take over that spot and share with the school their own
mixes. Music brings people together like no other art form so, please, share
around the music you love.
The Joy of Mix
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 11 FASHION
PAGE 11 FASHION
Project Runway : A New Season By Sheena Cheung
As a female who doesn’t look at herself in the mirror before she leaves the
house, and could barely care enough to run a brush through her hair most
mornings, it is safe to say that I am definitely not one who follows fashion
closely. In fact, I am sure that my mother and even my brother far surpass me
in their sense of style. However, astonishingly, I have taken a liking to this
American design show which has developed into a guilty pleasure.
Project Runway is an award-winning show focusing on fashion design, in its
sixth season on the Bravo network, hosted by Heidi Klum. Although not as
popular in United Kingdom as in America, this is a piece of reality television
that has appealed to an international audience. The show, set in New York,
USA’s fashion central, eliminates designers from an initial selection of 12
based on the success of their designs. The panel of judges includes supermodel
and host Heidi Klum, American designer Michael Kors, Elle editor Nina
Garcia, and a guest judge, usually from the fashion, acting or music industry.
Fashion mentor Tim Gunn often drops in on the challengers to offer advice
and motivational words, often to the amusement of my family and myself
when designers respond less-than-gratefully at the honest opinions of this
fashion guru.
In each of the initial challenges (each lasting one episode), the designers are
required to develop one or several pieces of new clothing to be presented on
the show’s runway. The designers on the show are expected to be resourceful,
able to deal with stress and can be inspired in a split second in order to come
up with a creative, original and ingenious design that will wipe the floor with
the rest of the contestants (Note: This doesn’t always work). The time allowed
for each design to be completed is often harsh, and it is entirely possible that
the design you felt was absolutely flawless can seem like a walking disaster
when it comes to the final hour.
An often overlooked aspect of the show is how each designer chooses a model
at the beginning of each episode to strut their design down the catwalk.
Although it is not a focus of the show, it turns out that the models themselves
are in a competition against each other and can be eliminated as well if the
outfit they were sporting ever-so-prettily gets the frown. I find this particularly
interesting in Season 5 Episode 2, where the models themselves were given a
budget and sent to a fabric store to get the supplies for the challenge instead of
the designers themselves. The trust between the designer and the model was
especially important at this point, and the fashion sense and fashion common-
sense (or surprisingly, mere lack-of) of the models were tested. Imagine my
glee at their surprise when they realise that clothing cannot be ‘majicked’ out
of yards of shiny velvet with no thread, zipper nor buttons.
The previous season brought many frustrations to me as a member of the
audience. I must admit, that there were tense moments where I just want to
turn off the TV because of a particular arrogant contestant (cough Kenley
Collins cough), but I’m glad I watched it till the end. The three finalists of
Season Five showed their collections at the New York Fashion Week on
February 20th, 2009. Their identities were kept secret to protect the suspense
when the season aired on television. Season Five’s winner, Leanne Marshall, a
soft spoken young woman from California totally won me over with her
modesty and status as an underdog. She is an example of how an ordinary
artist can go from selling her product online (she advertised her designs on
www.etsy.com – check out the neat stuff on there!), to achieving the status of
a recognised designer, winning an international television show.
All that being said, I must admit I do have my reservations about the
upcoming Sixth Season of Project Runway, airing in August 2009. Will it
contribute to the mountain of reality television known for milking-the-cash-
cow, such as the ‘n’th season of Survivor? And there are only so many
episodes of a laughingly-earnest Tyra Banks going ‘I’m sorry but you are out’
we can sit through. Although the world can always use the works of a new
fashion designer, I sincerely hope that Project Runway’s new season would
take Tim Gunn’s advice of “Make it work” and then know when to quit when
it is time.
By Julia Kisray
It’s true; the world had already begun its own self-
destruction. The credit crunch has changed the lifestyles of
millions of people; whether it is pocket money being
reduced or mothers saying no to bunging unnecessary
shampoo in the trolley, but there are many things you can
do to save up in a savvy yet stylish way.
Firstly, where to shop: explore deep into the crevices and
hidden realms of your town centre. Find
second-hand stores for bargains. Be careful
though; don’t be tempted by
crazy impulse
buys. Stay
awa y f ro m
anything mauve
or with tassles;
it’s always £2.50
for a reason.
Don’t be afraid to
c u s t o m i s e :
transform old
jeans into shorts
and your dad’s
baggy t-shirts into
sexy vest tops.
Think of Gone with the Wind and the
curtain dress. Snazzy
or what?
Treat yourself to a few
key pieces in your
wardrobe that you can
mix-and-match with
whatever else you own.
I recommend a straight black skirt of
good quality that can be dressed both up and down; but
beware of cheap stuff. It promises so much but may as well
be made of paper, so lay off the Primarni, girls.
Happy budgeting!
Recessionista
In this issue, the fashion section recommends the following fashion, art
and design websites:
• http://www.deviantart.com
A community for (starving) painters, photographers, models, poets or any
kind of artist to submit their latest work. Hidden gems may lurk here!
• http://www.etsy.com
A place to buy and sell all things hand made! This would be a fabulous
place to purchase a unique and fun gift for the next occasion you attend.
• http://lastfootware.com
Featured as one of the “50 best boutiques in Britain” by the Sunday
Telegraph, this site gives you a glimpse of their “beautifully made shoes,
hosiery and accessories”. Better yet, the real life shop for this website is
just nearby in the South Lanes on 3 Pool Valley Street, Brighton.
• http://www.designspotter.com
Designspotter is an online blog which publishes young and anonymous
artists’ ideas and modern design. Have a look at their inspired work.
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 10
Your hips don’t lie.
PAGE 10 SPORT
SPORT
By Anna Augousti
“Three, Two, One, bang!”, and the air horn is triggered with a loud blast. This
is how every Sports Day event begins. Sports Day is the one sports event that
takes place every year, same time, same place, and is shared with Roedean
Day on the last weekend of the summer term, a.k.a exam season. Sports Day is
not just about competing for the Sports Day cup, but it is also a day for
socialising and supporting your fellow students and friends.
Every Sports day begins with the same ritual, which is yet another tradition of
Roedean School. This is the “Sports Day Parade”. This involves all four teams
running around the 400 metre track screaming, shouting and singing chants to
warm everyone up for the events that are to take place. Teams line up in order
and Sports Day officially commences. The fun of the competition between
teams begins and the track and field events are launched. Although all four
teams put up a tremendous effort, it was Team Four that managed to claim the
ultimate prize of the Sports Day trophy last year. We can only wait and see
how the ordeal will play out this year.
The scores are combined from both track and field events. The track events
consist of: 100m sprint, 200m, 400m and 1500m run. Field events include
Long-jump, Javelin, Discus and Shot Putt.
Athletes from all years in the school take part in the fun of Sports Day. A few
special mentions go the sports scholars at Roedean School: Astrid Ainley of
Six One, Caitlin Boyland of Upper Five, Naomi Falcone of Upper Five,
Sophie Cawley of Upper Five and Ope Salau of Lower Five. Sophie Cawley
says that she is looking forward mostly to the competition between the teams.
Roedean School definitely encourages the determined effort to win each
competition from each team. However, it also encourages students to support
one another in the friendly Roedean environment. I recently caught up with
Astrid Ainley to find out how she planned to prepare for Sports Day. Astrid
said, “Well I’m just keeping up with my usual exercise routine, and besides
that I’m mostly excited about the Six Two’s famous event, “The Golden
Mile”.
The “Golden Mile” is another event that is unique to Roedean School Sports
Day. It is where the students in Six Two compete against the teachers and staff
at Roedean School as a last hurrah. The students must beat the staff and
teachers by outrunning them in this race. The team that reaches the finish line
first after running one mile around the track wins. In each team there are 16
contestants, and each contestant has to run at least 100 metres. What makes
this event most memorable and enjoyable is the friendly taunting and gloating
between teams and the humourous efforts the two teams put up against each
other for the winning title.
Sports Day is a lively, enthusiastic day which everyone enjoys being involved
in. It is a day where people are able to forget the worries of exams and begin to
enjoy the beginning of summer and it is a great way of emerging into the
summer holidays. And remember everyone,
“It’s the taking part that counts!”
External Statistics: Football League Internal Statistics
Rounders:
U15 won 100% of their matches played
U12 won 50% of their matches
Athletics:
Sussex Schools
U3/L4: 6th out of 12
U4/L5: 4th out of 12
Brighton Schools
U4: 3rd out of 12
Combined throwing
U4/L5: 3rd
By Nneka Mbadugha
What time is it? Summer time! That’s right. It's that time of year, yet again, where you can slap on
little or no sun screen and lounge all day on the beach. One problem: what if you feel too insecure
and aren’t ready for the sudden exposure of flesh? Not to worry all hope is not lost. There is a fast,
easy, and fun way to lose weight and keep fit. Drum roll please...dancing! Three of the most
intriguing to watch and practice are Salsa, Hip-Hop and Belly Dancing. Many a times I have
offered the idea to my friends of taking a group trip to Puerto Rico where I can meet a tanned
salsa dancer and dance forevermore. They rejected the idea, not knowing my secret agenda was to
keep fit, as we all should. Who says a workout has to be dull and stressful? Dancing is the way
forward, for all of you that aren’t prepared to take a chance you stick to cycling on a bike that will
never go anywhere. Salsa dancing gives you a variety of workouts. It tones mostly your bottom
half which is similar to hip-hop. Hip-hop dancing keeps your heart rate up with the constant
jumps, twists and turns, you are sure to have a sweaty workout. No worries, it’ll all be worth it.
The final dance on my list is the infamous belly dancing practised by people such as the famous
pop singer, Shakira. No need to start comparing yourself to Shakira as she has been perfecting her
dancing for nearly all her life, as we have probably seen in her music videos: ‘Hips Don’t Lie’,
‘Whenever Wherever’. Belly dancing tones your stomach and prepares your body for a hot two
piece. In order to have the perfect beach body you might consider taking some time out of your
daily routine for these dances. Who knows ,you might soon be prepared for summer.
Get a Body like Shakira Redefining ‘fit’ By Camilla Gibson “One, two, one, two, come on girls! I know you can do
better than this!” A sharp blast of the whistle and
everyone comes to a holt immediately, puffing.
Rushing up to Mrs. Goulet, I asked whether I could
have a quick interview for our hungry readers.
Flustered and nervously patting her hair, Mrs. Goulet
agreed.
Sitting down on the crooked sport benches, I poised
my pen over the paper waiting expectantly. I probed
into what the sports teachers diet was, perhaps a
couple of carrot sticks? Mrs. Goulet looked up in
surprise “a couple of carrot sticks!” she says shocked.
“I love food, eating is my hobby”. Her favorite make
of trainers are Nikes and she most enjoys watching 3
Day Eventing (horse riding). I also discovered her
dress sense outside of school. “Out of school I go for
the more controversial ‘Goth’ look…..no, no, only
kidding — I dress smart and casual.”
Left photo:
Mrs. Goulet promoting a healthy social l i fe through dancing.
Sports Day
Team Points
Manchester United 90
Liverpool 86
Chelsea 83
Arsenal 72
Everton 63
Aston Villa 62
Fulham 53
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 3
PAGE 3 OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Volume I Issue III
The Boudicca Bulletin; Roedean School Newspaper
Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, BN2 5RQ
Editor-In-Chief Joy Crane
News Editor Megan Matthews
Features Editors Anouska Wise & Grace
Matthews
Opinions & Editorial Editor Victoria Woo
Sports Editors Nkem Ike-Nwabuoko &
Alex Colombo-Sansom
Fashion Editor Hannah Redwood
Entertainment Editors Grace Allwood & Felicity
Paterson
Business & Advertising Manager Natalie Wong
Layout Design Sheena Cheung
Photography Manager Esme Brand
Faculty Advisor Mr. Back
Graphics courtesy of
Jasmine Gordon-Brown
Joy Ip
Serena Esiri-Bloom
Sheena Cheung
Harriet Murray
Mrs. Walker
Any copyright infringement is not intended
First Impressions To judge and to be judged is one aspect of life we’re all too keen to evade.
By Aviva Lipmanowicz A first impression can be based on a million different things: from how someone walks to how someone
holds their knife and fork. But how does one get this ‘feeling’ about a person? An impression can be
based on something you can see, a visual aspect of someone like their make-up, fashion sense or their
choice of jewellery; some might call it shallow to gain an impression of someone in this manner, whilst
others will find it normal and comforting to have a definite image to judge you by.
First impressions can also be based on a ‘gut feeling’ that is triggered deep down in the beholder’s body
and completely reins control of their actions, whether it be rational or irrational. People can find it hard
to know how much they should give away about themselves because we all know that this is, in effect,
what you will be judged upon. What impression we give out should be a window to who we are inside;
or a small, digestible taster of who we fully are.
As we can’t take back a first impression, these first few signs and signals are vital. So what if we were
to emit the wrong first impression by accident? We’d expect to be given a chance to redeem ourselves to
show who we really are and how we really act. But, unfortunately, this isn’t always the case as people
have most probably already categorised you and your personality into little boxes in their mind and
stored it away. Perhaps the key is time. Allow time to get another impression of someone to either prove
what you originally thought to be true, or use time to aid you in showing that this first impression was in
fact misleading and unfair.
By Victoria Woo
So what do The Man of Steel and Hitler have in common? They are both
amongst the most recognisable and iconic figures from the last century, on the
same rank as our comic friend Mickey Mouse even; but as we know, what they
both stand for are the closest examples of the contrast between ultimate good
and evil that we can muster. Then why is it so difficult to comprehend that
their origins are both rooted by the same idea?
Friedrich Nietzsche, a nineteenth century German philosopher, created much
controversy with the publication of Thus Spoke Zarathustra which introduced
the concept of Übermensch (translated as overman or superman). He
expressed that Übermensch was a goal man was to aim for, for humanity to
turn away from discontent of life (which would cause man to create another
world to turn to) and create morals by which one should rightly live by.
“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man? What is the ape to man? A laughing stock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughing stock or a painful embarrassment…”
He himself drew no precise conclusion, leaving for an open interpretation
(apes are certainly no embarrassment and are truly insightful creatures, and
sadly are endangered). But mostly, people have associated his writings with
the ‘death of God’. But how is it that over two centuries later, religion still
stands strong and firm? This is because we as humans make judgements and
interpretations that we think may lead to whatever is best for us and those
around us everyday of our lives. That is the essential basis of the Übermensch, and so, leaving room for religion and our own moral codes. It is up to us to say
then, what is good?
The rise of Nazism, however repugnant, was what Hitler thought was good for
the German people. His interpretation took on a rather more literal approach
towards eugenics and the creation of the ‘modern man’. And even though
Nietzsche was strongly opposed to anti-Semitism, this did not hinder Hitler’s
plans, simply omitting what he thought was irrelevant. Just as I have omitted
that Nietzsche vehemently disagreed with any humanitarian interpretation of
the Übermensch; because to me, that made any understanding of this concept
irrelevant to the good of humanity. I made the same call as Hitler, but leagues
of relative importance and thought separate our views.
And then there is the comic book hero, Superman, the quintessential figure of
selflessness and good created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. But what is
often forgotten or unknown is that he was originally created as Super-Man, a
villain based on the Übermensch who uses his superhuman abilities for evil
and conquest. For what reason was the character was so drastically remodelled
to what it stands for today? The easiest explanation is money. A humble man
in a cape who inspires hope within everyday people seems a sure-fire way to
get published, and it was. Certainly, it is far from the inspirational and
altruistic moral high-code that is Superman; but this brings great solace within
me that people wanted to read about him more than the possible alternative
which also included drama, destruction and general mayhem. For this shows
hope and to some degree, evidence that we are all striving to be our own
Superman, Übermensch or whatever title you might prefer.
The infamous passage may have spurred deeds of unimaginable horror, but
also hope. During the course of our lives, we are going to make judgements
that may affect people in more ways than one, and when that time comes, you
must ask yourself: are you man or superman?
THE BOUDICCA BULLETIN EDITORIAL
Are you Man or Superman?
“For this shows hope and to some degree, evidence that we are all striving to be our own Superman, Übermensch
or whatever title you might prefer.”
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 4
PAGE 4 NEWS
NEWS
22nd April: Upper Four Geography trip to
‘The Natural History Museum’ in London.
22nd April: Lower Five – Six Two theatre
trip to ‘Brief Encounter’.
25th – 27th April: Duke of Edinburgh Gold
Award training expedition.
29th April: Junior Maths Challenge within
the maths lesson for Upper Threes and Lower
Fours.
2nd May: Upper Three and Lower Four
Children’s Parade.
2nd May: Brighton Festival Fringe Concert
5th May: Upper Four Classics trip to
Fishbourne Roman Palace.
11th May and 12th May: The official AS/A2
and GCSE exam period began, much to the
stomach- retching delight of the Upper Fives
and Sixth Formers.
22nd May to 31st May: Half term week of the
Summer term.
1st June: Various year groups begin summer
exams.
News in Brief
ROEDEAN SCHOOL
CHARITY AUCTION
27th June,12pm
The Theatre
In aid of Cancer Research UK and The
Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice
SATs, A-Levels, or IBs? — continued from front page...
SATs are the basic qualification for US college admissions. They believe that
SATs can determine whether a student is ready for college. SATs tend to
access how well students analyze and solve problems. Test takers cannot
prepare for any specific topics or predict any content in the test. SATs are not
necessary unless you are intending to attend an American University.
SATs are very different compared to A-Levels and IBs. Exams can be taken
whenever the candidate feels prepared and can be retaken as many as he/she
wishes, whereas A-Level candidates only get to sit their exam once a year.
Students now have score choices, this means they get to choose which SAT
scores to submit to universities. However, top universities such as Cornell ask
applicants to send all their test scores. Similarly, the A-Level system allows
you to sit your examination twice, but they choose the better score and omit
the other. SAT tests consist of only multiple-choice questions and negative
marking is used to discourage guessing, unlike A-Level examinations, which
are in question and answer format. IB and A-level require coursework to allow
students the opportunity to present their knowledge and understanding in a less
stressful environment whereas SATs are a 4 hour long test where each section
is timed.
The International Baccalaureate claims to help students to prepare for
university. It encourages students to develop their identity and realize their
strengths and weaknesses. Contrasting to A-level, it is difficult for the student
to realize what area of study they work best at.
It’s natural to believe that the grass is greener on the other side, but it’s
important for students to put aside their cynical bias and truly weight their
choices in higher education.
Head of School Georgina Wheatley
Second Head of School Annabel MaCleod
Games Captain Astrid Ainley
Deputy Games Captain Claire Stokes
Senior Prefect for Sixth Form
Chioma Ike-Nwabuoku
Senior Prefect for Middle School
Olivia Burke
Senior Prefect for Foundation Years
Sung Jung Kim
Chapel Prefects Oluwafunmbi Adeagbo
Oti Tongo
Charity Prefects Anna Augousti
Alexandra Williams
Library Prefect Natalie Chan
Form Prefects
Leona Adesanya, Anna Augousti, Jasperina
Baharie, Natalie Chan, Jane Chu, Iris Law, Tianyi
Li, Elizabeth Lo, Alice McGilligan, Claire
Stokes, Lally Wiffen, Alexandra Williams,
Anouska Wise, Hin Hin Wong
Congratulations to the following girls on their Roedean School prefect positions for 2009-2010.
The Recession and Roedean — continued from front page...
Currently there are more than half a million children, that is 7% of the total, attending private schools
in Britain. With thousands of job losses in the financial sector, private schools will have to
acknowledge the fact that fewer parents can now afford to send their children to those privileged
schools and consequently more pupils will switch from private to state education. Revenues may fall
and the schools need to maintain a strong financial position with sufficient cash reserves to avoid
closure. In Britain, twelve independent schools have already been forced to shut down in the last
twelve months.
Although the priority of Roedean is to provide the best environment and facilities possible for the
pupils, the school should also make an effort to keep its costs under control. This may be achieved
through various ways; one could make use of the Old Lawrence House again as an extra storage room
or refurbish it so that it could be used for physical activities purposes which are currently conducted
outside school. Furthermore, the merger with St. Mary’s Hall gives Roedean a valuable asset, the St.
Mary’s Hall site, which has the potential to earn income if it is let to, say, language schools or offices
for hospitals.
The fact that overseas girls are a large proportion of the Roedean student body, in fact should be a
bonus. After months of the UK exchange rate falling, the sterling pound has depreciated even further
against the Euro, the RMB, and the Dollar following the slash in base rate to 0.5% by Bank of
England in April 2009. With the devaluation in sterling pound, British school fees should have fallen
by at least 20% for Hong Kong and Mainland China students and by a substantial degree for other
foreign students. Although economic growth has slowed down considerably (from over 10% to 8%) in
China, it is far from entering a recession. Given these factors, Roedean should be more immune to the
recession than other independent schools. So should there be any difficulties in recruitment, these
could hardly be blamed primarily on the recession.
It is unlikely that the current recession will result in significant damage to Roedean, provided that it
maintains a high standard of education. Together with its significant overseas intake, a weak pound
should even give Roedean a temporary comparative advantage. However, in the long term, Roedean
will need to pursue alternative strategies such as a discount for pupils transferring from the new
primary school if it seeks to increase its local intake.
“It is unlikely that the current recession will result in significant damage to Roedean, provided that it
maintains a high standard of education.”
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 9 ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 9 ENTERTAIMENT
Summer Music Festival By Aviva Lipmanowicz
100,000 sweaty people confined in a small muddy area for 3 days
straight, without any signs of sanity (both cleanliness and mentally) all
sharing one passion. Music. So how do you know which ones will be
worth going to and which ones to bother attempting to get tickets for?
The idea of sitting next to 5 computers and 4 phones, trying desperately
to get a Reading ticket is not particularly appealing. But with new
festivals cropping up every year, all over the world, there may be a
solution to the festival blues. The beginning of the summer starts with the
infamous Glastonbury festival which is said to cater to every ones taste,
this year line up includes Bruce Springsteen, Maximo Park and The
Streets just to name a few. We then roll into July where it all kicks off
with the likes of the O2 Wireless festival in central Hyde Park for all the
Londoners that don’t do camping. The fresh line up includes Kanye West
and Basement Jaxx. Closely followed after is a nice clump of festivals
including T- In the Park, Latitude, and Camp Bestival to wrap up July.
We then enter August with a gush of underage madness at the Underage
festival in Hackney which is strictly for 14 to 17 years old only, and then
on into the much awaited and probably overrated Reading & Leeds
festivals which has a stonking line up this year including Kings Of Leon,
Artic Monkeys and Bloc party (Shame it’s sold out…) So lets all hope
that we go to these much talked about festivals and come out of the other
side full glad we spent our precious money on unforgettable memories,
insane gig experiences and perhaps, just perhaps, a boyfriend.
Brighton Fringe Festival By Julia Kisray For some of us, May is the most depressing time of year: exams starting, the
sun coming out only on the days when we’ve stayed in to revise, not cold
enough to wear a coat but not hot enough to wear just a cardigan. There may
be a handful of bad things, but it is also the time of instant buzz in Brighton.
Between 2nd and 25th the city is jam-packed with endless events happening in
over a hundred venues, including the streets around Brighton and Hove. These
events consist of live music, cabarets, comedy shows, musicals, plays, dance
shows, physical theatre, art exhibitions, tours around Brighton attractions, arts
and crafts workshops, cinema evenings and outdoor activities for kids. These
events roll together to make the largest annual arts festival in England, the
Brighton Festival Fringe, which gets better by year. This year, it was fresher
than apples.
Roedean was in no way left out from the hubbub; in fact they were part of it
all. We were the lucky Fringe venue 175, hosting the classical concert which
included Karl Jenkins’ the Armed Man. And boy, we did much more than just
host it. As usual, Mrs. Fewkes, Mrs. Whitestone and Miss Bartlette rounded up
the musical troops and churned out another majestic spectacle, this being a
very emotional moment for some of the girls, seeing as it will be their last
Roedean concert ever. Luckily not for us all though, we still have a few whole-
some years to carelessly warble away with whoever risks their life to sit
nearby.
If there is anything holding people back from visiting Brighton, I could not
imagine what. If you are unsure when to come and what there would be to do,
I hope you have quickly snapped out of the delusion.
©
Regina Spektor, the Best Thing From Russia Since Vodka
By Joy Crane On the quirky scale, Regina Spektor, anti-folk singer, songwriter, and stick-
hitting genius makes Kate Nash sound like Anna Nalick. Russian-born and
Bronx-bred Spektor has been described "a quasi punk-classical collection of
captivating grace and doomed beauty," and she has been likened to everyone
from Bjork to Joni Mitchell. After being mentored by The Strokes, she became
the darling of what remains of New York's bohemian cafe-society. Part Tori
Amos, part Fiona Apple, part Ani DiFranco and part something wholly
original, Spektor as of 2006 had established a mainstream record deal, a cult
following, and a place on Billboard’s Top 20 with her bitter-sweet pop album
‘Begin To Hope’. Tired of toiling in the downtown NYC scene for the first
half of the decade, Spektor took a dive into the mainstream music realm with
this surprisingly conventional album. Die-heart fans were sent in search of
their own ‘carbon monoxide’ in order to relieve her on-the-surface betrayal of
all those who sport skinny jeans and grey cardies. Ditching her very dry vocal
production and little added reverb or delay, Spektor’s last album put more of
an emphasis on traditional pop and rock instruments, emphasizing ordinary
song-production. “Fidelity” and “Better” certainly paved the necessary
tributaries into the mainstream, but in the eyes of many of her faithful
following, she lost some of her iconic ‘flow’. Desperate not to witness a literal
creation of the “ghost of corporate future” Spektor fans have their fingers
crossed about her upcoming album “Far”, set to be released June 23rd.
For Far, the singer enlisted a quartet of hit-making producers: Begin to Hope's
David Kahne, Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Maroon 5), Garret "Jacknife" Lee
(U2, R.E.M.), and-- most surprisingly-- ELO frontman/Paul McCartney and
George Harrison collaborator/Traveling Wilburys member/overall rock'n'roll
institution Jeff Lynne. Early listens to “Laughing With” and “Blue Lips” (both
available on Spektor’s MySpace page) ring loyalties closer to ‘Soviet Kitsch’,
her 2003 album, to the relief of many fans. The songs prove to be more
developed and tamed than her earlier stream-of-consciousness melodies which
birthed her cult-following, but less controlled and conventional than “Begin to
Hope”.
On the surface, Spektor’s cover for the film Prince Caspian, “The Call” seems
to undermine the very essence of the singer’s rather malleable genre, having
sold her anti-folk soul to the Disney Label. But, summoning all Indie die-hards
to push aside their side fringes and to un-furrow their brows, this song
intertwines Spektor’s earlier slow, soulful melodies with the musical maturity
of her more poppy bites. Spektor fans have ‘no need to say good-bye’ to the
Regina they fell in love with years ago, but in anticipation of the 23rd should
face the music: Regina’s style has matured. But don’t let your skinny jeans cut
off the circulation to your brain in pointless indie loyalty, it’s still great music.
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 8
PAGE 8 ENTERTAIMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
Nights of the Living Dead - Tilly & The Wall These Days - Nico
Memory Lane - Elliott Smith Sweet Pea - Amos Lee
My Back Pages - The Byrds Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying - Belle & Sebastian
Homesick - Kings of Convenience Me and My Friend - Julie Doiron Wild West - Gregory & the Hawk West Coast - Coconut Records
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire My Backwards Walk - Frightened Rabbit
Forever Young - Youth Group Our Last Days as Children - Explosions in the Sky
We'll Meet Again - Vera Lynn
By Camilla Gibson
All around the country darkness is rising, a thick mist of despair descended on
the Harry Potter fans, the release of the film has been pushed back 8 months!
So will it be worth the wait? Who knows? But what we do know is that
Twilight has definitely stolen the lime light. Reviews on the back of the books
are saying ‘step aside Harry Potter‘. Is this fair? Should we so easily be swept
off our feet by the elusive Edward Cullen?
Most of us have grown up with Harry, going through our teenage years with
him and all his fellow companions. The Yule ball for instance, we have all been
there, the worry of trying to find a partner for the school dance. He is our classic
which we hand down to our children, saying “this was my favourite book when
I was young.”
Turning 11 was a very exciting point in my life. I remember clearly waiting by
the letter box by the front door, waiting expectantly for my acceptance letter to
Hogwarts school, delivered by owl. I was so disappointed when I realised I
would not have the chance to visit Diagon Alley to purchase my very own
wand.
3,923,270 viewings of the Harry Potter trailer have occurred on Youtube.
Harry finds the way of love in this film and fans are excited to see how he
follows through with Cho Chang. Although there are some doubts to the film
for instance where Harry and Ginny single-handedly fought off the Dark Lord’s
minions whilst the Burrow (the Weasley’s home) burns in the background. Fans
are worried that the next film will not follow closely to the thrilling, Muggle-
inspiring novel written by J.K Rowling.
None the less, Harry Potter will always remain in our hearts even though we
may have been swept off our feet by a hunky vampire. Let’s not forget the small
bespeckled boy who we have grown up with.
Left photo:
Harry Potter weeping over lost popularity?
Edward Cullen vs Harry Potter
Team Music By Harriet Kember
Every two years Teams One, Two, Three and Four dust off their instruments
for the bi-annual Team Music Competition. Each team has to perform a set
song (which this year is Amazing Grace) and three other songs of their
choice. Those in Upper Four and above might remember the fun that was
Team Music two years ago, but for many this will be a new team experience.
For me personally the highlight has to be the whole team song. Watching
unwilling members of teams sing even though they have a ‘sore throat’ or
‘can’t sing’ and at the other end of the spectrum; those who give it their all
and sing their heart out to try and win. However I do think, to steal the words
of many of those over 50, “it is the taking part that counts” winning isn’t
everything especially in this completion. It is a chance for the teams to show
their musical talent, to have fun and most of all to enjoy an evening of music
to nurture our young minds. Baby experts do say that music makes us smarter,
with perhaps the exception of heavy metal, I fail to see how burst ear drums
are beneficial to one’s health. I am sure there will be no burst ear drums in
this case though because Roedean is bursting with talent; Team One have
Naomi who is a fantastic violinist, Team Two have Ali who frankly is a
brilliant trumpeter, Team Three has Olivia who has a beautiful voice and
Team Four has George who is a musical genius, only to name a few of those
who will be participating in the event. Each Team is lead by two Six Ones
who decide which songs their Team will perform, organise rehearsals and
conduct the musicians on the actual day. Although a stressful job it provides
excellent merit when the head of each Team gets to hear the arrangements
they have put together. Team Music is set to be a highlight this year along
with many of the brilliant concerts and of course Team Plays. The only thing
left to do now is to speculate who is to win, and with no bias of my own I say
'GO TEAM ONE!'
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 5 NEWS
PAGE 5 NEWS
By Harriet Murray
A three hour journey by coach and everyone found
themselves on Knoll beach on the Dorset coastline – this
is to be the first tour and a much needed lunch stop.
Moving swiftly owing to rain, everyone arrived at the
famous ‘Old Harry’s Rock’ and proceeded to make rough
sketches and take advantage of the photo opportunities.
Then it was back on the coach and off to the hostel
accommodation where the group would spend the
weekend. All of Lower Five was in agreement that it was
certainly better than expected! Everyone settled in
quickly and did not hesitate to rate each other’s rooms.
The group was then called to a brief classroom session
before dinner which consisted of … fish and chips of
course! Everyone made the best they could of the trickle
of icy water which classified itself as a shower and then it
was lights out for a good night’s sleep.
On Saturday, everyone was put into small groups and sent
into the town of Swanage to question the local people
about tourism and the effects it has on the area. The group then visited Chesil
Beach, about 45 minutes’ drive away. It was extremely windy- hair flying
everywhere, jackets dancing and folders difficult to control! Everyone took a
lot of photographs of both the beach and their wind-blown friends!
On the Saturday night everyone was given permission to get glammed up and
go out into the local town until 10pm. Girls shot off in all directions; some ate
Chinese takeaways on the beach, some swam fully clothed in the sea with an
audience. Others, however, opted for a quiet night in.
However, the “lets stay up all night” idea did not quite work. As an
unfortunate result, Sunday breakfast was ugly, and everyone looked like the
walking dead - smudged make up, slippers, eyes only half open! Thankfully,
people found the warm, fully-pressurised showers downstairs! They seemed to
wake the majority of the group up nicely and everyone was now ready for our
brief visit to Lulworth Cove.
Lulworth Cove was very beautiful although freezing cold! Thus everyone was
pleased to get back onto the warm coach for the journey back to Brighton.
Smiles all round; Lower Five have enjoyed a really pleasurable weekend away.
That Geography Trip was Trippin’
Boys Boys Boys By Serena Esri-Bloom
“Under no circumstances are
you to accompany a boy to the
dorms, outside, under a bush, in
a corner, under a table or behind
a door!” These were the words
of warning that flitted through
the Lower Fives’ minds as they
turned their attention not to
working studiously in the
library or labouring over essays,
but to the weekend and the
forthcoming social. Maybe it
was the wow! factor of actually having
heard of the boys school, Harrow, or
just the idea of being in the presence of
the opposite sex for longer than a few
minutes. Whatever it was, it pushed
work straight out of the Lower Fives’
minds. Instead they were thinking of
what to wear.
The trouble was a certain Harrow boy
had politely written Mrs. King a letter
saying that the year 10’s were free on
the 25th of April for a social. However,
the boy had failed to check this with his
Housemaster. On that same weekend
there was a cricket match. Therefore
half as many boys would be able to
attend. This began the rumour that there
would be more girls than boys! The
only hope of the match being cancelled
was if it rained, thus with some
checking the weather forecast daily and
others thinking seriously of performing
a rain dance, things did not look
hopeful for the coming Saturday.
However, on the evening everything
seemed to fall into place. The girls got
ready in a state of anticipation and
proceeded to the studios. Avoiding the
food and surreptitiously popping
chewing gum into their mouths, they
waited for the sound of the Harrow bus.
When the boys did arrive everyone did
their best to start conversations and get
the night going. It was a successful and
for some, dare I say, a fantastic session
of tonsil tennis and dancing.
… a rather wet trip. Lower Four Trip to Derbyshire
By Georgia Rice
On the morning of the 4th of May a large group of girls wearing loud
‘wellies’ and balancing huge suitcases gathered in the dining room car
park. The girls, having waited for ages, were thrilled at the prospect of
missing school for a few days to journey deep into the heart of
Derbyshire. After our arrival at Hartington Hall (the four- starred
youth hostel) everyone was told that they would be going for a ‘little’
walk. However, it turned out that this ‘little’ walk was four miles long
in the rain and wind, yet somehow everyone managed to put smiles on
their faces and almost (shock, horror!) enjoy it. Then, waking up the
next morning, to our dismay, it was raining once again. However,
everyone still went to ‘Eyam’ which shocked many as it was a quaint
sweet village, not like the ghostly deserted village most had expected.
After this was ‘Poole’s Cavern’, a huge underground cave filled with
amazing rock forms. When asked about Poole’s Cavern Bell
Wangmontri replied “ Poole’s Cavern was a once in a lifetime
experience and I really want to do it again!” That same afternoon
everyone explored Buxton, went swimming and gathered water
straight from the Buxton spring. After a tiring, exciting day we
tumbled into our beds and fell fast asleep. On Wednesday (raining
once again) some of us travelled to Mrs Wilkinson’s sister’s school.
The school was very different to Roedean as they only had one
classroom. At Hartington Hall Berlie Doherty (the world famous
author) came to visit. Doherty was very interesting and told us a great
deal about her books. That afternoon everyone roamed the grounds,
went pond- dipping and went on another walk. Sadly, Thursday came
too soon. With heavy hearts (do not even get me started on the
suitcases) everyone said their farewells and left Derbyshire. Despite
the immense amount of rain everyone had an extremely fun time, and
we would like to thank everyone involved in making it possible.
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 6
PAGE 6 FEATURES
FEATURES
Ch-Ch-Changes By Jazz Baharie
It’s that time of year again when the stress is such that it makes one wonder
whether we would not be better suited to a career path as a hobo. Exams,
GCSEs, and A-levels seem to remind us how uncertain and prone to change
our future is. We begin to crave monotony and think that perhaps the
interminable daily grind of school routine is in fact underrated. We can count
on the queue for dinner to be exactly 25 minutes long, for the weather to be
windy, and for the eminent summer holidays to be far too brief. However, in
spite of these monotonous comforts, a blustering wind, far different from our
normal sea breeze, is at large: for better or worse, Roedean is changing.
The changes started at the top, with Mrs King taking over headship late last
school year. With hearty goodbyes to our previous headmistress, Mrs. Shaw,
such a monumental change was sure to have a domino effect through-out the
school. Through an avalanche effect starting from the top, Mrs. King sought to
redeem “the good old days”, a time when the phrase “I go to Roedean” could
once summon the impressed raising-of-the-eyebrows. Focus shifted to
improving the school for the future through a series of groundbreaking
changes which
would take shape in
the year to come.
I will start with the
c h a n g e t h a t
currently influences
our lives the most:
‘The Great Tray
Debate’. For weeks
the intellectual
argument has raged,
indeed such outrage
has not been seen
since the ‘Running
Out of the Sweet
C h i l l i S a u c e
Disaster’ of April
’09. Are they
annoying obstacles
that restrict the
number who can be
seated at a table to
just eight? Or are
t h e y u s e f u l
implements that
allow one to carry
all one’s food to the
table at the same
time? Which side
are you on? On the
w h o l e , t h e
consensus seems to
b e g e n e r a l l y
positive, aside from
s o m e f r a n t i c
budging up and
plate juggling in
o r d e r t o
accommodate that
just one extra person
at lunch. They are
generally useful for
carrying one’s plate
as well as a cup of water and, if all else fails, are a handy weapon for use
against the more persistent variety of queue-jumpers.
In the same
vain, the
s c h o o l ’ s
n e w l y
‘ y e l l o w ’
f a ç a d e ,
though it
may not
affect our
day- to -d ay
e x i s t e n c e
(indeed I
make it a
point to get
as little fresh
a i r a s
possible and
h e n c e
s e l d o m
actually see
the front of
the school)
nonetheless
does without
a doubt
affect visitors’ judgment of the school and elicits frequent comments by
visiting parents and guests. Some argue that the shade is dangerously close to
magnolia, a colour commonly associated with institutions and hospitals. It
does, however, lessen the former penitentiary appearance of the school and
rids it of its previous distinctly ominous look, especially when viewed while
being subjected to ‘Roedean weather” - horizontal rain and overbearing cloud.
These changes are
the only two that
currently affect our
lives, and for most
of us the greatest
changes are out of
sight and out of
mind. But come
September, in spite of the oft-repeated placation that “neither the ethos,
uniform, nor the feel of the school will change” we are all in for a big shock.
As of September the Roedean Junior School will be in full swing, and aside
from the frequent “Roedean boys” jokes, this gives rise to the sobering thought
that Roedean has literally changed forever.
A school is a “people” business, a rare thing where your character, teacher or
pupil, is of real importance. It is a collection of its component parts and by
taking some away and adding new ones, although the ultimate end product will
be the same, Roedean will still be Roedean, it cannot but be a different school
as a consequence. The St. Mary’s girls, having been together for the best part
of their education, have a shared history and may not immediately fit
seamlessly into the character of Roedean. Additionally, some teachers who
have been constants in the lives of the majority of the school will be leaving or
retiring at the end of this year, such as Mrs Byron, Mrs Larkin, Mrs Bloor-
black, Mr Wells, and Mrs Davis. Even if you have never been taught or had
anything to do with the teachers who are leaving, the chances of which are
almost impossibly slim, the ground moves under one’s feet as teachers are
suddenly leaving, and all that was predictable suddenly isn’t.
It is, however, important to remember that SMH was not a “victim” of
Roedean. We hardly stampeded down the cliff and took it over, like some sort
of educational phagocyte (an analogy which will no doubt produce a hearty
and knowing chuckle from GCSE biologists). The only victimising that took
place is to be accounted to the global recession, not Roedean. East Sussex has
one of the highest concentrations of successful public schools in the country,
and Saint Mary’s Hall faced stiff competition from not only Roedean but
Brighton College, Worth, Lancing, and St Mary’s Ascot as well as other
“neither the ethos, uniform, nor the feel of the school will change”
“A school is a “people” business, a rare thing where your character, teacher or
pupil, is of real importance.”
“(the trays) , are a handy weapon for use against the more persistent variety of queue-jumpers.”
BOUDICCA BULLETIN PAGE 7 FEATURES
PAGE 7 FEATURES
By Grace Swann
What was your dream career when you were a child? Why?
Until I was...hmm...I guess about 15; I wanted to be a doctor. But one
day I watched this acupuncture program and I decided I couldn’t
stand the site of blood. Interestingly enough there wasn’t actually any
blood in the program though! From 15 onwards I was into football. I
wanted to be a football PA or something. I watched the Ipswich
team. I travelled around watching football matches all the time in my
teens. I stalked football. Not because of the footballers themselves I
couldn’t care less about them, but I loved the game itself. I even read
football magazines!
What do you think of the new school cafe?
I think it is a really good idea. It should be a nice meeting place and
it won’t be house based you know? If it was in one of the houses that
house would be the majority of people there. I know the tuck shop
has a nice feeling and everything I mean teachers, girls and house
staff use it etc. but there is nowhere to sit down!
What do you think is a good name for this cafe?
Something to do with Dr. Birch. You know she was the last house
mistress of Keswick and died recently and everything. It would be
nice to remember her and name it after her. Something like
“Belinda’s” or “Dr. Birch’s” or even “The doctors” anything like that
to remember her so when people ask why it is called that we can
explain and remember her.
Do you have a favourite chemical experiment? Which one? Why
is it your favourite?
Now that I have been thinking about! I’m not the Mr. England type.
Like explosions, fume cupboards, blow up the lab and the whole
school talk about it sort of thing. I quite like the very simple
experiments. Like I like watching water boil once you know the
whole physics behind it. But I suppose to a load of Lower Fives that
must seem the most boring experiment ever! Hmm...I love the
hydrogen oxygen experiment! It took me ages to get it perfect and
now I can do it just right! I love it when the bottle flies across the
room so high and seeing the students faces light up and scream! I
love doing the experiment, especially with Lower Four because they
get a big surprise!
Page 7 model With Ms. Walker
schools up and down the country vying for international students when St Mary’s
found that it was “no longer able to continue as a school”. The Head of SMH
faced an uncomfortable choice: merge with another school or close entirely.
Similar choices have faced other Headmasters and Headmistresses and most have
arrived at the same decision, to join with another school. The notable exception is
the prestigious St. David’s Girls school in Ashford, Middlesex. Older than
Roedean and in a prosperous area, the school announced to its pupils and teachers
only in mid-April that it would be closing at the end of this term as a direct result
of the recession. If such a seemingly secure school could close so suddenly every
school should watch its
back lest they be left
like the parents and
teachers at St. Davids,
through no fault of
their own having to
scrabble to find new
jobs or schools for
their children. While it
would be a stretch to
portray the takeover as a heroic act of selflessness- Roedean’s own economic
position is far more secure as a result of the acquisition- it would be fair to say
that the merge prevented at least the junior half of the school from closing,
provided jobs for several teachers, allowed SMH girls to carry on their
qualifications in their current syllabus, and generally softened what was always
going to be a tough time. As Adela Hussein from London said on the Times’
website, “ it is better for the current pupils to be part of a financially stable school
than to attend one where cuts in resources/ facilities will occur. The acquisition is
a good fit...for both schools.” Any differences between new girls and old will
surely be redeemed swiftly, and it is doubtful that it will take more than a month
for new and old to become all but indistinguishable.
However, the media coverage both in school and outside as well as the inevitable
talk in a place where gossip spreads faster than swine flu, means that there is
little, if any, new information to share about the merge. Instead we must look
further still into the future. After the boarding inspection it has been promised that
the boarding houses will be revitalised over the summer holidays, and hopefully
we can all come back, if not to the Hilton, then at least to rooms with paint that
stays on the walls. The new atmosphere of change has been perfectly summed up
in the new name of the Roedean Café, now called “Horizons”. Although fear of
the unknown causes extreme discomfort at the notion of being dragged out of our
comfort zone, we must look forward not only out of a desire for progress but now
out of economic necessity onto the horizon before us. In the wise words of Robert
C Gallagher “change is inevitable- except from a vending machine”
“all that was predictable suddenly isn’t. “
