Although Roedean School has plenty to be proud of in terms of exam results, educational excellence isn’t the only marker of Roedean’s academic success. The Brighton private school offers girls aged 11-18 an education that extends beyond the classroom and includes various charitable and community outreach initiatives.
In line with Roedean’s holistic ethos, the School has committed to making a difference in its local community and beyond. Students choose to take part in a range of fulfilling activities to develop their skills and sense of social responsibility. Consequently, Roedean girls grow into compassionate, respectful, and socially aware individuals.
Here’s how charitable and outreach initiatives enrich educational excellence at Roedean School.
Partnership With St Mark’s Primary
Roedean has developed a strong partnership with local school St Mark’s Primary. Over six years, the Roedean community’s focused outreach efforts have made a tangible difference to the school.
Roedean girls enjoy working with the St Mark’s students and making a positive impact on the children’s lives and education. The partnership also allows Roedean students to develop important communication and leadership skills.
One year group from St Mark’s pays weekly visits to Roedean School to take part in a sporting and academic enrichment programme. Led by Roedean staff, the programme ensures more local children can enjoy access to educational excellence at Roedean. St Mark’s students try different sports and explore subjects like philosophy and coding.
From September 2021 to May 2022, Roedean students contributed a total of 882 hours to the St Mark’s partnership. Roedean staff also contributed 205.5 hours. St Mark’s students have benefited from 7,724 hours of support and teaching from Roedean.
Roedean School’s Community Action Programme
Every Roedean student in Year 12 takes part in the School’s Community Action Programme (CAP) each Wednesday afternoon. The CAP includes:
- Charity fundraising.
- Community music, which involves preparing concerts for local institutions.
- Working with Hope in the Valley, a group that gives disabled children the opportunity to experience the therapeutic benefits and joy of horse riding.
Choosing a dedicated CAP partner encourages the girls to focus their attention on specific groups that will benefit from the students’ work.
The Roedean Academy
The Roedean Academy brings together local students who have high aspirations and helps them prepare for Sixth Form studies. Approximately 120 students from 7 state schools in the local area participate in the Academy to join Roedean girls for an enrichment programme.
The enrichment programme lasts eight weeks in the spring term and includes various activities in the autumn and summer terms. During each session, students choose from five to six modules that extend and deepen their knowledge of the curriculum. Taught by Roedean staff, these modules cover topics within the science, history, politics, classics, and languages subjects.
Roedean Academy students also conduct independent research during the school year. This work culminates in an academic paper, which the students present to an audience of their peers.
The Junior Roedean Academy
The Junior Roedean Academy (JRA) sees more than 150 Year 5 students visit the Brighton private school for an eight-week enrichment programme. The programme takes place during the autumn and spring terms and offers students a variety of enrichment activities.
Students in Year 12 can choose to support the JRA as their CAP activity. In doing so, Year 12 students get the chance to share their knowledge and passion with the JRA participants.
Giving To Charity
The Roedean School community undertakes several charitable activities each academic year. Students help raise funds for the School’s chosen charities, which this year are Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare and the Brighton Hummingbird Project. The School also sponsors 10 girls worldwide as part of PlanUK’s #BecauseIAmAGirl campaign.
In addition, Roedean sends food to its local partner charity, Off the Fence, each week. Off the Fence supports the homeless, women facing difficulty, and vulnerable school children in Brighton and Hove.
The Lawrence sisters who founded Roedean School proposed that a Roedean education should develop a strong sense of personal and moral values. To “be compassionate” is one of six aims the Brighton private school upholds for each of its students.
Through regular charity fundraising and community outreach initiatives, Roedean girls nurture their generosity and compassion.
About Roedean School
Roedean School is an independent boarding school in Sussex that offers young women a high-quality, all-round education. Students flourish in and out of the classroom within a friendly, caring community in a beautiful coastal setting.
Upholding its founding ethos, Roedean inspires and challenges each student to set high academic and personal expectations for herself and pursue her passions. The School’s dedicated staff members help Roedean girls build strong foundations for their futures.
Learn more about Roedean School’s academic ethos.