Any current Roedean Parents out there?

[KingscoteStaff]

DD has been offered a place and a (very) generous scholarship for September. However, she has also been offered 2 London day schools and may get a place at our local all girls C of E secondary.

Although we've talked to Mr Blond, a House Mistress and several girls at Open Day, we don't know anyone who has a girl at the school.

Would anyone be happy to give me an insight into the current experience? PM me if you don't want to post.

TIA

I wouldn't dream of Roedean over a decent London day school. Why are you hesitating - boarding?

She loves the outdoors - sailing, wild swimming, riding, stomping up mountains.

If she goes to JAGS she'll spend over 2 hours a day on the coach.

Ah - makes more sense when you explain logistics and EC preferences!

I wouldn't even consider 2h on a coach per day x 7 years.

Would your DD weekly board at Roedean?

Yes, weekly boarding - home on Friday after school, back down on Sun eve.

How do you and she feel about boarding? Does it make after school childcare sense (ie would she otherwise be alone at home)?

An hour each way to JAGS means her homework will be done on the bus (assuming Foundation coach where it's possible to work reasonably uninterrupted)

If you got your state school, how long is the commute?

She wants to board. Partly the outdoors thing, living on a cliff, partly some vague Malory Towers fantasy.

Seriously? Homework on the Foundation coach? From my son's Instagram feed it looks like party central!

State would be 10 mins on the bike, 20 mins walk. But we won't know til Monday if she's got in.

I would go there now! It looks amazing. Surely that's the best of both worlds, if she can come back at the weekends?

Given the further variables in the equation, boarding at Roedean sounds like a good plan.

Homework can be done on the coach!

Is your DS actually on the coach? I suspect not, or you would know that it's not normally rowdy. Either those boys are bigging up an odd moment, or they are inaccurate commentators (hope former, as latter could mean they're not a good crowd now).

AnotherNewt - no, DS is in Yr 8 of Prep school, watching his Alleyns and DC chums' antics with envy! Some of the video clips look pretty lively - but agree that they prob. only post the most exciting moments!

Imperial - do you have a DD there?

KingscoteStaff, no, I don't have a daughter there but was an avid reader of Malory Towers and when I saw the school I was even more desperate to go there. I would have loved boarding school.

I have a DD starting at Roedean as a day girl this September. She was offered a place at Brighton College but in the end Roedean got the vote. It's an exciting time to join, the new Head has already made a positive impact - it's a school on the move.

I had a 35 minute each way commute by car to school. Even that was too long some days. I vote for Roedean, as weekly boarding offers the best of both worlds.

Starling. Congratulations. Noticed Roedean was on the up but interested to know why you and your DD preferred it over Brighton College. What's the entrance exam format like compared to Common Entrance. Going to Open Day in May so hopefully will get a feel for the place.

DD became a 'Roedean girl' when she went on their Rockpools day (discovery day for prospective pupils) she is sports mad and absolutely loves the facilities and space at Roedean. She also found the pupils by far the most approachable and happiest, as compared to BC and BHHS. Of course all schools put forward their best side on open days, however my subsequent visits and communications with Roedean has happily reinforced our decision.

BC is impressive and their results are great but I found BC a 'hard sell' - there was no need for it. Also single sex education and the benefits this can bring influenced our decision too.

Roedean has great results too; it just felt much more welcoming and warmer than other schools with emphasis on pastoral care. DD is bright and found the entrance tests quite challenging but 'fine - no problems' (her words). For both she sat tests in maths, comprehension BC verbal reasoning, Roedean non-VR tests plus interviews.

The new head Mr Blond is certainly making some positive changes too, he is the ex-head of Henrietta Barnet, the highest performing girls' state school in England.

Of course every child is different but I believe that my DD will flourish at Roedean and that it is right for her. I hope this helps and good luck!

Have been for walks in that area, it's bloody freezing in winter!

Does anyone have any insight into the entrance exams at Roedean? Benenden have provided past papers but I can't seem to find anything on the Roedean ones for 11+ We are looking at Roedean and Benenden for our daughter so if anyone has a view point on those it would be much appreciated. To be honest I wasn't so keen on boarding but my daughter is really keen. We are also looking at Kings, Canterbury for 13+ as she is currently at Kings Prep but am worried about the mega hours, seven day weeks even for day pupils.

Roedean don't issue past papers, but their entrance euixams are fairly standard; NVR, Maths and English (Comprehension and short creative writing piece). Our DD found it "hard but OK". She got a place and starts in Sept 2016. I agree with starling123. We too looked at BC and found it too much of a hard sell. Our
DD felt it had a cold and stressful atmosphere; very male and testosterone driven. Our DD liked Roedean more than any other school we looked at and the Rockpools Day did it for her too. It is a really warm place and the girls we met seemed relaxed,
confident and happy. The school is really going places. Great Head and the new ISI inspection report reflects this with the School been judged 'excellent' in all areas: the highest judgement possible.

One of DD's friends started there last September and really loves it. Academically she has really improved too. Having a set prep time has improved her concentration and she is getting much better marks. Her mother also went there and had a great time so the daughter had been to old girls events over the years and not just open days. She went to Roedean expecting to enjoy it - and she has.

Our daughter started in September at Roedean and absolutely loves it. She is really supported and has made great progress academically. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and very focused on the emotional and social as well as the academic needs of the Girls.

My daughter started Roedean in September and over 90% of her year are English. I don't believe there are any Chinese girls in her year at all.

I have heard, whether this is true or not I don't know, that the current Head and Lady Lavender Pattern (Chair of the School) decided some years ago to reduce the numbers of overseas pupils.

My daughter loves Roedean and we have been really impressed with how much progress she has made in such a short period of time. The school is a academically rigorous, it is true, but there is still time for daydreaming and hacking each other to death on the lacrosse and hockey pitches.The Girls at the school are lovely - confident, polite and caring towards each other.

I understand that the School had a reputation in the 9Os for taking more foreign pupils than some of the other elite girls schools (CLC, St Swithuns, Benenden etc) although a lot of public schools were tempted by the easy money of rich Chinese for a while - most found that this backfired on them in poor results and damage to their ethos and reputation.

This is not my own impression.

Hope this helps.

I was a pupil at both Benenden and Roedean during my secondary years (finished school 2010). Roedean has changed dramatically even since I was there. It has become more modern and more local. Benenden is still an authentic older style boarding school.
Roedean - zero snob factor. Come out with sky high confidence and I feel as though the school helps you to take your natural path in life (ie doesn't push you in a certain direction, you can do more or less of whatever you're interested in and they encourage you to follow your instincts).
Benenden - very traditional all girls boarding school. Was all boarders when I was there. Entrance exams are very hard (Roedean's were a piece of cake), much more academic school - they tell you this from get go. Girls take work very seriously. Very sporty as well though. The snob factor is there (although you don't realise it at the time). Amazing school though.
Girls are SO friendly at both. Either is amazing - just depends whether you're after a traditional old English boarding school or a more modern alternative. :)

Thank you for your current and insightful sharing of both schools!