Roedean School

Roedean is an extraordinary school on an extraordinary site – the girls play cricket and hockey with the sea’s blue in front of them and the green of the South Downs behind them, the Maths and Humanities classrooms have perhaps the best views of any in the country, and which other boarding houses have been likened to a boutique hotel? But it is not just the location, but the strong academic focus with a genuine belief in the importance of creativity and an all-round education that makes Roedean unique.

This is an exciting time for Roedean which is marking the 140th anniversary of the foundation of the School, although it moved to its current site in 1898. Ever since its foundation, Roedean has been renowned for providing girls with an exceptional holistic education, and this certainly remains the case today: the girls excel in many fields, achieving excellent academic results, while also playing music beyond diploma level, debating in the Oxford Union finals, playing Netball in Sri Lanka, and throwing themselves into partnership work in the community and beyond. Students achieve Advanced 1 in Ballet, design and race their F24 electric car, exceptional artists can finish A Level Art in a year and then complete a certificated foundation year before applying for direct-entry Art degrees, and a team of 6 students successfully swam across the Channel to France in June 2022, after which a student in Year 12 made the crossing solo in July 2025.

Roedean is clearly thriving and, in addition to the evident success in the Arts and particularly STEM subjects, as well as in many areas of school life beyond the curriculum, it is wonderful that the findings of our last three ISI Inspection reports in 2016, 2021, and 2025 all highlighted the excellence in Roedean provision and outcomes for students. Despite current pressures, it is clear that the School is in fine fettle, and where it will be in the coming years is an exciting prospect.

Headteacher

Niamh Green

Values and vision

The School was founded in 1885, and the founding sisters wanted to provide a “thorough, physical, intellectual, and moral” education. This ethos continues today, and Roedean provides a genuinely holistic education, in which all elements complement each other; this approach places a high value on all the experiences that happen beyond the classroom in sport, art, drama, music, and dance, as well as community outreach and partnerships.

The ‘Six Pillars’ of Roedean are to encourage healthy and active living, a strong academic foundation, an appreciation of sport, culture, and the arts, to build independence of thought and character, to build on skills and confidence, and to have moral and personal values.

ISI

“The school is highly successful in achieving its aims. All pupils, including those with SEND or EAL and the more able, achieve excellent results in external examinations. Pupils, including those in Sixth Form, make a high rate of progress in relation to the average for pupils of similar abilities. They have an exemplary attitude towards learning which contributes to their success. Pupils enjoy their lessons, working together well to attain high standards of learning.”

View Roedean School’s ISI report