ROSSALL NEWS
Community Notices
Dates For Your Diary
Open Day - Saturday 21 March 2026
Ross School Featured in My Top Schools UK Article
Rossall Volleyball Teams Secure Four Wins Against Westholme
Introducing Rossall School’s New Deputy Head, Academic
Student Success: Congratulations to Niall T (Year 9, MC)
Headmaster’s Awards
Cleaning Up Sandy Lane: An Eco Society Litter Survey
Ways to be Well at Rossall
With Love From Chapel
New Edition of The Rossallian
IN THIS ISSUE
PRE-PREP & PREP SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Reading regularly in printed form remains one of the most powerful ways to support young people’s academic progress, concentration and wellbeing. Research consistently shows that reading physical books, including novels, non-fiction and graphic novels, supports deeper comprehension, sustained focus and a stronger relationship with language than reading on screens, which can encourage distraction and more superficial engagement.
With this in mind, and as part of our wider commitment to developing a strong culture of reading for pleasure, we will shortly be launching Drop Everything and Read (DEAR Time) during Tutor Time. During these sessions, students will spend 20 minutes reading a book of their choice, while tutors read their own books alongside them. This shared experience is intended to model positive reading habits and reinforce the value we place on reading as a lifelong skill.
To support this initiative, we ask that all students bring a suitable reading book to school each day. This may be a novel, non-fiction text or graphic novel, provided it is in printed form. Should they prefer, students can also pick up a book from one of our two well-stocked libraries.
Over the coming weeks, we will also be introducing a range of reading challenges and activities to further encourage engagement and enjoyment, with more details to follow.
This initiative is particularly timely, as 2026 has been designated the National Year of Reading, providing an opportunity for schools and families to work together to promote reading as a central part of young people’s lives.
Thank you for your continued support in fostering confident, thoughtful and enthusiastic readers.
Community Notices
Headmaster's Live Q&A - Thursday 29 January, at 12:45pm (UK time) via Zoom. Parents will find the Zoom link in their inbox.
Choral Evensong - Friday 30 January, at 6:30pm at St Peter’s in Fleetwood
Revision Information Evening - Thursday 12 February, at 5.30 in Big School. This event is for parents of children in Years 10-13. A recording will be sent to our international families follwing the event. Please register your attendance here.
Durham OR Drinks Reception - Thursday 26 February, at 6:30pm
Noriko Ogawa Piano Recital - Saturday 7 February, at 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Footloose - March 12-13 at 7:00pm, March 14 at 2:00pm
Open Day - Saturday 21 March, from 10am
Rossallian Club, London Dinner - Thursday 7 May, at 6:30pm
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
OPEN DAY - Saturday 21 March 2026
Choosing a school is a significant family decision and we want to give all prospective pupils and their families an opportunity to experience all that Rossall has to offer.
We want you to know that this is the right school for you and your child.
An Open Day at Rossall provides an insight into the vibrant and varied life of our wonderful community.
You will be able to visit any departments or specialist programmes your child is interested in and talk directly with both staff and students who will be there to answer any questions.
rossall school Featured in My Top Schools UK
Rossall School is proud to be featured in a recent article by My Top Schools UK titled ‘Top UK Independent Schools for Sport: How to Choose the Right School for Your Child’.
The article highlights schools that are leading the way in combining academic excellence with outstanding sporting provision.
The feature recognises Rossall’s commitment to developing young athletes within a strong educational framework. Central to this is the approach of our Headmaster, Mr Andrew McBride, whose extensive background in elite sport is helping to further enhance Rossall’s unique offering. A former youth footballer in a Premier League Academy and an experienced coach of men’s and women’s national and international teams in New Zealand, Mr McBride brings first-hand knowledge of high-performance sport to his leadership of boarding, education, and athletic pathways at Rossall.
The full article can be read here.
Rossall Volleyball Teams Secure Four Wins Against Westholme
Rossall School enjoyed a highly successful weekend of volleyball, with the U12, U13, U14, and U15 A teams all recording victories against Westholme. Winning all four fixtures, the teams demonstrated skill, teamwork, and determination across every age group.
The U12 A team delivered a strong performance, with Olivia T named both Player of the Match and Coaches’ Player in recognition of her outstanding contribution. The U13 A team also impressed, with Eleni C and Elsie F earning Player of the Match and Coaches’ Player awards for their consistent and influential play.
In the U14 A team, Poppy R and Zoe B were recognised for their excellent performances, while the U15 A team continued the winning run with Erin H and Ava H receiving Player of the Match and Coaches’ Player honours.
These results reflect the continued progress of volleyball at Rossall School and the commitment shown by students and coaching staff alike. Congratulations to all players involved on an excellent set of results and a fantastic team effort.
Introducing Rossall School’s New Deputy Head, Academic
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Mr David Clarke to the role of Deputy Head (Academic) at Rossall School, which took effect from January 2026. This appointment reflects our pride in seeing Rossall staff thrive and achieve, and highlights the talent, dedication and professionalism that define our community.
A highly respected and familiar figure, David has been at Rossall since 2019 as Director of Professional Development, Teaching and Learning, and Head of History and Politics. He brings a clear academic vision grounded in research-informed practice, high standards and a strong commitment to ensuring every pupil fulfils both their academic and personal potential.
With extensive senior leadership experience across curriculum development, pastoral care and staff professional growth, David combines academic rigour with a deep belief in holistic education. He exemplifies the values of Rossall and our shared commitment to excellence, care and ambition for all.
We are excited to see David step into this new role and look forward to the positive impact of his leadership in the years ahead.
Read more about his journey and new role here.
student success: Congratulations to Niall T (Year 9, MC)
We are incredibly proud of Niall for achieving a Merit in his Grade 6 Drums exam. Music plays a central role at Rossall School, nurturing creativity, discipline, and collaboration. Niall’s success reflects his dedication and the valuable skills he is developing through his musical journey. We are equally proud of all our music students, whose talent and commitment continue to enrich our school community.
Headmaster’s Awards
We are thrilled to congratulate Tonia (Rose House), winner of the Headmaster’s Award for Academic Achievement.
Over the school holidays, Tonia achieved a Bronze Award in a prestigious national STEM competition, competing against hundreds of entries from across Europe - an outstanding result.
As part of the Ukraine entry, Tonia designed an innovative app, New Greens, which helps create greener spaces by considering local habitats, biodiversity, and the needs of different species. The app aims to support sustainable green infrastructure and respond to the challenges of a changing climate.
An impressive achievement that showcases creativity, intelligence, and global awareness.
Very well done, Tonia!
Cleaning Up Sandy Lane: An Eco Society Litter Survey
As part of the Eco Society in our school, we carried out a litter survey on Sandy Lane, a public lane located near our school. The aim of this activity was to measure the amount and type of litter present and to understand its impact on the local environment and the school community.
Method and Results
The area surveyed on Sandy Lane was 820 m². During the litter pick, we collected approximately 500 g of litter, giving a litter density of around 0.61 g per m².
Most of the litter collected consisted of food wrapping and plastic items, such as packaging and wrappers. We also found dog fouling, which is unpleasant and can pose a health risk to people using the lane.
Effects of Plastic Littering Around a School
Plastic littering causes serious environmental problems, especially in areas around a school. Plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose, meaning it remains in the environment for a very long time. It can harm wildlife, block drains, and break down into microplastics that pollute soil and water.
Around a school, plastic litter creates an unsafe and unhealthy environment for students. Discarded food packaging can attract pests such as rats and insects, and contact with litter may expose students to harmful bacteria. Littered surroundings also make the area look untidy, which can encourage further littering.
Keeping areas like Sandy Lane clean is important because it protects health, improves the local environment, and supports the aims of the school Eco Society by promoting responsible and sustainable behaviour.
This week, our Wellbeing Ambassadors hosted Brew Monday in The Hub. With hot chocolate and board games at the start of lunch, the event helped brighten a dull January day, and it was wonderful to see students from across different year groups, along with staff, coming together.
Years 7 and 8 participated in an interactive theatre production focused on safe decision-making and the impact of alcohol. Students learned how drinking can affect both the body and mind, as well as explored strategies for saying no in situations involving peer pressure.
To round off the week, the Music Department hosted a wellbeing evening as part of Music Library Week, where students focused on relaxation and stress management techniques for music and auditions. Students learned how to body scan to identify their own areas of stress, and also learned about positive stress and how to harness it.
It is wonderful to see wellbeing popping up all around Rossall!
ways to be WELL AT ROSSALl
With love from chapel
This week is Music Library Week, so we had a chance to look at just how much God loves music today!
“Sing to the Lord a New Song” it says in Psalm 149, and we have been doing exactly this today. With some marvellous renditions from our Chapel Choir and some super-loud singing from the entire school, we filled the chapel with beautiful noise.
We also had the chance to find out a bit more about our Director of Music, Mr Simon Walker and what inspired him to sing and play, and come to Rossall.
He explained why Choral Music is so very special and important to him - and we got a little glimpse into his life before Rossall.
If you would like to get a taste of what this ‘beautiful noise’ is all about, join us for our next Choral Evensong, which we will hold in St Peter’s Church in Fleetwood, where our Chapel Choir has been invited to join forces with the Church Choir.
It will be very special and a great chance to sing praise together in our local community.
Please do come along if you can: 30th January 6:30 pm in St Peter’s in Fleetwood
Our Chapel Choir looks forward to seeing you there!
With Love from Chapel,
- Mrs Kerstin Dixon, Rossall School Chaplin
New Edition of The Rossallian Released
Rossall School is delighted to share the latest edition of The Rossallian, click here to read. This is our school newspaper that celebrates life across both the Senior and Preparatory Schools. The publication highlights recent activities, achievements, and events that showcase the vibrancy of our community.
Available in both print and digital formats, this edition will be shared with alumni, parents, staff, friends of Rossall, and visiting families.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. We hope you enjoy reading the new issue!
