Royal Recognition for Rossall ccf
Rossall was honoured to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to celebrate the School's longstanding commitment to leadership, service and the Combined Cadet Force. The visit marked a proud moment in Rossall's history, bringing together pupils, staff, alumni and distinguished guests for a truly memorable occasion.
Read more about this special royal visit in our featured story: A Special Royal Visit — Rossall School | Independent Boarding School in Lancashire
House events
Competition, camaraderie and plenty of talent were on show as students took part in this term's House Cross Country and House Singing events. From determined performances on the course to memorable moments on stage, pupils embraced every opportunity to represent their House with pride, passion and enthusiasm.
Read more to discover the highlights, standout performances and winning Houses from these much-loved Rossall traditions.
Rossall rose society
The Rossall Rose Society has shown the true spirit of the Rossall community this term through its fundraising efforts for Macmillan Cancer Support and Brian House Children's Hospice. Thanks to the generosity of parents, staff, alumni and friends of the School, these campaigns have helped support two incredibly worthy causes.
Read our blog to learn more about the impact of these fundraising initiatives and the difference our community is making.
Save the Date: Rossall Rose Society Christmas Market
Mark your calendars! The Rossall Rose Society Christmas Market returns on Sunday 15th November, bringing together festive shopping, local businesses and Christmas cheer. It's the perfect opportunity to find unique gifts, support local traders and get into the festive spirit.
SHARING STUDENT SUCCESS
Young Historian, Luca, Earns National Recognition
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Rossall pupil Luca (Year 9), who has been named Runner-Up in the Key Stage 3 Spirit of Normandy Trust Prize at the prestigious Young Historian Awards 2026. Organised by the Historical Association in partnership with the Spirit of Normandy Trust, the awards recognise exceptional standards of historical research, analysis and academic writing.
Luca's essay, British Covert Warfare in the Second World War: Was Operation Postmaster Ethically Justified?, impressed judges with its sophistication, fluency and depth of research. Exploring the ethical challenges of covert military operations during the Second World War, his work demonstrated remarkable intellectual curiosity and critical thinking.
This national recognition reflects Luca's dedication to independent scholarship and his passion for history beyond the classroom. A special mention to Mr Rowe and Dr Mallaband for the encouragement and inspiration they have provided in nurturing Luca's interests in History and Religious Studies, both of which helped shape the ideas explored in his award-winning essay.
In a further act of generosity, Luca has chosen to donate his prize money to Rossall's Kindertransport Garden of Reflection project, helping to preserve the stories of children who found refuge at Rossall during the war.
Making the Most of Every Opportunity
This half term, in Year 13 Patrycja and Teddy have exemplified the character, ambition and determination that underpin life at Rossall. Patrycja has led a range of wellbeing initiatives, while embracing new challenges and stepping outside her comfort zone to make the most of every opportunity available to her. Meanwhile, Teddy has continued to impress through his resilience and commitment, winning the House Cross Country competition, submitting his Oxbridge application and maintaining excellence across his academic studies.
Curling Towards Success!
William (Year 10), is a keen and committed curler who has been developing his skills in the sport for some time and has already earned invitations to compete in national competitions. He has recently been invited to compete in the Asham U21 Slam, a prestigious junior curling competition in Scotland. The series brings together talented young curlers to compete at a high level, with an overall prize fund of £1,000 for the leading junior men's and women's teams. This invitation is a fantastic recognition of William's progress, dedication and potential in the sport.
Triple success for Jess in Elite Sport Pathways
A huge congratulations to Jess (Year 9), who has secured places in three highly competitive regional performance programmes: the Lancashire U14 Hockey Academy, Lancashire U15 Netball Academy, and the AO Thunder U14 Netball Pathway.
This outstanding achievement reflects Jess's dedication, talent and commitment across multiple sports, and highlights the breadth of opportunities available to Rossall pupils pursuing excellence in sport. We look forward to following her continued success both on the hockey pitch and netball court.
Three Rising Football Stars Selected for Lancashire
Congratulations to Evie (Year 10), Amber (Year 10) and Amelia (Year 11), who have all been selected for the Lancashire U16 Girls' Football Squad this season.
This is a remarkable achievement, with the trio successfully navigating four rounds of trials against more than 160 players. The selection is particularly impressive for Evie and Amber, who will be competing above their age group.
Their success reflects the hard work, dedication and talent being developed through the Rossall Football Academy. Evie is currently signed to Liverpool FC PGA U16s, while Amber and Amelia have recently signed for Burnley FC U16s, highlighting the strength of the player pathway available at Rossall.
We are incredibly proud of all three students and look forward to following their continued success at county and club level.
Music
Concert Trip to Manchester
A wonderful trip to Bridgewater Hall in Manchester to enjoy an outstanding concert by the Hallé Orchestra. The students were treated to extraordinary performances of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, featuring the pianist Pavel Kolesnikov, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. An inspiring evening of music-making and a fantastic opportunity for our young musicians to experience world-class performances live. It was also lovely to see our OR Richard, who has just begun his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music here in Manchester!
Piano Academy showcase concerts in November
After half term, our Piano Academy students will be performing two showcase concerts in November, sharing their musical talents and the progress they have made this term. We are delighted to be performing at two wonderful and prestigious venues:
Wednesday 4 November, 1.05pm – Leeds Conservatoire https://www.leedsconcertseason.co.uk/whats-on/rossall-international-piano-academy-1jdr
Monday 9 November, 1.30pm – Lowther Pavilion Theatre https://lowtherpavilion.co.uk/shows/classically-lowther-november-2026/
These performances offer our young pianists a valuable opportunity to perform in professional concert settings, gain stage experience and share their love of music with a wider audience. We look forward to celebrating their hard work and musicianship at both events!
Upcoming Concerts
Thursday 19th November
Senior School Music Concert - Museum Theatre
Wednesday 25th November
Staff Concert - PAS
Students and parents are invited to both - more details will be sent out after half term break.
Michaelmas Academic Symposium -Approaching Infinity
This term’s Academic Symposium explored the theme of ‘Approaching Infinity’, bringing together three speakers who approached the topic from very different perspectives.
Dr Tom Fraser-Bourne opened the session with an exploration of fractals and their relationship with infinity, before Year 12 student Oliver introduced Zeno’s paradox, using the famous example of Achilles and the tortoise to question how we can ever reach a destination if we must first cover half the remaining distance, and then half again, seemingly without end. His talk prompted lively discussion about the nature of infinity, whether the paradox really holds true, and how it might serve as a metaphor for the challenges and goals we encounter in everyday life.
Taking a different approach, Year 12 student Nancy explored the nature of originality in art, questioning whether creativity is truly boundless or simply a recycling of existing ideas. This led to a fascinating final discussion about AI-generated art and its potential to create new forms of artistic expression, challenging our understanding of originality.
A huge thank you to all three speakers for their excellent contributions to what proved to be a stimulating and thought-provoking session.
The Academic Symposium takes place each term, inviting speakers and guests to explore a shared theme through different academic lenses. We look forward to our next Symposium in February.
On Thursday 8th October, we were delighted to welcome 60 students to our second A Day of Dance! It was a truly special day, filled with energy, creativity and a shared passion for dance. Students took part in exciting workshops led by the incredible industry professionals Kane Walcott and Harrison Creech, gaining new skills, building confidence and learning from the very best. We were especially proud to welcome students from local primary and secondary schools, who made up half of our participants. It was wonderful to bring so many young dancers together, create new connections and share our love of dance. A huge thank you to everyone who took part in making the day such a memorable experience!
Dance Academy
Rehearsals are well underway as we prepare to take part in the Wyre and Fylde Dance Festival for the very first time! This year’s theme is ‘When I Grow Up’ and our talented dancers are exploring it in two very different and exciting ways. Our Senior Dance Team will celebrate musical icons and their journeys to success, while our Prep Dance Team will explore the pressures of growing up, their dreams and what they hope to be in the future. With tickets now completely sold out, we’re so excited to see our students take to the stage and showcase their hard work, creativity and passion for dance. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to perform in the wider community and represent Rossall with pride. We can’t wait to see them shine!
For more dance updates, videos and pictures please see Rossall School Dance Academy Instagram
How has the legal profession changed since 1966? Quite a lot!
This term, The Rossall Law Society welcomed Mr Brian Apfel, a former solicitor, for our first guest speaker event, offering members a fascinating insight into how the world of law has changed, and where it is heading next.
From the changing roles of solicitors and barristers to building a career in law and the growing impact of AI, Mr Apfel shared his experience through real-life cases and engaging discussion with members.
Our take away? Law is about critical thinking, challenging assumptions, asking the right questions, and finding solutions.
As the legal profession continues to evolve, Rossall Law Society looks forward to bringing more perspectives, experiences, and conversations into the room!
From Courtrooms to AI: Exploring the Future of Law
Year 8 celebrated their achievements at our end-of-term Rewards Assembly, having earned an impressive 3,500 merits this half term! Students were recognised for their hard work, with Alicia taking home the Gold Award after achieving a spectacular 119 merits. Tutors also celebrated students who demonstrated excellent punctuality and community spirit.
The Overall Merits Award went to 8B, who earned an outstanding 1,228 merits collectively. Congratulations to all our award winners and well done to Year 8 for their fantastic efforts! We look forward to celebrating even more achievements at next half term’s Rewards Assembly.
Excellence Recognised in Year 8
The Golf Academy remains a key area of strength, with the first half of the Michaelmas term proving exceptionally busy and successful for our golfers. One highlight was a trip to Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club, where the team won the first Swifts Strokeplay tournament of the year, while Year 13 pupil Lila claimed her first SSGT individual title. Lila followed this up with another individual victory at Frilford Heath, where the team also secured an impressive second place with a combined score of nine under par (-9). Further success was achieved by our younger team at Ramside Hall, where our Under-15's took home the team prize in the SSGT 36-hole event.
Further recognition of Rossall’s golfing success stories comes through Old Rossallian Sam Easterbrook, who represented Great Britain and Ireland in the victorious Walker Cup team at Lahinch, Ireland. These achievements reflect the strength of Rossall’s golfing programme, with current students continuing to perform strongly in School, national and international competitions.
GOLF Academy
Rossall golf heads to dubai
International opportunities have also been a key feature of the Academy’s programme, with pupils recently travelling to Dubai to experience golf at an international level. Students took part in a golf camp run at the Tommy Fleetwood Academy (TFA) in Dubai, benefiting from world-class golfing facilities and the opportunity to develop their skills in an inspiring environment. In addition, two of our Sixth Form girls competed in the AJGA International Pathway Series on the renowned Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, gaining valuable experience in a highly competitive international setting. These opportunities reflect the Academy’s commitment to broadening pupils’ horizons and supporting their development both on and off the course.
See more pictures on Flickr.
Our Year 12 and Year 13 mathematicians have actively engaged in high-level problem solving this half term through the prestigious United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) competitions. These national challenges push students beyond standard A-Level specifications, demanding lateral thinking, rigorous logic, and deep analytical reasoning.
A group of our female mathematicians sat the national UKMT Mathematical Competition for Girls (MCG), a rigorous 90-minute paper featuring five complex, multi-part challenges. We are incredibly proud of all our students who took part, with exceptional performances across both year groups. Amy earned a Distinction and Best in School, and Hanrui similarly achieved a Distinction and Best in School. Merits were awarded to Evelyn, Annabel, Sophie, Constanze, and Jasmine, while Viktoriia and Maryna received Certificates of Participation. Special congratulations go to Amy and Hanrui for placing in the top 25% nationally.
Alongside the MCG, a select group of students tackled the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (MOG), an intensive proof-based paper requiring advanced mathematical reasoning. Furthermore, over 100 students across Years 12 and 13 completed the flagship 90-minute Senior Mathematical Challenge. We are currently awaiting the official results for both of these competitions and look forward to celebrating their award certificates and Olympiad qualifiers soon.
Thank you to all Sixth Form students who represented our school so brilliantly. Your commitment to mathematical enrichment sets a fantastic standard across the department.
Celebrating Maths Academic Enrichment
A Morning of Maths and Video Games!
On October 14th, twelve of our Year 10 and Year 11 accelerated mathematicians experienced a morning of mathematical enrichment at the Lancaster University School of Mathematics (LUSOM) in Preston. Designed to stretch bright young minds and showcase real-world mathematical applications, the event provided our students with a compelling glimpse into university-level problem solving.
The visit began with an immersive taster lesson from Further A-Level Mathematics focusing on 2D matrix transformations. Moving beyond standard GCSE algebra, our students learned how 2x2 matrices act as functions that stretch, reflect, rotate, and enlarge shapes across the 2D Cartesian plane.
The standout highlight of the trip was a guest talk by Oxford mathematician and YouTube star Dr Tom Crawford, famously known for his Tom Rocks Maths platform. Dr Crawford shared three fascinating concepts from his upcoming book, How Many Pikachus Would It Take to Power a Light Bulb?, which serves as a great Christmas gift idea for any parents seeking an engaging, curiosity-driven book for their children. It's certainly on my own Christmas list this year!
During the presentation, Dr Crawford demonstrated how mathematical modelling can be applied to popular culture and fantasy worlds. We analysed the physical density of the Pokémon Wailord, discovering that its mass and volume proportions result in a density near 1, meaning it would actually float around like a giant whale blimp rather than submerge in the ocean. Thank goodness Pokémon are fictional!
He then led an economic comparison between N64 Super Mario and Sega Megadrive Sonic, evaluating the value of gold, coin dimensions, and ring sizes to determine who built the larger fortune. The session wrapped up with a physics and mechanics problem centered on calculating the energy required to destroy a planet with the Death Star and if it could be done safely and at what distance from Star Wars.
This mathematical enrichment sparked fantastic questions from our students, who discussed how mathematical principles might break elements of their own favourite video games.
Looking ahead, we hope to enter a cohort of students into the official Tom Rocks Maths Essay Competition launching in February. It was a morning of mathematical enrichment, and we are incredibly proud of how our Year 10 and 11 students represented the school.
Mrs Threlfall - Head of Maths
It has been a busy and rewarding first half term for our Year 7 pupils as they settle into life at Rossall Senior School. From making new friends and taking part in House competitions to exploring new interests and getting involved in the wider school community, they have made a fantastic start to the year.
The term began with a busy and exciting Induction Day, giving pupils the chance to get to know others in their form, begin forming new friendships and familiarise themselves with the Senior School site. There were plenty of comments about how much bigger the school was than their primary schools, and a few worries about getting lost along the way! However, when the first day arrived, they settled in remarkably quickly, showing great confidence and enthusiasm. Our team-building afternoon and Year 7 BBQ helped strengthen friendships and build a sense of belonging, while House Singing was a real highlight, bringing pupils together to showcase their creativity, teamwork and House spirit. We also enjoyed welcoming Year 7 parents to a lunch in the Common Room, giving them the opportunity to meet key members of staff, get to know other families and begin building connections within the Rossall community. Supporting families through this transition is just as important as helping pupils settle, and it was lovely to see parents sharing experiences and getting to know one another.
Our Year 7 pupils have been collecting merits thick and fast this half term, reflecting the hard work, enthusiasm and positive attitude they have brought to life at Rossall Senior School. It has been wonderful to see how much they have already achieved, from settling into new routines and building friendships to embracing the many activities and experiences on offer. During Fantastic Friday, pupils reflect on what they are most proud of that week, celebrating both the big milestones and the small wins that can sometimes go unnoticed. Whether mastering a tricky concept, showing kindness to a friend or growing in confidence, every success matters. This week, we also celebrated our highest merit earners with tea and cakes in the Headmaster's Study – a lovely way to recognise their commitment and positive approach to school life.
It has been fantastic to see pupils making their mark on the wider school community. Our form captains have been sharing ideas for the new Year 7 and 8 Common Room, while the Charity Committee are busy planning Christmas market stalls and developing creative ideas to raise money for local charities. Our Year 7 pupils were also fantastic Rossall Ambassadors at our recent Open Day, confidently sharing their experiences of life at Rossall and talking enthusiastically to prospective families about the many activities and opportunities on offer. It was lovely to see them so proud of their school and keen to share what makes Rossall special. Beyond the classroom, pupils have enjoyed lunchtime music concerts, the Day of Dance and beginning preparations for the Senior School productions. The Junior Library is also a popular lunchtime spot, with pupils enjoying a game of UNO or chess with friends. Some have even travelled further afield, including trip to Dubai for golf. From performing arts and sport to charity work and a quiet game with friends, each pupil is beginning to discover their own interests and passions.
As we reach the end of the first half term, we are incredibly proud of how enthusiastically Year 7 have approached life at Senior School. They have built friendships, embraced new experiences and become an important part of the Rossall community in such a short space of time. We wish all our Year 7 pupils and their families a relaxing and enjoyable half term, and we look forward to seeing everyone return ready for another exciting few weeks at Rossall!
Year 7: A Fantastic First Half Term!
We are delighted to invite you to our much-loved Rossallians Christmas Carol Service, taking place on Sunday 6th December at 5:00pm in our beautiful The Chapel of St John the Baptist.
This year, in the spirit of bringing our Rossall community together as one, we are delighted to be combining our traditional OR Christmas Carol Service with our Family Christmas Carol Service. It promises to be a truly wonderful occasion, bringing together Rossallians, families and friends to celebrate the festive season.
Join us for an evening of beautiful traditional carols, festive cheer and the wonderful atmosphere of Christmas at Rossall.
Following the service, we will gather in the Dining Hall, where you can enjoy refreshments and plenty of other festive treats while catching up with old friends and enjoying the company of our wider Rossall family.
With this year’s celebration bringing our community together, we expect a particularly special and well-attended evening. We encourage you to book early to ensure you don’t miss out.
We would be absolutely delighted to welcome as many of our Rossallians and their families as possible and to celebrate the festive season together in true Rossall style.
To join us, please complete the booking form below:
https://form.jotform.com/Rossall_Marketing/christmas-carol-service-2026
We look forward to welcoming you, sharing in the Christmas spirit and creating another wonderful Rossall memory together.
Come and celebrate Christmas with the Rossall community
WAYS TO BE WELL AT ROSSALL
This term, PSHE has had a whole-school focus on Health and Wellbeing, with students exploring how to stay safe, make positive choices and support their own and others’ wellbeing.
A highlight for Year 7 was a visit from Streetwise, a drama group delivering road safety education across the UK. Their engaging workshop encouraged students to think critically about road crossings, distractions from friends and mobile phones, and the risks associated with e-bikes and e-scooters, which children may only use on private land under current UK rules.
We also welcomed parents to our first Wellbeing Bridge meeting of the term, featuring a workshop led by Dave Carlos from Lancashire Constabulary’s Cyber Crime and Safety Unit and Mrs Victoria Low, one of Rossall’s Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, focusing on online safety and what do here at Rossall to support this.
Our Student Wellbeing Ambassadors have continued to make a fantastic contribution to life at Rossall, from running Tea and Talk sessions and a weekly Key Stage 3 Lunch Club, to welcoming new boarders through Q&A sessions. This half-term culminated in a Wellbeing Festival on Friday 9 October to mark World Mental Health Day. Following an assembly on the importance of sleep, the Ambassadors organised an afternoon of activities in the Sumner Library, including games exploring sleep and online safety, mindfulness colouring and pledge jars. Students also wore yellow to raise funds for Blackpool Light Lounge, and our new Mental Health Practitioner, Mrs Rebecca Shaw, introduced the wellbeing support available at Rossall.
It is uplifting to see the dedication of our Ambassadors, who genuinely believe in the importance of personal wellbeing. This is evident not only in the initiatives they lead around school, but also in the way they conduct themselves each day. They are a wonderful example of student leadership in action!
Mr Andrew McBride Featured in Independent Schools Magazine
Rossall School Headmaster, Mr Andrew McBride, was recently featured in Independent Schools Magazine, sharing his perspective on how elite sport can transform education and shape young people's lives far beyond the playing field.
Read his article here
Regional Independent School of the Year: North
Rossall has been recognised as Highly Commended in the Regional Independent School of the Year: North category at the Independent School Parent Awards. This recognition reflects the exceptional opportunities, achievements and experiences available across the School
Stay Sharp Over Half Term
Reaching the October half-term is an undeniable milestone, and here I am revisiting a topic I wrote about at this time last year…
After seven weeks of sustained effort through this long and demanding autumn opening stretch, students, parents, and teachers have earned a well-deserved rest! The half-term break offers a vital chance to recharge and enjoy some unstructured time.
However, this break also presents a familiar educational dilemma: the temptation to disconnect completely from ‘academic life’ versus the stark reality of the post-holiday slump and rapid knowledge decay. When learning halts for a week or two, students often return to the classroom feeling a little rusty and struggling to regain momentum. Fortunately, holiday rest and learning retention do not have to compete.
By dedicating just 15 minutes a day to focused, active micro-sessions, students can flatten the forgetting curve, protect their hard-earned progress, and still enjoy plenty of downtime, which is vital for year groups with upcoming Trial Exams and in-class assessments after the break.
Read more from Mr David Clarke, Deputy Head Academic.
Rossall Sport Development Plan: Investing in Our Future
We are delighted to launch the Rossall Sport Development Plan, beginning with the creation of a new all-weather 3G football pitch. This transformational project will enhance year-round training and competition, strengthening opportunity, participation, and performance for current and future Rossallians.
Alongside this, the plan includes further development of golf facilities, cricket provision, esports, a new cardio gym, and a sports café, creating inclusive spaces that support performance, wellbeing, and community.
The wider vision also includes a Garden of Reflection in Hall Gardens, honouring the legacy of the Kindertransport.
With the support of our community and alumni, we aim to build a lasting sporting legacy that reflects Rossall’s values and future ambition.
Learn more about it here. Join us in shaping Rossall’s future, support the vision here.
