Rosebery School Launches New Foundation to Help Epsom Girls Achieve their Dreams

Rosebery School in Epsom has announced the launch of the Rosebery Foundation, a charitable initiative to help its students achieve their ambitions regardless of personal circumstances.

The initiative, which is part of the wider GLF Schools Foundation, has been created thanks to the generous support of several former pupils, including the family of Dianne Long, who joined Rosebery in 1953. Rosebery School is part of the GLF Schools multi academy trust.

Through the Rosebery Foundation, the school supports opportunities that make a meaningful difference to students' lives, guided by its values of ambition, joy and pride. The Foundation aims to remove financial barriers for students, which will open up opportunities for girls at Rosebery that might otherwise be out of reach.

The Foundation's work spans five areas: enrichment and opportunity; wellbeing and belonging; leadership and empowerment; networks and futures; and Rosebery Rewilding, which supports student wellbeing and growth through nature and outdoor learning.

Alongside this, the school draws on the strength of its wider community - including alumnae, parents and partners - to create connections and open doors beyond the classroom.

The Foundation already has big plans, including a trip to visit the European Space Centre in Belgium this summer to help inspire girls with an interest in science, technology and maths. The visit to the European Space Centre has been specifically funded by Dianne Long and the Di Long family through a bursary as part of the wider foundation.

Holly Lowe, Assistant Headteacher at Rosebery, is leading work on the Foundation. She commented:

“At Rosebery, our students are highly aspirational and achieve exceptionally well. Within school, we expect them to use their voice, take intellectual risks and see themselves as leaders. It is simply part of how we work day to day. 

 “The reality, however, is that all girls will encounter barriers beyond school. The wider world does not always reflect or reinforce those expectations in the same way.

 “For disadvantaged students, these challenges can be felt more keenly, particularly where there is less access to enrichment, professional networks and the kinds of experiences that open doors and build confidence.”

The Foundation has also hosted an alumnae day, held as part of the school’s Student Futures Festival for Year 12, which was a powerful example of this in action. Rosebery welcomed back 15 alumnae, representing a wide range of years, stages and careers, who led panels, workshops, talks and hosted a mentoring session in the afternoon.

Events like the Alumnae Day will help build confidence and aspiration for girls at Rosebery, especially for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is just one example of the wider work of the Foundation.

 Holly added:

“Through the Rosebery Foundation, our focus is on making sure students are not only achieving highly, which they already are here, but are fully prepared for what comes next.

 “Ultimately, it is about ensuring that all our students leave Rosebery ready not just to succeed, but to step into the world with the confidence and the connections to shape it.”

Rosebery School is an eight-form entry girls school based in Epsom, Surrey. The school joined GLF Schools in September 2017 and has classes from Year 7 to 13. 

For information about the school, please contact info@rosebery.surrey.sch.uk