Burgess Hill Girls

Burgess Hill Girls
Motto I am, I can, I ought, I will
Sum, Possum, Debeo, Efficiam
Established 1906 (1906)
Type Independent day and boarding
Headmistress Mrs Kathryn Bell
Chairman of Governors Dr Alison Smith MB, ChB, MRCGP [1]
Founder Beatrice Goode
Location Keymer Road
Burgess Hill
West Sussex
RH15 0EG
England
Coordinates: 50°57′05″N 0°07′31″W / 50.9514°N 0.1254°W / 50.9514; -0.1254
Local authority West Sussex
Staff c.145
Students c. 308
Gender Girls (boys are accepted at the nursery)
Ages 2½–18
Houses Burns, Milton, Thomas, Yeats
Colours White, yellow, and navy blue               
Former pupils Old Girls
Website www.burgesshillgirls.com

Burgess Hill Girls (previously named "Burgess Hill School for Girls") is an independent, girls-only day and boarding school for girls aged between 2½ and 18 years (full boarding is offered from 11 years), founded in 1906 by Miss Beatrice Goode. The school is located in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, having moved to its present location in 1928. The school also has boys attending the nursery.[2]

Overview

The multi-building school is situated on Keymer Road, in the West Sussex town of Burgess Hill, and is a five-minute walk from Burgess Hill railway station, which is on the Brighton Main Line. Coaches and minibuses collect girls from outlying areas in Sussex.

The majority of the girls are day pupils, with casual boarding (also known as 'flexi-boarding') being offered from the age of 7 years and full boarding from 11 years.[3]

Headmistress Mrs Kathryn Bell (Head 2014–present) took the place of Mrs Ann Aughwane (Head 2006-2014) in 2014. In September 2015, she rebranded the school, changing its logo, colours, and name. The name changed from Burgess Hill School for Girls to Burgess Hill Girls.

Grounds and buildings

The school stands in 14 acres (57,000 m2) of grounds within a conservation area close to the centre of the town. The grounds consist of open playing fields and natural woodland. [4]

The buildings date back to 1704, and are a mixture of Victorian and Edwardian villas, and contempary buildings. The school includes a nursery building, a junior school building, a senior school building, a drama, music, and performance academy, a music school, a sixth form centre, an art department, a science centre, and three boarding houses. Two of the boarding houses are adjoining the school grounds, whilst the third one is positioned across a road.[5]

History

Burgess Hill School was founded in 1906 by Miss Beatrice Goode (Head 1906-1938) as a result of local demand from parents. Miss Beatrice Goode, along with her sisters Ada and Patricia, aimed to give girls an education equal to that of boys, although at that time boys were also admitted. The school began as a PNEU school, a system of schooling set up by Charlotte Mason. The school motto is "I am, I can, I ought, I will", which translates in Latin to 'Sum, Possum, Debeo, Efficiam'.

Originally situated at the site of the current Lloyds Bank on Church Road, the school moved to its current location in 1928 when it was seen that expansion was necessary.

When the school began there was no need for a uniform, but girls were required to wear a school hat and badge. In September 1914 the first uniform was introduced, and, although it has been through various changes, the principal colours remain the same: navy blue, sky blue and white.

In 1986, A short history of Burgess Hill School for Girls 1906-1986, by Angela Davies, was published.[6]

Sports

Burgess Hill Girls offers its students a variety of sports to play and compete in, including netball, hockey, cross country, athletics, dance, tennis, and rounders. There are sports clubs, some of which are already done in PE, others of which are not, such as the karate club.[7]

Music

All students at Burgess Hill Girls have music classes. The school also offers private or group tuition in instruments, including the piano, the violin and the cello. The school puts on concerts, where girls have the opportunity to showcase their musical prowess, in solo or group performance. [8]

Fees and charitable status

Burgess Hill Girls' facilities come at the price of fees.[9]The school offers a number of scholarships, including academic, music, art, drama, and sport. [10] The school also offers bursaries. [11]

Houses

Name   House colour   Namesake  
BurnsBlueRobert Burns
MiltonYellowJohn Milton
ThomasRedEdward Thomas
YeatsGreenW.B. Yeats

The houses of Burgess Hill Girls are named after famous poets. The staff of the school encourage friendly competition between the houses in sports and other activities, resulting in all students feeling part of the school 'community'.

Notable former pupils

Headmistresses

[12]

References

  1. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/about-us/governors
  2. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com
  3. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com
  4. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/about-us
  5. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/about-us/campus-facilities
  6. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/about-us/school-history
  7. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/academic/curriculum/sport
  8. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/academic/curriculum/music
  9. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/admissions/fees
  10. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/admissions/scholarships
  11. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/admissions/bursaries
  12. ↑ http://burgesshillgirls.com/about-us/school-history

External links

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