The BOLD Award

Posted: 20th September 2021

After a successful pilot in 2021 Burgess Hill Girls is delighted to confirm its 2022 BOLD Award, a fully funded place at their Sixth Form available exclusively for state school students. Read on for more details and to meet the 2021 recipient, Anah.

 

Anah Bold Award Burgess Hill Girls

 

WHY IS IT CALLED THE BOLD AWARD?

Burgess Hill Girls already offers our groundbreaking BOLD programme in the Sixth Form, which aims to provide students with all the social, interpersonal and leadership skills they need to thrive in their future lives.

The BOLD Award takes the programme one step further, seeking out individuals who can already demonstrate they have some of these qualities, are bold in nature and have a desire to make a positive impact on the social and political world around them.

Most importantly the Award is specifically for students who might not otherwise be able to access the BOLD programme at Burgess Hill Girls Sixth Form. The BOLD Award is a fully funded place and Burgess Hill Girls strongly encourages applications from students who:

  • Have no family history of university attendance
  • Are eligible for school meals
  • Come from families who have faced considerable hardships
  • Are looked-after children or currently in care
  • Are the children of key workers

WHAT ELSE IS ON OFFER?

In addition to the BOLD Award, there are also Academic, Art, Drama, Music, Sport and Technology Scholarships available at the Sixth Form at Burgess Hill Girls. Applicants can also apply for means tested bursaries. To find out more about the BOLD Award, all other scholarships and bursaries download the booklet or contact the admissions team at Burgess Hill Girls.

MEET ANAH – THE 2021 BOLD AWARD RECIPIENT

How did you hear about the BOLD Award?

I heard about the BOLD Award when I was looking at various sixth forms and colleges to apply for and came across the page on the Burgess Hill Girls website. I’d already fallen in love with the school and all it has to offer, it felt like an opportunity too good to be true!

Where were you at school before Burgess Hill Girls?

Before Burgess Hill Girls, I went to Millais School. I will never forget my time there, the lovely teachers and friends who made the Years 7-11 so enjoyable. I owe a lot of thanks to them for getting me here by encouraging me to apply, putting in a good word for me and helping me go on to achieve the GCSE grades I did.

How has your first few weeks been at Burgess Hill Girls?

I can honestly say that I have loved my first few weeks at Burgess Hill Girls. The year group is quite small but that makes for such a close-knit, welcoming, supportive community that I’m so proud to be a part of. All the girls here have gone out of their way to make everyone feel included and already I’ve made some incredible friends. The teachers are all committed and passionate about their subjects, making lessons engaging and fun but also definitely intellectually challenging. In the space of two weeks, I’ve already been on two trips and taken part in a competition as part of a club! We did team building in London which was invaluable for building up soft skills such as clear communication, creative thinking and time management. We’ve also gone on a Psychology trip to London Zoo to complete an observational study and there’s even a Biology field trip in October that I’m massively looking forward to.

Is it different from your expectations?

Yes! I was worried about integrating into the year group and sticking out like a sore thumb having never been to a private school before. Yet my preconceptions could not have been more wrong. It’s so easy to get involved right from the start of the year in projects such as the annual Performing Arts day that Y12 runs (even if performing arts isn’t something you’ve ever done before!) and like I’ve said before you could not meet a more welcoming group of people. There’s not really any cliques or anything like that, everyone tends to hang out together in the common room and be more than happy to talk to different people each day.

How is Burgess Hill Girls different from your previous school?

I’d say the main difference is the class sizes! Here, my classes only ever have 5 or 6 people in them whereas I was used to having at least 25 people in a class before. Having smaller class sizes definitely helps you feel individually very supported as the teacher is able to check in with all of us every lesson which is always appreciated.

Why would you encourage girls to apply for the BOLD Award?

You never know what great things can fall into your lap unless you try! I did not think my chances were very high of winning the BOLD Award or of ever going to such a prestigious, excellent school but that’s how things worked out after I’d given it a go. I cannot emphasise enough how incredible this school is and for many people including myself, private schools like this one are so far out of reach. THIS is your chance!

Are you already thinking about what you might do after your A levels? What are your ambitions?

It’s certainly been something I’m thinking about but I’ve not got a definitive plan yet. There are loads of degrees and career paths that I’m considering as I’ve chosen facilitating A-Levels that could lead to a lot of pathways. I’d love to have a career that centres around helping people or something quite academic: I’m looking at the sciences, psychology and more essay-based courses too! I also definitely want to go to a Russell Group University or potentially Oxbridge.

How do you think Burgess Hill Girls can help you get there?

Burgess Hill Girls does so much to prepare us for university and the working world! They do networking dinners, the EPQ, practice interviews and more to help us figure out what we want to do and have the best possible chance of getting where we want to go. Also there’s always someone to talk to about your aspirations or if you’re unsure. Burgess Hill Girls has helped students get into incredible universities for a variety of courses so there’s no reason why this year would be any different.