Burgess Hill Girls has a real sense of community in all that it does and stands for. The relationships formed between students and their teachers, across the whole school, have a unique feeling of warmth and friendliness with a real sense of purpose whatever the event or activity they may be involved in.
House System
From Year 3 up until Sixth Form, every pupil joins one of our four School Houses.
Recently renamed by the girls in 2019 the four School Houses are:
- Watson (Emma)
- Austen (Jane)
- Pankhurst (Emmeline)
- Williams (Serena)
The friendly rivalry between these four houses forms the basis for many activities throughout the school including a variety of inter-house competitions which include:
- Netball, Hockey, Rounders, Tennis, Athletics, Cross Country and Chess matches
- Public Speaking and debating competitions
- Performing Arts competition
- Founders’ Day Challenge and so much more…
Faith
At Burgess Hill Girls we welcome girls of all faiths and beliefs. We pride ourselves on our friendly and inclusive community where pupils, parents and guardians, can all quickly feel at home.
As a day and boarding school with both British and International pupils we are fortunate to have pupils from a wide variety of countries, ethnicities and religions including but not limited to Christianity (Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox), Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. This makes for a vibrant community where girls can learn about the wider world, different cultures and belief systems directly from their friends.
All the main religions are studied as part of our curriculum in both the Prep and Senior School. Girls have the option to take Religious Studies at GCSE and A Level.
Experiencing different faiths and cultures is also a key component of our enrichment programme.
Local Community
Burgess Hill Girls and Burgess Hill Town Council have forged excellent links over the years to ensure that the students have the opportunity to give something back to their local community.
We always find time to plan and perform wonderful concerts for local people held at the school, at St Johns Church, St Andrews Church and other local venues. The importance of the community to the school is immeasurable and we continue to find new initiatives to support our neighbours.
Possibly the most rewarding event is the annual Carers’ Day provided for anyone in Burgess Hill and the surrounding area who is registered as a carer. Those who are able to attend are provided with wonderful pamper treatments, advice from local agencies, and a wonderful raffle and refreshments. The guests are looked after by Year 9 girls who enjoy giving their undivided attention to their guests.
Charity
Burgess Hill Girls prides itself on its commitment to local, regional and national charities. From a very young age the girls are made aware of the difference they can make to those who are less fortunate and groups that require financial or other kinds of support to provide a better life for themselves. Many of the girls volunteer at local charity shops and are open to supporting any event that will make a difference to the community. Mention the word volunteer and our girls are with you!
In Senior School the Charity Committee is run by two of the school officers who work with the tutor groups to agree on the charities for the year and the activities that each group will take part in. Much discussion takes place over the range of charities and the number of individual charities that are supported each year. We also adapt our plans to worldwide events, supporting fundraising campaigns for global disasters that unfortunately occur far too often.