We know that young people do better in all aspects of life when they are happy and healthy. That is why working in partnership with you to support your child’s health and wellbeing is one of our top priorities at Burgess Hill Girls.
Pastoral Care
At whatever age your daughter starts her exciting journey at Burgess Hill Girls we will strive to ensure it is a seamless, stress free, process. As a relatively small school and tight knit community we pride ourselves on knowing every single pupil and knowing them well enough to get an instinctive feel for how they are doing.
We promise that your daughter
- is made to feel welcome
- is individually known for who she is and knows this to be the case
- is provided with a supportive, stimulating and challenging learning environment
- is encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of opportunities available to her
- knows who she can approach and feels able to do so
- has the necessary guidance to support her in making important life choices
As part of our ongoing commitment to improve the experience of all members of our school community, Burgess Hill Girls has adopted the Halo Code as part of our uniform policy across the school. The Halo Code is a campaign pledge, signed by schools and businesses, that promises members of the Black community that they have the freedom and security to wear all afro-hairstyles without restriction or judgment. This move is in line with our mission and aims as a school to celebrate individuals and empower all students to succeed within a mutually supportive community.
Choosing your daughter’s school should not just be about academic provision or facilities. We believe the partnership formed between you, your daughter and us is the key to ensuring her educational journey is positive and productive and she receives all the individual support and guidance she needs to achieve her potential. We welcome and encourage regular meetings with you to ensure your daughter is on the right path in addition to meetings to discuss specific issues.
Health
Burgess Hill Girls promotes a healthy lifestyle and from a young age we help girls understand the benefit of a balanced diet, sleep and physical exercise on their general wellbeing. We have a comprehensive physical education programme that offers a wide variety of activities. We believe in participation for all and work hard to discover at least one physical activity for every girl that they enjoy and want to continue after leaving us.
Food
Our fabulous, friendly and professional catering team offer an excellent range of home prepared and cooked meals seven days a week to cater for all range of tastes and there is no reason for any girl to go hungry. We actively engage the girls to encourage them to try something different or to come up with ideas for theme days or dishes that they would like to see on our ever evolving menus. The emphasis is on fresh is best!
Wellbeing
We recognise the importance of creating an environment where pupils (and staff) are able to talk about any mental health issues they are experiencing. In 2023, we had our third annual Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness Week with a huge range of activities to promote wellbeing as well as to get the community talking and sharing. In the Senior School and Sixth Form we run regular Student Times focused on student’s mental health and wellbeing. These are tailored for different age groups to ensure pupils are getting relevant support and advice. In the Prep School we run weekly welfare sessions where girls are free to suggest activity ideas that make them feel relaxed and happy. For the staff we run weekly social get-togethers and host frequent staff wellbeing check-ins.
Medical Centre
The medical centre is a large space in a quiet part of the school with an attached three-bed sick bay and toilet. It is a calm, restful, supportive refuge for those suffering from stress or illness and is staffed by Registered Sick Children’s Nurse (RSCN) Liz Hall from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Liz Hall, also called Nurse Liz, is a very popular member of the Burgess Hill Girls community, hugely adored and trusted by staff and pupils alike. She is also a Bold Girl, having attended the school herself not so long ago! Nurse Liz is on hand to discuss any aspect of a pupil’s health and wellbeing with them and is also available to talk with parents as required. Nurse Liz visits the classrooms to talk to younger children about hand washing and medicines, participates in Year 4’s science topics and speaks to Year 6 about puberty myths and worries. She is also introduced to the Nursery children at the beginning of the school year so that they are familiar with her.
Supporting Nurse Liz in her role is school dog Jasper. Jasper, a hypoallergenic cockapoo, is a heartwarming presence around the school and a calming influence when girls visit him and Nurse Liz in the medical centre.
Meet Nurse Liz and Jasper below:
In addition to the support provided by Nurse Liz, many staff across the school hold accredited First Aid Certificates and receive appropriate and regular updates. Staff are trained in the use of adrenalin auto-injectors and the treatment of anaphylaxis. Anyone responsible for a pupil needing this care on a school trip is given a refresher before the trip.