Burgess Hill School
 | |
| Motto | I am, I can, I ought, I will |
|---|---|
| Established | 1906 |
| Type | Independent day and boarding |
| Headmistress | Mrs Kathryn Bell |
| Chairman of Governors | Mr Charles Cooper |
| 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 |
| Local authority | West Sussex |
| Staff | c.145 |
| Students | 680 |
| Gender | Girls (boys at nursery) |
| Ages | 2½–18 |
| Houses | Burns, Milton, Thomas, Yeats |
| Website |
www |
Burgess Hill School for Girls is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged between 2½ and 18 years (full boarding from 11 years). The school also has boys attending the nursery. The 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. Coach and minibuses collect girls from outlying areas in Sussex.
The school stands in 14 acres (57,000 m2) of grounds within a conservation area close to the centre of the town. The grounds are extensive and there are listed Georgian buildings. Two of the boarding houses are adjoining the school grounds whilst the third one is positioned across a quiet residential road.
The majority of the girls are day pupils, with casual boarding being offered from the age of 7 years and full boarding from 11 years.
History
Burgess Hill School was founded in 1906 by Miss Beatrice Goode 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.
Notable former pupils
Ex-pupils include Holly Willoughby, a TV presenter, cricketer Caroline Atkins, Kim Sears wife of tennis player Andy Murray.