24 Jun 2025

Burgess Hill Girls announces the appointment of a new Head

The Governors of Burgess Hill Girls are delighted to announce the permanent appointment of Heather Cavanagh as Head of Burgess Hill Girls.

Following a successful year as Interim Head, Mrs Cavanagh has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the school community. During her tenure, the school has continued to thrive both academically and pastorally. She brings to the role a clear and compelling vision for the future of Burgess Hill Girls.

Dr Alison Smith, Chair of the Board of Governors, commented:

“We undertook a thorough, thoughtful and robust process to appoint a permanent Head, supported by an experienced retired Head and professional recruitment consultant. We are confident that, under Mrs Cavanagh’s leadership, Burgess Hill Girls will go from strength to strength as we begin this exciting next chapter.” As a passionate advocate of all-girls education, she is committed to fostering an environment that inspires every girl to believe in herself, embrace her strengths, and step confidently into her future."

Speaking about her appointment, Mrs Cavanagh said:

“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Head of Burgess Hill Girls. Over the past year, I have seen first-hand what a special and dynamic community this is. I firmly believe that an all-girls education offers something truly unique — it gives girls the freedom to be themselves, to speak up, to lead, and to grow without limitation. Our girls are curious, compassionate, and ambitious, and my focus will be on creating the best possible environment in which they can flourish academically, socially and personally.

Burgess Hill Girls has a long tradition of empowering young women, and I’m excited to build on that legacy. Together with our dedicated staff, I look forward to nurturing the confidence and capabilities of every girl, ensuring they leave us not only with excellent qualifications but with a strong sense of purpose and a belief that they can shape the world around them.”

For any press enquiries please contact Anne Pithie, Director of Marketing & Communications. Email: [email protected] OR call 01444 241050

About Burgess Hill Girls

Burgess Hill Girls is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 2.5 to 18. Set in the heart of West Sussex, the school offers an innovative and nurturing environment where every girl is supported to achieve her full potential and develop into a confident, accomplished young woman. The school is known for its outstanding academic results, vibrant community, and forward-thinking approach to girls' education.

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29 Apr 2025

Empowered to Learn, Inspired to Lead: Students Making a Real Difference

Burgess Hill Girls 2025 Youth Enterprise Project Team, raised a whopping £5,064 for St. Catherine's Hospice as part of a project where eight schools in the local area were given the challenge of turning £50 into at least £1,500 in just 10 weeks. Together, the eight school teams raised £28,215 all of which will go to supporting the amazing work they do at St. Catherine's.

Last week, the schools came together for an awards evening which was a glorious celebration of the innovation, resilience and hard work from all the students involved.

Burgess Hill Girls were delighted to receive two awards on the night, the first for Best Marketing Strategy for their fundraising campaign and a special award for one of their students Mia Ogden. Teachers were asked to nominate a student who lives the values of St Catherine’s in who they are and how they act. Mia’s smile, her respect, and her optimism and energy made her a standout winner to pick up this very special prize.

The team was made up of five students all studying Business and or Economics A level and included Val Olayinka, Mia Ogden, Malika Sobirova, Laura Gallitz and Nina Wang who did an excellent job bringing the whole school community together raising the funds by holding a variety of events from scrunchy making that needed to be crowd sourced because demand was so high, to a Colour Run that had everyone out exercising and having fun. No fundraing effort would be complete without a non-uniform day where the school turned orange to raise awareness of the hospice brand, plus numerous smaller fundraising activities from an online clothing sale, to a £50 note serial number challenge!

Dionne Flatman, Head of Economics & Politics at Burgess Hill Girls said, "Thanks to the generosity of students, parents and staff and the tenacity and creativity of the team, we were able to exceed the £3,000 target we set ourselves, raise awareness of the work of St Catherine’s and build lasting relationships with the hospice which relies so much on donations and fundraising. This group of enterprising young women have learnt some valuable skills that will help them with their A level Business course and more importantly, have used their knowledge and skills to improve the lives of those who need the hospice when life comes full circle".

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28 Apr 2025

Burgess Hill Girls announces the return of its annual Summer alumnae event!

Burgess Hill Girls is excited to announce the details of its annual Summer alumnae event, taking place on Saturday, 14th June 2025 from 13.00 to 17.00.

There's never been a more exciting time for Bold Girls, as their alumnae are called, to come together, celebrate their shared history, create new memories and share in a event with a difference!

As part of the event the school are excited to be partnering with four local wineries for a sparkling wine tasting and food pairing hosted by the charismatic Tom Surgey, celebrated television presenter, author of How to Drink Wine, and one of the industry’s most engaging live communicators. Tom will be showcasing wines from four award winning Sussex wineries, Artelium, Everflyht, Ridgeview, and Sugrue South Downs.

The event will include guided campus tours for those that want a walk down memory lane with the recently appointed student leadership team for 2025/6. Fun elements include a photo booth to capture some new memories and guests will be encouraged to add to a curated music playlist ensuring the soundtrack of the day truly resonates with the Bold Girls attending.

Anne Pithie, Marketing & Communications Director commented “We are always thrilled to see our Bold Girls come together and reconnect with the school. This year we're excited to extend an invitation to this special event that blends tradition, innovation, and in true Burgess Hill Girls style, a good dose of fun! Our alumnae all have stories to tell about their journeys after school and we're keen to engage more fully with them as they can really help inspire and support our current students "

The event will also see the launch a new and exclusive benefits package designed to further enhance the strong bonds of the Bold Girls network and no alumnae event would be complete without an exhibition, showcasing some great archive images where every story, photo, and memory adds to the shared legacy of the school.

Burgess Hill Girls aims to fill their school with bright, talented girls, and are proud of an ongoing commitment to bursary provision which allows them to offer outstanding educational opportunities to students regardless of their financial circumstances. Over the years, hundreds of bursaries have been awarded, positively transforming the lives of many students who have gone on to do some amazing things. However, they want to do so much more. They are now are reaching out to the Bold Girl community, current and former parents and staff to ask for support to ensure this legacy is continued in the coming years.

Free tickets for alumnae of the school are now available to book here, between now and the 1st June 2025 via the schools website.

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