14 Mar 2025

Tomorrow's Women Conference: Inspiring Future Leaders

Burgess Hill Girls hosts successful student-led conference featuring distinguished women leaders from a diverse range of sectors.

The conference, organised entirely by a dedicated team of Lower Sixth students, welcomed Abi Mellor, Co-Founder and MD of MOREVER, an independent creative agency; Dr Kathy Romer, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sussex; Louise Street, Director of Worldwide Airports at British Airways; and Burgess Hill Girls BOLD girl Natasha Arbon-Stuckle, a Strategy Analyst at PA Consulting, who shared their unique perspectives and experiences as female pioneers in their respective industries.

The distinguished speakers offered practical strategies for navigating male-dominated industries, challenging perfectionism, recognising subtle workplace biases, and creating opportunities for women's advancement.

The planning and delivery of the conference provided the Lower Sixth students with valuable leadership and logistical experience, from securing speakers, designing marketing materials, creating videos for social media to the event management on the day. The students described the opportunity as instrumental in developing their self confidence as well as their organisational and leadership skills.

In addition to the guest speakers, the team were keen to invite girls from other local schools to share the benefits of hearing from the inspirational speakers and they were excited to welcome students from St Paul's Catholic School, Oathall Community College, Chailey School and Burgess Hill Academy. This collaborative aspect of the conference created a valuable opportunity for educational exchange among local schools where attendees were treated to powerful insights from the speakers who shared their personal and professional journeys.

Marguerite Lazell, Careers Co-ordinator, from Oathall Community College said:

"It was a fantastic event, really well organised by your students - please pass on our thanks and congratulations to the team. I thought the mix of speakers were excellent, such a diverse range of fields, presentation styles and personalities with different experiences illustrating there in no 'one right way' to be successful.

Our girls were buzzing about it all on the way back to school and I'm sure it will have given them so much to think about and take with them as they start to think about their futures."

Common themes emerged from all the speakers, including overcoming gender barriers, embracing change, building confidence, and developing supportive networks which made for an excellent Q & A panel discussion to close the conference.

Interim Head of Burgess Hill Girls, Heather Cavanagh, commented:

"This conference represents a transformative moment for our students as they prepare for their futures beyond Sixth Form. The opportunity to hear directly from these accomplished women provides not only inspiration about potential career paths, but also invaluable insights into leadership qualities and skills essential for success in tomorrow's world. We are immensely proud of our students for organising such a professional and impactful event, and deeply grateful to our speakers for sharing their experiences and wisdom with the next generation of female leaders."

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11 Mar 2025

Burgess Hill Girls Hosts Annual Carers Day - A Day of Respite for Local Carers

Burgess Hill Girls successfully hosted its annual Carers Day on Thursday 6th March in partnership Burgess Hill Town Council, providing a day of wellbeing and respite for carers across the local community.

The event, held in the school's Croft II building, offered attendees a range of complimentary treatments and services from local businesses including nail treatments, hairdressing, massage therapy, yoga sessions, and shopping opportunities.

"We recognise the tremendous commitment carers make to support others, often with little recognition," said Heather Cavanagh, Head Teacher at Burgess Hill Girls. "This event aims to give something back to these heroes in our community."

Between treatments, carers participated in various activities including bracelet making, flower arranging, diamond painting, and puzzle games. The school provided lunch for all attendees, while senior students entertained with musical performances including vocal solos, cello pieces, and duets.

The day was supported by numerous local organisations providing information and guidance, including Young Carers WSCC, Carers Support West Sussex, Age UK West Sussex Brighton and Hove, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, and several others. Burgess Hill Town Council was instrumental in supporting the initiative.

Julie Holden, CEO of Burgess Hill Town Council said “It is so important to recognise the commitment and sheer hard work that unpaid carers invest in to their loved ones. It is the least that we can do to come together and provide one day of respite and remind them how valuable and how valued they are in our community. Often the person that they care for is not able to communicate their thanks for all a family member does to support them, it’s just nice that we can step in and say thank you, on their and our behalf, with this day.”

One attendee commented that this was "a true highlight of the year and an opportunity to meet and talk with others in a similar situation," highlighting the critical importance of respite events for carers.

The event forms part of Burgess Hill Girls' ongoing commitment to community engagement, allowing students to interact with local adults and gain understanding of the challenges carers face while developing empathy and social responsibility.

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27 Feb 2025

Burgess Hill Girls Partner with St James’s Montefiore Cricket Club

Burgess Hill Girls are delighted to announce a strategic partnership with the prestigious St. James’s Montefiore Cricket Club in Ditchling which is a cornerstone of local sporting excellence with a rich heritage in nurturing talent.

This collaboration will grant the students exclusive opportunities to train and compete using the club’s excellent facilities during the summer term. The club’s commitment to fostering a supportive and competitive environment makes it the perfect partner to enhance the school’s cricket programme.

This initiative comes at an exciting time for women’s cricket, which has experienced significant growth and increased participation at all levels. By aligning with a club that not only boasts historical prestige but also embraces this positive evolution of the game, the school aims to inspire our aspiring young female cricketers to pursue excellence on and off the field.

Burgess Hill Girls believe that this partnership will not only broaden the students’ sporting experiences but also contribute to the continued expansion and recognition of women’s cricket in the local community which students can explore beyond the school environment.

Alastair Cater, Director of Sport at Burgess Hill Girls said, “We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with St. James’s Montefiore that we know will elevate our students’ sporting journey and reinforce our commitment to developing well-rounded individuals both academically and athletically.”

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