Burton Bank House‘In Burton Bank, high standards are set both academically and pastorally, and all the students are encouraged to support and guide one another through their time at Mill Hill.’
Burton Bank House was purpose-built to accommodate boarders in 1934. It replaced the original Burton Bank, which was situated on Burton Hole Lane, off The Ridgeway. It now caters for up to 38 boys aged 13 to 18, and up to 16 Sixth Form girls. Each individual is prompted to develop and to make the most of his or her particular talents, based on the firm conviction that the School provides much more than an academic opportunity, and pupils are encouraged to attend as many as possible of the public performances of sport, drama, music, art and other entertainment that they can realistically fit into their busy schedule.
The multi-cultural, multi-racial nature of the House is deemed to be a strength by pupils and their parents. A virtue of this is made by, for example, having a traditional Christian celebration at the end of the Autumn term, celebrating Chinese New Year in the Spring term, and having a Russian evening at the beginning of the Summer term. Tolerance, understanding and respect for self and others are integral to the philosophy of the House and help to create a distinct family atmosphere.
I was nervous before I arrived because I didn’t know what to expect, but all the teachers and pupils at Mill Hill have been very friendly and kind. After only a week I felt I had settled in and found my feet, and my favourite subjects, especially Chemistry, where I have discovered a real interest. In the lessons, teachers are great at communicating with pupils, so although everything might be quite hard at the beginning if you come from another country, it quickly becomes clear and exciting. You also find out things outside the classroom and I am learning how to live and make friends with lots of different people from all over the world. The experience I am gaining at Mill Hill will I think be the most important experience I ever gain in my life. It is the best School.
I have been here since September and the most accurate way to describe my Mill Hill experience is: ‘something else’! This summer I would never have imagined I would go to bed at 10 o’clock and get up at 7 o’clock in the morning. Back at my old School, I used to come home at 2 o’clock and go straight to my computer, or go out with friends. Now every minute of my day is packed from start to finish - during and after School; I never dreamt a boy like me – who loves football so much – would ever love rugby! The people here are very different and although I still feel as if I am learning, small things such as Taymarrh’s laugh, Eddy’s random talking and Mark’s summoning of us to play rehearsals, all make this feel like home; I like my place here and I am very grateful to be at Mill Hill.
Coming from a relatively large family, I arrived at Mill Hill thinking it would be easy to live in a House of fifty; however, this idea was quickly banished from my mind and I soon realized it was quite different compared to living at home. Not only was I surrounded by strangers, I was surrounded by people who did not know anything about me. The first weeks were filled with overly polite conversations, but later on, everyone settled in and got to know each other properly. It’s fascinating how people from different cultures and races can come together and live in such harmony. I love everything about being a boarder (this has constituted most of Mill Hill experience) and most of all I love BB, which increasingly feels like home every time I come into it.
