Great Ballard School

  • Founded: 1924
  • Address: Eartham House, Eartham, Sussex - Chichester, England (Map)
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At Great Ballard we aspire to greatness. It's in our name. But also in our heritage. Set in a stunning national park, the great outdoors is matched by a warm, caring and nurturing environment indoors. Filled with great leaders, great thinkers, great carers and great motivators. Special people who encourage self-discovery and expression in all our pupils. Encouraging them to progress from great smilers, great tidy uppers, inquisitive great explorers, confident great performers, great doers and great learners to become positively great self-believers, great achievers and great role models.

When Ivor Poole established Great Ballard in 1924 he made a promise that the school would be different. That courage to stand out from the crowd still energises us a century later. Poole wanted everyone to be cared for and treated fairly and Great Ballard today is a family in which everyone matters and no one is invisible. It is a school that cares, a school built completely around its pupils, a school with a heart.

Poole’s principles remain unchanged but the world beyond school refuses to stand still. Our duty to equip young people for an unpredictable future has never been more apparent. Our curriculum is broad and forward thinking and we encourage pupils to look beyond our idyllic West Sussex setting and develop the skills required to be adaptable and to make a difference in their world. We focus on leadership, problem solving and enterprise while covering a broad range of traditional subjects. We also nurture a passion for technology, computer science and communication skills which we champion along with the highest standards of literacy and numeracy. We see unique potential in all our children and support them to become the very best versions of themselves.

With an ethos rooted in building the strongest relationships and on empathy and respect, our young people recognise a need to be role models and to lift others. We take education beyond the classroom, making the most of our wonderful location to prioritise creativity, teamwork and pupil well-being. And we never lose sight of the value of the arts and exercise in shaping happy, healthy and resilient young lives. Great journeys begin with great preparation.

Pupils are known by all staff, not just their form tutor, a particular strength and excellent foundation for progress.

The school has an impressive and consistent record of scholarship successes with the caring, co-operative relationships between staff and pupils providing an excellent foundation for pupils’ progress with many of our alumni going on to pursue high-profile careers. In addition, the pupils make friendships here that will last a lifetime.

Our school's ethos is all about:

  • Nurturing confidence in pupils and allowing them to become the very best versions of themselves
  • Encouraging curiosity, invention and ambition
  • Putting kindness, empathy and service at the heart of its vision
  • Ensuring no-one feels 'invisible'
  • Giving all pupils a voice, and showing them how to use it
  • Valuing inclusivity and focusing on what pupils can do and not just what they can’t
  • Seeing leadership in all pupils and valuing role models
  • Keeping pupils safe and happy but always encouraging them to look beyond the bubble
  • Prioritising the Head, Hand, Heart and Health of every pupil

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Community Reviews (1)

Great Ballard School has proven to be a remarkable environment, where dedicated staff inspire students to reach new heights in their learning journey.
By Karen Mitchell (Jan, 2024) | Reply