St Paul's Catholic College, Burgess Hill Review 2026: Outstanding Education Rooted in Faith and Community

On a September morning in 1963, St Paul's opened its doors with just 132 students and eight teachers, born from the conviction that Catholic education could transform Mid-Sussex communities. That founding vision endures today. Now part of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust since converting to academy status in January 2022, St Paul's has evolved into an oversubscribed comprehensive school serving approximately 1,100 students across all year groups, including 350 in the thriving sixth form. The school occupies a modern, purpose-built campus on the northwestern edge of Burgess Hill, a significant step forward from its original home in Haywards Heath two decades ago. In February 2023, Ofsted affirmed the school's trajectory with an Outstanding rating across all categories, including specifically praising the sixth form provision. The school ranks 2nd locally in West Sussex and 665th nationally for GCSE outcomes, placing it in the top 25% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking). For A-level, it sits in the middle tier of national performance, consistently producing strong university destinations with 26% of 2024 leavers securing places at Russell Group universities.

St Paul's Catholic College has cultivated an identity shaped equally by academic ambition and deep faith commitment. Faith is not peripheral; it genuinely drives daily life. Every student belongs to one of six houses named after places visited by St Paul in his biblical journeys: Athens, Corinth, Damascus, Lystra, Rome, and Valletta. This house system creates a powerful internal structure, fostering loyalty and healthy competition. Students earn points through academic achievement, sporting prowess, and service contributions, creating a culture where multiple pathways to recognition exist.

The atmosphere balances rigour with pastoral care. Walking through the college, students move with purposeful energy between lessons, and the teaching spaces feel purposeful rather than cramped. The school deliberately positions itself as non-selective, serving the whole community without entrance exams at Year 7. This inclusive admission policy shapes the student body significantly; families come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. In terms of ethnicity and social composition, the school's population is more diverse than the immediate local area, reflecting broader patterns in Mid-Sussex admissions.

The Catholic character is authentic throughout. A chaplain actively coordinates faith-based opportunities including pilgrimages to Arundel Cathedral, Diocesan events at Worth Abbey, and journeys to Lourdes. In February 2019, the school achieved an Outstanding judgement in its Diocesan Section 48 inspection, which formally evaluates Catholic education quality and spiritual life. Regular Masses and liturgies mark key points in the church calendar, with sixth formers often taking leading roles in worship. Yet the school is pointedly inclusive; Catholic practice runs through the curriculum and community life without excluding those of other faiths or none who wish to join.

Mr Rob Carter leads as Executive Headteacher, overseeing both St Paul's and maintaining broader trust responsibilities. His leadership emphasises high expectations alongside genuine pastoral attention.

GCSE Performance

The school achieved an Attainment 8 score of 56.8 in 2024, well above the England average of 45.9, indicating strong overall academic attainment. Approximately 40% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the full English Baccalaureate suite (English, maths, science, languages, geography, history, or computer science), compared to the England average of 41%. This breadth demonstrates that the curriculum reaches across subjects, not concentrated narrowly in a few areas.

At the GCSE level, St Paul's ranks 665th nationally (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 25% of schools in England, with a 15% percentile. Locally, the school ranks 2nd among West Sussex schools. The Progress 8 score of 0.53 indicates that pupils typically make above-average progress from their starting points at age 11, suggesting effective teaching and learning systems.

The school's non-selective admissions policy means it accepts across the full attainment range, yet manages to produce results that rival those of selective state secondaries. This is a notable achievement; maintaining strong outcomes whilst serving an inclusive intake requires consistent, high-quality teaching and systems.

A-Level Performance

Sixth form results are consistently strong. In 2024, 63% of students achieved grades A*-B, with 42% receiving A* or A grades alone, and 84% achieving A*-C, with a 100% pass rate across all entries. These figures place the school's A-level provision in the top tier of non-selective state schools. The school ranks 911th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), sitting in the middle of national performance, which represents solid achievement given the school's open admissions policy.

Average grades typically fall around B (grade 5 on the UCAS points scale), indicating consistency and strength across the sixth form cohort. This breadth — rather than a few exceptional students propping up results — speaks to the quality of teaching and pastoral support across all subjects.

University Destinations

In 2024, 26% of sixth form leavers secured places at Russell Group universities (universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Warwick, Imperial College, and UCL). Additionally, 79% of students were offered their first-choice university place. From the broader 2023-24 cohort, 54% of all leavers progressed to university, 31% entered employment, 3% pursued further education, and 2% secured apprenticeships. These figures demonstrate a healthy balance between academic pathways and practical work-based progression.

The 2023-24 leaver data suggests limited Oxbridge entry (1 application, 1 acceptance), reflecting the school's broader performance tier and non-selective intake.

Teaching is built on clear structures and high expectations. The school emphasises setting in mathematics from Year 4 onwards (in lower school), allowing targeted challenge and support. Sciences are taught as separate subjects (biology, chemistry, physics) rather than combined science, providing greater depth. Languages are compulsory, and classical subjects including Latin and Greek are available at A-level, distinguishing the sixth form curriculum from many state schools.

Curriculum breadth is a deliberate priority. Students follow a balanced programme including the English Baccalaureate-aligned qualifications (English, maths, sciences, languages, history, geography). The school prioritises what it calls ILTs — Integrated Learning Themes — which weave cross-curricular connections through teaching.

Every student has an iPad, which the school uses both for independent learning and collaborative work. Staff benefit from software tools designed to reduce administrative load, freeing time for teaching preparation and pastoral conversation.

The Learning Resource Centre serves as the library and independent study hub, particularly important for sixth formers who benefit from dedicated sixth form spaces within this facility. A newly refurbished sixth form café provides informal study areas and social space, addressing the reality that sixth formers need both academic rigour and community belonging.

The tutor system forms the backbone of pastoral care. Small tutor groups allow staff to know students individually and notice early when support is needed. The school actively supports students struggling emotionally or academically through structured intervention.

For the sixth form, emphasis shifts toward independence with continued scaffold. Students describe small class sizes and personalised attention from teachers who have often taught them for years (if they stayed from Year 7). This continuity is powerful; teachers understand individual learning patterns, not just current performance.

Attendance is notably high at 96%, well above the national average, suggesting students feel connected to the school community and engaged in their learning.

Sports Excellence and Participation

Sport runs through school life at multiple levels. The Sports Academy provides professional-standard coaching and competitive pathways in football, netball, and basketball, with sixth form students describing the Academy as a significant draw. Teams have their own dedicated training and playing kit, enhancing identity and cohesion. The sixth form boys' football team maintains an excellent county-level record, coached by Deputy Headteacher Mr Duffield on Wednesday afternoons, demonstrating how senior staff model investment in student development.

Beyond the Academy, sport is compulsory in lower school and widely offered in sixth form. The college benefits from excellent facilities: a FIFA-approved 3G football pitch meeting professional playing standards, a large four-court sports hall accommodating racket sports and basketball, and open grounds for field sports. An annual sixth form sports day at the neighbouring Triangle Leisure Centre provides a lighter, celebratory atmosphere with events ranging from traditional relay races to welly wanging and egg-and-spoon challenges, with winners contributing points to the overall house competition.

The Sports Leaders programme allows interested sixth formers to develop coaching and mentoring skills while supporting younger students, embedding leadership alongside competitive sport.

Music and Performing Arts

Music is strong and multi-faceted. Half-termly concerts coordinate solo, group, and ensemble performances, providing regular performing opportunities across the year. An annual Senior Musician of the Year Concert specifically celebrates sixth form musicians in the autumn term, fostering identity and recognition within the music programme. The school choir and jazz band feature regularly in performance schedules and termly shows.

Drama productions anchor the performing arts calendar. The annual school show (typically a large-scale musical production) showcases students' talents across performance, technical, and production roles. Recent productions include Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, Oliver, and Sister Act, productions of considerable scale requiring months of rehearsal and typically involving 50+ student performers, live orchestras, and full backstage crews. Beyond the main spring production, termly performance shows provide additional showcasing opportunities, allowing sixth formers to continue stage experience and younger students to gain initial exposure.

The sixth form specifically has opportunities to take on leadership roles within productions: leading prayer at key moments, sharing readings, contributing musically, and working with backstage crews. This integration of younger and older students in collaborative creative work strengthens school culture.

Academic and STEM Engagement

The school leads the Sussex Maths Hub, a formal hub designation by the Department for Education supporting mathematics excellence across the region. This reflects serious mathematical expertise within the staff team. Numeracy is prioritised across the curriculum; literacy and numeracy intervention programmes run for pupils identified as needing additional support.

The school actively engages in competitive academic opportunities. Sixth form students participate in Oxbridge application coaching and university entrance preparation. Subject-specific competitions and olympiad opportunities are available, though specific club names and regular competitions are not extensively published on the main school website (further specific details would require accessing club or departmental pages).

Enrichment and Leadership

Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme runs to Bronze level, with pupils describing it as pushing boundaries and building new skills. The scheme encourages outdoor competence and personal responsibility.

Leadership pathways include a dedicated Senior Prefect Team in the sixth form, reading assistants who support younger students, and mentorship roles. These positions develop communication and responsibility while creating positive peer culture.

Specialised Facilities

The state-of-the-art sixth form campus itself functions as a distinctive space. Beyond the café and Learning Resource Centre, the facilities include dedicated Apple computer suites supporting Photography and Media work, creating specialist learning environments beyond generic classrooms. This sends a clear message about the value placed on creative subjects and technical competency.

St Paul's operates as a non-selective comprehensive. Admissions at Year 7 are coordinated through West Sussex local authority. In 2024, the school received approximately 590 applications for 178 places, representing a subscription proportion of 3.31 times (roughly 3.3 applications per place). This level of oversubscription is substantial, reflecting strong local demand.

After places for looked-after children and those with Education, Health and Care Plans naming the school, places are allocated primarily by distance from the school address. There is no formal catchment boundary; distance-based allocation means that entry is highly competitive for families living beyond the immediate area. The school does not require entrance examinations or assessments, making it accessible to all within the admissions criteria.

For sixth form entry, the school accepts applications from both internal Year 11s and external candidates. Entry requirements typically align with GCSE performance (usually a minimum of grade 5 across key subjects), though specific subject entry requirements vary by course. External entrants join a sixth form that is already cohesive from shared earlier schooling, which some appreciate for continuity and others view as socially challenging. The school is open about its Catholic character, and families considering external entry should understand that faith informs curriculum and community life, regardless of personal faith commitment.

The school is part of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust, which comprises primarily primary schools and specialist provision. It sits within the structure of a teaching school alliance led by St Paul's called the Inspire alliance, indicating recognition by the Department for Education as capable of leading school improvement.

School operates 8:50am to 3:20pm daily. Public transport links are excellent. Burgess Hill and Wivelsfield stations (both approximately 2 miles away) sit on the London-Brighton mainline with regular throughout-day services. Local bus routes (35A/35C and Route 100) connect directly to the Triangle Leisure Centre opposite the school, with an underpass providing safe crossing. This accessibility makes the school approachable for families across a wider catchment than walking distance alone.

Oversubscription and Distance Criteria: With 3.3 applications per place, entry is highly competitive. Families considering St Paul's should verify their distance from the school address early and understand that distance alone does not guarantee admission. Parents can use the FindMySchoolMap to check their precise distance from the school gates compared to published last-distance-offered data, though this fluctuates annually based on applicant distribution.

Catholic Character is Genuine: This is a Catholic school in the fullest sense. Faith informs daily rhythms, curriculum content in Religious Education, and community expectations around service and values. Non-Catholic families are welcome, but should be clear-eyed about entering a faith-shaped community. Students of all faiths (and none) attend, and the school emphasises inclusion, but explicit Catholic teaching and practice are not negotiable features to opt out of.

State School Finances: This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should budget for uniform, educational visits, music tuition if instrumental lessons are pursued, and optional enrichment activities (residential trips, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions). Transport costs vary depending on whether pupils use local buses or are driven; school buses are not centrally provided.

St Paul's Catholic College delivers strong academic outcomes through a genuinely comprehensive intake, grounded in explicit Catholic faith commitments and a real community structure through the house system. Teaching is well-organised, facilities are modern and thoughtfully designed, and extracurricular life — from sport to drama to music — is genuinely rich. The school's non-selective admissions policy, combined with above-average results, represents real educational achievement.

The challenge is entry. With 3.3 applications per place, getting in requires either proximity to the school or acceptance of uncertain prospects if distance-based allocation is applied. The Catholic character, whilst authentic and appealing to families seeking faith-shaped education, is not incidental detail but central to everything the school does. For families who value this combination and can navigate admissions oversubscription, St Paul's offers a compelling option. For those seeking a secular environment or living at significant distance, look to alternatives.

Best suited to families within or close to the school's admissions distance who value Catholic education and want comprehensive, inclusive schooling combined with strong academics and genuine extracurricular richness.