The Burgess Hill Academy Review 2026: A town-centre secondary focused on rebuilding standards

A large, mixed secondary serving central Burgess Hill, The Burgess Hill Academy is in a phase where culture, consistency, and confidence are being rebuilt alongside a drive for better outcomes. A new principal, Karen Clinton, took up the post in May 2024, with a clear emphasis on higher expectations and a tighter day-to-day routine. The timetable reflects that intent, including a dedicated Drop Everything and Read slot at the start of the morning.

Academic performance data points to challenges. The most recent Attainment 8 score is 40.4 and Progress 8 is -0.46. That combination usually signals that, for many students, progress from starting points has been weaker than leaders would want. At the same time, the academy is not standing still. External review highlights improving behaviour and a strengthening leadership team, while also pointing to attendance, suspensions, and reading as priorities. For families seeking a mainstream, non-selective 11 to 16 option with a structured approach and a clear improvement agenda, the direction of travel will matter as much as the headline figures.

This is a school that is trying to be unmistakably purposeful. The day begins early, with pupils arriving at 8.25am and moving quickly into tutor time, followed by Drop Everything and Read. That sequence is more than a timetable detail. It is a signal of what the academy wants to be: calm in classrooms, literacy taken seriously, and routines that reduce low-level disruption.

Relationships are a notable strength. Staff are expected to know pupils well and to use that knowledge to keep students learning, particularly those who are more vulnerable or who have special educational needs and or disabilities. The most recent external review describes a growing sense of pride in the school community, and that matters because it is hard to raise standards without buy-in. When pupils believe the school is improving, they tend to respond better to tighter systems and more demanding lessons.

The picture is not uniformly smooth, and the academy does not pretend it is. A minority of pupils find the high expectations hard to sustain, particularly around behaviour and attendance. That can be felt in how consistently learning happens across a whole cohort. For parents, the practical question is whether the school’s structures are the right fit for their child. Students who respond well to clear rules, predictable routines, and frequent checks on learning are more likely to benefit from the direction the academy is taking.

Leadership has been a major recent change. Karen Clinton’s appointment was announced in March 2024, with a start date of 20 May 2024. A school that has been through instability often needs a period where staff, pupils, and families see consistent messages over time. The academy now presents itself as being in that stage, with a leadership team in place and systems that are intended to embed rather than constantly restart.

The GCSE data presents a challenging profile. The academy’s Attainment 8 score is 40.4. Progress 8 is -0.46, which indicates that, on average, students have made less progress than similar pupils nationally from their starting points. The EBacc average point score is 3.38. The percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 and above in the EBacc is 9.5%.

For parents, it helps to translate what this can mean day to day. Lower progress measures often show up as gaps that appear in Year 10 and Year 11 if earlier learning has not been secured, particularly in reading fluency, extended writing, and the ability to apply knowledge in unfamiliar tasks. That aligns with improvement priorities highlighted externally, especially around reading and the consistent tackling of misconceptions.

Rankings provide further context. Based on the FindMySchool ranking derived from official data, the academy is ranked 2,949th in England for GCSE outcomes and is 3rd locally within Burgess Hill.

None of this means individual students cannot do very well. It does mean that families should pay attention to how the academy is supporting consistent learning across all subjects, and how effectively it is reducing absence and suspensions, since disrupted attendance is one of the quickest ways to limit academic progress.

The academy’s approach is anchored in routines and a stated teaching and learning framework. In practice, the external evidence points to a curriculum that is organised logically within subjects, with ongoing work to refine what is taught in key stage 3 so that Years 10 and 11 sit on firmer foundations.

A useful insight from the latest review is the balance between what is already working and what is not yet consistent. Many teachers introduce new content effectively, check understanding, and give feedback that helps pupils improve. Where this happens reliably, written work and verbal responses are strong, including for pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities.

The constraint is consistency. When misconceptions are not identified and corrected quickly enough, pupils may remember recent content but struggle to apply it confidently over time, especially when tasks become more complex. That can create the familiar experience of a student seeming fine in short-topic quizzes, then finding longer exam questions much harder. For parents, it is worth asking how the academy checks long-term retention and how departments ensure that correction and re-teaching happens as a normal part of lessons, not just as revision near exams.

Reading is a specific priority. The academy has systems to identify pupils who are not yet fluent readers, and a small group receives phonics support. However, the wider reading programme intended to address precise gaps has been identified as not yet fully implemented. In a secondary school, that matters because reading is not only an English issue. It affects science word problems, history source analysis, and the ability to learn independently. The academy’s use of Drop Everything and Read is an example of how it is putting reading into the daily rhythm, but families will want reassurance about targeted intervention as well as whole-school culture.

As an 11 to 16 academy, students move on at 16 to sixth forms and colleges. The practical implications are significant. Success here is not only about GCSE grades, it is also about whether students leave Year 11 with strong attendance habits, the resilience to cope with independent study, and a realistic post-16 plan.

Careers education is described as a strength, supported by employers and education and training providers. That matters for a community secondary because it reduces the risk of pupils drifting into unsuitable pathways. A strong careers programme can help students understand what different sixth form courses demand, what apprenticeships look like in practice, and which GCSE subjects are prerequisites for particular routes.

Families considering the academy should ask two very specific questions. First, how does the school support students to choose key stage 4 options that keep post-16 doors open, particularly around English Baccalaureate subjects. Second, how does it support students whose attendance has been weaker to re-engage, since attendance patterns at 14 to 16 often carry directly into sixth form.

Year 7 entry is coordinated by West Sussex County Council rather than direct application to the academy. For September 2026 entry, the published timings are clear. Applications open in September 2025, with the closing date of 31 October 2025. National offer day is 2 March 2026. The academy also notes a late application deadline of 28 November 2025 where a good reason and evidence are required.

The admissions arrangements set out oversubscription criteria and then use distance as the tie-breaker, measured as a straight-line distance from home to the academy. The academy also sets out that there are no changes to the published admission number or the catchment area for the September 2026 round, following consultation.

Because the last distance offered is not available families should approach catchment assumptions with caution. Even where a school has a defined community area, year-to-year patterns can shift with local demographics. The practical step is to review the published oversubscription criteria carefully, understand where your child would sit within them, and then compare your address against the tie-break methodology used.

FindMySchool’s Map Search can help families sense-check how distance-based criteria might play out, particularly if you are weighing multiple schools with similar rules and want to compare likely competitiveness.

Pastoral strength tends to show up in two ways: whether pupils feel safe enough to learn, and whether staff can intervene early when problems appear. The most recent external evidence describes strong relationships between staff and pupils and a school community where pride is increasing. That is the base layer for effective pastoral work, because good systems alone rarely work without trust.

Behaviour is an explicit improvement focus. Lessons are described as generally calm and purposeful, and social times as orderly. However, too many pupils receive suspensions and too many do not attend regularly enough. For parents, this dual picture is important. It suggests the school is improving routines and expectations, while still carrying a legacy of disrupted engagement for a minority. If your child is easily influenced by peer behaviour, it is worth probing what happens for pupils who struggle most, and how quickly the school can stabilise conduct so that learning is not repeatedly interrupted.

Safeguarding is a critical baseline. The most recent inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The academy also signposts mental health and wellbeing resources for pupils and families, including crisis support routes and trusted organisations. While signposting does not replace in-school support, it is a useful indicator that the school takes student wellbeing seriously and expects families to have clear pathways for help.

A strong enrichment offer is not a luxury, it is often a key lever for attendance, belonging, and confidence. The academy’s extracurricular programme includes both structured sport and a distinctive set of music and interest clubs that can provide “hooks” for pupils who may not see themselves as traditional joiners.

Sport clubs listed include basketball across multiple year groups, girls’ indoor cricket, and netball. Sessions run after school until 4.10pm on club days, which can be helpful for working families and for pupils who benefit from staying in a supervised environment for longer.

Music enrichment is unusually specific for a mainstream community secondary. Opportunities include Singing, Band, Singspiration, Guitar and Ukelele, Concert Band, Musical Theatre, and Musical Production. The value here is not just performance. Regular rehearsal builds discipline, listening, and peer accountability. For students who struggle to persist in academic tasks, a weekly rehearsal schedule can provide a parallel route to success and recognition.

The wider “Other Options” list includes Art and Photography Club for Years 10 and 11, an LGBTQ+ Group, a Feminist Revolution for Equality and Empowerment group, a Game Club, and a Maths Homework Help Drop-In. Those clubs are meaningful because they span identity, creativity, and practical academic support. A lunchtime maths drop-in, for example, is a low-friction intervention that can reduce the gap between pupils who ask for help at home and those who do not. Similarly, an LGBTQ+ group can be a stabilising factor for pupils who might otherwise feel isolated, which in turn supports attendance and learning.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also offered, which tends to suit pupils who respond well to clear goals and structured challenge. It can also strengthen applications for post-16 courses and apprenticeships by demonstrating commitment outside lessons.

The school day runs from 8.25am to 3.00pm for Years 7 to 11. The morning includes tutor time and Drop Everything and Read before lessons begin in earnest. Clubs and enrichment activities extend the day for many pupils, with some sports clubs running after school until 4.10pm.

As a town-centre school on Station Road in Burgess Hill, travel planning matters. Families should consider peak-time congestion, safe walking routes for older pupils, and how reliably public transport options align with the 8.25am start. If your child will attend after-school clubs, it is also worth planning pick-up timing and winter travel arrangements in advance.

• Academic recovery still in progress. GCSE performance indicators show challenges, particularly in progress. Families should ask how the school is turning improved routines into improved outcomes across every subject.

• Attendance and suspensions are key issues. The latest external review highlights that too many pupils are suspended or do not attend regularly enough. This can affect classroom consistency, particularly for students who are easily distracted.

• Reading support is a live priority. The academy has identified a need to fully implement its wider reading programme for pupils with gaps. Parents of weaker readers should ask what targeted support looks like and how quickly progress is checked.

• Oversubscription can limit choice. The academy sets out clear oversubscription criteria and uses distance as a tie-breaker. Families should plan early for the 31 October deadline for September 2026 entry and understand how their address sits within the criteria.

The Burgess Hill Academy is a large, mainstream secondary in central Burgess Hill with a clear improvement agenda, strengthening routines, and a leadership team aiming to raise expectations. The evidence suggests calmer classrooms and an increasing sense of pride, alongside persistent challenges in attendance, suspensions, and the consistency of learning across subjects.

It suits families who want a structured, rules-led school day, value a broad extracurricular offer that includes music and inclusive pupil groups, and are prepared to engage with the academy’s expectations around attendance and behaviour. The main consideration is whether the pace of improvement aligns with what you need now, particularly if your child requires consistently strong academic outcomes without disruption.