The Burgess Hill Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 December 2024

Pupils are happy and welcoming at this school. Staff are committed to ensuring all pupils develop academically and personally. There is an increasing sense of pride across the school community. Staff know their pupils well and relationships are strong. Staff are committed to providing an ambitious and inclusive school experience for all. They are determined to improve examination results. Pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum, and expectations of what pupils can achieve are increasing. Most pupils are responding positively to this challenge, including many with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school's systems are instilling a positive culture. Pupils, parents and staff recognise that behaviour is improving. Overall, lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils are respectful and orderly during social times. However, some pupils struggle with the school's high expectations for behaviour and attendance. Too many pupils receive suspensions or do not attend school regularly enough. The school has been through a period of turmoil but there is now a strong team in place. The school and trust share an ambitious vision for the future. Staff are very positive about the ongoing developments at the school. While this work is starting to have impact, it requires more time to fully embed.

What the school should improve

• The school's reading strategy has not yet been fully implemented, particularly the strand designed to support pupils who are not yet fluent readers. As a result, some pupils who need help with reading do not catch up with their peers quickly enough. This can affect their overall progress. The school should continue to prioritise the full implementation of its new programme for the weakest readers to ensure reading gaps are identified and addressed promptly, enabling all pupils to access the curriculum effectively.
• The school's well-thought-through curriculum development strategy is not yet embedded across all areas. Sometimes, expectations of what pupils can achieve could be higher, and there remains variation in how effectively the curriculum is taught. This means that some pupils do not develop the subject fluency and confidence they need to make strong progress over time. The school should continue its efforts to ensure teaching is of a consistently high standard across all subjects and that pupils' outcomes improve.
• The school is grappling with a legacy of very high suspension rates and low attendance among a significant minority of pupils. As a result, these pupils experience a disrupted education and miss out on opportunities for learning and personal development, leading to gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to refine its pastoral and inclusion approaches, as well as its work supporting staff, to improve pupils' attitudes toward education and reduce suspensions and absences. This will help ensure that all pupils have access to a consistent and supportive educational experience.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)