Hurspierpoint / Downlands secondary

[crystalpalacese19]

We are trying to move from SE19 to the Hurstpierpoint area - the main drive for our move being secondary schools and the application deadline would be this October. We're becoming acutely aware that the village school is full in Y5 and the secondary most kids go to - Downloads in Keymer - has an ever shrinking catchment with many parts of Hurstpierpoint at risk of not being in it.

Where do kids from this area go to state primary and secondary if they don't get in to these schools (and can't afford private)??

The whole draw is the village life and community, so it would feel counter-intuitive if we weren't to get any school options for miles.

Any local intel much appreciated!

For primary there are lots of good options locally in all the villages, although all are pretty full there is usually a place in one, if you have siblings though they can often be split across schools. Hurst, Hassocks, Albourne, Ditchling are all good and all pretty close to each other.

However, lots of people do what you are doing, move for Downlands just before the application deadline so year 5/6 can be very hard to find a space and so some I think get places in Burgess Hill schools. When my eldest was in year 6 they had 4 move in to the class in September all trying to be resident for the secondary applications.

As to Downlands, if you are not in the catchment you have no chance of a space (unless EHCP etc) and the last 2 years even some catchment kids have not initially got in. Although as far as I know they all got places on the waiting list as quite a few do go to private school instead so there is a bit of movement.

Burgess Hill Academy is a good school and they are apparently building another secondary in the North of Burgess Hill to open in 2024 to take the increase in pupils due to building.

There has been an enormous amount of building in the area and lots of this is north of Hassocks/Hurst so some of these are closer to Burgess Hill which is probably something to think about when looking to move as if they change the catchments those will probably be the areas to go into a different school catchment. Although in my opinion that is not an issue as all the local kids will just go to a different school but all together.

I am sure you have seen the house prices and the schools are a big driver of that.

Good Luck.