Our Academies

The trust currently consists of four academies – one secondary and three primaries – located in Mid Sussex. The trust is looking to enrich this mix further with another Mid Sussex primary planned within the housing development to the South East of Haywards Heath.

NWPA joined the Sussex Learning Trust in May 2017. The academy was previously judged ‘good’ but is now expected to be deemed ‘outstanding’ at its next inspection. There is a lively and inquisitive atmosphere and an ethos where children excel. The academy has strengths in visual arts, sport and Forest Schools. The popularity of the academy has led to an increase in pupil numbers for 2018 onwards. Pupil outcomes are ‘outstanding’.

 In January 2012 Warden Park Primary Academy (formerly Heyworth Primary School) reopened, sponsored by Sussex Learning Trust.  The academy is judged by OFSTED (June 2015) as being “good” in all categories. The academy is a happy and safe place, where children are able to realise their full potential and learn from an exciting and challenging curriculum.

Thanks to powerful leadership and the efforts of a strong and dedicated staff team the school is on a clear upward trend of further improvement. We anticipate an ‘outstanding’ inspection in the near future.

Warden Park is a very popular secondary school with a strong academic and sporting pedigree. Students enjoy a very broad curriculum that meets their wide-ranging individual enthusiasms and needs, including: separate sciences, dance, drama, music, history, geography, a wide range of technology options, Latin, classical civilisation, philosophy and at least one compulsory modern foreign language.

We encourage all students to qualify for the new English Baccalaureate. As a Leading Edge school, Warden Park also offers all students a wide range of enrichment opportunities including community service, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. Gifted and Talented students achieve particularly well at Warden Park, and the academy also has a reputation for supporting young people with special educational needs.

The academy is judged ‘good’ with ‘outstanding leadership’.

Woodgate Primary Academy joined the Trust in June 2023 and since then it has gone from strength to strength! A small school, it has an excellent Nursery and it serves the growing housing development on which it sits. The popularity of the school means that we plan it will grow in pupil numbers. It has the most beautiful new building and is at the heart of the newly formed Woodgate community.

Chichester Free School (CFS) joined the Trust 1st September 2023. CFS is unusual as it is an ‘all-through’ school ages 4-16. This model is an exciting one as it provides a ‘whole of childhood’ experience. The intention is that, in addition from benefiting from the SLT collaborative culture, CFS will be the catalyst for a new cluster of SLT academies in the Chichester area.

Billingshurst Primary Academy is our newest member academy, joining June 2024. It is a large, three form entry, primary school that is the only primary school serving the village. A brand new, yet experienced, Headteacher has joined us too. There is a lovely community atmosphere in the school where happy children are taught by friendly and expert teachers and support staff.

Our exciting plans to establish a new 2-11 primary school for Haywards Heath are gathering momentum.  We have been allocated an excellent site and it is pleasing to learn that our bid was highly regarded. Assessors were impressed by the trust’s record of school improvement and were confident we had the calibre of staff required to deliver the project.  We are seeking to build a community of schools geographically located “next to each other” thereby creating outstanding networks for shared working and collaboration. We are advised against publicising when the new nursery and school will be open for business but there is an obvious need for new places in the town.  We intend to provide more information and consult local people in as the project moves forward.