The glorious South Downs provide a dramatic backdrop to this geographically diverse area. The county spans 50 miles of coastline in the south and stretches north through the South Downs National Park and the High Weald (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), to the borders of rural Surrey. It is also the UK’s sunniest county and unsurprisingly many of England’s finest sparkling wines are produced here.
Proximity to London and a fast rail network make West Sussex a magnet for city workers seeking more space and a better quality of life – don’t expect much more house for your money than in the capital, though. Few counties in the UK afford the possibility of hitting the beach, hiking in gentle hills, supping in a winery, and dinner-and-a-show in London’s West End, all within the same day.
A wonderfully hybrid county, a stone’s throw from the trappings of London yet a world away in landscape and pace. Culturally diverse Crawley, quirky seaside towns Worthing and Bognor, up-market Chichester historic Petworth and Arundel - such a medley ensures the county’s down-to-earth soul. Gatwick Airport (technically in West Sussex) means you’re rarely more than 40-minutes away from jetting off somewhere more exotic and is extremely convenient for business travellers.
| Local Education Authorities in West Sussex |
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| West Sussex County Council |
West Sussex boasts a comprehensive education system with nearly 40 state, non-selective, secondary schools including academies, three free schools, a few single-sex options, and well over 200 state primary schools. There are no grammar schools in the county, which does away with the 11+ entry assessment angst. Instead, the right postcode and, in some cases, regular visits to church, are your best chances of securing a place.
Two state secondary schools fall into the UK’s top ten per cent, based on recent GCSE and A level results and ten schools are rated outstanding by Ofsted at the time of writing (although The Good Schools Guide believes academic performance, alumni, and word-of-mouth can be better measures of a school).
Only a handful of schools go up to year 13, most finish in year 11 (after GCSEs) so it’s important to research the sixth form college route, too.
State faith schools in the area tend to top the charts when it comes to academic performance and Progress 8 scores and are often oversubscribed. For these schools, it’s worth checking a school’s individual criteria regarding regular church attendance, as they can differ.
Private schools account for 13 per cent of schools in the county, and there’s a variety to suit geography, budget and education style.
Looking for the best schools in West Sussex? Our education consultants can help
The Good School Guide’s experienced and knowledgeable team of consultants work closely with you to find the best fit for your child, be it a boarding, day, private, state or special educational needs school. If you’d like to find out more or if you would like to engage our help, please get in touch. Read about our education consultancy services or contact us at consultants@goodschoolsguide.co.uk
Your experience of education in West Sussex
We scour the county to find the best schools across all sectors of education, but we also rely on parents and teachers to keep us on our toes and up to date with the local education scene. If you have your ear to the ground on the West Sussex education front, we’d love to hear from you - editor@goodschoolsguide.co.uk
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
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We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.