HURSTPIERPOINT COLLEGE SENIOR SCHOOL “Our overarching aim at Hurst is to provide a genuinely excellent all round education with a strong academic core for every child.” FOUNDATION Founded in 1849 by Nathanial Woodard, Hurst is a Church of England School. The Christian ethos underpins school life but we are a diverse community; we welcome those of other faiths, or no faith, and pursue an inclusive approach in all that we do. A WARM WELCOME TO HURST Hurst is a thriving independent school located in Academically selective, but not aggressively so West Sussex just off the A23 between Brighton (and certainly not de-selective), the school has and Haywards Heath. an excellent track record and the vast majority of pupils go on to Russell Group universities What particularly strikes visitors to the school including Oxford, Cambridge, the various is our vibrant dynamic community and the London Universities, as well as large numbers importance we place on an all-round as well as to Exeter, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh and a core academic education. St. Andrews. Pupils are enabled and challenged to make the In short, we aim to develop confident, successful, most of the talents that lie within them and, as independent individuals with a good sense of importantly, the huge opportunities which are themselves and the world around them, who available to them during their time here. will succeed in their lives whatever route they We are ambitious for our pupils to achieve the choose to take. A bold claim but, at Hurst, this is best that they can in all that they do and we what drives us. So, do come and see for yourself recognise and encourage both engagement what Hurst can offer. and achievement. We look forward to meeting you. We understand that the best possible academic Yours sincerely, grades are critical but, at the same time, the development of those key skills, qualities and values which are so important in life come perhaps more from engagement with life beyond the classroom. TIM MANLY SUPERB FACILITIES Situated within a 140 acre campus, surrounded In the last five years the Central Academic by beautiful countryside, the school lies on the Quadrangle with Library was completed along border of the South Downs National Park, close with an extended Science Faculty. A major to the village of Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex. extension to the St John’s Upper Sixth Hall of Residence has been completed and our newest Easily accessible by car or train, Hurst is situated girls’ day house opened in 2017. For the sports just north of Brighton and south of Gatwick, department, a third Astro and further Netball/ a short drive from the A23; or reached via Tennis Courts were built. Finally, our impressive Hassocks and Haywards Heath train stations. new Theatre was opened in Michaelmas of 2018 At the heart of the College, the Senior School followed swiftly by the adjoining Music and and Sixth Form buildings surround a central Dance facility in 2019. Next year, a new girls’ Academic Quad adjacent to key cultural and boarding house will open in September 2020. sporting facilities available within its superbly equipped, self contained grounds. “We are committed to continuous development and investment to meet growing demand.” HEADMASTER OF THE COLLEGE Tim Manly BA (Oxon) MSc (LSE) PGCE (Cantab) Tim joined Hurst College in January 2005 having formerly taught at Oakham School where he was Deputy Head and, prior to that, at Sevenoaks School. During Tim Manly’s stewardship, Hurst has evolved into a very attractive destination for families and, as a result, has doubled in size and changed profoundly without losing any of its core strengths in terms of characteristics and personality. HEAD OF THE SENIOR SCHOOL Dominic Mott MA (Queens College, Cambridge) Dominic joined the Senior Leadership Team as Head of the Senior School in September 2015. Dominic was Head of Languages at Sevenoaks School for four years and Head of Spanish for the previous three years. Previously he worked for Merrill Lynch and also had a stint in the army. He has a MA in Modern and Medieval Languages from Cambridge. THE HURST EXPERIENCE Pupils join our Senior School in Year 9 (Shell) At Hurst, pupils gain the confidence and and, after GCSE, most Fifth Form pupils continue necessary skills to make the most of future through to our Sixth Form where the majority opportunities, ensuring they do not just enjoy follow A-level courses. their time here, but thrive and excel. They also learn the importance of developing certain Academic excellence is the foundation of the values: a sense of duty, an awareness of right Hurst education, not just in its own right, but and wrong and a respect for others. Our pupils because it opens doors to the next stage of our are ambitious with a clear sense of purpose, pupils’ lives. Hurst also offers extensive sporting, acquire a balanced view of life and develop into cultural, intellectual and social programmes, to independent, mature individuals. help pupils develop as rounded, accomplished individuals who make a real success of their lives after they leave. “Above all else at Hurst, nobody is ‘beneath the radar’ or ‘on the bench’. Rather, your child will be an active member of our community and we will always do what we can to enable them to realise their potential - academic and otherwise.” REALISING POTENTIAL Whether such activities are more physical or challenging in nature, service-oriented or Outstanding and committed staff ensure cerebral, pupils in Years 9 and 10 participate in that Hurst’s five day academic week provides each type of activity, whilst those who are older the right environment to challenge and have more of a choice. Pupils are encouraged support every pupil’s learning and personal to pursue at least one significant activity development. throughout their time at Hurst. The two week timetable allows us to maximise Co-curricular activities include clubs for Books, the use of academic time, structure more Dissection, Film, Mechanics, Golf, Creative sessions for sport and extra-curricular activities, Arts, Sport and ICT. Other activities include the especially for the younger age groups, and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (the Silver create a better rhythm to the working week. Award is undertaken by all Year 10 and 11 Academic lessons primarily take place in the first pupils), Combined Cadet Force (Army, Royal four to six hours of the day, five days per week, Air Force and Royal Navy), Community Service, whilst sport and activities take place in the Environmental Conservation and the Hurst Farm. afternoons with matches on Saturdays. During the week a host of additional activities BEYOND THE CLASSROOM are scheduled including fitness training, At Hurst, we regard co-curricular activities swimming and other sports, alongside sessions (Sport, Creative and Performing Arts, Activities for Drama, Choir, Orchestra, Dance, the Top etc) as being key to the all-round education of House competition, Debating and workshops each pupil. It is our intention that through such for Art and DT students. activities, pupils will not only acquire certain skills and develop certain qualities, but will also be introduced to a Sport, hobby or past-time which will give them pleasure throughout their lives. “The best thing about Hurst is that, whatever your abilities, you are given every opportunity to succeed at what you want to do.” LOWER SIXTH PUPIL CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Since 2005, when Tim Manly became Headmaster, the school 2005 HURST COLLEGE PUPIL NUMBERS (ALL SCHOOLS) 2019 has enhanced every aspect of its provision year-on-year and this 667 1,187 momentum for improvement continues unabated. 9 25 ANNUAL SENIOR SCHOOL DRAMA PRODUCTIONS 51 109 SENIOR SCHOOL SPORTING TEAMS “It is the people, not the buildings, SENIOR SCHOOL CHOIR 40 140 who make a school and it is how they (PLUS CHAMBER CHOIR 20) interact that makes a community.” DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD 15 300 SCHEME PARTICIPANTS TIM MANLY PUPIL NUMBERS SENIOR SCHOOL (inc sixth form) TOTAL 833 TOTAL 266 boys TOTAL 136 boys TOTAL 60 boys 444 289 100 462 371 178 girls 153 girls 40 girls DAY PUPILS FLEXI BOARDERS WEEKLY BOARDERS RISING ACADEMIC STANDARDS In 2019, Hurst celebrated its best ever results at both GCSE and A-level. A-LEVELS GCSE On results day we were thrilled to find that our The 2019 GCSE results broke all previous A*/B% had increased once more to 84.7% which records with pupils achieving the highest ever enabled over 85% of our applicants to take up a percentage of top grades (A*/9/8). A record place at their first choice university. beating 980 A*/9/8 grades were awarded and 1,265 A*-A/9-7 grades. 63 pupils had only In addition to their A-levels, 78 students A*-A/9-7 grades on their statements of results. successfully completed Level 3 Extended Projects 66 of last year’s Fifth Form gained 8 or more (achieving 55.1% A*/A grades and 85.9% A*-B A*/9/8 passes and 89 had 9 or more A*-A/9-7 grades). Our BTEC class did not disappoint subjects. achieving another set of superb results with 97.1% D*/D grades. Our Latin grades were all 9s and 8s and our Science results were very strong once more with 99.1% of all the grades in Biology, Chemistry and Physics being 9-7 grades. English Language achieved 92.3% 9-7 grades, English Literature was 88.4% and 13 pupils gained the top result of A^ in Further Maths. A LEVEL RESULTS A*- B% GCSE RESULTS A^-A* / 9-8 GRADES 64.7% 60 85 84.7% 83.7% 50 80 78.5% 40 43.3% 77.8% 77.8% 40.4% 75 32.2% 37.4% 74.6% 30 30.9% 70 20 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 “We work ceaselessly to develop a love of learning and of life.