Decision

A new secondary school, Bedelands Academy, is planned for Burgess Hill and was originally expected to be delivered by September 2027. In September 2024 the allocation of £960,000, from received S106 funds was approved, to enable the delivery of a temporary Bedelands Academy, sited at The Burgess Hill Academy, providing 120 pupil places from September 2026 until the new Bedelands school was completed.

Due to lower than anticipated projections for secondary age pupil places the delivery of the new Bedelands Academy has currently been paused, pending review. There is still a need for additional secondary places in this part of Mid-Sussex though and the intention is to deliver these through creation of bulge classes at The Burgess Hill Academy.

The Assistant Director (Property and Assets) has approved the change in scope for the remodelling works at The Burgess Hill Academy, using the £960k previously allocated received S106 funding to support up to an additional 90 pupils from September 2026. Expenditure will continue to be monitored as the project progresses and adjustments will be sought if necessary to keep within the cost envelope.