A Woodard School, Hurstpierpoint has been boys only since 1849, but from September 1993, it became co-educational, starting in the Junior School, where girls were admitted aged 7-11. Girls entered the Senior School in 1995 in Year Nine and Lower Sixth; the College will be fully co-educational by 1997. The College occupies a rural 120-acre site in Mid-Sussex, 2 miles from Hurstpierpoint Village and 10 miles north of Brighton, 20 minutes from Gatwick and 1 hour from Heathrow via M4, M25 and M23. Its very attractive buildings are in the Collegiate style. The original ones in knapped flint, form two pleasant quadrangles. Many additions in recent years- extended science block and CDT Centre, sports hall, covered heated swimming pool, music school, art school, shop, lecture theatre. A newly built Sixth Form House, St Johns, costing some ú1.5m, opened in January 1992. It has 80 individual bed sitting rooms, conference facilities and social club. Everything, including playing fields, is easily accessible on the compact and unified campus. A friendly and orderly atmosphere prevails and there are manifold opportunities for leisure and learning. Excellent examination results. Very strong music, drama, arts and design departments. A flourishing Army section of the C.C.F. and a unit of the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. Innovative careers department with strong industrial and commercial links. In addition to the 6th Form house there are 4 boarding and 2 day boy houses. Martlet, a Girls House opened in 1995.
All pupils joining the College now take a Professional Skills programme that includes touch typing and IT, presentation and leadership training and business and commercial skills.
Academically, Hurstpierpoint is strong. 1997, pupils averaged 9 GCSE passes and 87% gained A-C grades. At A level, the pass rate was 95%. Over 90% of pupils go on to higher education.
