Oakmeeds School, Burgess Hill

[Since1982]

I was a pupil at Oakmeeds although left in 1979 so both the school and the town were very different places then. My eldest son spent five years there until 2006, my youngest went there from 2006 to 2008. I was a governor of the school for 7 years over this period. My thoughts are 1) My eldest son flourished, achieved great exam results, built strong relationships and developed into a well rounded and broad minded young man who subsequently achieved an upper second in History at Sussex. 2) My youngest son joined in the same year as a very poor cohort. He could not cope with the persistent low level disruption to his classes and so we had to withdraw him and he spent the next three years at Hurst before joining the Sixth Form at St Pauls and now, after a gap year, is off to Warwick to read Physics and Maths. 3) The lessons we took from this were that just because a school is great for one student, doesn't mean it will be the same for another plus a school performs well in exams tables as a result of teaching and the cohort and the latter is by far the most important factor. Oakmeeds will always struggle in this regard because of the make up of the town, the nonsense that means some BH pupils have Downlands as their first choice school and the fact that it has spaces and therefore excluded pupils from across the county will be sent there - but none of that makes it a "bad" school. 4) It is probably time for a new head - like any organisation a change of senior leadership is a good thing on a regular basis and the OFSTED report was I believe unhelpfully timed for the school but, as someone else has said, this may be a good thing in the long term. 5) Living as I do now in Hassocks I get to see some of the behaviour of the Downlands pupils and I see no difference between them and those from Oakmeeds. 6) GCSE exam tables are but one measure of a school, there are other equally valid ways to assess if a school is right for your child. Personally I am no fan of parental choice in these matters and believe you should attend your local school but i guess that is not a popular view!

 

[Deleted member 18477]

I went to oakmeeds In the early 2000's. I got 11 GCSE's mostly A to B grades (1 C I think without looking at my results).

School was good, had fun, had friends, wasn't bullied.

What else is there to a school? Was easy for me as it was a 20 minute walk.

 

[Fran Hagarty]

Both my children went to Oakmeeds and did well They made good friends and got good results. I decided it preferable to send them to the local school, where the majority of their friends were going, than for them to have to travel to Hassocks or Cuckfield. (Downlands or Warden Park). I have witnessed poor behaviour from Downlands children on the trains - rowdy, standing on seats, throwing litter around etc. Not to say that similar doesn't happen at other schools though. I am , however, satisfied that I made the right choice.

 

[paul wickens]

I left Oakmeeds in 1982. It was a decent comprehensive school in those days with strong sports teams. My sister's children go there now and enjoy it. I think the recent Ofsted report will sharpen things up; they need to recruit some more experienced staff, but I think the school is heading in the right direction.

 

[SPonthewing]

Oakmeeds class of 82

I left Oakmeeds in 1982. It was a decent comprehensive school in those days with strong sports teams. My sister's children go there now and enjoy it. I think the recent Ofsted report will sharpen things up; they need to recruit some more experienced staff, but I think the school is heading in the right direction.

Paul was a sportsman and so he may remember that except for cricket rugby tennis basketball table tennis and lacrosse for which they had no teams or rubbish teams - our year’s rugby side was abandoned by old Callaghan after we never won a game and lost the last one 81-0 - Oakmeeds was a very old fashioned secondary then comp with half the staff not QTS! Apart from the usual quota of kiddy fiddlers and time servers there were some extraordinary teachers of surprising quality including Jacobs, Thomas, Wood, Robbins as a leader, Slaughter, Salmon and Garth the mad professor Haynes!!

 

[arewethereyet?]

Paul was a sportsman and so he may remember that except for cricket rugby tennis basketball table tennis and lacrosse for which they had no teams or rubbish teams - our year’s rugby side was abandoned by old Callaghan after we never won a game and lost the last one 81-0 - Oakmeeds was a very old fashioned secondary then comp with half the staff not QTS! Apart from the usual quota of kiddy fiddlers and time servers there were some extraordinary teachers of surprising quality including Jacobs, Thomas, Wood, Robbins as a leader, Slaughter, Salmon and Garth the mad professor Haynes!!

I left in 1981, there are some names there that have rekindled some memories. I had Slaughter for maths, Robbins was a truly excellent head of either upper or lower, can’t remember which but I think upper.

 

[Live by the sea]

I don’t know the school but I have a friend whose daughter goes to Burgess Hill school for girls , she loves it apparently & academically is doing well .

 

[Gwylan]

Paul was a sportsman and so he may remember that except for cricket rugby tennis basketball table tennis and lacrosse for which they had no teams or rubbish teams - our year’s rugby side was abandoned by old Callaghan after we never won a game and lost the last one 81-0 !

I'd never heard of Oakmeeds until a few weeks ago when they brought their girls rugby team to our club. I don't know about their boys team but they've got a great bunch of girls playing. There aren't many schools (well, hardly any) in the area where girls play rugby, but Oakmeeds clearly take it very seriously. It's a pity they have so few teams to play against.

 

[Jim in the West]

Out of interest - did anyone on here go to Oakmeeds in the mid-70s? I went to St Wilfred's up to age 11 (1973), but we moved away just as I was about to move on to Oakmeeds. Any ex-St Wildredonians on here??!!

 

[Steve_PPP]

I see most of the posts in this thread were from 2014, interested in more recent opinions of Oakmeeds... Has it improved?

I've got a daughter in Birchwood Grove and Oakmeeds will be the default option I expect, I'd heard that Downlands was over-subscribed these days just from the Hassocks/Hurst/Ditchling catchment (and yet the house building continues...) so they took less and less from Burgess Hill these days. I went to Downlands in the 90s and there was loads of Burgess Hill kids there then that got the train to school every day.

 

[PeterT]

Played football against them late 70s. We were getting stuffed so our keeper said to me he fancied saving a penalty and could I give one away?

Their striker was clean through, about to shoot and I hacked him down. He got up and spat at me. Not only was no penalty given, I didn’t even get booked and he got sent off!!

So on that basis, I’d give it a miss …..

 

[SussexCGull]

I see more recent opinion of school is required so let me help out. My son is in Year 8 and is doing well having attended Manor Field. Yes being the main non-selective secondary for Burgess Hill (St. Paul’s preferring those of a catholic persuasion) you will have a range of varying types at the school but I think that provides a great grounding for life. As said before if your child is keen to learn they will do well. I have had no complaints so far. I went there in late 80s/ early 90s and have done well for myself and whilst it did go into special measures a few years back has come back rebranded as Burgess Hill Academy. The music and drama facilities are great although parts of the school are exactly how I remember it so a bit long in the tooth but they have refurbished a number of classrooms.
Downlands is oversubscribed so where a few years back pupils from Manor Field were accepted that is no longer the case.
I like BHA, my son can walk easily and not worry about transport delays, he gets to mix with all sorts of children and so far has enjoyed his time there.

 

[sully]

Out of interest - did anyone on here go to Oakmeeds in the mid-70s? I went to St Wilfred's up to age 11 (1973), but we moved away just as I was about to move on to Oakmeeds. Any ex-St Wildredonians on here??!!

I was there 1973-78. Arrived from London Road primary, though.

I thought it was good when I was there and have good memories of some great teachers, some of whom I came across again in later life and was amazed that they remembered me.

My kids went there too and have both done well, though they were there at the time it was failing and I had several run-ins with the head and poor / unprofessional teachers who were personal friends of my ex (also a teacher) and very much took sides in the divorce, believing all her lies.

I hope that the school is back to where it was, as it’s one part of my history that hasn’t been demolished yet!

 

[Since1982]

Out of interest - did anyone on here go to Oakmeeds in the mid-70s? I went to St Wilfred's up to age 11 (1973), but we moved away just as I was about to move on to Oakmeeds. Any ex-St Wildredonians on here??!!

I was there from 1975 to 1979. Joined late in the first year when we moved down from London. There were a couple of teachers there inc Pete Liddell who were a huge influence on my life.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I was there from 1975 to 1979. Joined late in the first year when we moved down from London. There were a couple of teachers there inc Pete Liddell who were a huge influence on my life.

Had him for Sociology in the 90’s

Also Mike Wood of Wizard fame was my music teacher there.

Left at the end of the 90’s and didn’t do me much harm.

 

[Since1982]

Had him for Sociology in the 90’s

Also Mike Wood of Wizard fame was my music teacher there.

Left at the end of the 90’s and didn’t do me much harm.

I’m so old I remember Mike arriving as a new teacher. He too was a huge influence on me. Some great memories.