Sussex


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE?</h2>



<p>An all-through day and boarding school with a pronounced pastoral, small-school feel, Battle Abbey occupies two sites. Prep is housed in Bexhill and the 380-strong senior school sits on what must be one of the most desirable and unique sites in the entire country, that of the historic battlefield of the legendary Battle of Hastings. It goes without saying, history buffs will love this place, which the head describes as ‘highly selective – on character’.</p>



<p>But so too will anybody looking for a truly family atmosphere, academic excellence – it’s the top secondary school across Sussex and Kent for pupil progress and achievement at A Level, and 26<sup>th</sup> on this metric nationally &#8211; a strong commitment to pastoral care, fabulous creative and STEAM facilities, and, er, a medieval battlefield and ruin literally within the school grounds. All this sits at the heart of the small and charming town of Battle. It’s oversold as a phrase, but Battle Abbey truly is a place like no other.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FACILITIES</h2>



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<p>Rolling through the enchanting 14<sup>th</sup> Century gatehouse and entering the grounds of Battle Abbey would bring a frisson to even the most unmoved by historical occasion. The school itself is housed mainly in the 13<sup>th</sup> Century Abbot’s House and the monastery built up around the nearby Norman parish church of St Mary.</p>



<p>In front of the building are sweeping lawns and sports pitches, to the side, the battlefield itself which can be viewed over the very ledge from which the Battle of Hastings was fought. And tucked away round the back lie the atmospheric ruins of William the Conquerer’s famous Abbey, along with quirks and oddities like the rare ice house sitting within the grounds.</p>



<p>The heritage of the site is an inextricable part of school life – performances take place within the Abbey ruins and students get involved with community events like weddings and English Heritage events, including training up as silver service waiting staff to serve guests.</p>



<p>The grandiose entrance of the main building opens up into a large entrance hall, dominated at the time of my visit by bustling table-tennis tables and a Christmas tree so enormous I barely noticed the dramatic painting of the Battle of Hastings at the far end. Just off the entrance hall lies an ecclesiastical-looking library, wood-panelled, high ceilinged and full of atmosphere. Cosy classrooms are dotted about, including history which aptly has a view out towards the Abbey ruins.</p>



<p>Given that the historical site is subject to rigorous planning permissions, the school has had to get creative with using what already exists – STEAM occupies the former stable block, with science labs and art studios separated by a charming cobbled walkway. Drama and music are catered for in the superb Yew Tree Centre for Performing Arts, opened in 2005 by Joanna Lumley. An inspiring space, this stops short of a full-on professional theatre as the school makes use of the theatre in town.</p>



<p>As the school has grown it’s expanded into the town, taking over an old museum opposite and turning it into a sixth form centre, Gym, café, textiles classroom and photography studio. Original features of the museum remain, and classrooms are accessed through winding stairways and corridors full of intriguing nooks and crannies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SPORT</h2>



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<p>With three tennis courts, two netball courts, an Astroturf, a large games field, a gym, a fitness suite and a dance studio onsite, sport is certainly well catered-for onsite. The school also makes use of local facilities including Horntye Sports Park which has a sports hall and full-size Astroturf, and Summerfields and Bexhill Leisure Centres. For sports, think hockey, cricket, football and rounders, and PE covers a host including quirkier additions like boxing, aerobics, ‘ultimate frisbee’ and personal survival. Swimming is a massive strength, and the prep site in Bexhill boasts a stunning 25-metre, six-lane heated indoor pool to which secondary pupils are bussed over. The school counts national-level equestrian, swimming, fencing and chess competitors among its student body.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CREATIVE ARTS</h2>



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<p>Creativity is a real strength of the school, with creative subjects valued as much as academics. The aforementioned performing arts centre houses a dedicated space for rehearsals and performances, along with smaller classrooms for peripatetic teaching and a wonderful suite of music rooms and facilities. Plenty of leavers go on to drama schools, and there are heaps of opportunities for all to perform, in settings as diverse as the 18<sup>th</sup> Century library and the Abbey ruins, which hosted a particularly creepy performance of The Crucible.</p>



<p>Musical types will thrive here, with all manner of bands and ensembles on offer, along with additions such as composition to the usual one-to-one instrumental teaching. Future Calvin Harris’s take note, you won’t learn full-on swanky production tech here, it’s all about live, actual music. That said, there’s also a student-led tech team open to all year groups, which takes care of lighting, production and other behind-the-scenes aspects.</p>



<p>The gorgeously quaint art studio is filled with light and professional-quality work from students, and the textile studio has the feel of the best kind of haberdashery, in which many happy hours could be whiled away.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ACADEMICS</h2>



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<p>For a&nbsp;mixed ability&nbsp;school, the results are highly impressive. This year&nbsp;at A Level more than 33% of all grades were at A* and A&nbsp;with 78% of all grades at A* &#8211; C. At GCSE level, just under half the cohort were awarded grades 7-9,&nbsp;and 25% of all results were at grade 8 or 9.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BOARDING AND PASTORAL CARE</h2>



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<p>There’s a range of accommodation to suit a range of boarders – flexi, weekly and full boarding are all on offer here. There’s a decent proportion of international boarders too, from Europe, Asia and even South America, meaning a great mix of backgrounds and cultures. Students can board in the Abbey itself, a truly magical experience, or in the nearby small and cosy Westnedge House, just a short walk from the school itself. Sixth formers have more independence at Marylands House, with cosy but airy rooms, living space full of squishy, inviting-looking sofas and a pool table, and kitchen. All boarders can take part in a range of activities, including heading up into town. The strongly pastoral feel of the school extends to the boarding, which students describe as like being part of a family.</p>



<p>The school has a full team responsible for pastoral care including a wellbeing lead trained in mental health first aid, a school counsellor, nurses and peer mentors. Senior school pupils are also trained themselves in child protection, anti-bullying and exploitation, and online safety and act as informal mentors to younger students. &nbsp;</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MOBILE PHONE POLICY</h2>



<p>Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 students (Year 7 &#8211; 11) hand their phones in at the start of the day and aren&#8217;t allowed to use them during the day, including at break and lunch. Sixth Form are trusted to keep their phones, but there are strict rules about taking photos or videos whilst onsite and of pupils while in school uniform.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">QUIRKS</h2>



<p>What, an actual medieval battlefield and ruin onsite not enough for you? The head has a self-described ‘obsession’ with teams, so if your child comes here, expect them to become part of a team. We’re not just talking sport either. Engineering, art, tech, drama, music – it’s all about the teams. There’s even a team paper aeroplane flying competition.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE HEAD</h2>



<p>David Clark joined Battle Abbey from Caterham School, where he was deputy head. Aptly, he studied history at university and taught the subject in his pre-headship days. He’s frank about the changes he’s made to the school since joining in 2013, including changes to the ethos, culture and staffing, and under his stewardship the place has transformed. Exceptionally affable and enthusiastic, he clearly adores his job and says the small-school feel suits him perfectly (apparently once pupil numbers top 600, he struggles to remember every student’s name). He’s rigorous about selection, despite the school being non-selective academically he’s intent on getting the right fit and admissions is a lengthy procedure, with pupils invited to taster days and weeks and families encouraged to visit multiple times before making a commitment.</p>



<p>A tireless ambassador for his school and pupils, he’s as available to the students themselves as he is to parents, governors and other stakeholders. He also seems to really get the role of the school in children’s and families lives, saying he wants pupils to feel as at home at school as they do with their own families, and over lockdown he was considerate enough to have all the printing of worksheets and resources done for parents and delivered every Friday, along with hand-written cards and treats for each individual pupil.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WORD ON THE GROUND</h2>



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<p>Pupils sing the school&#8217;s praises &#8211; the younger ones rave about the food and the activities on offer, the older ones love the historic site and the independence to go out and about in town. And all age groups love the fact that older pupils look out for younger ones, who then grow up to do exactly the same.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FEES</h2>



<p>From&nbsp;£5,467&nbsp;for day pupils in years 7 and 8, to&nbsp;£6,594 for sixth form day pupils. Boarding starts at&nbsp;£10,389&nbsp;a term for years 7 and 8 and rises to&nbsp;£12,450&nbsp;per term for sixth formers. Casual boarding is priced at&nbsp;£70&nbsp;per night.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Kids with a great attitude who love to get involved and feel like a valued part of a team will thrive here. As a smaller school, there’s a real family feel so those who could do with a bit of extra nurture will also do well. Any child who likes history will obviously be in seventh heaven, as will creative types. </p>



<p><strong>Not for</strong>: Alpha males and queen bees – there’s no space for ‘dominating personalities’ in such a team-oriented setup. Super sporty types are welcome, but if they have ambitions to play rugger for England, they might want to look elsewhere.</p>



<p><strong>Dare to disagree?</strong> Get yourself along to the next open day on 12 Sept 10am-1pm- <a href="https://www.battleabbeyschool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register here</a>.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.battleabbeyschool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Battle Abbey Senior School</a>, High Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AD, 01424 219674</em></p>


Battle Abbey Senior School, Battle

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