About Sussex APC
Sussex Alternative Provision College (APC) exists to help young people Reengage, Refocus, and Reintegrate, giving them the belief, tools, and structure they need to move forward with purpose. We’re not just here to fill time. We’re here to create momentum.
Formed in 2013 and led by Doug Thomas (Executive Head Teacher) and Sam Channon (Chief Operations Officer and Lead for Medical Education), we work closely with our Management Committee, a network of schools, and multi-agency partners to ensure every young person has a path forward.
Explore our Centres
We operate across eight centres in Burgess Hill, Crawley, Chichester, Littlehampton, Lancing, and Worthing, as well as our specialist sites in Brighton & Hove and Haywards Heath, providing 292 full-time places for primary and secondary students across Sussex. These places support young people who have been permanently excluded, are at risk of exclusion, or are unable to attend mainstream school for medical reasons.
APC 3R Team
Sussex APC is proud to offer the APC 3R Team, a specialist service that supports children and young people in mainstream schools who are finding school life difficult and may be at risk of exclusion.
APC Blended Learning & COAST
Our Blended Learning provision is the commissioned provider for West Sussex under Section 19 policy, offering a flexible and personalised approach for pupils who are unable to attend a traditional school setting due to medical or exceptional circumstances.
APC Brighton & Hove
APC Brighton & Hove supports young people receiving intensive day treatment at Spring Tide for an eating disorder, helping them maintain their learning alongside their wider treatment programme. This joined up approach keeps young people connected to education while receiving the health and wellbeing support they need within the community.
APC Burgess Hill
Our Burgess Hill Centre is a vibrant, inclusive environment serving pupils from Reception and KS1 through to KS4. It provides structure, support, and space for young people to reengage with education, refocus on their ambitions, and reintegrate into the next phase of learning or life with confidence.
APC Chichester
Our Chichester Centre is a small, nurturing environment for Reception, KS1, and KS2 pupils, where individual progress is celebrated and personal growth is central.
APC Crawley
Our Crawley Centre, set within an historic building that has been a place of learning since 1852, is a space where tradition meets innovation.
APC Curriculum Access Team (CAT)
The APC Curriculum Access Team (CAT) supports children and young people in mainstream schools who are finding school life difficult and may be at risk of exclusion. The goal is to help students Reengage with learning, Refocus on their strengths, and Reintegrate into school life with confidence.
APC Haywards Heath
APC Haywards Heath provides specialist education for young people aged 12 to 18 receiving inpatient support at The Harbour Unit for acute mental health needs, including emotional difficulties, mental health challenges and eating disorders. Based within the grounds of the Princess Royal Hospital, education forms an important part of each young person’s wider treatment and recovery.
APC Lancing
Our Lancing Centre provides a vibrant and nurturing environment for pupils from Reception through to KS4.
APC Littlehampton
Our Littlehampton Centre sits at the heart of the community, offering a creative, purposeful space where KS3 and KS4 students can reconnect with learning and rebuild their confidence.
APC Worthing
Our Worthing Centre is a modern, purpose-built environment designed to help KS3 and KS4 students feel supported, capable, and ready to achieve.
Our provision spans multiple pathways
These hours reflect the structured learning time tailored to each student’s age, needs and setting, ensuring consistent education, wellbeing support, and meaningful progress.
Age Group
Weekly Hours
Secondary School
30 hours
Primary School
27.5 hours
SMP Blended Learning Primary
12.5 hours
SMP Blended Learning Secondary
25 hours
Brighton & Hove
19.5 hours
Haywards Heath (The Harbour Unit)
19.5 hours
Support Focused
Mental and emotional health sit at the heart of our approach. We work hand in hand with CAMHS and a wide network of multi-agency partners to ensure every young person receives the right support, whether in school, hospital education, or at home. Shared training and practice across sites create a connected approach that supports each learner’s whole journey.
The Brighton & Hove and Haywards Heath Centres provide an additional 31 full-time places, forming a vital part of the APC offer. They provide specialist education and wraparound support for young people with complex health and emotional needs across Sussex.
Specialist Centres
Within this hospital education provision, Brighton & Hove operates as a day centre for students aged 11–18 receiving treatment for eating disorders, while Haywards Heath provides inpatient education for those managing acute mental health challenges.
Haywards Heath also works with our COAST (Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team) to offer education as part of intensive home treatment and supported discharge, helping young people reintegrate into their community with confidence and stability.
3R Team
Our “3R” Team (Reengage, Refocus, Reintegrate) supports young people in mainstream schools through proactive interventions and targeted strategies to prevent exclusion.
By working directly with schools, staff, and families, the team helps learners build self-regulation, manage behaviour, and stay engaged in education. Together, these teams form a seamless network of support, connecting health and education, sharing expertise, and helping young people take positive, lasting steps toward their future.
A Launchpad for Progress
All our centres deliver educational programmes tailored to each student’s needs, and our specialist teams go further:
Blended Learning Team
The Blended Learning Team supports young people at home due to medical reasons, creating personalised packages that keep learning moving.
Curriculum Access Team
The APC Curriculum Access Team works directly with mainstream schools, offering strategies and interventions to reduce exclusions and keep students connected to their education.
Our Ethos
We know education is a lifelong process and sometimes past events or challenges have blocked progress. That’s why we focus on building confidence, skills, and momentum so students leave here not only ready for the next step but believing they can take it.
Our Approach
We combine high expectations with understanding. That means recognising both the educational and social emotional needs of each young person and meeting them with steady, skilled support. It also means looking forward, not back: confronting the barriers to learning and creating positive, realistic plans for the future.
Whether a student’s goal is to return to mainstream school, move on to a specialist provision, progress into further education, enter training, or secure employment, Sussex APC provides the structure, encouragement, and belief to make it happen. Our model works as a revolving door, not a final destination, supporting young people to re-engage with learning, build the skills they need, and move forward with confidence toward their next step.
I would like to welcome you all to our school and to say that whether you are a pupil, a parent/carer or someone who would like to visit us, you are most welcome and I do hope that your experience reflects the pride we feel in working at Sussex APC.
— Doug Thomas, Executive Head Teacher
