diff --git a/pipeline/scripts/sync_typesense.py b/pipeline/scripts/sync_typesense.py
index 3c11d75..cce0660 100644
--- a/pipeline/scripts/sync_typesense.py
+++ b/pipeline/scripts/sync_typesense.py
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ COLLECTION_SCHEMA = {
         {"name": "progress_8_score", "type": "float", "optional": True},
         {"name": "total_pupils", "type": "int32", "optional": True},
     ],
-    "default_sorting_field": "school_name",
+    "default_sorting_field": "total_pupils",
 }
 
 OFSTED_LABELS = {1: "Outstanding", 2: "Good", 3: "Requires Improvement", 4: "Inadequate"}
 
-QUERY = """
+QUERY_BASE = """
     SELECT
         s.urn,
         s.school_name,
@@ -52,12 +52,13 @@ QUERY = """
         l.postcode,
         s.headteacher_name,
         s.total_pupils,
-        -- Latest KS2
-        ks2.rwm_expected_pct,
-        -- Latest KS4
-        ks4.progress_8_score
+        ST_Y(l.geom) as lat,
+        ST_X(l.geom) as lng
     FROM marts.dim_school s
     LEFT JOIN marts.dim_location l ON s.urn = l.urn
+"""
+
+QUERY_KS2_JOIN = """
     LEFT JOIN LATERAL (
         SELECT rwm_expected_pct
         FROM marts.fact_ks2_performance
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ QUERY = """
         ORDER BY year DESC
         LIMIT 1
     ) ks2 ON true
+"""
+
+QUERY_KS4_JOIN = """
     LEFT JOIN LATERAL (
         SELECT progress_8_score
         FROM marts.fact_ks4_performance
@@ -103,15 +107,14 @@ def build_document(row: dict) -> dict:
         doc["ofsted_rating"] = OFSTED_LABELS.get(row["ofsted_grade"], "")
     if row.get("headteacher_name"):
         doc["headteacher_name"] = row["headteacher_name"]
-    if row.get("total_pupils"):
-        doc["total_pupils"] = row["total_pupils"]
+    doc["total_pupils"] = row["total_pupils"] or 0
     if row.get("rwm_expected_pct") is not None:
         doc["rwm_expected_pct"] = float(row["rwm_expected_pct"])
     if row.get("progress_8_score") is not None:
         doc["progress_8_score"] = float(row["progress_8_score"])
 
-    # Geo: location field expects [lat, lng] — will be populated once
-    # dim_location has lat/lng from PostGIS geocoding
+    if row.get("lat") is not None and row.get("lng") is not None:
+        doc["location"] = [float(row["lat"]), float(row["lng"])]
 
     return doc
 
@@ -133,10 +136,32 @@ def sync(typesense_url: str, api_key: str):
     schema = {**COLLECTION_SCHEMA, "name": collection_name}
     client.collections.create(schema)
 
-    # Fetch data from marts
+    # Fetch data from marts — dynamically include KS2/KS4 joins if tables exist
     conn = get_db_connection()
     with conn.cursor(cursor_factory=psycopg2.extras.RealDictCursor) as cur:
-        cur.execute(QUERY)
+        # Check which fact tables exist
+        cur.execute("""
+            SELECT table_name FROM information_schema.tables
+            WHERE table_schema = 'marts' AND table_name IN ('fact_ks2_performance', 'fact_ks4_performance')
+        """)
+        existing_tables = {r["table_name"] for r in cur.fetchall()}
+
+        select_extra = []
+        joins = ""
+        if "fact_ks2_performance" in existing_tables:
+            select_extra.append("ks2.rwm_expected_pct")
+            joins += QUERY_KS2_JOIN
+        if "fact_ks4_performance" in existing_tables:
+            select_extra.append("ks4.progress_8_score")
+            joins += QUERY_KS4_JOIN
+
+        query = QUERY_BASE
+        if select_extra:
+            # Insert extra select columns before FROM
+            query = query.replace("ST_X(l.geom) as lng", "ST_X(l.geom) as lng,\n        " + ",\n        ".join(select_extra))
+        query += joins
+
+        cur.execute(query)
         rows = cur.fetchall()
     conn.close()