‘No delays’ to major new school planned for Horsham

The Bohunt Education Trust proposes to open the purpose-built 1,600 pupil school - Bohunt Horsham - on land in North Horsham in September 2020.

The school - with places for boys and girls aged from four to 16 - will be part of a 2,750 home development, along with a business park and community and sports facilities.

But fears of delays were sparked when it was announced last week that the owners of the land - Liberty Property Trust - had sold it to Legal & General, owners of housebuilders CALA Homes.

However Bohunt Education Trust - which is opening a temporary school for Year 7 pupils only in Horsham’s Hurst Road this September - says its plans for the permanent school are still on track.

A trust spokesman said: “We are moving forwards with weekly development meetings with the Department for Education, who have met with both the previous and new developer and told us that the delivery of both the temporary and permanent accommodation for our new school remains on programme: we know of no delays to our schedules.

“As part of its due diligence, the Department for Education plans for things such as infrastructure delays and we have a solid contingency if there are any hold-ups to the permanent build, as the temporary site has room for two year groups.

“Our headteacher has already had several very positive meetings with parents who have made applications to Bohunt Horsham, and who are committed to the school and keen to get involved and support us in our journey to opening in September 2019.

“Anyone looking for updates regarding Bohunt Horsham should visit www.bohunthorsham.com for the latest from our headteacher who will be blogging regularly on developments.”

The Bohunt Education Trust already runs six secondary schools and a sixth form across four local education authorities: West Sussex, Hampshire, Portsmouth and Wokingham.

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