Plans to make Horsham boys’ school coeducational put to public

If approved The Forest School in Comptons Lane would start welcoming girls as well as boys into Year 7 from September 2021.

The plans are supported by governors and leaders at the school, with parents already informed.

A public consultation into the proposed changes opened yesterday (Monday June 1) and will run for a month.

St Andrew’s CE High School for Boys in Worthing is exploring a similar move.

Nigel Jupp, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for education and skills, said: “We are exploring options for these schools to become coeducational and believe this could benefit both school communities.

“Governors are supportive of these proposals and now we want to hear from parents, pupils, those who might go to these schools in the future, and the wider public so we can make a decision based on a wide range of opinions.”

The change would also give female pupils in Worthing and Horsham a greater choice when deciding where they want to go to secondary school.

Ian Straw, headteacher at The Forest School, said: “Here at The Forest School we are all absolutely delighted at the prospect of being able to open our doors to all students, both boys and girls, from September 2021.

“Our Forest Family has worked hard over the past year and a half to make some real and tangible improvements to not only our school, but our community as a whole.

“We have so much to offer and feel that all students should have access to what we are creating here at our school.”

No changes are proposed for any of the existing year groups at both schools and there are no plans to alter the single-sex girls’ schools Millais School in Horsham or Davison CE High School for Girls in Worthing.

People can now take part in the consultation on the West Sussex County Council website from June 1-29.

The cabinet member will assess all of the feedback before making a decision in late July.

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