Girls could be admitted to Forest from September 2021 under new plans for boys’ school
A Horsham boys’ school could be turned coeducational from next year.
West Sussex County Council is set to consult on the major change to The Forest School in Comptons Lane, which would see it accept girls from September 2021.
From then on, each year of entry would be coeducational, but there would not no changes for any of the existing year groups already on the school roll.
There are no proposals to make similar changes at nearby Millais School, which would continue to be a girls’ only school.
Ian Straw, headteacher at The Forest School, said: “The senior staff and governors have been working with the county council for a number of months and are delighted that from September 2021, the school will have the possibility to begin opening to all students.
“We regard the school community as a large family, The Forest Family, and are looking forward to the possibility of welcoming whole families for the first time.”
Following an assessment of the outcome of the consultation the cabinet member for education and skills will be asked to consider whether to proceed in approving the significant change.
The proposals were revealed in the council’s forward plan of key decisions.
The potential change was welcomed by readers on the County Times’ Facebook page.
One parent wrote: “Brilliant! My children are catchment for Millais and Forest and I don’t want them to go to single sex schools.
“They need to interact with the opposite sex, maybe Tanbridge won’t be so oversubscribed in the future.”
Others called it a ‘great idea’ with others wishing it had been done years ago.
Another reader said: “A good idea, my kids might get to go to the same school after all.”
The Forest School was rated good by Ofsted back in 2017 after its last inspection visit.
The move would certainly widen the choice for parents as Tanbridge is currently the only maintained mixed school for 11-16-year-olds in the town.
Academy Bohunt Horsham is currently operating in temporary accommodation in Hurst Road but is set to build a permanent home within a new development north of the A264.
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