Consultation launched on Horsham district school expansions

The county council is holding a drop in session in Horsham next week to asking people their views on plans to increase the number of places at Tanbridge House School, Horsham, and The Weald in Billingshurst.

The extra places are needed due to a rise in the number of children being born locally, people moving to the area and large housing developments.

This reflects a national trend in increasing pupil numbers and has already resulted in 17 schools being expanded in the north of the county. Four new schools have also opened.

In this most recent consultation, the council proposes to increase the entry at Tanbridge from eight forms (240 places) to ten forms (300 places) in a year group. This would be effective from September 2015.

At The Weald School, the hope is to add one more form to the year group bringing it up to a ten form entry from September 2016.

Cabinet member for education and skills Jeremy Hunt said: “We have been closely monitoring the number of children in schools in these areas to make sure they can meet the demand for places.

“We have now received evidence that further growth in the number of children is expected.

“We are working with schools to co-ordinate this consultation on their behalf and I would urge people to get involved so their views can be considered.”

All the proposals, which also include increasing the sizes of 11 schools in Crawley and four in Mid Sussex, are outlined in a consultation document available on www.westsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay.

It outlines how many pupils are expected to need spaces in each school in the next three academic years.

A public drop-in session for people to find out more and ask questions is being held at County Hall North, Chartway, Horsham, on Tuesday September 30, from 9.30am to 12noon.

The deadline for comments on the proposals is Tuesday October 14, 2014.

Comments will then be collated and analysed before being passed to the relevant schools.

Governing bodies will make decisions about whether to go ahead with proposed expansions.