Proposals to change major Horsham school from all-girls to co-educational

West Sussex County Council has drawn up a report on switching Millais School from all-girls following a decline in demand for places at the school in recent years and a subsequent shortage of secondary school places for boys in the Horsham area.

Last year dozens of families were devastated on being told that their children would have to travel to school in Burgess Hill before places at more local schools were eventually found for them.

It followed Forest School changing from all-boys to co-educational.

Now, in a report proposing a consultation is launched into changing the status of Millais School, West Sussex County Council assistant education director Claire Hayes says: “This shortage of places for boys in Horsham was particularly evident for those applying for secondary places for September 2023 entry, with 34 not receiving one of their three preferences.

"Following successful appeals and moves of some pupils into independent schools, by September 2023, all of the 34 boys were able to attend a school of preference.

“For September 2024, seventeen families with boys in the Horsham area have not received one of their three preferences and so have been offered alternative schools. This may change as happened in 2023 but is not considered to be a sustainable position.”

The report points out that “it is acknowledged that co-educational schools are currently more popular than single sex schools.

“The school [Millais] has not filled all its places for the last three years which impacts on budgets and resources, as school budgets are mainly based on the pupil head count.

“Moving from a single sex school to a co-educational school will lead to a broader range of curriculum subjects that will bring wider choice and

diversity for all pupils.

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“The proposal to offer another co-educational school in Horsham will provide parents with greater choice when applying for school places for their children.”

If it goes ahead, the earliest the first co-educational cohort could enter Year 7 would be from September 2026. Existing year groups of girls would continue to receive their education at Millais until they leave at the age of 16.