Girls' school welcomes backtrack on admitting boys

A girls' school in West Sussex said it was pleased council staff "recognise the concerns raised" about a consultation on it becoming co-educational.

West Sussex County Council opened a fresh consultation on Thursday about a proposal to admit boys to Millais School in Horsham from 2026.

The local authority decided in March to make the change after a previous consultation, despite the school's board opposing the reform.

The council abandoned that decision three months later, saying it "concluded that information linked to the consultation was incorrect and misleading".

Millais School's headteacher Alison Lodwick said she welcomes the "opportunity for all points of view to be resubmitted and reviewed fully".

"Similarly to West Sussex [County Council], Millais want the best educational outcomes for the for young people across our local community," she added.

Anyone who wants to give their views has until 18 July to do so.

West Sussex County Council said on the consultation website that it "will consider or re-consider all responses and representations, including views previously expressed".

The local authority added: "We have acted promptly to concerns raised about the previous process and want to make sure there is time for everyone to respond before the end of the current school year."

A cabinet member could make the decision as soon as the end of July but this "will depend upon the responses received", according to the council.

Millais School published a policy paper in May 2024 opposing the reform, in which it claimed there were "huge social and emotional benefits" for pupils at girls' schools and the council was proposing a "very major change" to the school's ethos.

"We believe passionately that there is crucial space in Horsham for both coeducational and single-sex options to co-exist," the secondary school added.

According to the June consultation, Millais School has had excess capacity since 2021, impacting its budget, while some boys in Horsham were sent to schools outside the district.

"The pressure for places is likely to increase in the future," the council said.

Millais School is the only single-sex school of the four secondaries in Horsham.

The Forest School in Horsham was a boys school until West Sussex County Council decided in 2020 to make it co-educational.

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