No room in local schools for Southwater boys

11 Southwater families have received the unwelcome news that their children have been allocated school places not in nearby Horsham, but at The Burgess Hill Academy in another district entirely.

That means a daily commute of 15 miles each way with no direct train or bus route. It will tear apart friendship groups for the next 5 years of their young lives.

Families with other children in Horsham schools will be rushing from pillar to post, ferrying them to school events, sports and other activities across a wide area.

The reason so many families have been disappointed, and why only boys have been affected, lies in a decision made by Cllr Nigel Jupp (Conservative), WSCC Cabinet Member for Education & Skills. Two years ago he agreed for Forest School for boys in Horsham to become co-ed without increasing the number of places available, but left neighbouring Millais as girls only.

Forest has become a popular school and many girls have applied to go there. The inevitable and predictable result is a shortage of places locally for boys, and Millais is now heavily undersubscribed. Indeed, Cllr. Jupp was advised of this disadvantage for boys at the time, but it was played down:

“The proposals may have a specific impact on a small number of families that seek a place for a boy…”
- Equality Impact Report, Appendix 3, WSCC Decision ES05 (20/21), July 2020

Ironically Nigel is himself the County Councillor for Southwater & Nuthurst. So he has caused maximum distress to families in his own division. Whatever solution is found, Southwater families will now have to go through the turmoil and stress of waiting and not knowing where their child can go to secondary school. They may even have to go through the lengthy appeal process. This was a completely preventable situation.

On behalf of Southwater Liberal Democrats, HDC Southwater North candidate Mike Wood, said: 

“The County Conservative Cabinet Member has literally fallen asleep at the wheel, with WSCC failing to meet its statutory duties to ensure access to education and perform effective school place planning in a reasonable way.

“He simply ignored the predictable consequences of making Forest co-ed, but not Millais, and the imbalance it would cause in the places for boys and girls across the district. This situation was even more likely this year, as the current Y6 is a known bulge in the school population.

“Accepting the current school places would compromise those children’s and families' right to a normal family life and parents should not be put in that position. What’s more surprising is that this has had its greatest impact on families in the Cabinet Member’s own ward of Southwater & Nuthurst.

“This is a blunder entirely of his own making. Cllr Jupp should apologise personally to all the families involved and consider his position.”