Last week schools returned. It’s an exciting moment, especially for the record number of pupils starting at local secondaries and moving into the “6th Form” at school or college.
On Friday, I joined Collyers for the opening of their new Shelley Building. The modern learning space will help meet the increasing demand on Collyers: a very popular College and rightly so given their excellent academic results and the broader education delivered for their students. The new building is one of several new developments in recent years.
Investment in Collyers is part of a pattern of local improvements as was the creation of the new Bohunt Horsham in its purpose built site North of Horsham. From next September the Bohunt primary school will open providing further opportunity to an existing strong primary provision. This has included new primary schools at Kilnwood Vale and the Woodgate.
Parents will be aware of the Department for Education’s precautionary approach on RAAC concrete. As has been reported, Greenway took the decision to shut for one day to allow investigations to take place. I understand a small area of the school (not classrooms) was identified as having RAAC but with appropriate remediation in place the school has been able to reopen and all children are accommodated.
In 2021, Greenway was one of fifty schools in the country to be selected to benefit from the Government’s school rebuilding programme. Thanks to this funding a new modern school building is set to be built on the existing site, plans have been drawn up (with pupil participation) for this exciting development. While mitigations will keep staff and pupils safe I am pleased that the full rebuilding plans for Greenway are already in the pipeline.
The record number of pupils going into secondaries will continue for at least two more years. I am very focussed on ensuring local children are able to be educated locally. This was achieved this year given exceptional support from local secondaries. However can I please encourage parents considering choices for Autumn 2024 to look at all options! We have a wide variety of schools with different approaches and facilities but all highly thought of. You will know what might work for your child, please do consider all the options and when the time comes list all your preferences!
