The Forest School

About The Forest School

The Forest School is a mixed state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Horsham, West Sussex, with a school capacity of 1,140. While the data does not provide the current pupil count, the school’s admission information indicates it is oversubscribed, suggesting strong local demand. The school does not have a sixth form, so all students leave at 16. It is a non-religious school, with its religious character listed as ‘Does not apply’. The school’s headteacher is Ian Straw. In terms of demographics, the data does not include the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), so it is not possible to compare this against the national or local average. However, the school sits within West Sussex local authority, which has 42 secondary schools of the same type, nine of which are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Tanbridge House School, 3.2 km away, which may influence catchment dynamics for families in the area.

The Forest School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, its most recent inspection grade. The data does not provide a breakdown of the Ofsted report, such as specific grades for leadership, teaching, or behaviour, nor does it include Progress 8 scores, KS2 SATs results, or A-Level outcomes (the latter being irrelevant as the school has no sixth form). Without these metrics, it is not possible to compare the school’s academic performance against the West Sussex local authority average Progress 8 score of 0.03, or against its top-ranked peers like St Oscar Romero Catholic School (ranking score 0.89). The school’s ranking score relative to other schools in the area is also absent from the data. Parents seeking a detailed academic benchmark will need to consult the full Ofsted report or the school’s own published performance data to gauge how outcomes here stack up against local alternatives.

The school offers a broad range of facilities, including art studios, an ICT suite, a library, science labs, music rooms, a sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, an astro turf pitch, and a swimming pool. Sports on offer include hockey, rowing, swimming, cricket, martial arts, and cross country. Clubs and activities include Young Enterprise, Model UN, orchestra, choir, drama, science club, gardening, book club, and a newspaper group. The school does not have nursery provision and is not a boarding school. The data does not include information on SEND provisions, so it is unclear what specialist support is available. Given its oversubscribed status and Good Ofsted rating, The Forest School is likely to suit families in Horsham who want a non-selective, co-educational secondary with strong facilities and a wide extracurricular programme, but who are prepared for competitive admissions and the absence of a sixth form.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About The Forest School

Helpful Guides for Parents