Bohunt sixth form gets the go ahead

Bohunt Wokingham School is set to expand with a new 300 place sixth form and 150 additional places for younger pupils.

At a meeting of its decision making Executive yesterday (Thursday 28 September), Wokingham Borough Council agreed to increase its financial contribution up to £5.25million. The project will be delivered in partnership with Bohunt Education Trust, who are joint funding the expansion.

New 300 place sixth form

The new sixth form would have 300 places for pupils in the rural south of Wokingham borough, which is currently lacking a sixth form.

At present, most students attending the Bohunt School continue their education at other schools and colleges outside the borough, so the expansion would allow more of them to remain nearer home.

150 additional places for years 7 to 11

The project will also include more places for 11- to 16-year-olds and a commitment to further improve the school’s facilities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The new places for under 16s will help to ensure that more children living around the school can be admitted at a time when the need for new secondary places is rapidly increasing.

A quality education within easy reach

Cllr Prue Bray, executive member for children’s services said: “This is excellent news for residents in the south of the Wokingham Borough. Bohunt is the first new secondary school to open in the borough for over 50 years, and will soon have a sixth form to allow more young people to stay in the borough to finish their schooling.

“The expansion will also benefit our younger pupils, as a new form entry will help ease the pressure we have on school places and there will be improved support for children and young people with special needs and disabilities.

“Being able to offer an outstanding education is one of our key priorities as a borough. And we know there is strong support in the local community for this to happen.”

Neil Strowger, headteacher and leader of the Bohunt Education Trust said: “We are delighted that our partnership with Wokingham Borough Council will deliver exceptional education to more students locally and we look forward to getting started on the new build.”

Costs

In March 2022, the council agreed to contribute £3.7million towards the creation of a sixth form at Bohunt School, with the trust to contribute £2million.

The project now includes expanding the existing school to allow for another 150 school places and providing additional support for SEND pupils, as well as creating the new sixth form.  The estimated cost of the revised project is expected to total £10.5million.

The council has approved a capital budget of up to £5.25million for the project, which it would fund through borrowing, with the Bohunt Education Trust match-funding that amount.