Collyer's & The Forest School - MAT Creation
The Proposal
The College of Richard Collyer and The Forest School, both located in Horsham, West Sussex, are currently consulting on the proposal to co-create a new multi-academy trust. The proposed name for this trust is Horsham Learning Alliance.
Consultation Timeline
13th January 2025 - Public consultation opens
21st January 2025 - Public Town Hall at Forest
22nd January 2025 - Public Town Hall at Collyer's
24th February 2025 - Public Consultation Closes
22nd April 2025 - Consultation outcome published
1st September 2025 - Proposed date for the creation of the Horsham Learning Alliance
Our Founding Partners
The College of Richard Collyer (Collyer’s) provides 16-19 general education with a wide range of A Levels, Applied General qualifications, and GCSE Courses.
The Forest School provides comprehensive education for students aged 11 to 16, focusing on a broad range of subjects working towards GSCE qualifications.
Please do take a look at our websites, which contain a wealth of information about each of the founding partners:
The College of Richard Collyer, Hurst Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2EJ - collyers.ac.uk
The Forest School, Comptons Lane, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5NT - theforestschool.com
Our Story
In Horsham we are fortunate to have a fantastic choice of strong local schools, each with their own individual character. There are also well-developed partnerships across the town. All the secondary schools and the sixth form college meet regularly and collaborate as part of a soft federation. In both the East and the West of the town primary and secondary schools work closely together in similar partnership arrangements.
(Left to Right): Russha Sellings (Collyer's - Director of Governance), Dan Lodge (Collyer's - Principal), Ian Straw (Forest - Headteacher), Sue Kelly (Forest - Deputy Headteacher), Steve Martell (Collyer's - Deputy Principal)
In March 2023 a number of Horsham Schools came together to start shaping the vision for a new, local multi-academy trust. From the outset it was clear there was real appetite to provide education with an integrated ethos that could take children from early years through to the end of their post-16 education.
As a result of these meetings Collyer’s and The Forest School, two of the local area’s best known and well-respected educational institutions, have progressed turning this vision into a reality and are founding Horsham Learning Alliance.
The aim is to deliver even better educational outcomes by providing the opportunity for partners from the already strong local schools and sixth forms to come together in one Trust and benefit from close partnerships and transformational learning.
Once formed our ambition is that other schools in the town will want to join us, preserving their unique cultures whilst benefitting from being part of a larger collaborative group.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission
Improving the lives of young people through the power of education, building on the individual strengths of each or our partner schools to become even stronger as one trust.
Our Vision
How we achieve this is based on a vision that comprises 5 pillars:
Local to Horsham
All partners should come from the Horsham District as the Trust’s main aim is to use the power of education to improve the lives of local young people.
Early Years To Post-16
The strength of the Trust will come from benefiting the learner journey throughout their young life and into adulthood, so a close focus on progression and transition will be key.
Collegiate Ethos
Partners should have parity of esteem and maintain their individual identities, branding and local cultures.
Inclusive Community
A core value for all institutions should be community, including working together with parents and the local community in an open and positive way.
Aspirational For All
Throughout everything we do there will be a focus on outcomes – not just academic but also broader life outcomes – for all our learners.
Benefits
There are many benefits a multi-academy trust can bring to its different communities. We believe the most impactful to be as follows:
Students
Seamless Transition & Progression
The physical and cultural transition between institutions will be smoother, with learners building on a set of values and life skills present from their very first day at school.
Academic Support
There will be greater insight and more opportunity to provide tailored academic support as students have the option to grow within one single Trust.
Flexible Learning Pathways
The Trust will provide a broader range of educational pathways, including specialised programs, and offer flexibility in delivering innovative learning experiences.
Staff
Collaborative Learning Environment
Partners will tap into collective knowledge and continuous improvement through shared expertise, while centralised professional development enhances skills across the Trust.
Governance & Leadership
Centralised governance structures will streamline decision-making, and leadership opportunities within the Trust will enable talent development.
Efficient Administration
Shared administrative services and streamlined processes within the Trust will reduce the burden on individual schools, allowing leaders to focus on educational priorities.
Communities
Community Engagement
Horsham Learning Alliance will coordinate impactful community initiatives, fostering stronger relationships with parents and key stakeholders.
Finance
Financial Stability
The Trust will offer financial stability, supporting partner schools in navigating funding challenges and sharing responsibilities for effective risk mitigation.
Resource Sharing
Pooling resources enables cost savings and access to specialised educational technologies, materials, and facilities.
FAQ's
We invite you to look through our FAQ's. They answer common questions that arise from the process of converting to an academy and forming a multi-academy trust (MAT).
This is not an exhaustive list. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any additional questions you might have or raise at one of our public meetings, dates and times of which can be found in our calendar.
