The plan will enable an additional 190 teenagers to attend the school while creating new parking spaces and improving facilities for existing students. Alongside classrooms, the new centre will include a digital studio, ICT suite and a cafe area.

Stuart Jackman, director of sixth form studies, said: “We are delighted that we have planning permission. This development will provide a long overdue improvement in our facilities. Our aim is to develop a 'collegiate feel’ for students of both sexes, with the benefit of the full pastoral support of a school, as well as a useful community facility.” The expanded sixth form will help cater for need created by the substantial housing developments across the borough. The development is expected to create an extra 60 car trips during the morning rush hour but is not expected to have a severe impact on local junctions, including the nearby junction with the A3290.

The plans, creating an additional 1,387msq of floorspace, went before Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee where they received unanimous backing. The new modular building should be open by the May half term and will be partly funded by a grant of around £1 million from Westminster. The community will be able to hire the hall for special functions.

Prue Bray, a governor at the school, said: “It’s a fantastic new sixth form centre.

“We need to expand the sixth form. We have plenty of room on the site but there are no buildings available.

“We will be significantly improving the number of parking spaces at the school.” The Forest School currently provides for 1,170 students aged between 11 and 18. The sixth form takes both boys and girls.