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Secondary education

Any great secondary schools in Dorset?

26 replies

Backagainitseems · 05/09/2014 22:03

That's it really. We love Christchurch/Milford etc but the secondary schools just seem so average compared to others we are considering. Sorry if that appears rude. I don't mean to be.

Please tell me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

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thesnailandthewhale · 06/09/2014 08:26

You are wrong Grin
Twynham, Highcliffe, Priestlands are all really good schools, Arnewood is pretty good too. What is it about them that puts you off?

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CharlesRyder · 06/09/2014 08:29

I think the Gyphon in Sherborne is pretty good. You would have to live a bit further from the sea but it is lovely here!

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CharlesRyder · 06/09/2014 08:30

Gryphon sorry

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shushpenfold · 06/09/2014 08:31

Would second the Gryphon in Sherborne - good school with fantastic results. Sherborne's lovely too!!

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JustRichmal · 06/09/2014 08:31

Poole and Bournemouth are grammar school areas. Houses are advertised in Christchurch as "Twynham catchment", so I'm guessing that might be worth a look at. On the other side of the conurbation, Lytchett Minster is outside the grammar area and is a really good comp.

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ChaosK · 06/09/2014 10:52

I agree with thesnail. Twynham has an excellent reputation. Also in travelling distance for Christchurch are both Bournemouth School (boys grammar) and Bmth Sch for Girls (girls grammar) if your kids are bright.

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RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 06/09/2014 11:32

Depending in which bit of Dorset you're in there's also Colyton. Plenty of kids from the western edge of Dorset (West Bay, Bridport, Lyme etc) there. Woodroffe in Lyme is also very good.

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Backagainitseems · 06/09/2014 18:31

Thanks for all the help. Lots for me to explore tonight. Snailandthewhale - I'm sure they're great schools. It's just that I've been looking for schools with 80% of students getting 5 GCSEs or more. The ones we are looking at (Bohunt, the Weald) have amazing reputations and results and I've just struggled to find a school that compares.

Also, I want to avoid the middle school areas. Which areas should I be looking at? Thank you!!!!

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SugarPlumTree · 06/09/2014 19:09

Don't know the schools you are looking at you mentioned in your post but do any of the pupils in that area go to Grammar ? A lot of the Dorset schools have the top performing pupils going off to either the Poole or Bournemouth Grammars so they are performing minus what would be the top set in some places. Though increasingly in some areas some parents are choosing not to go the Grammar route in the outlying areas around Poole as a lot of changes going on with the schools there.

Avoid East Dorset if you don't want Middle Schools and the Broadstone/ Corfe Mullen bit of Poole.

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SugarPlumTree · 06/09/2014 19:25

A quick google shows that Bohunt is Hampshire - they don't have Grammars there do they and are up to 16 then off to 6th form college? If that is the case and they don't have children in that area going off to Grammar then they haven't done any better getting 16% better than our catchment upper who lost 16% of DD's cohort after Middle school.

I know you don't want Middle schools and I don't know about Liphook but just trying to illustrate it is really difficult to extrapolate from figures down here as you have primary/secondary , 3 tier system, catholic schools, grammar schools and then to complicate things further some of the children from Dorset go to Hampshire for 6th form.

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lordnoobson · 06/09/2014 19:30

Swanage has a new free school

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sailorsgal · 07/09/2014 07:32

middle schools in West Dorset too.

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Backagainitseems · 07/09/2014 10:37

Thanks everyone!! Twynham looks great!! But the two feeders - Christchurch Primary and the Priory - look really disappointing. Are there any other options for primary which would almost guarantee a place at Twynham?

Right, off to research Gryphon....

Thanks again for your insight.

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Agggghast · 07/09/2014 13:27

Bohunt is an amazing school but it also has an amazing catchment area so very supportive parents. It has very few FSM or SEN pupils so is not as 'comprehensive' as others. Although their progress markers for disadvantaged pupils are above average there is a significant difference between that and other pupils 20% in English and 12% in maths. Sometimes you have to dig down to see the reality.

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Grittzio · 07/09/2014 13:34

Parkfield Free school which was original set up for Bournemouth will now come under Christchurch in 2015 as it's relocating to its new site at Bournemouth international Airport but this comes under Christchurch! I think it will be from reception to age 18, not sure if they have any stats as it is a relatively new free school, think it's been going a year.

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ruralmyth · 07/09/2014 17:12

I've heard good things about Thomas Hardye in Dorchester and Gillingham Upper. Might be too far away though.

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feelingold42 · 07/09/2014 17:21

Thomas hardy in dorchester is a great senior school and has a lovely feeder school in puddletown.....

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sailorsgal · 07/09/2014 21:16

I was going to say Thomas Hardye but the op didn't want middle schools.

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Backagainitseems · 07/09/2014 22:04

Thanks for that. I did notice Thomas Hardye the other day. Someone mentioned the Head had left, I think, and that the school was undergoing some changes. Or perhaps I imagined that. Yes, I think I want to avoid middle schools. I don't really know much about them apart from one article anti them. It put me off but perhaps unjustifiably. It looks a lovely area but dh will have to commute to London a couple of times a week which would probably be too far from here.

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sailorsgal · 08/09/2014 11:19

There was a change of headmaster a couple of years ago.

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feelingold42 · 08/09/2014 13:59

Dorchester has 2 train stations and it very easy to get to london from there ....

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Backagainitseems · 08/09/2014 14:19

Hmm. That's interesting. Thanks!! What's the school like with the change of Head? And is Dorchester very sleepy or vibrant enough for young kids/teens. Sorry for all these questions. I need to home in soon.

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sailorsgal · 08/09/2014 21:37

I hear mostly positive comments about the school though interestingly I spoke to a lady in the doctors surgery just this morning whose daughter left as said the school has changed quite a bit since the new head. Apparently the last head was quite a formidable character and had high standards.
The town is really growing. The new brewery sq development has a younger vibe with the new cinema, restaurants and shops. There is a new leisure centre and a lot of families really rate the area. Good links to Bournemouth and Poole.

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summerlovingliz · 08/09/2014 21:46

Look at St Katherine's primary which is just b'mth side of xchurch river and a stones throw from Twynham. Beautiful location on hengistbury head and a lovely school Smile

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Backagainitseems · 08/09/2014 21:51

Just been looking at Thomas Hardye again - it's too far. Ooh, summerloving - thanks for that. Off for a look.

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