Peter Symonds, Winchester- your opinions?

Yeah, sorry that comment was a bit rude - it just made me laugh a bit when my friend said it

I went to Peter Symonds and I'm alright but I didn't go to a Russell Group University (I don't think).

:-)
My office is relocating to Eastleigh at the moment - but I'm sure you know its called that anyway.

BP is just right for some people - a friends DD is 3rd year Oxford having thrived there
PS is right for others
Brock for others
Sparsholt for others
Tauntons for others

it ALL comes down to which one has the courses your child wants to do and gives the right vibe to work for them
and we are VERY lucky round here with the comp approach to education that ALL of the colleges are better than many elsewhere in the country!

Isingsoprano
"why choose milk when you can have cream"...rude!!
Each college has its own assets and one is not better than the other.
Having looked at both for my DD, we would not have chosen PSC for her subjects or for her as a person.
Talkinpeace2, having worked in Eastleigh for many years, yes it is a bit scruffier than Winchester, but there are some great things happening in Eastleigh !!!
oh, and Colin Firth went to Barton Peverill!!!

Shall do my best not to turn this into another Peter Symonds Love in thread
BUT

• it gets fab results from the vast bulk of its pupils Oxbridge / Russell Group / Technical Unis / you name it
• it has fab sports teams
• its in Winchester

BP - gets fab results too - but it is in beastly Eastleigh ....

and yes, LOTS of kids leave the local private schools to go to the state Sixth Forms - poor HCS is already working on a friends DD and she's only year 9 !

A family friend chose to go on to Peter Symonds from an independent school in Southampton (King Edward VI?) - his mother was not at all keen but he loved it & got a place at Oxford.

This was 10 years ago though but presumably things are still the same.

I've taught at both!! At the time I actually preferred Barton Peveril as in my subject they had better teachers and smaller classes. This was a long time ago though!

Also, to be honest, if you have a choice of Barton Peveril or PSC it's a bit of a 'no brainer'. As a friend of mine once said 'why choose milk when you can have cream'!!

My ds is currently in upper VI at PSC. For all those taking A levels (which is not everyone) it is pretty much assumed that they will apply to university and there is lots of help and guidance with the UCAS application. Potential Oxbridge candidates are picked out fairly early on and are supported by a named tutor through the application and interview process. Potential Medics also have a named tutor to guide them. The careers advisory team are very good but the students have to be proactive and go to them.

So, to answer your question, there is lots of advice and guidance available to help the students make their own decisions but the college won't necessarily say 'I think you should apply to X, Y and Z universities'.

Just found this on website
'The acceptance rate at the Russell Group and other highly selective universities for Peter Symonds College students is significantly higher than from any other sixth form college in Hampshire. It is more than twice that of the national acceptance rate from sixth form colleges. In 2011, 41% of our students gained places at these highly selective universities. Nationally, only 18.5% of sixth form college students achieve this.'

Don't know - but making place as interested - long way off for us but DD will have choice between PS and QMC (I think).