Best state secondary schools in Hampshire and can we afford to live in catchment?

Quartz sadly we aren't Crofton catchment but ds went there and was very lucky to have. Well not the reasons he ended up there but to have had the opportunity to attend such a good school

[quote NellyJames]@itsgettingweird, your walks sound idyllic. Where would we start? Just thinking it may be worth a walk in a couple of weeks when we come down. [/quote]
Look up the Deviation line. If you walk down that you can go anywhere across fields etc. There is a car park there so that's why I'd start there.

I actually start at the Funtly link path and end in deviation line but that works for me as it's walking distance from my house!

The New Forest is much more expensive that Stubbington
and more congested
and there is less choice of schools

Every single one of my friends have pulled their kids out due to drug issues. I’ve known 7 pulled out now

@Flishflingers

We don’t live there anymore

But we lived in Lyndhurst. Right by hounds down!

Wonder if we knew each other. Lols

You CAN buy in Winchester. For your price

Brassey Road, Fulflood, Winchester, SO22
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70691136.html

Look at the smaller towns around Winchester. Some are stunning!

Mudeford. Barton on sea. New Milton would be a good one. Cheaper and near the sea

You’ve got lepe. Beaulieu (though there’s houses there for 2.5 mil). So pricey. Lymington. You’d want the cheaper areas. Calshot is also by the sea. Fawley can have nice houses. But you’ve got the refinery

I know prople are saying about Thornton. But I haven’t heard great stuff. Every single one of my friends have pulled their kids out due to drug issues. I’ve known 7 pulled out now

But that’s just my opinion.

Hoggle
It’s known as being a school with the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Not one I’d send my kids too!

St Annes - does NOT have a high pregnancy rate

it gets excellent results
and is not very Catholic

no other girls schools in Southampton

@TeenPlusTwenties

If it’s the same one I’m thinking of. Girls school in Southampton

It’s known as being a school with the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Not one I’d send my kids too! Ha

Chandlers Ford is suburban as hell

On the edge of Eastleigh, and it’s all about large detached houses with 100k kitchens (or maybe that’s just the people I know)

Yeah but Chandlers ford is not near the sea or rural
which is what the OP needs for her DH's mental health

Cut to the end, here. Thornden School, in Chandlers Ford; consistently pretty much the best state comp in Hants for years, academically, (but took my DS2 from 'average' to 1 A star, 6 x As and 2 Bs at GCSE); thence onto Peter Symonds 6th form in Winchester which competes with Hills Rd, Cambridge for top spot, academically, in England.

@NellyJames Hounsdown School us a vibrant high achieving comp, ofsted outstanding in 2017. It's in Totton which is west of Southampton on the New Forest border. Catchment includes West Totton, Ashurst, Ashurst Bridge and several lovely villages. Lots of property choices and prices. Near the sea, near the forest and the London train line. Various sixth form college choices including Peter Symonds, Barton Peveril, Brockenhurst.

@NellyJames I know you wanted an all the way through school but it sounds to me as if the college system may well help here. Because different colleges will suit your different children and it is fairly normal to travel.

From Stubbington we went off to Fareham/St Vincents/Peter Symonds/Havant and Barton Peveril Colleges.

Barton Peveril College in particular has both academic and sports programmes and is on the Southampton/Eastleigh side

I know they sound massive but it is common for the area I found prepared me for Uni much more than those who stayed at the same school

@itsgettingweird

I was the Crofton end of Fareham!

But what about you Nellyjames, what do you like to do? Work, hobbies, friends etc

I grew up, and my parents still live, in the north eastern corner of Portsmouth. I could easily see the sea from my bedroom window. But it would still be a 20/30 minute car ride to the beach unless Langstone Harbour counts as beach. You can also drive to Havant Station in 10 minutes and the fast train to London is about 1 hour and 10 mins. But these places all require car (or bus) journeys. Have you thought about looking at places around Chichester harbour? No idea about schools, but do remember to look at how they do with the type of children you have, eg above average, average etc. I think diversity could be an issue unless in the middle of Portsmouth or Southampton.

[quote June2008]@NellyJames

Stokes Bay / Alverstoke sounds like it might be right for you, but do check houses/catchment areas. You might also like to consider Hill Head, just further down the other side of Lee on Solent. (The catchment then would be Crofton I think.) We have friends in both and they are lovely. We live just north of Fareham and have the fields nearby, its about a 15-20 min drive to the sea from here. Swanmore as someone else mentioned would be the catchment school (although mine are not there!)

My eldest started yr 7 last Sept and we have friends in pretty much all of the local schools so we have an idea about how they've all been during lockdown and the general feel at the moment. It very much depends on what you want from a school as to which one to go for.[/quote]
Your right by me then! We walk the old railway line a lot through those villages and the fields.

It was my lockdown Haven. Just mikes and mikes of open space to keep my sanity in tact!

Omg k have so many memories of walking around the Mill pond as a kid.

It was much nicer when the swans weren't in a bad mood

Inland, and right on Hampshire/Surrey boarder, but Grayshott is a lovely village
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-82467307.html

Yes I live in alverstoke borders and boys all went through bay house, first grandson will go year after next.
I’ve taught in primary schools in Gosport since 1978 and the 2 in Alverstoke still remain the higher achieving due to the catchment areas ( sorry if that offends but it’s a fact) There are some deprived areas in Gosport as in all towns and cities but it certainly wouldn’t put me off. Some of the other primaries are achieving well.
Sadly the other 2 secondaries in Gosport have had their share of ups and downs over the years.
The town centre near the ferry is suffering as lots are but there is a really fabulous Discovery centre ( library and cafe).
There is a lovely house in your price range near Stanley Park (which leads to the beach ) on Rightmove at the moment!
As tempted as I would be to live on the seafront itself or lee on the Solent seafront a friend who lives there has put me off saying that the carparks are noisy at night with groups of motor cyclists.
There are a good few houses on rightmove at the moment in this area and further afield, you will have no problem in finding a family home in your price range.
Agree that Stubbington and Hillhead are lovely places to live .

I know you say your DH doesn’t mind a long commute, but where is he going to in London? I’d not be keen to go further out than Southampton because most places in London are 2h door to door (unless right by Waterloo). It’s actually quite tricky to find a spot close to the station, in catchment for good secondary, and not too far from the coast. I think Gosport/Alverstoke is too remote/traffic impacted to be a really good choice. Plenty of lovely coastal walks along the New Forest coast, but I’d probably look to live between Southampton and Winchester.