Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Peter Symonds Winchester catchment area

31 replies

Suzie2019 · 05/02/2024 21:13

Do anyone know if there is catchment area for Peter Symonds..? Thanks.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
NewYearResolutions · 07/02/2024 14:17

I don't think it does any harm either!

Paskalena · 07/02/2024 14:02

@NewYearResolutions yes sorry if I shouldn't have. PS is so clearly identified already I didn't think it would do any harm.

NewYearResolutions · 07/02/2024 10:24

@Paskalena BP is the one I was referring to as a preference for many kids here. I didn't want to name names, but you have already. So I might as well add in that BP is very well regarded. So not everyone pick PS as the first choice, but they'll have applied for both.

TeenDivided · 07/02/2024 07:21

I agree with @Paskalena that from my experience with DC of friends many more seem to be choosing BP in recent years. (We are equidistant from BP and PS).

And yes also agree with @LoreleiG re cost of transport. If DD takes the bus from September to college it will cost us £800 for the year (and that is 15 miles each way.)

Paskalena · 06/02/2024 21:25

Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 20:16

I assume for most in Hampshire Peter Symonds Winchester will be the first choice. So chances are less I suppose.

Edited

One of its neighbours has grown massively in recent years. Kids who are in catchment or local will often apply to both. A few years ago most would have finally chosen PS, but recently a lot more have been picking BP. There will be hundreds of in catchment kids offered places who don't take them up, so there is still every chance that PS will have plenty of capacity. They've always had kids travelling an hour or more and that is still the case in current Y12.

I don't understand how sixth forms manage such variable numbers but with the massive sixth form colleges here, most students still get the one they want. Private school students have had a more anxious wait than in-catchment state students but ultimately they all got what they wanted.

NewYearResolutions · 06/02/2024 20:35

@GotMooMilk I don’t think it’s aspirational? It’s the biggest around so has the largest range of subjects. It’s also got good results. But the other one we will consider also has a lot of Oxbridge entries. So we will just let DC choose.

NewYearResolutions · 06/02/2024 20:33

I hear the bus pass for the other sixth form college being really expensive and you have to pay in advance. That will be a factor for some choosing PSC because the normal buses are a lot cheaper. But it’s definitely not a first choice for many. I hear from parents with older siblings their kids prefer the other. However DC said most of her class and her school has PSC as the default choice. I think it’s just it’s big and close by.

GotMooMilk · 06/02/2024 20:32

I went to PS but lots of my friends went to Alton college and have done just as well. Didn’t realise symonds was such a thing we just went as it was the closest college!

LoreleiG · 06/02/2024 20:30

Sorry, yes there are many PSC buses but the college organises them and they are paid for by parents - the council doesn’t pay for them. If I was on the border I would be checking where my nearest bus went from and how much it was.

unexpectediteminthebraggingarea · 06/02/2024 20:29

Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 20:16

I assume for most in Hampshire Peter Symonds Winchester will be the first choice. So chances are less I suppose.

Edited

Not at all. I know quite a few people who moved their children from PS after bad experiences

EffortlessDistraction · 06/02/2024 20:27

I don't think it is first choice for most of Hampshire, more so as you get closer to Winchester but many will not want to travel that far and there are many other options. We live about 15 miles away and have college age DC, maybe about half the teens I know are there if that (mine isn't).

NewYearResolutions · 06/02/2024 20:27

I often see Peter Symonds bus on the A34 so I think there are school buses? I assume the OP is from North Hampshire. Those of us from South Hampshire usually take public transport. I haven’t seen a school bus for it from where I am but there is one for the other sixth form college.

I think there is admission criteria and DC school is one of the linked state schools. However many kids apply for both PSC and the other sixth form college. Many prefer the other one. You will get a many who don’t have PSC, so don’t give up hope.

PinkFrogss · 06/02/2024 20:24

Where are other students at their school going to?

For many students PS is not all that it is said to be.

LIZS · 06/02/2024 20:21

Presumably current school either has a sixth form or is linked elsewhere?

LoreleiG · 06/02/2024 20:20

What is your other choice? The council won’t provide transport, just saying.

Original poster
Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 20:19

Waiting list!😞

OP posts:
GettingBetter2024 · 06/02/2024 20:17

How far away are you?

What are you alternate options?

Original poster
Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 20:16

I assume for most in Hampshire Peter Symonds Winchester will be the first choice. So chances are less I suppose.

OP posts:
Original poster
Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 20:12

"We have received an exceptional number of applications this year, and are unable to give offers to all who have applied. We will allocate places according to our Admissions Policy. Therefore, as your application is from a school which is not one of our partner schools, we offer places based on the distance from your home to Peter Symonds College. You can access a copy of our Admissions Policy here.

Unfortunately, this means that we cannot offer you a confirmed place at the College at this point. Your application has been put on our waiting list and an offer of a place at the College will be subject to places becoming available."

OP posts:
LIZS · 06/02/2024 19:21

So is he waitlisted? Is "this" does not meet criteria or oversubscribed?

TeenDivided · 06/02/2024 19:20

Many many DC will currently be holding offers to 2 or 3 colleges. Obviously the colleges know this and over offer, but as time goes on and people withdraw spaces may well become available right up to early September.

Iknownothing · 06/02/2024 19:11

Does he currently go to a private school?
PSC has connections with certain state schools (rather than a catchment). They tend to offer those first. I have known several private school students get in who were originally on the waiting list so don’t give up yet. There is a lot of shuffling around over the next few months.

TeenDivided · 06/02/2024 19:09

Sorry that's the situation. At least you know.

'Unfortunately this means' is that distance or something else?

Original poster
Suzie2019 · 06/02/2024 18:43

Did he definitely apply? Yes
Did he have his interview yet? Yes
Has he checked his spam folder? Yes,

thanks for that, Finally found email saying "Unfortunately, this means that we cannot offer you a confirmed place at the College at this point. Your application has been put on our waiting list and an offer of a place at the College will be subject to places becoming available."

OP posts:
Bramshott · 06/02/2024 15:40

It's a really big College and doesn't seem to have a defined catchment - I know kids from Salisbury for example who go there. As PP says - why not call admissions and ask - they will want to help.