Bassett Green Primary Soton Help!

[HeyDuggee24]

We are moving to Southampton in September and I will be based at the Highfield Campus.

DC1 is due to start school in September. We have a school place way up north as during admissions applications we didnt know we would be moving so applied where we live now.

It appears there is very little choice for primary school near the University as they are all full. In fact the only choice is Bassett Green Primary as I really need to be able to walk from the school and be at my desk within 50 mins.

It is graded as requires improvement. Im less bothered by that as we may move after a year so while teaching is important its not the be all and end all. Its more what his peers will be like and the values of the school.

We will also probably end up living in the "flowers estate" which did have a certain reputation..

Does anyone go to this school/live in the area? Honestly, is it really bad?

Sorry I can help you on the school but join the Southampton parenting forum on fb and post there. Lots of parents to advise you.

The flowers estate doesn’t have a good reputation. Have you thought of bitterne park, Portswood, Highfield, parts of swaything, burgess road area. Could drop off at school at get to the uni.

Southampton as a city is great. We love living here and tonnes to do for both dc. Paultons park, new forest and marwell zoo not far away and good value seasonal n passes. Great shopping and restaurants. Excellent range of supermarkets and lots of activities for kids. Good public transport on the whole.

Thanks so much for your reply VanannaBananna! I'd been struggling to find a soton group so thats really helpful!

We lived in Soton many years ago, in Shirley. This was pre kids but we loved it there!

You could return to Shirley (v good schools) and cycle to work through the common

The Southampton nct fb group is also very helpful

All schools in Shirley are full too. I have a very short list of schools available and they are basically all around the edge of the city 😭

The flowers estate is rough. Bassett Green is the school in that area so yes its not great either. The police recently got stop and search powers activated after several violent incidents in the area. www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/hampshire-constabulary/news/southampton-police-given-section-60-authority-372488
If you have any choice I would live somewhere else.

I have taught at the school and although the staff there are hard working, I would not send my kids to it. The catchment area is terrible, loads of the kids are really behind and have difficult chaotic lives, the classes can be rowdy, there's a lot of troubled behavior or at least there was when I was there, it was a few years ago. Of course, there were some lovely children there too but if you have any other options chose them. Sorry if this seems harsh but I have experience of four Southampton schools and this was by far the worst. Highfield is right next to campus and ideal for you but is oversubscribed I expect.

I would second the opinion of varennabanana, the portswood/highfield side of campus much better for living!

You could try asking Hampshire which schools just outside the city have spaces? Most good schools are oversubscribed as you have found but there are a few anomalies.

Arrrr, I think I am well and truly up poop creek 😭 Honestly, there are a handful of schools left with places but they are all miles away from campus.

Apparently my only options are:
St Mary's
Hope Community
Freemantle C of E
Tanners Brook
Mansell Park
Fairisle

Can you accept one of the places you have been offered and go on the waiting list for one of the schools you really would like? You would need to be living in the catchment area I would guess though and find out whether there were others above your child. For what it‘s worth I‘ve been in your situation several times when moving about the country for work only with four kids. I have sent them to whatever school had enough space, including one in special measures and they have all done fine. School effects are much smaller than people think.

Hi OP, I’m in Shirley and my children have been educated locally while I worked at Highfield campus. From your list above I’d have a look at Freemantle CofE - it’s at one end of the Shirley catchment and is definitely commutable by bike to / from work especially if you find somewhere to buy or rent in Shirley/Upper Shirley/Freemantle/Regents Park areas.

Ps forgot to also say as SarahMused suggested which is to start at one of the available schools while you get on the waiting list for the one you want.

Wow SarahMused I'm in awe! I dont normally do this level of change but got an offer I cant refuse!

I could do that, but then it makes things difficult in choosing where to live, do I live far away from the school we get in the hope of a waiting list place but risk being stuck with a long school commute.

I'm not hugely concerned with the academic side of things, I think we push our children in to education young over here. I just want to make sure he's in a school with other pupils who are generally well mannered!

Freemantle does look good @CrystalTits My only concern about biking is that I will need to get DC1 to school and also have DC2 who will be nearly 1 when I start so will need to get him somewhere (altho I note there is also a nursery there!) Im not sure where I will put them, their stuff and my laptop too without a pram!

I would move to where you want to live. The LA has to allocate you a school and if it is over a certain distance they have to provide transport so you shouldn‘t have to do the school run. Think it‘s a couple of miles for primary.

There’s an outstanding nursery at the other end of the same road as Freemantle CofE, it’s called Paint Pots on Waterloo Road. They have a significant waiting list but worth putting DC2’s name down now if Freemantle is an option. Shirley isn’t huge so it would be doable to drop one at nursery then the other at school, even if you move schools to the other end of Shirley and then cycle on to work.

Bike panniers for your stuff! :)

I'm local OP, I think you need to know where you'll be living before deciding on a school. Tanners Brook is too far from the uni to be practical, as is Mansel Park. Freemantle is a better school and could be doable depending on where you live. St Marys is a good school but potentially tricky as it's city centre so not easy to get to and from the campus.
I'd avoid the flowers estate if you can although it matters less if it's only temporary but if budget allows go for Basset, Upper Shirley or Shirley. Buses are not good for uni, you'd likely have to go into town and back out again. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else. Certainly most schools are full (especially the secondary year 7 intake). The other issue is that even if you had a car the traffic round that part of the city is awful around rush hour and school times.

Hi,
I’m a lurker usually and don’t often post but I used to work at Bassett Green and loved it there (left to finish a degree). It was and probably still is a very multi cultural school and I found the learning environment very positive. I know the ex head very well and through her the current headteacher. If it would be helpful I can glean some accurate information about the current situation and update you tomorrow.

@frugalkitty the U6H bus on the Unilink service runs from the Highfield campus to Winchester Road Shirley (for quick access to the hospital) and back. This would be a good option although you’re right about the traffic! Cycling would be quicker - it’s only 15 mins across the Common from Hill Lane in Upper Shirley (by the Shirley schools) to uni and is a very well frequented route OP.

CrystalTits my son did work experience at the uni last year and sitting in rush hour traffic was quite an eye opener for him! Winchester Rd and The Avenue! How people do that day in day out I don't know.

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

I think we will find somewhere top end of Shirley and I'll abandon my dream of no wrap around care.

It says that the U6 will only take 15 mins, is that also a pipe dream?