Moving to Hampshire?

[guineapiglet]

Hello there - wondered if any of you can help with our family dilemma?! My husband is likely to be offered a job near Southampton, (350 miles south!) and we are debating what to do next. I have NO geography of the area at all and no idea about schools etc. Any kind help would be so appreciated. We have a child about to start year 10 so are thinking about leaving the move until she begins sixth form as it may be impossible to find somewhere where she can have her current GCSE options. Our other child is about to start year 5 so he would be beginning school there in year 7. I would dearly love them to go to the same school as this will be a BIG move for both of them, so any help about schools in the area - willing to look further afield, but again have no geography or knowledge of Salisbury/Winchester/Lymington/Christchurch etc etc. Would be really glad to hear any ideas or advice - we are willing to consider all options! May be mad planning so early, but these things take time.........

Peter Symonds Sixth Form College in Winchester is a very good sixth form, appears high in league tables and gets a good number of students to Oxbridge.

Local Winchester schools only go up to GCSE eg Kings and Westgate.
Sorry this is a bit limited but hope it is helpful?

I went to Peter Symonds as did all my brothers, and my Dad too when it was a grammar school. Its reputation is excellent and all good unis know of the place.

South Wilts grammar school for girls is good too but I'd stick to Winchester if you can afford it or the catchment area for Symonds if you can't afford the immediate environ.

I live in Hampshire, but I'm not likely to be helpful in terms of schools as my offspring flew the nest a long time ago.

But what I would suggest is maybe working backwards by looking at sixth form opportunities as that could also be applicable for your younger child.

I only know about Winchester (where we live) and Southampton (where our children attended secondary schools). Southampton is very diverse so what would be available would depend on where you end up living. Winchester has three good secondary schools and a good sixth form college, but housing within walking distance can be expensive, though not further out. Bus services in Winchester are generally pretty good.

Another thing to factor in is where your husband is going to be working and what the likely commute will be for him. Some bits of Southampton are easy to drive to, and some are horrendous. It might help to get a good quality map and marking your husband's potential office in respect to the motorways, etc.; then google for local newspapers online for traffic reports and get an idea of what could work in terms of travel to work and schools for all of you.

Or distances to train stations. So'ton is well served by winchester as well as romsey and salisbury trains or you could go fareham way but I don't know what schools are like that way

Symonds is still a great sixth form, my nephew goes there, and I will be applying for ds at the end of year 10 to see if I can get him in for year 12 as a boarder as we are overseas.

I went there for sixth form and loved it; had to be dragged out kicking and screaming at the end of Upper Sixth in 1984.

There are many good schools in Hants depending where you are; the Winchester/Southampton/Fareham/Portsmouth area are well served by a mix of state and private.

It'd be useful to know where near Southampton your DH will be working - will he be based in the centre, or to the east or west?

scary teacher - I left the upper sixth in 1984 too! what A levels did you do?

Brockenhurst college is also brilliant ( does very well in league tables ) , its in the new forest and if you live in either Lymington , Ashurst or Brockenhurst you have a train station. Its a lovely area and very close to Southampton but not in the City. I moved from the City as between Southampton and Portsmouth and even Winchester it is very bulit up, great road networks but always sooooo busy and I like my peace and quiet .

Forgot to say Hounsdown school in The forest or Priestlands in Lymington will be good schools for your DC's to attend until college

English Lit with Mr Cooper and Mrs Cuffe; French Lang and Lit with Mr Smith and History with the wonderful Andy Norriss (can't remember who the European history teachers were).

I boarded in Wyke Lodge.

Oh and my tutor taught Maths; he was older (weren't they all when we were 18!!).

Thank you to all who have taken time to respond - it is all very helpful information. Looks like the job will go ahead, it will be at the University which looks from the map to the north of the City? Look forward to any helpful information about schools or housing in the area, am not used to a sixth form college system as most schools here have attached 6th forms. Does anyone know anything about Christchurch - is it far from Southampton to drive, I notice that Dorset have 11 - 18 schools. It is extremely daunting and exciting to have the prospect of moving somewhere where you have never even been or seen!!!!!! If anylike minded Mums want to get in touch would be very grateful for ideas and input. Many thanks again.

Winchester has 3 excellent secondary schools (DS just got amazing GCSE results today from Westgate ) and a fantastic 6th form college (where DS is off to next month!) Easily commutable to Southampton. the Uni is not far in from where you come off from the M3.

We moved here 5 yrs ago from London and didn't know much about the place, but it's been the best thing we could have done. I love it here!

And in our experience re moving schools, children do adapt well. We moved to London as DS started yr 4 and then to Winchester when he started yr 7 and he has settled both times very well. I think we worry about it more than they do tbh

Ooooh, ScaryTeacher, I had Mr Cooper for English, too!
OP, Peter Symonds was a great 6th form and Kings' a fab secondary. I think Westgate and Beaufort are good too, although I am totally biased toward Kings

Ooops, that's in Winchester, btw!

Westgate is just as good as Kings imo (but then I'm biased too )

My Dh is a teacher in Christchurch ( not going to say which school ) but ask as many questions as you want!
Commute wise driving would be hard i'd say about an hr , there is a train station though that has many direct trains to Southampton.

Gosh, yes, Purplefish. there was big rivalry amongst the three when I was there (Winchester-style!)

When were you there Juicy?

you could try chandlers ford half way between winchester and soton. No trains unless you go to eastleigh but cheaper housing. i think the school is called thorndon and the 6th form barton peverell??

Peter symonds really is the one to head for though its about 4th in the country in terms of its results. 6th form colleges are a good stepping stone between school and uni - don't be put off that all the hampshire schools are 11-16

Scary - I had Mr Smith for french too! We also had Andy Stables though that might have been just for the lower 6th. I did Geography with Mrs Faulks and Mrs Milton and RE with Mr Clarkson

Chandlers Ford has had it's railway station re-open for 7 years now.
Is the job at Southampton or Solent? The flowers estate isn't a no-go area but there are better areas like Highfield, Swaythling and Bitterne, or Chilworth.
There are also some lovely places between the M27 and the Solent coast from Southampton and Fareham, but beware the Gosport peninsular which is a nightmare for traffic and has no railway station.

I had Mr Smith all the way through for French, and ended up having to spend the night in a caravan with another girl at his house the night before one of the A levels as we had a clash and had to be in isolation overnight.

I keep telling ds what a great time I had, and that it's an opportunity for him to do all the things that I did (get laid, drunk, etc) without my Mum watching, without me watching him iyswim!

Yes, you would certainly get more for your money in Chandlers Ford and Thrnden school is supposed to be quite good. Also quite a lot of the college children go from Chnadlers Ford to Peter Symonds too. My friends son certianly is.

eatyour veg, Symonds is now 3rd in the country! I'm so pleased DS is going there!

juicy, I don't know about rivalry, I didn't go to school here. DS says there is a small amount, but i don't think it's too bad at all.

for what its worth I had always thought Kings had the edge though it didn't exist in my time it was still Danemark and Montgomery.