Salisbury Schools

[guineapiglet]

Hi there, could anyone out there give me some info about schools in/around Salisbury - particularly High Schools and Sixth form colleges.... considering moving into the area and as we are totally unfamiliar with it would welcome any help or ideas. How long is the commute to Southampton from Salisbury? Anywhere you would recommend? Many many thanks.

Mine are at the infant school stage, as far as I know st. Josephs is good and there is a grammer school. Somebody more knowing will be along soon.
Southampton is 40 mins away by car

Me again! Just to let you know as I worked in salisbury hospital for a while traffic can be an utter nightmare so some days it may take 40min on others an hour and 40 esp when the tourists are out or people are heading to stonehenge.. sorry don't know much at all about schools

Grammar school system is still in place in Salisbury. Bishop's Wordsworth Boys grammar or South Wilts Girls were always good by if you don't pass then Downton was the comp. Many parents hopped the border and came to Hampshire schools.

Hello again and thank you for the thoughts already received. Princess, hope you don't think I am being fickle in my choice of areas, especially when you have been so helpful in pinning down the Lymington area which I am looking forward to seeing at half term! Some friends moved here (Cheshire) from Salisbury and said it was very nice, so I was just doing a bit of schools research. However from what you say, it seems to be equidistant in commuting terms as the new forest, so your local knowledge again has proved a good insight, thank you for it. What are your thoughts on Southampton itself? Noted too your comments about Old Trafford - a no go area in this house!!!!! Thanks for your help again.

Don't be silly when we relocated I searched everwhere in a hr radius I only wished I had known MN then..
Salisbury is lovely don't let me put you off just traffic can be horrid

Southampton has a fair few not so nice areas but I think before people have mentioned Chandlers ford as Thordean school is excellent and results are fantastic for a comp. I would stick with that area or Winchester if I had the choice if The New Forest or Salisbury is too long a commute. Only problem with Winchester its ££££ as you get lots of London commuters living there as the schools are great.

I went to school there! Finally, I have specialist knowledge.

Traffic IS horrid, but once you know your way about you can nip in and out pretty easily, and the park and ride is swish.

In terms of schools. Two grammars: Bishops is the boys and South Wilts the girls, as someone has mentioned. I went to South Wilts (we shared some 6th form lessons with Bishops) and both are lovely. South Wilts has an all-weather running track, Bishops is great for rugby.

South Wilts is on the outskirts of Salisbury proper, and has some good grounds, a field etc, and when I was there (left in 2006) was doing really well. Bishops is right by the cathedral close so very central. It's less relaxed than Swilts, but a fun place to be.

There are also state schools: St.Edmunds (girls) and Wyvern (boys) which are next to each other. Their results aren't as good as the grammars but I have visited St Edmunds and it looks like a nice school.

Both schools are ... well from my experience, very academic, fast-moving and ambitious. Teachers are pretty idiosyncratic, from what I remember, and there is a LOT of opportunity to play musical instruments, do sport, drama, etc. Great schools.

Otherwise there's Downton, the other comp. I know nothing about them apart from they're not great at athletics.

south wilts grammar has an excellent reputation - at least it did when I lived on Salisbury in the early 90s