Hampshire Sixth Form Colleges - opinions please

[GorraHeadache]

These are the ones we're considering. Finding it a minefield. DS is quite bright but not superbright, he'll probably get a few As Bs and Cs at GCSE. Hoping to do 3 or 4 A levels. He's predicted A* in the subjects he'll take for A level.

Richard Taunton's
Brockenhurst
Peter Symonds
Barton Peveril

Peter Symonds - no contest
However if you did want a contest I would rank them as follows
2nd Barton Peveril
3rd Brockenhurst but not much in it tbh
4th Richard Taunton

there is another thread discussing this here

I went to Symonds - fab! Not sure if this is still the case, but then it was much more academic than Barton Peveril. Don't know about the others.

Oh no not the Symonds versus Barton debate!
They are both excellent colleges , both have very similar results but are quite different in layout and space.
We looked at both. DD preferred Barton, best friend son preferred Symonds. It depends on the young person and how they feel in each environment.
Symonds will not allow students to continue into the A level year if there grades are below a certain level at AS, Barton is more flexible.

dn had Ds and Es for AS at PS and they let him continue as did my dn although hers were Cs and Ds so not sure where the cut off would be. This was only last year and the year before

AvonCallingBarksdale I went there too! There are quite a few symonds alumni on mn

We are relatively new to the area so interested to hear this is an age old debate Friday!

Thanks eatyour veg will look at other thread.

Best thing is to go and have a look . Symonds have open days weds and thurs next week. Barton was last week but have more in the summer, but they may let you visit if you ring them. Check bus routes though as not all areas are covered.

Indeed - twas definitely 'age old' even in 1979 when I started at Barton Peveril. Main criteria for me then was we were on a bus route to BP and not PS!

I would agree - visit all you are interested in as they all have different atmospheres strengths and weaknesses. It has also got to be the choice that best suits your child, in their opinion as they will have to put the work in to do well and an unhappy child will do less well at a 'better' college.

We looked at Barton but DD went for Bay House in the end. We were very impressed by Barton though. Didn't look at Symonds as a bit too far for DD to travel. Definitely it is about the feel of the place though. If he is not sure he should keep his options open as long as possible, do taster days at all the possibilities and weigh it up at the last minute.

eatyourveg, ooh, are there? I was there from '88-90, had a great time there.

DS is at Brockenhurst doing A levels. He loves it. Nice atmosphere, nice to walk into the village at lunchtime to grab food, has made lots of new friends. He would definitely recommend it

I precede you AvonCallingBarksdale I was there 82-84, df was there during WWII db1 was the last grammar intake 72-78 db2 79-81 and db3 87-89 which overlapped with you!

Just posted on t'other thread. Dd has just started at Barton and is very happy. Loves the teaching, feels well supported pastorally (she has health issues) and is throwing herself into the work. She made her choice mainly on subject grounds: Barton has the strongest drama department, but we also felt Barton was more welcoming than Peter Symonds. Not at all worried that Barton's won't be sufficiently academic.

Friend's ds is at Brockenhurst; he chose this for their strong science department and is very happy: they offer a lot of careers support for students aiming at e.g. medical college.

Taunton's is less academic: the verdict amongst dd's friends is a bit mixed. To us they they seemed a bit less organised, a bit less academic, probably less likely to push students.

posted on other thread ....

wonder if we could get MNHQ to merge them ?

I'm an old Symondian too. I was there 83-85. Db was there 79-81. Perhaps we should start an OS thread! Anyone remember Jerry Fisher or John Taverner?

I am a Symonds Alumni! Vintage 79 - 81.

I remember John Taverner - he was the Geography bloke, Andy Stables was the most memorable for me. Used to play his guitar in French lessons.

my dd has just started at bp too cory :)

ds finished there a year ago now at uni

as others have said I don't think there is much to choose on results so I would consider travelling times and the feel of the place iykwim

Andy Stables was my tutor!

My history teacher, Andy Norris, wrote The Brittas Empire .

which was filmed at Ringwood Leisure Centre ....

Thanks for the opinions. We are going to all the open evenings. I didn't realise that you can apply to several until yesterday. Am clueless!

you don't even have to make up your mind when you get the confirmation

dd applied to three colleges and didn't make her final choice until the results were out

she wanted to be sure she got the marks to do the courses she wanted and we wanted to be sure her health was sufficiently improved to cope with the long commute

perfectly permissible

that is good to know

ds knows where he wants to go but is clueless about A Level choices. We are off again tomorrow to look around. We'll be the mother with the manically positive cheerful expression and son mooching three paces behind grumbling that it's all random

Depending on where in Hampshire you are, you could consider Godalming as well. East access from Liphook, Havant area.