Peter Symonds Winchester- just heard...

[Tansie]

...that they've apparently increased their intake by 500?? Friend's DS says that you now have to be there really early in order to get a place on a computer at the Study Centre (or whatever it's called) and that the place is heaving.

Anyone else found this? It's a possibility for my DS but I am getting a bit nervous! The friend's DS (high enough achieving, I should add, ex-private school, sports teams, 'proper' A levels)- says he feels he's increasingly 'just a grade point', not an individual ...

Again, thanks for the input, all! And...

Perhaps all the mumsnetters should wear a scarf or something at the open evenings for PS, BP and Brock so we can all secretly wave to each other?

Brilliant idea! I did wonder at the last open evenings who were MNetters!

It would be intriguing!

LOL
I'm so used to DH getting clocked whenever we go to schools / colleges round here, it would confuddle me if I was on the lookout too!

If it's not a daft question, TP, why does he get 'clocked'?!

cos he's extremely well known in schools round here : we get the odd year 2 launching themselves at his thighs in public places
and a CORKER of a teacher who clearly had a crush on him being gutted when I was introduced
older kids alternate between inspiration and embarrassment when they see him

Intriguing!

If you ask me about Pom bears in the cafés, I'll know you. I'm hopeless at "scarves as jewellery" so by my words you shall know me! I'll be at both the October ones with a merrie band of students.

I met Talkin at one last year, apparently...

TalkinPeace's dd 'commented that some kids are struggling in Maths but they are the private school kids who did the IGCSE as it does not have a non calculator paper'.

Aside from the sneaky dig at private schools I'd be a bit worried about the failure rate for AS Maths at PSC - 112 kids got a U, 69 an E and 81 a D this year. Is this the case for all subjects, hence the 'weeding out'? They can't all be private school kids missing their calculators - I think I'd go for a better 'hand-holding' institution if you're worried.

Clavinova
Not a sneaky dig. A statement of fact.
TBH I'd have assumed that the kids at private who were clearly A level bound would have been given the extension work easily available in a small group to cover the material.
The kids in question come from Hampshire Collegiate, King Edwards, , St Swithuns and Winchester College - none of whom are known for shirking

yeah, maybe they push their "failures" out to PSC to take the stats rather than themselves

ds is doing maths. At the moment they're doing statistics; ds has already done GCSE Stats. He said those who haven't done it before are obviously having to work harder in this topic.

He also notes that there are people doing maths who clearly should not be - the trouble is now there is this pressure to do STEM subjects and at A Level they (as well as most other subjects too) are hard. Well, they're supposed to be hard! They're advanced levels, after all. If everyone does fantastically well and there is no need for any weeding out, either the cohort is spectacular, or the exams are too easy.

There's nothing like a PSC/ BP thread to draw out the same old folk!

Both colleges were recently in DH's school doing the rounds. Dh said that yet again PSC made no effort at all and BP did loads.

DH loves BP and couldn't give a stuff about all the snobbery. He hears loads of good stuff about it from returning students and the latest was that physics at PSC was boring but the one doing it at BP said it was great.

It will ultimately be up to wherever DD feels more comfortable but we'll still be encouraging her to go to BP. She has a few years to go yet though.

chicplease do not fall into the snobbery thing
PSC might want you to but the kids can ride above it
she is at PSC I picked her up an * oclock from a party of PSC, BP, Brock, AC, TC kids
and you know what
that are all still vomiting teens

PSC is better for sciences
BP is better for languages
Sparsholt is better for rural
city is better for boats

but FFS we are lucky to have the choice and the buses

Does your DH concur that PSC is better for sciences than BP? If so, in what way? Better teachers, facilities, results?

DD will be doing biology and chemistry A level.

For sciences yes :
it was a no brainer : while at school she'd been to events at BP and was unimpressed
Brock and Tauntons were well off the mark so for Chemistry, Biology, Maths, and MFL sorry but I have to make a pretence at anonymity and then Further Maths
PSC was the clear choice

Sounding really naive but where is BP? Bittern Park?

Barton Peveril, Eastleigh

Oh that makes more sense!

So, who will be wearing MN scarves tomorrow evening at the first BP open eve? Hmm? .

We won't be at BP - off to St Anne's. Anyone else?

Tansie is you're at BP tomorrow you'll be on your own, the open evenings are Wed and Thur!

We'll be at BP on Wed, then Brock next week.
Giving PS a miss - been twice and prefer BP for DD1.
Don't own a scarf though, mumsnet or otherwise.

I'm not at any of them ... but your best bet is to talk loudly about pombears!

Now there's an idea. Perhaps I'll buy a packet and snack on them while I walk around. If anyone asks me for one I'll know they're on here.

Ah this thread brings back memories! I went to St Anne's then onto to PSC. Best 2 years ever at PSC - I had A's and B's at GCSE and fitted in just fine. Anyway it's all probably changed in the ahem 15 years since I went there, as you were