Sixth form colleges in Hampshire

[jennylamb1]

My son is in Y9 and we are starting to think about sixth form colleges. Peter Symonds is quite a trek and we've read some poor reviews on Google although their results seem pretty good. What are people's experiences and where would they recommend?

Barton Peveril gets absolutely rave reviews if you’re in that area of Hampshire.

Thank you, how is Barton Peveril raves about can I ask?

Bump

I can't speak highly enough of PS. My dc did exceptionally well there having gone with average GCSEs. The pastoral support is great. We don't live near either but they loved the train journey and made new friends.

It’s outstanding. Good teachers, interesting courses, lots of support for students, good results. I know a lot of people with dc there and all of them are happy…people seem to choose it over PS nowadays whereas 10-15 years ago that wasn’t the case.

If PS is 'quite a trek' which ones are you near to?
Presumably if considering PS you are looking for A levels so not interested in my views on Sparsholt
I know people who have had kids go through PS and BP and both have been happy.

ps If only in y9 then you have ages as they don't have to actually decide until after results day in the summer of y11. Do open evenings early in y10 to get a feel and go back again end y10 / early y11 when subject choice becomes more clear.

Thanks, yes will visit some places in Y10. We're looking at moving house so where we move to has some bearing on which sixth form college would be best- although understand that can't base a house move on two years of further education. We'd like him to go to University of Southampton eventually, living at home to save on rent as outgoings for students seem to have become astronomical recently. He has Asperger's, so we need to put a bit more thought into things like typing for exams as this is his usual way of working.

In that case I'd be tempted to plonk myself within easy reach of both Barton and the uni; I guess your priority will be checking SEN support.

Then BP makes more sense if you’re aiming to be in easy reach of UoS too.

There are also a couple of colleges in Southampton - Itchen, Richard Tauntons tho I don’t know much about them as everyone goes to BP! and Bitterne Park secondary has a sixth form as well.

Bitterne Park Secondary is potentially a good shout. 👍

Barton Peverill does indeed have very good results and is indeed an excellent college for those who are self starters and want to fully enjoy college life. My DC was forced to leave during year2 as the college were unwilling to offer support needed and gave them a mentor four times (which was working well) and then withdrew the mentors at short notice due to staffing issues leaving them in limbo. My DC is ND and has a life long illness which effects their day to day health and help and caring was virtually nil from pastoral care although we were promised that they would get this intensively. If your child can study well and study independently at home then BP is a very good college for them but if your child needs extra support then it's not a great choice.
Beware Peter Symonds too. They have high exam results because they usually 'encourage' students who are 'under achievers' to leave at the end of year one.

If you have a ND child then consider a Southampton 6th form college called Itchen College as the pastoral care/pupil support is very good - they are usually the college that takes on students who 'leave' PS & BP. Most of the ND teens that I know feel very at home there including my own DC.

DS, DNiece and DNephew all went to Barton Peveril and enjoyed it. DS had a few issues in his 2nd year - we were waiting for ADHD diagnosis which he later got - they were brilliant and went out of their way to make positive changes for him. All three came out with good results and went on to the university of their choice.

Another DNiece and DNephew went to Peter Symmonds and were unhappy with their student welfare. DNephew switched colleges and DNiece thought about dropping out over their lack of interest/help in an ongoing bullying incident but decided to stick it out and achieved brilliant Alevel results. DS's GF also went there and was happy but she has a 'put your head down and just get on with it' personality type.

Talking to friends the general consensus is that if your child is a self motivated medium to high achiever and/or Oxbridge material then PS will be fine but not if you have potential issues. There was little to no communication with parents - although this may have changed as I am now a couple of years out of date.

you need to attend the open days and see which suits your son and meet the teachers for the subjects.

Mine went to BP and enjoyed it and both had good dyslexic support, friends children went to PS and enjoyed and got the support they needed. All are now at good Unis.

We are lucky in Hampshire to have a choice of good schools and colleges.

My kids have both been to Alton which is close to us. I know a lot of people seem very down on it these days, but it's worked out well for both of them. Luckily there are a range of really good sixth form colleges in Hants, and that fact that almost no state schools have a sixth form is beneficial because everyone goes to college.

I have also heard good things about Alton.

Hello @TeenDivided - I'm back !

One key thing about the Hampshire 6th form colleges is that they each have a different emphasis.
City College is Maritime and Trades
Brock used to to the IB and still has that broad outlook
Alton is strong on music and arts
Barton is languages and humanities
Sparsholt is all things farming and land management
Symonds is sciences
Tauntons is business and IT
QM is more like Barton
Farnborough more like Symonds

With respect @Talkinpeace I'm not sure that's completely true in all the cases you give examples of.

Yes, some colleges like Sparsholt, are specialists in a particular area, and some specialise in practical subjects & apprenticeships. But most of the sixth form colleges who offer A levels (Symonds, Barton, QMC, Alton, Farnborough at least from your list) are equally strong on all subjects, or are at the very least aiming to be.

I'm sure that Symonds is very good for sciences for example, but equally they run the Hampshire Specialist Music Course and are very well regarded for music & performing arts.

Indeed @Bramshott
All of the A level colleges cover all subjects well
and of course Symonds has a big vocational department
along with the others
but relative strengths are worth being aware of.

Does anyone know how the colleges compare regarding access arrangements- for those who have word processing for exams since that is their usual way of working?

My Son just started Peter Symonds and he had his access arrangements appointment within three weeks. This was also for a word processor.

Good to hear. We headed along to their open evening tonight. A very different campus from BP. good to give DS an idea of the different places and initial ideas on A level options. We're going to let the dust settle and revisit at Easter when he's done his Y10 mocks and has more experience of his GCSE subjects.

One of mine has just started at PS, he has speech and language processing disorder and a medical condition.
The pastoral care has been outstanding, he’s had 1:1s with staff from learning support, liaised with the school nurse and really likes his tutor. They really seem to ‘get’ him.
I’ve emailed learning support on 2 occasions and they’ve responded appropriately the same day. I’m very, very impressed.

Cousin's son went to PS. Loved it and did very well, he loves sciences. His younger sibling has gone to another college as did not feel that PS would suit them.