Best secondary schools in Southampton

[GreenYellowTurtle]

I'm about to relocate back to the UK having been overseas for 12 years and I am looking for good schools in the Southampton or Hampshire area. My son will start GCSEs next year (Sep 2025) so ideally it would be a school where he can do less GCSEs (we only do 7 in Dubai) with a good art department (he wants to go to art college) and with SEN considerations for hyper mobility, ADD, dyslexia etc.

My daughter is only a year behind him and wants to focus on design for her career so maybe something around design would be good too. I've also been looking at the large college in Southampton too, and wondered if this would be a better route for them? Alongside mandatory GCSEs. Thanks

No idea about specific schools in that area, I'm afraid. But if you are looking for state school places, it is likely to be a question of which school has places available in the relevant year groups (or schools - one may have a place for your DS but not your DD, and vice versa), not 'Which school shall I choose?'

You can apply for places prior to your arrival, and if a school has a place available, it shoukd be offered; however, 1) you will be expected to have your DC start within about a fortnight (although you can try to negotiate a longer period) and 2) if the response to your formal application(s) is that there are no places available for your DC, the local authority will not step in to find places for them until you have a verified address in the area.

Does your DS have any kind of special educational needs? Only taking 7 GCSEs wouldn't constitute a full timetable in a mainstream school, unless there was a genuine reason as to why the student cannot cope with the normal number, which is 9 or 10 in most schools: Maths, English Language, English Literature and either combined science (2 GCSE award) or separate sciences, are compulsory. Some schools will also stipulate a modern foreign language, History / Geography and/or RE, leaving a small number of option slots for e.g. Art / GCSE PE / Food Tech etc.

Which large college in Southampton is that? Most of the colleges are big and 16+, though there may be the odd offering for 14+ as an alternative for those who struggle to stay in school.

Are you looking specifically within the city only or also towns on the outskirts? (eg Hedge End, Romsey, Eastleigh)

It does come down to where has spaces in their year groups, though they are younger than the peak size cohorts so you may get lucky.

Sorry I see you were including Hants. Do you want just outside Soton or further afield?

I live in Southampton, which schools were you considering?

I think you need to call the relevant authorities and see where has spaces as a first step-
trouble is, you can’t “hold”‘spaces for more than a few days

i dont know the area. But your best bet is probably to aim for an area which has a few good options. And think about a private as a back up plan.

Hi @GreenYellowTurtle I'm relocating from Hong Kong to Southampton and I have the same problem. So far I've seen St George's College and Cantell School for my DS. St George's is oversubscribed but you might still be able to get a place if a vacancy comes up.

You can also consider school in Eastleigh and Chandler's Ford like Thorndene. They are commutable from Southampton and secondary schools admission is not based on catchment area.

I'd be happy to connect - my move is scheduled for July 2025.

St Georges is a Catholic faith school, so they would want proof of baptism etc, St Annes is also a Catholic school, with the same requirement and it's for girls, very good school though. Cantell is on the up.