State schools in south west Hampshire

[chelseamorning]

My DP, 7yr DS and I are planning to move to the South West of Hampshire, possibly Ringwood area. Our specific choice of location will depend on various factors, although primary and secondary schools are our main focus at the moment.

Any recommendations please? Comments most welcome - positive and negative!

DS is an active boy and so it would be good for him to continue with his interests (kickboxing, swimming, Scouts, street dancing, etc).

Milford and Bransgore are both highly thought of, and property prices reflect that. Most of the villages feed into a big secondary school so it's worth looking at that before choosing your feeder Primary iyswim. Ringwood will feed to Ringwood which is 11-16, Lymington area has Priestlands (also 11-16) or possibly a bus journey to the Waterside schools and New Milton has Arnewood.

Many thanks, PurplePidjin. I suspect it's likely to be around Ringwood. We're visiting this weekend to get a better feel for the place.

Do you live in the New Forest, PurplePidjin?

I have a friend whose son goes to Poulner first school and she raves about it. This is a little village just outside Ringwood they commute from Bournemouth as they moved to Bournemouth just before her son was due to start school and there were no places left in her first and second choice Bournemouth schools.

not Ringwood way but Highcliffe primary (think that is what it is called) has a very good reputation I believe and I haven't heard anything bad said against any of the Christchurch Schools either.

Bear in mind that you'll be on the Hampshire/Dorset border there, and Dorset still has a three tier system (First, Middle and High schools)

If you move to the Fordingbridge area, your ds will get the choice at Secondary level (I know it seems a long way off now, but all the sec. school visits take place in Yr. 5) of going to The Burgate School, which is a very good Comprehensive school with a 6th Form, or taking part in the mad rush to the (academically) excellent state boys' grammar school - Bishop Wordsworth's, in Salisbury, as Fordingbridge is within the catchment.

More relaxing not to, but the choice would be there!

Yes, well just on the edge :) I'm very very South West Hampshire

I do youth work in Christchurch nonickname and would recommend any of the Christchurch secondaries based on the kids I get in of an evening!

Ferndown runs a 3 tier system and I think it's more common further West or the county, but most of Dorset and Bournemouth are either Infant/Junior or Primary into Comprehensive or Grammar school (Bournemouth and Poole)