primary school education in Dorset -corfe mullen, broadstone. wimborne

[saraka]

Hello

We are a family with one 3 year old and will be moving to one of the above areas at the end of February /beginning of March. We do not know the area very well and wondered if you could help with the following query.

Could you please provide feedback on following schools: Henbury view first school, Rushcombe, Springdale, Broadstone first school. If there are any preferences could you please state them and reasons why.

Many thanks

I would like to contact another mumnetter

I've heard good things about Broadstone first school. One of the others I've heard one negative thing about but that was from a lady whose DS had dyspraxia and I can't remember which of them it was. I think generally they are all pretty good.

I can probably help with Wimborne ones if that helps at all.

You need to find Twinset, she lives in that area

If you have a search for "Broadstone first", "Corfe Mullen Schools" and "wimborne schools" in the search section at the top of the page, it will bring up some previous threads on primary education down here .

Snorris may be able to help too.
I think from what I have heard Henbury View is the best first school from those listed also I have heard that the Broadstone schools are going to change to a primary rather than first and Middle schools but not sure when that is supposed to be changing

Corfe Hills

No,sorry,not me. I did go through the Broadstone Schools though.

(My talk name isn't actually related to my real name- it's a shortened version of my previous name, theslownorris )

< ahhh. just wondered as I went to PGS with a girl called S Norris >

Chocolate teapot

Thank you for your feedback. Could you please provide further feedback on Wimborne schools primary and secondary if possible.
Could you let me know what it's like to live in Wimborne parks, activities, areas to live with families including kids
Thanks

Saraka

We have the three tier system in Wimborne (first, middle and upper). It is a pyramid, lots of first schools, 3 middle schools (Allenbourne, St. Michael's & Cranborne) and one upper school. These schools take in Wimborne, Colehill and some of the smaller villages up to Cranbourne Chase.

The Upper school (Queen Elizabeth) is about to undergo a £50 million and has a good reputation. I am impressed with the Middle school my DD goes to. Lovely grounds, swimming pool, great pastoral care, loads of clubs to join, good quality teaching. My children aren't old enough to be at the Upper school so no experience there but I have friends with children there and the general consensus is very positive.

There are some absolutely excellent first schools around. Read the ofsteds for Colehill & Hayeswood first schools (both in Colehill) and St John's in Wimborne. St James in Gaunts Common and Witchampton are both rural schools and good. Wimborne first has undergone some problems in the last few years but I think it is sorting itself out now.

Some of the pupils go off to the Poole Grammar schools at 12 and there is also a Catholic primary in Colehill called St. Catherine's.

Couple of parks around, one in Colehill, one in Wimborne and another in Ferndown. There is Cannon Hill plantation which is acres of Woodland great for cycling, dog walking, den making etc. Lots of young families around and plenty of toddler groups. Like most small town centres Wimborne is struggling a bit as have just lost Woolies but planning permission has been granted and a new Waitrose is coming. There's Costa Coffee, Prezzo, WH Smiths, green grocer, bakery, Clarks etc and the Tescos & Sainsburys at Ferndown. There is Walford Mill craft centre with does lovely children's craft courses in the summer and sports centres attached to the Upper school in Wimborne and another good one in Ferndown. Swimming lessons as well at St. Michael's school pool.

It has the Tivoli which is a theatre and cinema. Good drama group if that's your sort of thing in the community centre on a Saturday. Various dance schools etc. A museum, model village, market. Honeybrook Farm is just up the road and has a good farm shop and there is Highmoor Farm shop just down the road as well as a couple of others dotted around.

Excellent nursery on a farm in Stapehill called the Barn (doesn't often have space though) and other ones around attached to schools.

Colehill is a sort of suburb of Wimborne but it really merges all together. It has a library, pharmacy, village hall and co-op, park.

Chocolate teapot

Thank you very much for your extremly helpful message. What is the name of the middle school your DD goes to it sounds great.
Has Colehill many shops, community center, doctors, dentist. How far is Wimborne from Colehill? Thanks

Colehill sort of merges into Wimborne and is quite sprawling but the furthest point of it would be a couple of miles I think. It only takes a few minutes to get there by car and there are little buses that go round some of the roads and you just hail it and it stops I think. There is a park, pharmacy, library, hairdresser, accountant, co-op, one stop, the Memorial Hall (various things are run in there).

The Colehill middle school is St Michael's which Colehill, Hayeswood, St. James feed into and I think there might be one more but can't remember. Some children from Ham Preston also go as well as a few from outside catchment. It's a church school as are some of the first school but they all seem to operate as one with the non-church schools in the state sector if that makes sense. The other two Middle Schools are Allenbourne in Wimborne and Cranbourne which is more rural.

The Colehill website is here but new and not much on it atm, there are a few pictures.

Oh and dentist/doctor all in Wimborne.

Hello, thanks again for your helpful messages. We plan to move to dorset by the end of February. My husband works in Wimborne. We have been looking torwards moving to corfe mullen. I liked the sound of Henbury view as a first school for my little one.

We are looking for a village that has a few shops, activities for primary age, doctors, dentists, communitity center, is not too quiet, not too busy, parks, easy to walk around and Corfe mullen seems to fit the bill. We have noticed that there is not a great deal of properties to rent [ unfortunately affected from credit crunch] hence why I've been looking at other villages.

I would like to know more about Corfe mullen and wondered if you could point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Saraka

Hi, I live in Corfe Mullen and my daughter goes to Henbury - it's a great little school, I can't say enough good about it. It's only a 30 intake each year, and therefore small enough for the kids not to feel lost in a huge new school. The teachers are lovely.

There's a huge recreation ground - good for dog walking - with a nice play area attached. There's a couple of Co-Ops, an estate agent, hairdressers, takeaways. Very small all in all, but Broadstone and Poole are so nearby with all the big supermarkets and high street shopping. There are also lots of churches.

A great nearby attraction is Farmer Palmers - such a great place for the kids (season tickets brilliant value!!). There's a Health Club with swimming classes, and also a leisure centre in Broadstone with an indoor play area. Also a leisure centre with pool in Poole (funnily enough!).

The local estate agent, Richards, may be able to help you find rented accommodation but I know from other Mum's that property is hard to find. Their tel no is 01202 602121.

Hope this helps!

Hi Shirley 1967

I take it that your nickname suggests you are 41 years old, well I am 42. Thanks for your helpful information. We are now looking to buy a bungalow in Lancaster Drive in Broadstone. Do you know what this area is like?

Thanks again.

Saraka

I can only vouch for QE - its an excellent secondary school with good reputation. I would be inclined to ensure whichever first school you go to its one of the pyramid schools for QE - IMHO secondary education is possibly more vital than primary......

I'd steer clear of the Broadstone first school as its gone massively downhill in my opinion lately.