Churcher’s College Rejection - Where Next?

[TreeMeadow]

My son has just been rejected for a place at Churcher’s College (Petersfield). I realise we will now be late applicants, but I’m desperate to find him a private place somewhere. To be honest, I thought it was a given he would gain a place at Churcher’s so foolishly didn’t apply elsewhere. Which other private schools would people recommend in the local area, we have only been here 6 months, so I don’t know it too well. It needs to be good pastorally and be open to late applications e.g. not oversubscribed. I am prepared to travel into Surrey and Hampshire.

TIA

I had two DS at Ditcham and know they are struggling financially and have increased spaces so you may get lucky there, it’s a great school, depending on your children’s it is softer approach to churchers but with great results. Have you looked at lord wansworth? Bedales? Princes mead?

You don’t mention budgets.

I'm surprised at rejection for Churchers, but agree that places will come available. There will be students waiting for RGS and others who hold multiple offers.

Did you Churchers offer a waitlist?

Sorry isn’t here a school in the liss area as well? If you don’t like TPS you could put edgers (Alton) down. It’s state but very well invested into.

These are good options, thanks for the suggestion, I’ll add them to my research! I’m not sure about sending DS to a school that is ‘struggling financially’ - I really need it to be viable for the next 5 years. I do not want to send him to a school and end up moving in a couple of years. Budget isn’t an issue.

I already reluctantly put TPS down, I had to do the application in October and knew next to nothing about the area.

If budget isn't an issue then why aren't you considering Bedales Prep? He would go into Block One. That's when a lot of new pupils join. Bedales being Bedales, it does it differently to other schools.

What are his interests? Is he arty at all, musical, etc?

Yes offered waitlist.

Churchers has over 1000 pupils in its secondary / sixth form though?

That’s hardly small.

Agreed but that’s still a far cry from 1,800.

He’s sporty, and I just assumed he’d get Churchers and it’s because initially I wanted a school he could walk to as we are near Petersfield town centre.

In which case if budget isn’t an issue lord wandsworth is fabulous, so may friends loved it. It was out of our budget but it sounds perfect.

He could walk to Bedales too. Ditcham is a drive away! And the others are much further.

TPS isn’t 1800 pupils. And the 2024 Ofsted inspection continues to rank it as an outstanding school.

Sorry I was referring to Bohunt which TPS is under.

I am now considering I will need to look further afield and that walking distance probably isn’t feasible.

I didn’t realise you were waitlisted for Churcher’s… I thought point blank rejected. I’d honestly be surprised if you don’t get Churcher’s. So many with offers will pick other schools.

Really? What would you say are the most popular schools around? Do people use Churchers as a back up or secondary option?

In prep school you’re encouraged to apply for multiple Seniors…. Kids are sitting on multiple offers and can obviously only accept one

Apart from TPS, what other state schools did you put down? You can go on waiting lists after offer day for any state schools you prefer

In a multi school academy trust, I would focus more on the school than the trust.

TPS is a fantastic state school, as close as you can get to private without paying for it. Always oversubscribed. Don’t judge it based on Bohunt, different schools. If you are set on private though, Ditcham and Bedales are nearest. Bedales is vvvvv expensive though I think.

I only put down TPS.

Waitlist is good - do you know where on the waitlist you are?

Most have ditcham, churchers and bedales on lists. We had all 3 and chose ditcham so that freed a space in churchers .

we have Frensham as well, but are more north area of Hampshire to you.

No I haven’t asked yet. It is better than a rejection I suppose…

Lord Wandsworth is mainly for SEN children, often those whose parents refuse to have them accessed but quietly admit to the school they have additional needs. Almost half the school are on their SEN register.