winchester schools

[lainiekazan]

Hi
Could you tell me please which is the "best" state secondary school in Winchester for a (clever - aren't they all?!) girl.

Thanks

Nearby Perrins in Alresford (if you are moving to the area) about 6 miles away is fantastic.

I have a son at The Westgate school and he seems happy and settled there ( year 7) - he works hard, there is a good atmosphere, and they are pushed reasonably hard - from what I gather as we are new to the area, all the state schools, Kings and Henry Beaufort are good/oustanding schools, check out their website - Kings is near to where we live and is absolutely massive - we are happy with our choice so far.

They are all pretty good.

Kings advertises itself as the 'academic' option, but tbh its value added is crap and it is a slightly wierd place. Westgate is good but aren't very good at pushing people (so she needs to be quite motivated) and Henry Beaufort is very good and a very nice place, iyswim.

What do you mean by "weird"? I understand that Kings do some sort of streaming; do the other secondaries do that?

Winchester city residents are hugely lucky in being able to choose between three different schools, which are all very good. The best advice is to visit each of them and then to weigh up strengths and weaknesses in the light of your child's strengths and weaknesses. "Best" is such a subjective concept, after all.

@lainekazan They have a really odd discipline system. They treat them as toddlers until they leave. Dont do this, dont do that. The other two in Winchester are a lot more relaxed and don't have behaviour probelsm so it is weird.

There really is not much to choose between them, however, Perins in Alresford gets my vote. Perins is academically strong, has an excellent PE department and a creative arts department which is going from strength to strength.

It does also depend on catchment areas as well doesnt it? We moved out of county for a year 7 entry, and it was a bit touch and go re Westgate entry, but they increased their Number on Roll last September ( now becoming an all inclusive 4 -16 school,) - so you would need to talk to someone at Hants CC about catchment zones. Hants CC were utterly brilliant to us last year, had so much help and support.

I wonder if Westgate might become a bit cliquey if it becomes a 4 to 16 school - ie hard to break into friendship groups that had been going for years.

I am looking for the most academic option and, to be blunt, the least amount of disruptive kids. If Kings has to have such a draconian discipline policy that implies they have a proportion of unruly pupils.

I went to Kings. An eternity ago mind you. It has a very mixed catchment are and that is probably why they need more behaviour management policies.
It was an excellant school while I was there!

I think that Westgate takes a huge properotion of its children from Western Primary school (so they make up 1/3 of intake) so ti is already a bit like that ime.

For pure academics and if you are moving to the area, move to Alresford and go to Perins. It is fantastic. I wouldn't be so sure that you were doing your daughter a favour, though.

I wouldn't be so sure that you were doing your daughter a favour, though.

Intrigued about what you mean Sleepysand?

I think deciding on pure academic grounds is harmful.

My boys all went to an ordinary comp (and in due course to a local sixth form college) and got straight A's and As, and learned to deal with all sorts of people, and felt great. We have a grammar near here (not where we lived when they were of entry age or they probably would have gone) and frankly I am glad they didn't go - most of the students who go there are awful, stuck up, no idea how to deal with life, and actually fairly shaky self-esteem. If you don't get A they make your life hell.

That is not to say don't go to Perins (I think it is brilliant, we lived in Alresford until 2004 and my sons' contemporaries have all done very well, and I hear such good things from old friends). Just don't make academic success the only thing you want from a school - they offer much more.

Ah, ok I see what you mean, and I agree with you totally! My children both went to Perins. Ds is now at a local sixth form and dd is still at Perins in year 10. I find it interesting that in debates about Winchester schools Perins often gets forgotten but I think it is a gem. It is half the size of Kings but comparable in terms of academic achievements and it has so much to offer in terms of sport, music, drama and art. Pastoral care is strong too with staff who have youth work backgrounds.

I used to live bang opposite it (next to the pub) and it was incredibly good. I really regretted that we had to move.

Just another thought to throw in - about 6th form college - it may be a long way off for your children, but where you chose to school them at HS is important and it is wise to think longer term as well - many children use school buses whilst at HS and in some counties this 'free' service is being eroded away - so at 6th form many are reliant on public transport and it is very expensive - so the nearer to the college you may choose the better! Otherwise you end up being a constant taxi service. In Winchester PS is the popular choice, and the students come in from miles around - it can become quite a long day for many of them, and for those travelling by train, increasinly expensive.

*increasingly!