bishop wordsworth - worth the effort ?

[RosemaryandThyme]

could do with some advice re bws in sailsbury.

primary school are recommending Ds sits 11+ with a view to applying for a place, however we are miles away, outside of designated area and even if he did get a place the commute, by train would be around an hour each way.

local school has poor reputation but would need some convincing that bws is worth the journey - any views ? thanks

[Chubfuddler]

Blazers were dying off when I was there. We had grey skirt, green and white checky shirt and green jumper. It changed to a navy/green kilt in about 1993. The idea was as uniform was outgrown you were supposed to buy the new uniform. NO ONE did. In the fifth year I was still wearing my first year blouses. They were er tight.

[shelley72]

I know someone who has had their dcs tutored since the age of 7 to pass the 11+ to secure a place at BWS. Results due soon so will see if it has paid off. She was very impressed with the school though and the reputation and possibly status it has. They have open days in the summer before the exam is sat so probably best to go along to that.

Btw Mr M still often appears in the post bag column of the local paper!

[Erebus]

Our (compulsory) summer uniform was 'interesting'. When I started you had the choice of a green 'tartan' pattern shirt-waister or in pink (!) tartan- which no one bought, so Miss Matthews decided to 'get with it' and chose a new style which was hideous, zip up back and round neck, completely shapeless and plain (think 'Mrs Thatcher') in the green, a blue, brick orange or yellow tartan design....

A seamstress down in Salisbury went 'freelance' and made up zip-up shirtwaisters in the green and blue that sold like hotcakes. Miss Matthews was Not Amused but had to concede that many teenage girls in 1975 didn't really want to look like The Queen. Especially as the girls convent (La Retraite), though their blazer was brown (with a pale yellow striped blouse?) could, for their summer uniform, make their own in a quite nice blue or brown floral material in any 'suitable' style.

I think we eventually compromised with shirtwaisters in the green or the blue.

I liked my blazer, though. Nicely lined and with loads of pockets!

[Erebus]

Sorry we SWGS gels are hi-jacking this thread!

[Aldwick]

Chubfuddler - we would have overlapped by a couple of years but at opposite ends of the school. Who knew there were so many Salisbury people out there on MN?

[PoodleChops]

"Those of us that come without, must do without"

"Be sure your sins will find you out"

"Please stop rootling in your desk"

"We are young ladies, and not young hooligans"

Miss Lomas' legacy has left its mark on me


We had Dr Bigger - who we affectionately named Dr Bugger - he was by far the hairiest RE teacher I ever saw.

Then there was Dr Tew - our poor Nuffield Combined Science teacher in the first year, who also had to teach us about sex. He was a martyr and he had the biggest sideburns and greasiest black hair ever. I'll never forget him telling us that having sex without an erection, was like trying to put spaghetti through a keyhole - I never understand that one because in my mind, I thought he was talking about raw, uncooked spaghetti, that;s terribly stiff and more than capable of going through a keyhole rather nicely

Mr Hitchens in Yr 2 for Physics, first thing on a Monday morning - he was famous for running the tap in the lab to see if he could make us need the toilet. He was also famous for talking about rubbing his plastic rod with a "manky old bit of cat fur" to get the electrons all excited.

The music teacher, Miss Butler, who left her Yorkshire Terrier on the parcel shelf of her Renault or Citroen....all day long!

Mr Radford - less said the better.

I loved Miss Shell - she was so lovely and far nicer than Miss Swingler.

Miss Matthews - how she made me laugh with her mannerisms in assembly - when she spoke, the Home and School Association became the "Hom and School Association" . The H & SA never raised pounds, but "pound".

Mrs Westowe was a lovely lady, who shared my dislike of Miss Mattews.

Miss Buttrum became famous in the 6th Form review with "no buts, it's got to to be Butty"

I loved Mr Harrison who always popped out during the middle of double Russian for a craft cigarette - he would always return proffering sweets for us

Mr Merwood with his half-mast trousers, twiddling his hair in such a "fay" manner - then lobbing the board rubber at at you and slamming the desk with sheer exasperation at having his lesson interrupted by girls having to get books from their desks.

My goodness - I could go on and on but I'll end with Miss Schofield's famous Popmobility class in the old gym cum lower-school assembly hall cum sandwich hall. I can never hear the theme to "Van der Valk" without thinking back to those classes!

[soul2000]

I think they need to bring back "FRIENDS REUNITED".

[PoodleChops]

"I think we eventually compromised with shirtwaisters in the green or the blue."

I'm afraid the pink and yellow were still available from 1977 onwards - though they marked you out as having hand-me-downs from a big sister or a mum who had purchased from the Home and School Association second-hand sale. The pink were in high demand in our time - I wanted one but never had one.

Mademoiselle, Whaleys and the other shop in Milford street sold the dresses ready-made with revere collars.

[PoodleChops]

"I think they need to bring back "FRIENDS REUNITED".

Only if I can stay incognito - I never want to go to an Old Girls' Association "do".

[Erebus]

Gels! Gels! (Miss Matthews summonsing her troops) - I am going to act with True Grit, with the message of the school song, 'Onwards, Onwards, ever!' ringing in my ears- and post a whole new topic here in Secondary education called SWGS alumni- check in here, and I expect all of you to report, as if for Junior Choir practice, OK??!

I feel we have trespassed upon those poor innocents from Bishops for far too long. Ah, memories...

[Chubfuddler]

Chas H Baker sold the uniforms, and for BWS, godawful and la retart.

[Erebus]

I liked the BGS 6th form blue blazer! A bit sharp!

[Chubfuddler]

Aaaah, bishops boys I have known and loved would fill quite a volume. Sigh.

[LadyFlumpalot]

This has made me chuckle as DS is not yet three and I'd quite like him to go to Bishops Wordsworth!

I work in Salisbury and get the same train as a lot of Bishops boys (and South Wilts girls) and I keep meaning to ask one of the 6th form lads what it is really like!

[BetsyBidwell]

I went to south wilts. I was head girl. Obv.

[overthemill]

Uniform: we had grey skirt, white shirt and tie and bottle green jumper. Knee length socks, rights only allowed from 3rd form. The new uniform, green check shirt, no tie was from 1970. My big sis who started 167 still had to wear the dreaded beret.
In sixth form we could choose our uniform and I was on the committee that decided the choices. I was very influenced by petticoat I'm afraid. And for summer, we had choice of 3 summer dress patterns which we could have made up in any fabric, mine was Laura Ashley, pale blue with white sprigs. And I never grew into my blazer, bought in first form!

[BetsyBidwell]

Merwood is still seen sometimes with his shopping bag.

I saw miss knapp last week. Lovely gorgeous miss Raybould looks younger than most of us.

[BetsyBidwell]

In my time some photos were out up of merwood on a university challenge team. Black and white.

Remember foster with that goaty?

[Erebus]

over here, Betsy

We really need a Head Girl to keep us in order!

[Boaty]

A friends DS went there for one year before leaving to go to an indie on a scholarship...they found that so many boys had been so heavily tutored to get through the exam that it didn't reflect their actual abilities. He was untutored, naturally very able and spent most of the year marking time while the other boys were 'brought up to speed' The conditions are cramped. Have a good look round and look at the bigger picture so make your decision. It is high achieving of that there is no doubt though. I went to school on the other side of town....the comp side

[BetsyBidwell]

What a waste of a space. I hope they were embarassed

[filee777]

Great many friends who went to bishops and throughly enjoyed it, all very intelligent and doing well for themselves.

The scores speak for them, very high across the board with a good sports programme.

I would recommend it

[magimedi]

DS went to BWS in the 1990's. He loved it & thought the teaching was very good.

In his day there was not the relentless coaching for 11+ that there is now.

Chub - I'd love to know who the Bishop's boys were - care to hint about a year??

[Erebus]

Unfortunately I believe BWGS has a small, cramped site. I think an OFSTED referred to 15th century buildings (obvs not all) and limited expansion ability. Don't the boys have to walk for half and hour to their sports field?

I get that site etc isn't everything but it is kind of a pity that such a school doesn't move 'outta town' like where the girls GS is sited with acres of playing field.

[Chubfuddler]

It is a small cramped site in Salisbury cathedral close mind you.