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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

peter symonds winchester views?

114 replies

lorimeed · 14/01/2015 19:46

Looking at Peter Symonds for my daughters sixth form but have heard varied things! She's very academic and currently at private school on a academic scholarship with Oxbridge aspirations but I've heard many people struggle making the transition from private to a large college? Views and general opinions please :)

OP posts:
Original poster
lorimeed · 18/01/2015 20:50

BrendaBlackhead: Talk about being rude! You are clearly very ignorant yourself if you don't understand the differences between private and state education!

I am well aware not all state school children are ciminals/ druggies or parents at 16 but as Draylon kindly pointed out at my DD's current school anyone who is booted out no questions asked! I know this isn't the same for all schools but being one of the top boarding schools in the country it has a pretty tight rein on things! Thank you Draylon that's all I wanted to know is it really a problem or just exaggerated rumours!

And actually I would say my daughter is very sheltered I know this because she is at boarding school almost constantly in term time and is pushed very hard there would be no chance for any incidents to occur and when she is at home I always have to take her or pick her up from any of her friends and she's never even attended a big party, most of her friend are like her and have sleepovers or dinner parties and I know all the parents so I am 100% sure she is as sheltered as I believe! I was simply concerned that because of this she would be somewhat of a outcast because she hasn't experienced what the other children have! However I don't believe she wishes to, after speaking to her she believes she does 'have a life' and that winning national competitions, raising money for orphans and having aspirations of being Prime Minister are a good use of her life.. a far better one than partying constantly and putting your body through hell which is what some of you seem to be suggesting!

OP posts:
Jenda · 18/01/2015 21:02

I was not sent to private school but did go to a great secondary in Hampshire which was a pretty close everyone knows everyone type place. I was fairly independent and streetwise though but found PSC a culture shock, felt like a big fish in a small pond which didn't suit me and I struggled.

I made friends there from state and private schools and would say that the boarders and private school students enjoyed the relative freedom and loved it there. It is a good college and despite being geared towards high grades there IS brilliant support if you need it, I did and I got it. Some brilliant teachers and a wonderful chance to mix with students from all walks of life. I did go there 10 years ago so may not be with the times!

Jenda · 18/01/2015 21:03

Oops, meant small fish in big pond! !

BrendaBlackhead · 19/01/2015 12:20

Just dropped ds off at PS. Kept the windows up, to be on the safe side. Ds glad of a capacious Jack Wills coat in order to hide his stash.

OP, your dd is clearly a very special snowflake and should definitely not sully herself by mixing with nasty PS children.

By the way - "Raising money for orphans" - ROFL!!!!!

uilen · 19/01/2015 12:47

Her current school has never had a drug bust as it doesn't have the need and whilst it does go I'm sure the majority of children are strongly against it!

Every private school I have ever known has had kids who are involved with drink and drugs, particularly boarding schools. It's incredibly naive to think that private and strict = no drugs, no drinking. I am struggling to think of any private school within 20 miles of PS which could claim to be as sheltered as OP says her daughter is. This school doesn't sound like co-ed schools such as KES, HCS, The Greggs.

uilen · 19/01/2015 12:50

Ok, now I see that it's a "top boarding school" so not the schools I mentioned. I went to a "top boarding school". It was and is a fantastic school but nonetheless from time to time there are reports of kids there being caught with soft drugs or drinking. Similarly at my siblings "top" schools.

TeenAndTween · 19/01/2015 13:00

PS has, ?4000 pupils. So if 1% dabble that would still be 40 kids. To catch kids bringing drugs onto site they would need a 'drugs bust'.

A 'top boarding school' would have ?200 pupils total in the 6th form. Any pupil doing drugs would be quietly told/asked to leave with as little publicity as possible. Easier to demand emptying of pockets, searching of study room etc too I would think.

I can understand the OP is concerned due to the big jump out of the controlled environment of a relatively boarding school to the large free flow masses of PS. I do feel it is more fear of the unknown. The majority of the kids that go to PS will have come from good comps with good behaviour expectations. Parents who don't wish to / can't afford private still want their kids to behave well, work hard, stay away from drugs etc.

The impression I have regarding PS is that hardworking, self-motivated, independent kids will do well there, regardless of where they were at school before.

(Though my eldest is still on y11).

TalkinPeace · 19/01/2015 14:15

St Swithuns girls go to parties in town.
Just your DD has chosen not to tell you about them Grin

And yes, top schools expel for drugs.
But other top schools happily take the pay cheque - a girl in my year was expelled from 4 top schools

But Swithuns girls fit in just fine at PS - they are nothing out of the ordinary in brains or looks or manners or wealth.

NortyGirl · 19/01/2015 16:23

I was at St Swithun's and then went to PSC.
I must confess I was already fairly off the rails before I went, but this was exacerbated by the lack of supervision and collegiate atmosphere of the place and I often went to the pub at lunchtime and stayed there.

There was certainly a large number of students who did this

I am thinking it might be different now, but in the 80s there was nothing to do but go to the pub and take drugs in Winchester!

NortyGirl · 19/01/2015 16:24

(I never saw drugs in the school - plenty outside though)

fluffling · 19/01/2015 16:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheresaMayNot · 19/01/2015 16:52

DS is 17 and has just completed his first term at PSC, he's doing 4 AS levels. He went to a good comp before and got good GCSEs and is now in some elite group at PSC (can't remember the name but you need an overall average of 7 points at GCSE or something) which pushes them towards Oxbridge/RG unis. He loves it at PSC and is very happy there. I am impressed with the pastoral care - I had reservations because of the size but this hasn't been an issue at all. teaching is first class. Relationships between staff and students appear to be very constructive. There is no messing around in any of his lessons. Students seem to be all well-motivated and committed. I can't speak highly enough of the place. No experience of drugs, the only thing anywhere near it was some incident of smoking in a bus shelter. I don't recognise any of the things that are worrying you.

PSC is fab - go for it and save yourself some money!

TalkinPeace · 19/01/2015 17:36

theresaMay
Now in some elite group at PSC (can't remember the name but you need an overall average of 7 points at GCSE or something) which pushes them towards Oxbridge/RG unis
I've not heard of that.
DD is doing 5 AS having got 13 A/A* GCSEs so above 7 average
I thought they do the Uni filter during careers week?

TheresaMayNot · 19/01/2015 18:09

No idea Talkinpeace sorry still getting to grips with it all! DS says it's HE+ does that ring any bells?

TalkinPeace · 19/01/2015 18:24

Aha, yup. DD did not do it as it clashes with other commitments Smile

Draylon · 19/01/2015 18:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TalkinPeace · 19/01/2015 19:11

Draylon
I did not mean it as a stealth boast - honest !
There is orchestra that evening that DD has been involved with for years.

She's planning to apply to Cambridge anyway and because of DHs work she's well aware of how RG Unis operate already.

TalkinPeace · 19/01/2015 19:18

I know he went to Barton, but Mr Firth is in the news talking about it again (he went to Kings before that BTW)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-30885780

Lolapopflower · 26/01/2015 13:45

I personally think that your daughter sounds like an arrogant brat. Send her to a state school and knock a bit of common sense into her.

Lolapopflower · 26/01/2015 18:49

That was directed @lorimeed
To be honest your posts sound like your dd is writing them herself and having a bragging competition against everybody else...

Lolapopflower · 26/01/2015 18:49

Lorimeed

Lolapopflower · 26/01/2015 18:51

lorimeed

RufusTheReindeer · 26/01/2015 21:44

Know this thread isn't really active at the moment but BP are sticking with the AS levels

Draylon · 27/01/2015 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BrendaBlackhead · 27/01/2015 11:09

I agree that the OP does sound a bit like a teenager, what with all those exclamation marks and the upswing question in the second sentence of the initial post.

I showed this thread to ds. He howled. There are different groups of people, just like any institution. I don't doubt there are hellraisers at St Swithun's. Probably just very rich hellraisers.