Bishop Wordsworth, Salisbury- any parents out there? Or any non grammar Salisbury parents? I have some questions....!

[miljee]

Like my thread says! My 2 x DS are yrs 1 and 3 so secondary isn't a big deal YET, but we COULD commute them to BWGS if we knew a bit more about it! I went to SWGS 25 years ago but I gather it's a very different 'game' now, the whole selection thing. We rent where we are (Ozzie refugees) so could move to wherever was 'best' for the boys. Your opinions would be welcome!

You aren't going to send them there for 9 years!!!

You need to worry about primary schools first!

I meant my 2 are IN years 1 and 3 thus the elder one has 3 years and 2 terms to secondary! We currenty rent thus the catchment world is our oyster, as it were, but we hope to buy sometime in the next year. Where we currently live the occasional child travels the 20 miles to Bishops. IF either of my DSs stood a chance of a place at Bishops we might be looking to buy closer to Salisbury, if not, ie if 90% of the intake are prep school readied which we can't and perhaps won't afford, we'll move towards Winchester and the comps there. I would be interested to know how Bishops selects these days.

I would move to Hampshire if I were you.....

Hello, I went to SWGS too and it's a VERY VERY different kettle of fish getting in now as opposed to then. My friend's dd has just sat the entrance exams and is competing against girls who have had intensive tuition for a good couple of years to get it, it really is incredibly competitive. No idea about Bishops but I wouldn't have thought it was much different. You could ring them I guess but maybe someone else in Salisbury will see this is reply.

Thanks Winter witch and others. I had the impression that the Salisbury grammars had been hijacked by middle class parents who effectively buy their child a place by 'cramming' them at private preps- there would have to be a reason why a town the size of Salisbury is awash with prep schools yet only has one non-religious private girls secondary and, I believe NO boys private secondary at all! The time will come when either the grammars are abolished in their present form or, like as has been suggested for Oxbridge, privately prepped and tutored kids are awarded fewer 'points' at Entrance Exam to attempt to level a highly skewed playing field!

When were you at SWGS? I started in 73. I was SO pro-grammar school until my late 20s by which time I was living abroad, but I've been appalled at what's become of our education system upon my return, 3 years ago, where it seems only the well-to-do can get their kids a decent education on the basis of 'choice' (hah!) and sod the rest of us!

And Tommy, I am seriously erring towards your advice!

glad to hear it miljee. I worked in Salisbury for a while (at a secondary modern school) and was quite amazed - and saddened -by the whole set up of the system there.

There are excellent (comprehensive) secondary schools in Winchester and Chandlers Ford - go on - take my advice - you know it makes sense

I started at SWGS in 77 ish, I think, although I may have that wrong!

BW is a really really good school. (I know a few people who went there and others who have dses there). It is absolutely correct that a lot of parents send their dses to local prep schools to give them the best chance to get in to BW - after all, it's free.... We were advised to send our dses to the Cathedral School (prep) if we wanted our dses to go to BW. Personally, I feel like it's "cheating" to do this but that's my own opinion. I always thought grammar schools were there to give all children a chance, not just those whose parents can afford to play the system.

We have now found a really fab prep school near to us (we are just over the border in Hampshire funnily enough) and will send our dses there.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input. Tommy, I've looked at some non-grammar OFSTEDs for Salisbury which entirely back up what you say- you're laughing if you're wealthy enough to be able to buy your son a place at BW or they happen to be state schooled but exceptionally bright and lucky at 11+, but if one's son FAILS, because that 'top layer' has been creamed off the 'average' of what's left naturally falls. Of course BW could be considered to be a 'good' school if you're largely just measuring academia. You'd hope so given the much larger pond they can now fish from (I assume BWGS, like SWGS no longer has a catchment just 'reasonable travelling distance') and the inevitably higher 'commitment' of so many of those parents who may have had to work bloody hard to ensure little Oliver gets a place, then heave a sigh of relief that they're now saving 8 or 9 thou a year on school fees which they can put towards the Maldives instead! BUT I thought grammar schools exist to provide a suitable education within the state sector for bright children from poorer homes? Please note I can't really blame the parents who take full advantage of the State's largesse- didn't parental choice look good on paper? It's the government that now has to sort this situation out, and in the mean time, seeing as despite their tender years, I KNOW that whilst my DSs may have been grammar school material in 73 they're unlikely to be now against such competition. So Winchester it is!

And Piglit, just curoius, if you don't mind me asking, which prep have you decided on? My 2 are at (state) Cupernham, Romsey. We are lucky to actually have a good range of schools here both state and private.