Which Hampshire secondary school??

[SJS83]

Hi,

I'm looking for some help. We're relocating to Hampshire with two children, 8 and 3. We're obviously looking to move within a catchment of one of the better secondaries, and need to be within around 45 minutes commuting time to Southampton. So far we have shortlisted the following:

• Thornden + Toynbee
• Perins
• The 3 Winchester schools
• Wildern
• Romsey schools

The problem is finding a reasonably priced house within these catchements i.e. £600-700k for a 4-bed in the Perins catchment!

Can anybody recommend any other good secondaries in the area that we might have missed? We would prefer somewhere more rural if we can find one.

We looked at Salisbury but as we're not religious and don't want the stress of a grammar test, we have ruled out living in Wiltshire.

Thanks

I live near Alton, in the Amery catchment. They won’t be secondary age for some years but if nothing changes I’d be very happy for dc to go there. Our 4 bed house was less than £500k 2 years ago.

Tbh as previously alluded to ...there are many good schools ... It is bliss not to have to do all that 11 plus /grammar school nonsense. I would not rule out any comprehensive school with results above uk average

Excited for you OP!

Hi OP, no problems with bullying at Perins. It's a very caring school and bullying would be cracked down on hard. I know of one family that moved from Henry Beaufort to Perins because of bullying at HB and couldn't stop singing Perins praises. I guess bullying can happen anywhere though but I have never heard anything bad said about Perins.
Perins very popular though (which is reflecting in the house prices) with some children coming from Winchester and other places out of catchment as it's so popular. This year they had a lot of people appealing for places. Class sizes are small at Perins too.
Four Marks you can usually choose either Perins or Alton schools. There is school transport from Four Marks to Perins.

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/11036766/Britains-20-friendliest-places-to-live.html?frame=3007636

A comment on Romsey Primaries. You can't go wrong really (not sure of current state of Romsey Abbey Primary). Halterworth, Cupernham & Romsey Primary all v good. (Not sure on Romsey Abbey Primary as it has been up and down and I don't have any up to date info). Romsey Primary is now taking 2 forms into Reception (starting Sept 18) but the houses it has been expanded for aren't fully finished yet.

Secondary wise, Romsey School & Mountbatten both v. good but in my opinion have different priorities/ethos. (Romsey Primary is an official feeder for both schools whereas other schools only officially linked to 1).

All the schools you mentioned have good reputations, so maybe find your area and go from there.

As a PP said, the commute to Whiteley is MUCH easier from Bishops Waltham, Waltham Chase, Swanmore, even Botley. All good areas with great primaries and Botley would give access to Wildern, the others to Swanmore. Swanmore is excellent and getting more and more popular so make sure you're in catchment. Good luck. We moved here mid school year and it's been fantastic.

Thanks. Seems like much more reasonably priced houses in Swanmore catchment. We’ll definitely shortlist Waltham Chase and Bishops Waltham areas to go look at

And Fair Oak, don't forget to look there, and villages around, as that's as easy to get to whiteley from and you have the most excellent Wyvern secondary (& primaries too) there.

Another Altonian here. Lovely place and schools are great, but not as ‘well known’ as Thornden etc. Several parents here send different siblings to Amery/Eggars to suit their different children. All the primaries are good and generally (although this is could to change with house building) the schools when going round all advise you to get your first choice right as you usually get it. Nice choice of primaries from single entry, small village to 2 form entry infant/juniors and 2 form all the way through. Primary school places are more of a premium in the surrounding villages but not currently in the town itself.
Had several friends have DC go through Perins as well and have been happy with it.

Fair Oak etc
they are starting to build up to adding Junction 6 into the M27
we all rattle up and down without noticing the 5 ... 7 jump
and possibly 8a around Swanwick
be VERY aware that the Eastleigh Borough / Winchester District boundary will be congested for years to come

Would second the suggestion of Crofton, and chuck in Meoncross (I know it is fee paying but not being in some of those mega expensive catchments could make up the difference!).

A bit further out, but Robert Mays in Odiham is very good and Hook is right on junction 5 of the M3, maybe just outside the 45 minutes but not by much. Both secondary schools in Fleet are good but Fleet is probably just a bit too far away for you.

When I was at uni I knew a few people from Mountbatten, it was a good school then. I see you've ruled out Salisbury I was going to suggest there as it's a lovely place to live but if you don't want stress of grammar schools it's not the place to be.

J5 M3 to Whiteley is a PIG of a drive
you'd have to do the A32 to make it feasible
yeuch

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes, We thought about Hook and Fleet but it would just be too much of a commute. Alton and Liphook would be the limits.

Also, we would only consider an independent school as an absolute last resort i.e. if the only state school options were bad. It seems like there’s lots of great schools in hampshire, so no point spending all that money for no reason. Thanks though.

Fleet is rough at night. There's a large cocaine problem in this area.

I can see Whiteley from here...

Live local. Long commutes are shit. Personally in your position I'd be heading for somewhere round Locks Heath. Brookfield is a great secondary. Round here all primaries are also good. Botley area also an option if you're set on a more rural location.

Planning a commute from Petersfield or Romsey is unnecessary.

Now, someone tell me more about J8a of M27?? Where the hell are they going to build that?

Kerberos
the rumour I heard was Swanwick way - to give another way into Whiteley and Park Gate

Swanwick Lane? I just can't see how it would work. Too much of a drop to the M27 plus they'd need to work round the railway too. Having just spent all that unnecessary money traffic calming a road that's had 2 accidents in 30 years - then more to pull it all out again.

Well looking at the speed with which they have built Junction 6, I'd not worry too much !

I think M3 J9 will come before either !

Ha. Also true :)

Where would junction 6 go? I've forever wondered why we jumped from 7 to 5

I would give my vote for the Bishops Waltham / Waltham Chase / Swanmore Area OP. Lovely area.

J6 was meant to go from Fair Oak down to the motorway
but it never happened
and now probably never will

Aha! I agree, doesn't look like it would ever happen.

I drove through to fair oak from Upham the other day and was shocked at how many houses have gone up.