Good State/Aided Secondary Schools around Basingstoke Area...

[Su2019]

I am in the process to complete my DS's secondary school (Y7) application. Realized I haven't got all information needed to make the decisions..What are the State/Aided secondary school options around Basingstoke ..??

1. The Costello School : Reputed school but may be coming out of a bad patch..? Looks like new Bohunt management and head teacher is turning this one back to glory..? Any recent feedback from parents got kids there now ?? last 2-3 years OFSTEAD report look shorrible

1. Bishop Challoner Catholic Voluntary Aided Secondary School: Though we war not Catholics, looks like many kids selected form general quota as well. OFSTEAD report looks Good as well. Any recent feedback from parents got kids there now??

I was also told about schools in villages outside Basingstoke. The Hurst (Tadley) Perins School (near Aldershot , got school bus stops near us) Not sure it is easier to get admission there being outside catchment area. Thanks in advance for your input.

All of those schools you’ve mentioned apart from The Hurst school are oversubscribed and if you haven’t done so already then you need to contact the schools and find out how their places are allocated. (Hampshire doesn’t have the data for those except The Hurst in their table as they are all academies except The Hurst.)

Costello has always been one of the better Basingstoke schools and the Bohunt Academy trust doesn’t seem to take on failing schools - the original Liphook and also Bohunt Wokingham are well thought of.
I know parents at Perins and they are very happy. I don’t know the others but Bishop Challoner has always had a good reputation but generally you need to live on the doorstep in the past if you aren’t Catholic.

However check the admissions data from the schools and look at which ones you would have qualified for last year and make sure you put a banker as your last choice - likely to be your catchment school.

I’m south of Basingstoke and catchments are shrinking as with house building and bigger year group so make sure you are realistic in at least one choice.

Sorry meant to say Perins is in Alresford and not Aldershot.

You're unlikely to get Challoner unless you have a letter from your minister of faith and you live a distance away, it's intake is based on inverse distance to keep the town centre rabble out. I don't think any non-faith children were admitted this year.

I'm tolerating Costello tbh. My eldest goes there and so far I'm not that impressed. Maybe it'll improve once the new head is bedded in.

Thanks a lot for the responses. Probably I was a bit ignorant on some of these & hope it is not too late for next year's admission

DS's primary school is Costello's feeder school so reasonably confident on admission there based on inputs from school though it is slightly away from our home and outside catchment area. Bishop Challoner is the closest school and due to reputation keen to try that though may be last in ques due to 'general' faith category. Perins is away but due to school bus option seriously considering that as well.

Keeping this in mind it is better to opt like this ??
(1) Bishop Challoner
(2) Perins
(3) Costello's

My understanding is if I put most likely option (Costello's) higher then that will be allocated and others will be ignored? Any input highly appreciated. Thanks

Me & DH both working parents, don't have any family members in Basingstoke area. DS's primary had after school club so din't had any issues for working parents. Not sure how working parents of secondary school children manages ..? Any of these schools in Basingstoke provide better option in that front (that helps working parents..)??

Perins is amazing. They do have children from Basingstoke go there.

Henry Beaufort at Winchester and Amery Hill at Alton both have decent results and run buses from Basingstoke.

Thanks again for the replies..getting more clarity now.
Regarding Perins / Beaufort / Amery Hill, not sure kids outside catchment get places in these schools? Or siblings of kids already there from Basingstoke might only get there..? I am outside catchment & no siblings there either...

You would have got in last year for both Henry Beaufort and Amery Hill.

At the moment Perins and Amery Hill have enough spaces for those in catchment and can take quite a few from out of catchment. Catchment for the Alton schools though is likely shrink over the next few years due to the amount of new houses being built, but it would certainly be worth a good look.
Secondaries don’t do wrap around care, pupils are expected to get themselves there and then home again, although there are clubs etc. If you look at Amery/Perins you need to check about clubs and late buses (although no.13 goes from outside Amery into Basingstoke.)
You are right about putting the ‘banker’ in last place in your case Costello, the school that you would be okay with but pretty much guaranteed to get in year after year, and put your genuine first choice first.

Costello has homework club from 8 every day. So you could always drop your DS off for that.
Also after school homework club until 4 mon-thurs.

Great to read your feedback. thanks to all.

I know someone who works at Costello. They really like the new Head and are confident that the school will improve as a result.