Best state secondary schools in Hampshire and can we afford to live in catchment?

[NellyJames]

We are relocating to Hampshire. DH needs to get back into London just 3 times a fortnight so commute not really an issue.
Our eldest will be finishing GCSEs when next DC moves into Y6. Youngest will move into Y4. So we’d like to be in catchment for an excellent senior school for the younger 2 and where older one can do Alevels. I understand there’s far less pressure on 6th form places.

2 snags: we need 5 bed as it’s very likely that infirm MIL will move in within a couple of years max (she has no property so can’t contribute)
We have a max budget of 700k which I know will limit choice in very expensive SE.
DH has suffered a mini breakdown and whilst work have been phenomenal with regards working from home on a permanent basis (he’s quite senior) he’s very keen to be near the coast. Not to live on the coast but to be able to access it within an hour or so.
But schools will really determine where we end up.

Fleet (I think Hampshire?). Excellent commute and good schools. Liphook - Liphook infants & junior, Bohunt Secondary. All very good. Decent commute to London, but faster train from haslemere. Liphook houses very reasonably priced. Lots of big family homes. My friend moved down a few years ago and is very happy. Petersfield - slightly more expensive than liphook despite further out. Think a faster train than liphook.

Sorry, didn't see the bit about being by the sea. My friend in liphook goes to the coast a lot. Just off the a3 so a quick journey.

Huron Drive, Liphook
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-95759663.html

Bohunt has a 6th form and about a 45 min drive to the coast. However the roads to the beaches in the area do get extremely busy in good weather (Hayling Island, Witterings etc). Your best bet is to go down very early or in the evenings, we live a similar distance away and often go down to Hayling in the evenings.

On the other hand if you live in Havant you can cycle down there.

Bay House in Gosport has a good reputation and very close to the coast but Gosport is a bit of a traffic nightmare.

@Whycantthisbeeasy, thanks. I’ll look at Liphook. Not bothered about an easy commute so no point going over budget for Fleet.
@EasilyDelighted, thanks. His longing for the sea is probably more for windy wet days rather than hot days. He’s not a big beach fan but he is a huge sea fan if that makes sense.

Petersfield is great for commuting to London, it takes just over an hour via train.
However I attended The Petersfield School less than 10 years ago and had an extremely bad experience with bullying not being dealt with, teachers being biased and (TRIGGER WARNING) I was sexually assaulted by another student, my parents were told that the teachers new this would happen , the case didn't go as far as prosecution due to lack of evidence so the student and I both went back to school. I was very anxious and tried to stay in with a member of staff who allowed it for a week or two before telling me it's time for me to get over it and go back outside- where that student and his friends immediately chased me and pushed me into a bush. I was terrorised by the group of students for a very long time and the teachers turned a blind eye. I was later put into the same 'house' as that student and made to applaud him for his work in a club (I was picked out as not clapping and told to clap or be sent outside). My parents eventually pulled me out.
Sorry for so much random awful information in your thread, but many of those teachers are still there and I thought it best to share my experience of the school being very unsupportive incase it's one you are considering.

Apologise for any bad spelling- I need to go to bed!

then places like right move give you catchment areas.

Or, rather more reliably (not going to tell you, Oh yes, of course it's in catchment for the school you want when it isn't, because it's not on the business of selling houses), the Local Authority.

All the secondary schools in Winchester are excellent so I wouldn’t rule it out. If you look at areas a little further out like Weeke you might be able to find something.

I just searched on right move and there were 7 5 bedroom houses for sale in Winchester for £700 or
Less.

I'm sorry for your experience lloe6 but I do have to say my Dd has just left Petersfield and the school leadership team and school staff are very very different from when she started.

@NellyJames Petersfield and Bohunt are same academy trust ...Bohunt has the sixth form but they share teachers just depends what school.suits at time. It.used to be that you could be miles further south i.e nearer the coast like I am and get a place but I have heard that is nit so much the case anymore. If you want a sixthform as opposed to a college you will be limiting yourself in Hants.

A budget of £700K? You can easily afford to live in Hampshire (depends what you want of course, but you can afford a decent house).

Fleet has two good secondaries, you could also look at Hook/Odiham for Robert May's or Romsey for Mountbatten school. Fleet is "commuter belt" but it is affordable and anyway "commuter belt" may not really be "commuter belt" anymore as people work more from home and travel into London less often.

As for sixth form colleges you are spoilt for choice really - they are all pretty good. The ones I know about are QMC in Basingstoke, Alton, Peter Symonds and Farnborough.

Petersfield is lovely and would be another good choice.

Fleet is too far from the coast IMO. You've either got to go through the busy Aldershot/Farnborough route and cross country to the A3 or all the way down the m3 which is a long way round.

Worthing is about 1.5 hrs by train to London and is on the coast, so could be worth a look?

Thanks everyone. As mentioned, we don’t really need to be able to commute to London. DH will go in once a week at most and even then he won’t need to be there for 9 so a 2hour journey would be fine.
@cologne4711, it doesn’t seem to go far when we need 5 useable bedrooms.

Christchurch? Twynham is good.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69156159.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-92716346.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-89939381.html

I have to say that if I wanted a big house and garden near a more bracing part of the coast, I'd be heading for Suffolk rather than Hampshire - there are still good schools to be found. Look at Debenham, Hartismere or Farlinghaye schools. You get a lot more house for your money, and can commute via Ipswich if it's not every day.

West Totton/Ashurst is nice. School is Hounsdown which has an excellent rep, although known for being academic so would depend on your children's preferences. Junior school is also excellent. Also close to Romsey if you preferred that secondary. And train direct to London, in the new forest and coast in 15/20 mins

I grew up in Hampshire and think you've had some good recommendations, I just wanted to say don't tie yourself to the idea of a school that goes to sixth form, firstly because that's not the general system in Hants and secondly because your older DC will not want to drive your younger DC in, their time table will likely be completely different. Seems a fragile arrangement to base a school decision on.

Bay House secondary and sixth form have some of the best results in Hampshire (especially the sixth form). Its in Gosport on the coast and you will definitely find a lovely 5 bed house in the Alverstoke area. Traffic getting out (it's on a peninsula) isnt great but is getting better, but it's a couple of minutes ferry ride to Portsmouth for the main train line into London and shopping at gunwgarf quays. Lots of green open spaces, lots of history and very safe for children. We love living here with the beach on our doorstep, great schools and away from the busyness of a large city.

Lymington is lovely and within your budget. Schools are good there too. Sixth form college is Brockenhurst so a short train journey away.
Ringwood in the New Forest is also lovely and school is excellent with a sixth form but you’d have to drive to a train station.
However don’t discount areas because of no schools with sixth forms. The sixth form colleges are generally excellent and have significantly better resources than the schools and a much wider choice of post 16 options.

If you want a sixth form you could look at Yateley. I think it used to be in Surrey and thus has a sixth form. No station though, you'd have to drive.

I don't think the sixth form college issue is a problem though - I went to an 11-18 school as did DH so it was a new system for us, but ds is about to go into Y13 at a 6th form college and he likes it even with all the disruption there has been.

Sorry not Surrey, Berkshire!

@chocolateoranges33

Bay House secondary and sixth form have some of the best results in Hampshire (especially the sixth form). Its in Gosport on the coast and you will definitely find a lovely 5 bed house in the Alverstoke area. Traffic getting out (it's on a peninsula) isnt great but is getting better, but it's a couple of minutes ferry ride to Portsmouth for the main train line into London and shopping at gunwgarf quays. Lots of green open spaces, lots of history and very safe for children. We love living here with the beach on our doorstep, great schools and away from the busyness of a large city.

Haha! Pretty much what I said and you are obviously just down road from me!

I was down beach this morning. Feel so lucky to have it on the doorstep!