Basingstoke

[Inclusionist]

If we move to Basingstoke what would be the options for DS's secondary school? (He's only 2 but this would be a forever move).

We assumed he would go to a selective day school (if he turns out to be able) but there doesn't seem to be any such thing anywhere near Basingstoke. Not for a minute thinking he would be bright enough to rely on Reading Boys and that's quite a trek anyway.

Any thoughts???

[Winterfel]

If you look at the surrounding villages, Odiham for example, you might have more luck.

[eatyourveg]

If you try somewhere a little further south such as East Stratton and surrounding villages you could access Winchester schools

[Talkinpeace]

No selective state schools in Hampshire and Basingstoke is not notorious for its great schools.
BUT
lots of the primaries are lovely. Everest might have sorted themselves out by then and PSC is the bees knees

To the East, yup places that feed into Bohunt are well worth a look, or Wavell to the north and agree that Winohester is lubberly

[Meglet]

Tries to say something nice about Basingstoke secondaries......... um...

The primaries are nice, I'm not sure why it goes so pear shaped at secondary level. Harriet has an ok-ish reputation, Challoner is meant to be good but I know they tell parents to tutor if grades are slipping so it's not such a great school, it's just got parents who suck it up and pay for tutoring. Mine are infant age and I really worry about secondary schools, having been to one of them myself.

You could possibly get to a Winchester school, but AFAIK they are filling up now so the Basingstoke area could be too far out of catchment any day now.

[Mendi]

I assume by selective you mean private as Hampshire has no selective state schools.

Lord Wandsworth College near Hook is supposed to be good and runs buses from Basingstoke.

[Inclusionist]

Thanks all. Yes Mendi I did mean independent.

Our A plan is to move to the eastern edge of Bracknell whith either RGS (if DS turns out to be superbrain), Hampton or Radnor as day school options.

I hadn't thought of LWC so thanks for that thought. I think we'd probably have to post him up to Bradfield as we know the school well.

Plan A is sounding rather better though. Sad as we will get 500sq ft less for our money!!!

I don't suppose Abingdon is do-able from Basingstoke??? He could go to Wellington as a day boy IF Seldon buggers off in the next 10 years.

[Mendi]

I don't think Abingdon is do-able on a day basis from B'stoke, no. Reading much easier as the train goes direct.

Hampton is a fabulous school but very competitive. We are in Hampshire currently but moving to Surrey so have looked at all the schools there. DS tried for RGS Guildford but did not get in, so I would recommend at this early stage in your DS' life having a plan which includes both very academic (Hampton; RGS) and less academic schools. Cover all the bases.

I have some friends about to move out of London to Hampton and they're v excited about it, it's a nice area and I understand has some strong state primaries (my friends are planning state primary then private secondary for their DCs).

[Inclusionist]

I agree, hence we are trying to move somewhere where there will be as many options as possible.

I would like to move further away from London, I really like West Berkshire, but the further away you get the less options there are.

[Inclusionist]

We have in the back of our minds that DS might board at 13 in which case it wouldn't be a problem as long as we were close to a good prep. We would never make him board if he didn't want to though so there has to be a range of good day back ups.

[Mendi]

Do you need to get into London for work (commuting daily)?

[Mendi]

Around Godalming is nice - either in Godalming itself or the surrounding villages (depending on your lifestyle preference). You've got RGS, Cranleigh, Charterhouse for boys (the latter 2 with boarding as well as day). Or of course if he boards you can go further afield with the schools. There are lots of good preps in the area too - Aldro, Lanesborough for boys are the more academic I think, but there are several others very well thought of too.

Are you planning more children? Do you want your DS to go to a single-sex or mixed school, or do you not mind?

[Inclusionist]

We are not in London at the moment. We're between Slough and Maidenhead. DH works in Chertsey and I work in Slough, but am considering a job in West Berks atm!

DS is registered at Lambrook which we are super happy with. If we went to West Berks he could go to Elstree though which also looks really nice. We had decided to move close to Lambrook so DS would not have a long hike to school... until West Berkshire started calling me!

We used to live in a village west of Reading, but Chertsey is too far from up there, hence Basingstoke coming up.

I don't really want to get involved with the Guildford schools!! Friend lives there and it all sounds a bit terrifying! I don't want DS to do 3+ or 4+ or anything like that. He's August born and I just don't think selective would be right in the early days. Obviously we are hoping he will have caught up by 11+/ 13+.

[Talkinpeace]

TBH if you are looking at private, why do you want to live in Basingstoke?
It has a lovely ring road that gives access to much nicer parts of the county!

[Inclusionist]

I don't want to live in Basingstoke. Much as I don't want to live in Bracknell. However, we don't have the budget for a decent house in a beautiful village and school fees and for me the school fees win.

We have to compromise on something!

[Talkinpeace]

:-)
Fair point!
Just don't buy one of the houses in the new Popley estate : I was working there the other day, they are dire. Kempshott has a much nicer feel.

[Inclusionist]

I don't think Basingstoke is that bad... is it???

[Inclusionist]

Oh god- I have actually been to look there!!

[Talkinpeace]

Tee hee.
The rest of Hampshire is always horrible about Basingstoke.
And the ring road is just a nightmare.

But the new Popley development is of roads that will not be adopted : so the streets are really narrow, limited parking, no facilities etc etc
a future backwater basically.
Abbotswood near Romsey is the same. Looks nice on paper but been built to maximise developer profits, not to create a community.

[Mendi]

Inclusionist, the drive B'stoke to Chertsey would not be great. I have a neighbour who goes from here (near Micheldever) to Sunbury and he says you have to clear the M3 (i.e. arrive at your destination) by 7.30am otherwise it's traffic for miles. The bit between J4-J2 is very congested at peak times.

I would look around Marlow if I were you. Lots of good schools in striking distance and it's a lovely area.

[Talkinpeace]

Agree with that : when DH has to get past the M3 he aims to be at the M25 by 7.15
and coming home, the "Basingstoke slug" of traffic hitting the M3 at 4.45 is well worth avoiding.
If you are going to London by train, around Micheldever is popular ... as are Fleet and Farnborough

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I really wouldn't move to Basingstoke unless you need to be there for work.

It is a very odd place, there is much less going on than in other parts of the county - and the state secondaries are dire.

[Inclusionist]

Umm. Sounds like Basingstoke is a big fat NO. Mumsnet has spoken.

I don't actually like Marlow that much controversial. It's a bit 'yummy' for me.

Basically, back to the plan of Winkfield/ Warfield!!!

[Meglet]

talkinpeace never mind the rest of Hampshire being horrible about Basingstoke, I was born and bred here and I can be pretty snippy about it too. If I win the lottery I'm off to winchester.

Why are our secondaries not great? What happens to our teenagers to stop them achieving more?

[Talkinpeace]

Meglet
it is surreal isn't it : look at the catchment for Everest - why is it going so wrong?
and yet other parts of the county are doing OK ...

[Mendi]

How about Pangbourne? Friends of mine live near there and it seems very pleasant...