As I write, the best part of 400 small boys are sitting their CEM Tests in the BWS Sports Hall and elsewhere and the 11+ is in full swing. That is far more than we have had before in my time in Salisbury; looking back the next highest was 339 back in 2002, a usual level being 270-310. I suspect that there are several factors in play here. The return of British Army personnel to the UK in general and Wiltshire especially is now happening, and it is clear that there is quite good level of awareness there which will have an effect. The growth in housing around Salisbury, at Old Sarum, Harnham, Laverstock, Bishopdown and now Long Hedge and St Peter’s must be bringing new families to the area though my assumption was that this would not come through just yet. The same goes for the growth of estates to the south of Amesbury, where it feels now like a new small town has appeared, mushroom-like from the fields. The fact that we now take 160 into Year 7 has changed perceptions of the accessibility of the school to families both locally and further afield, and growing consciousness of the quality of what is on offer here seems to be permeating greater distances within Wiltshire and across county boundaries too. I’m not complaining in the slightest – far from it – but I do want to make sure that Bishop’s remains a school right at the very heart of its local community, and that we have lots of happy, fulfilled boys joining us. If those are both true then we are doing the right thing.
The recruitment story looms large at a more senior level too, as we are now advertising our superb sixth form package to boys and girls in Year 11 across a much wider stage than ever before. This term my staff will be visiting a total of 44 state schools which lie within 60 minutes travel time of BWS to tell students and parents what we have to offer here. Many of those schools will not have been visited before – for example those in Andover, Winchester, Basingstoke and also to the south in both Hampshire and Dorset. The reality is that Bishop’s is radically different to what is on offer for those Year 11s in their more ‘usual’ routes of progression once they are 16 and GCSE approaches. There are some good FE colleges but, the nature of the beast means that they have very large year groups and results can be variable. In comparison our manageable teaching groups at A level and brilliant teaching, our focused academic curriculum, our closely supportive one-to-one mentoring, our emphasis on holistic education and the supported development of individual study skills and the sheer pace of learning is entirely different to what a sixth form college can offer. Add to that BWS’ relentless focus on academic standards and our extraordinarily good university progression (60% Russell Group, 18 to Oxbridge in 2019) and I think that there is an immensely attractive offer that will leave most others in both state and private sectors some way behind. And all, of course, located in the most glorious Cathedral Close in England…as well as Greggs and Boston Tea Party!
For prospective parents I sometimes describe Bishop’s as a launch pad for the future, and it’s true. For boys, and girls who come here there are endless possibilities which become within reach.
SDS
