Secondary Schools in Gosport

Secondary education options in the borough

Gosport has three main state secondary schools serving the borough, and the choice of school is a significant concern for families living here. The borough does not operate a grammar school system, so all three are comprehensive schools taking pupils from age 11 to 16, with sixth form provision available at some.

Bay House School and Sixth Form on Gomer Lane in Alverstoke is the most sought-after of the three and consistently the most oversubscribed. Its position in the southern part of the borough, close to Stokes Bay and the more affluent Alverstoke area, contributes to its popularity. The school has a large sixth form and offers a broad range of A-level and BTEC courses. Results have generally been above the borough average. The catchment area is tightly drawn and living within it is a consideration for families buying property in the area. Bay House has specialist facilities including a performing arts centre.

Brune Park Community School on Military Road serves the central part of the borough. The school takes pupils from the surrounding estates including parts of Forton, Elson, and central Gosport. Brune Park has had a more mixed history with Ofsted inspections and has been through periods of improvement and reorganisation. The school has invested in its facilities and works to raise attainment in an area that faces higher levels of deprivation than the borough average. It offers a range of vocational and academic courses.

Bridgemary School on Wych Lane serves the northern part of the borough, including Bridgemary, Woodcot, and parts of Rowner. The school has faced challenges linked to the socio-economic profile of its intake area, which includes some of the most deprived wards in Hampshire. Bridgemary has undergone changes to its leadership and structure in recent years as part of efforts to improve standards.

For families wanting alternatives, the nearest options outside the borough include Cams Hill School in Fareham, which has a strong reputation, and the grammar schools in Fareham (Price's) and Portsmouth (the Portsmouth Grammar School, which is fee-paying). Some families in Lee-on-the-Solent look towards Fareham schools rather than the Gosport options.

The borough does not have a standalone sixth form college. Students staying in education post-16 can attend the sixth form at Bay House, or travel to Fareham College, Highbury College in Portsmouth, or St Vincent College on Mill Lane in Gosport. St Vincent College (now part of the CEMAST group) offers vocational and technical courses and sits on the former HMS St Vincent site.

School transport within the borough is largely by bus, with regular services connecting the residential areas to each school. Most Gosport secondary schools are within cycling distance of the main housing areas, and the flat terrain makes cycling a practical option.

Secondary school places in Gosport are allocated by Hampshire County Council, and the application process opens in the autumn term of Year 6. Expressing a preference for Bay House without living in or near the catchment area is unlikely to succeed, so families should be realistic about their options based on where they live.