Principal

Peter Symonds College is a sixth form provider in Winchester, Hampshire with approximately 4,000 students aged 16-19, the majority of whom are studying A level. There is also a thriving adult provision with around 3,000 enrolments each year, ranging from leisure to HE and including teacher training. The College has two co-educational boarding houses accommodating over 70 students, including those from the Falklands Islands overseas territory.

The town of Winchester has a population of 45,000, and is known for its landmark cathedral and for an exceptional range of cultural activities. It is frequently cited in surveys as one of the best places to live in the UK. The College is a five minute walk from Winchester rail station.

Principal

Sara Russell

Values and vision

'Counting in Ones' is our motto and is the key principle which guides everything we do. Value added is good and the large majority of our students progress to higher education, many to Russell Group universities. A large number of our students each year, usually around fifty, are able to secure places at the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Pastoral support is well resourced and students also benefit from an unusual range of music, sporting and other enrichment opportunities.

Ofsted

Peter Symonds College is celebrating 20 years as an Ofsted Outstanding provider, following a recent inspection which assessed the College as Outstanding in every area of its work.  The prestigious accolade follows a rigorous four-day review, which saw inspectors engaging with students, parents, staff, stakeholders, governors and the College’s leadership team.

The inspectors found that “students enjoy learning in an environment where they are encouraged to excel” and they were “part of a deeply inclusive environment that celebrates and respects diversity”. The College was commended for an “outstanding quality of education”, a “culture that drives exceptional outcomes for all students”, and “exceptionally well-coordinated support”.

Principal Sara Russell said: “Symonds is a special place. I am thrilled that Ofsted's latest report captures the whole spectrum of things that make Symonds exceptional. I am incredibly proud of this College and the unparalleled experience it offers students, and I am so pleased to see this work recognised by Ofsted.

“The report reflects the collective effort and dedication of the entire Symonds community. It rightly celebrates the warm, diverse and supportive environment here which allows our students to thrive and pursue their ambitions.”

Highlights from the Ofsted report include:

• “Students achieve in excess of the progress that would be expected.”
• “Students appreciate the diverse range of high-quality enrichment opportunities, including career related events, music ensembles and sporting activities.”
• “Teachers structure lessons skillfully, enabling students to deepen their understanding and retain knowledge effectively, which supports them to make exceptional progress in their studies.”
• “Teachers plan highly inspiring and interactive lessons that encourage students to explore challenging concepts and develop the resilience and confidence needed to succeed in their studies.”
• “All students, including those with SEND and high needs, thrive academically and make substantial progress from their starting points.”

Inspectors also praised the College’s drive to prepare students for their future lives by nurturing “employability skills such as research, time management and resilience”.  The report highlighted that students were given opportunities to attend, participate and lead “subject-specific enrichment experiences, workshops and extracurricular events”.

Sara Russell added: “'Peter Symonds College is proud to share the progress we have made since our last inspection, building on our strengths with a heightened commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We believe in fostering an environment where our entire college community can thrive. Alongside this, we have made significant investments in our campus and student resources. A highlight is the construction of our state-of-the-art music facility which is set to offer students access to the finest musical resources in the region.

“Our unwavering dedication to continuous improvement reflects our ongoing mission to provide the highest quality education experience. We work incredibly hard to develop and maintain a remarkable offer for our students, and to provide a balanced, well-rounded education where they can be happy and successful.  It is great to see this recognised by the inspectors.”

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/40/130708