Perins School Review 2026: Community-focused secondary with strong enrichment and a distinctive support model

Perins is ranked 2,152nd in England and 1st in Alresford for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is a useful shorthand for parents comparing broadly similar comprehensive schools.

In 2024, the school’s Attainment 8 score was 46.7. Progress 8 was -0.19, which indicates that, on average, students made slightly below-average progress from their starting points compared with students nationally. The Ebacc average points score was 4.18, and 9.1% achieved grades 5 or above across the Ebacc measure.

Taken together, this is a picture of broadly typical attainment in England terms, with progress that suggests outcomes vary by student and subject. For families, the practical implication is that the school’s systems, teaching consistency, and subject-level strength matter at least as much as headline averages. If you are weighing options locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools can help you look at Perins alongside nearby schools using consistent measures.

It is also worth keeping results in context. Perins operates a wide programme of enrichment and personal development, and the school has been explicit that it is not relying on a narrow set of success metrics. A good example is the way curriculum planning is described, with dedicated enrichment lessons in Years 7 and 8 designed to develop reflection, leadership, and teamwork, and a three-year Key Stage 4 model from Year 9 to Year 11.

Perins describes a clear structure across key stages, with Years 7 and 8 as a two-year Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 running from Year 9 to Year 11. That approach can help students settle early, then build towards GCSEs over a longer runway.

The school also leans into explicit teaching of learning behaviours. “Life Skills” and “Life Studies” sit alongside the academic curriculum, aiming to help students reflect on decisions and consequences and develop habits that support independence.

This is particularly relevant for students who do not arrive already confident in secondary-school routines. Rather than assuming students will simply adapt, Perins positions learning habits as something to be taught, practised, and reinforced.

Digital learning is another pillar. The laptop scheme has been operating since 2010, and the school states that students are given the opportunity to use a school laptop for their time at Perins, including at home.

For families, that has two implications. First, homework and classwork may assume regular device access. Second, it can level the playing field for students whose home technology access would otherwise vary. The school is clear that this depends on parent commitment and donations, so families may want to understand how contributions work in practice.

External review detail that helps parents is where teaching is strongest and where consistency still needs work. Inspectors highlighted that curriculum thinking is strong and that students learn an ambitious curriculum, but also flagged that some subjects move too quickly for knowledge to embed, and that modern foreign languages needed greater precision around speaking practice and grammar.

That matters because it points to variation. Parents of students with clear strengths in languages or humanities may want to ask subject-specific questions at open events and look closely at how challenge and support are structured in those departments.

Perins is an 11 to 16 school, so every student makes a post-16 move at the end of Year 11. This is neither a weakness nor a strength by itself, but it is a key planning point for families. Students will need to choose a sixth form college, a school sixth form, or an apprenticeship or training route, and the timing of those decisions can feel earlier than families expect.

Ofsted notes that Perins engages with employers and local universities as part of its careers programme, and that this work is intended to raise aspirations and broaden horizons.

The practical implication is that careers education should be visible well before Year 11. Families who value structured guidance should ask about how careers education is sequenced across Years 7 to 11, and how students are supported with applications and interviews.

For students who need additional support to remain engaged through Key Stage 4, Perins’ layered model is relevant here too. The Junction and The Station are both framed as routes to keep students connected to mainstream learning and social life, which can be particularly important when students are approaching decisions about next steps and need confidence as well as qualifications.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Hampshire’s admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the school states a closing date of Friday 31 October 2025, with national notification for on-time applicants on 2 March 2026.

Perins’ Published Admissions Number for Year 7 in the 2026 to 2027 academic year is 215.

If the school is oversubscribed, places are allocated using published criteria. The admissions policy sets out priority categories including looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need, children of staff in specified circumstances, catchment and sibling links, and then distance from home to school measured as a straight line.

The policy also references linked primary schools, which matters for families considering the longer-term pipeline through local feeder routes.

Two practical takeaways for parents:

1. If you are relying on catchment or distance, confirm your position early. Distances and patterns of demand can shift from year to year, particularly in areas with new housing or changing cohort sizes.

2. If you believe you have exceptional medical or social grounds, the policy is clear that evidence from an independent professional is required and must explain why Perins is essential rather than simply preferred.

Perins also runs open events designed to help families see the school in action. For 2026, the school advertises an open event on Thursday 25 June 2026 with both morning and evening formats, and states that registrations open in March.

Families shortlisting multiple Hampshire secondaries should consider using FindMySchoolMap Search to check travel practicality, especially if you are weighing Perins against schools outside the immediate catchment.

Pastoral structure is presented as a mix of day-to-day year and house leadership plus specialist support. The pastoral team description emphasises non-teaching roles, including guidance managers and heads of year and house, with a focus on wellbeing and mental health needs alongside wider welfare.

Safeguarding messaging is clear and direct, with a named safeguarding lead structure and a stated expectation of regular training and updates for staff.

In practice, families tend to care less about the existence of policies and more about how consistently they are applied. The 2022 Ofsted report supports the picture of a strong safeguarding culture, and also notes an expanded pastoral team intended to ensure students are well known and supported.

Where Perins differentiates itself is in the named additional layers:

• The Junction is described as an inclusion area with added structure, aiming to tackle barriers affecting engagement and behaviour, while keeping students connected to a broad curriculum delivered by mainstream teachers.

• The Station is framed as a specialist resourced provision for students with diagnosed social, emotional and mental health needs who are academically able but whose anxiety has blocked access to learning and social opportunities, with multiple “tracks” of engagement towards increased inclusion.

For parents of children who need extra help to stay settled and learning, this is a meaningful offer. It also sets expectations. Support is available, but it is structured and purposeful, with a clear direction of travel back into mainstream learning wherever possible.

Perins puts significant weight on co-curricular participation, and the evidence supports that this is not just marketing language. The school has a long-running tradition of large-scale productions, and the website lists recent shows including Into the Woods (2024), Little Shop of Horrors (2023), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2022).

For students, the implication is that drama is not reserved for a small elite group. A production culture creates roles for performers, musicians, technicians, set builders, and organisers, and it gives many students a structured way to build confidence.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is another clear strand. The school describes regular evening meetings to track progress and to prepare for expeditions, with the emphasis on challenge, teamwork, and perseverance.

The practical value here is that DofE gives students a framework to show commitment over time, which can be particularly helpful for students who grow through responsibility rather than through exam performance alone.

One of Perins’ most distinctive clubs is the equestrian programme. The Perins Equestrian Club is described as having around 40 members from Year 7 to Year 11, with fortnightly riding lessons at Sparsholt College and fortnightly polo sessions at Hampshire Polo School, plus competitions and an annual coach trip to the London International Horse Show.

That is unusually structured for a state secondary, and it signals that Perins is willing to build specialist pathways where there is genuine student demand.

Sport is also a major pillar. The school highlights a full sports programme and links this to wider events and tours, including a South Africa tour and a Manchester City football trip for Year 7.

For families, the key question is participation. Competitive pathways matter for some students, but the broader benefit comes when sport is accessible, well-coached, and part of a balanced week, particularly for students who learn best when physical activity supports concentration and wellbeing.

The school day is published as 32.5 hours per week. Tutor time begins at 8:40, lessons run through to a final lesson ending at 15:15, with a morning break and lunch built into the day.

Digital learning is a defined practical element of daily life. The school’s laptop scheme has been operating since 2010 and is designed so students can use a school laptop both in school and at home.

Families should plan for routines around charging and safe transport of devices, and should understand what is expected for parental contributions.

Open events are scheduled well ahead. The school advertises an open event on Thursday 25 June 2026, with both morning and evening formats, and indicates bookings open in March.

• Progress and consistency. Progress 8 is -0.19, suggesting outcomes are slightly below average for similar starting points. Families should ask how the school targets consistency across subjects and what extra support looks like for students who dip mid-key stage.

• Behaviour expectations are rising. The school has implemented a behaviour system intended to reduce low-level disruption, but external review noted that consistency among staff was still improving. This is worth exploring in visits, especially if your child is easily distracted.

• No sixth form. Every student moves on at 16. That can be positive for students ready for a fresh start, but it does mean families should think early about post-16 pathways and travel.

• Catchment and distance matter. The admissions policy gives weight to catchment and then distance once higher priorities are applied. Families outside catchment should treat entry as less predictable, even if the school can admit some students from further afield.

Perins is a solid local secondary with a broad offer and some genuinely distinctive features, particularly its structured layers of support, long-running laptop scheme, and unusually organised equestrian programme. Academic performance sits broadly in line with the middle of England schools, while enrichment and personal development are clearly integral to the school’s identity.

Best suited to families who want an inclusive, community-oriented comprehensive with clear routines, strong co-curricular opportunities, and a practical approach to building learning habits. For students who benefit from structured support to stay engaged, The Junction and The Station add an extra dimension that many mainstream schools do not have.