Priestlands School Review 2026: Academic Ambition in the Heart of the New Forest

Set on the outskirts of the coastal town of Lymington, Priestlands School is a large, popular secondary that serves a wide catchment area across the southern New Forest. The school occupies a sprawling, green site in Pennington, where historic buildings meet modern additions, creating an environment that feels more like an open campus than a standard town school. In 2026, Priestlands remains a highly sought after choice, known for its solid academic performance and a culture that balances high expectations with a genuine sense of community. It currently ranks as the top performing secondary school in Lymington (FindMySchool ranking) and sits comfortably within the middle 35% of schools in England. With over 1,200 students, it is a substantial institution, yet it manages to maintain a reputation for knowing its students well.

The atmosphere at Priestlands is defined by its physical environment as much as its ethos. The school is situated on a site with significant historical character, featuring a 19th century house at its core. This heritage is balanced by a commitment to modern facilities, including a specialist arts and technology block. The school operates with a clear sense of order; students move between the various buildings with a purpose that suggests a well embedded routine.

Mr Peter Main has served as the Headteacher since January 2018, providing a period of stable and focused leadership. Under his guidance, the school has maintained its Good Ofsted rating, with the most recent inspection in April 2023 confirming that Priestlands continues to be a school where students feel safe and well supported. The culture is one of quiet ambition, where success is celebrated but not at the expense of student wellbeing. There is a palpable pride in the school's identity as a community academy, one that serves its local families while looking outward to global opportunities.

Priestlands consistently delivers academic outcomes that sit above the England average. In the most recent validated results, the school achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50.1, which is notably higher than the England average of 45.9. This score reflects the achievement of students across a broad range of eight subjects, including English, mathematics, and the sciences.

The school ranks 1,343rd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking). This performance reflects solid, dependable results, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), outpacing many local alternatives. The Progress 8 score of -0.01 indicates that students make progress that is exactly in line with national expectations from their various starting points at the end of primary school. Furthermore, 22.9% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), highlighting a strong focus on traditional academic subjects.

The curriculum at Priestlands is broad and balanced, designed to cater to a wide range of interests while maintaining a core of academic rigour. In the lower years, students follow a varied programme that includes the humanities, performing arts, and technology alongside core subjects. As they move towards GCSE, the school provides extensive guidance to help students choose paths that suit their strengths and future aspirations.

Teaching is effective and well structured. Official observations have confirmed that teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve and use their subject expertise to plan lessons that challenge all ability levels. There is a particular emphasis on developing independent learning skills, with students encouraged to take responsibility for their own progress. The school’s status as a specialist Arts College in the past continues to influence the curriculum, with a strong emphasis on creativity and expression across all year groups.

Extracurricular life is a major pillar of the Priestlands experience. The school makes excellent use of its extensive grounds and local connections to offer a range of activities that go beyond the standard sports and music.

STEM Excellence

The school encourages participation in regional and national competitions. The "Priestlands Rocketry Club" is a notable example, where students design, build, and launch rockets, fostering a practical application of physics and engineering.

Creative Arts

With its heritage in the arts, the school produces high quality drama productions and musical concerts. The Priestlands Jazz Band is a well regarded ensemble that performs frequently at local community events.

Sport

Facilities are extensive, including a large sports hall, floodlit all-weather pitches, and vast playing fields. The school is particularly strong in rugby and hockey, with several teams achieving success in Hampshire county competitions.

Priestlands is a heavily oversubscribed school. For the most recent intake, there were 302 applications for 229 places, resulting in a subscription proportion of 1.32. This means that for every 100 places available, approximately 132 families applied, making entry competitive for those living outside the immediate area.

Admissions are coordinated by Hampshire County Council. For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 31 October 2025, with national offer day set for 02 March 2026. Priority is given to looked after children, those with a sibling already at the school, and those living within the defined catchment area, which covers Lymington, Pennington, and several surrounding villages. Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise location in relation to the catchment boundary. Because the school is at capacity, families moving into the area mid year should contact the school directly to inquire about the waiting list.

Pastoral care is a clear strength, with the school organized into a vertical house system: Avon, Forest, Hurst, and Solent. This structure allows students of different ages to interact, with older students often acting as mentors to younger peers. Each student belongs to a tutor group that meets daily, providing a consistent point of contact for both academic and social support.

The latest inspection confirmed that the school has a strong safeguarding culture, with students reporting that they feel safe and that bullying is dealt with effectively when it occurs. The school also employs a dedicated wellbeing team, including a school counsellor and ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) trained staff, to support students facing emotional or mental health challenges.

The school day begins at 8:40am and concludes at 3:10pm. While Priestlands does not provide its own specific wraparound care, various local providers offer after school services in Pennington and Lymington. Parents should contact the school office for a current list of local external partners.

Travel to the school is well coordinated. Many students arrive via dedicated school buses that serve the more rural parts of the New Forest catchment. For those living in Pennington or Lymington, walking and cycling are encouraged, with ample secure bike storage available on site. There is no student parking, and parents are encouraged to use designated drop off points to avoid congestion on North Street.

• Oversubscription: With 1.32 applications for every place, Priestlands is consistently oversubscribed. Families living on the fringes of the catchment area or those moving to the area after the January deadline may find it challenging to secure a place immediately.
• Large School Feel: With over 1,200 students, the school is large. While the house system breaks this down into smaller communities, students who thrive in smaller, more intimate environments might find the scale and the busy nature of the campus overwhelming at first.
• No On Site Sixth Form: Priestlands serves students up to age 16 only. This means all students must transition to a new provider for A levels or vocational study. While the school has excellent links with Brockenhurst College and Totton College, the move at Year 11 is a significant milestone that requires early planning.

Priestlands School is a robust and successful secondary that offers a high quality education in an enviable setting. It successfully combines academic discipline with a broad, enriched curriculum, making it an excellent fit for students who are ready to engage with both their studies and a wide array of extracurricular opportunities. Best suited to local families within the New Forest catchment who want a dependable, community focused school with strong academic outcomes. Families interested in this option can use the Saved Schools feature on FindMySchool to manage their shortlist and track upcoming open event dates.