Southampton - Education

Education

The city has a strong higher education sector. The University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University together have a student population of over 40,000.

The University of Southampton, which was founded in 1862 and received its Royal Charter as a university in 1952, has over 22,000 students. The university is ranked in the top 100 research universities in the world in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2010. In 2010, the THES - QS World University Rankings positioned the University of Southampton in the top 80 universities in the world. The university considers itself one of the top 5 research universities in the UK. The university has a global reputation for research into engineering sciences, oceanography, chemistry, cancer sciences, sound and vibration research, computer science and electronics, optoelectronics and textile conservation at the Textile Conservation Centre (which is due to close in October 2009.) It is also home to the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), the focus of Natural Environment Research Council-funded marine research.

Southampton Solent University has 17,000 students and its strengths are in the training, design, consultancy, research and other services undertaken for business and industry. It is also host to the Warsash Maritime Academy, which provides training and certification for the international shipping and off-shore oil industries.

Unlike most parts of the country, only two schools possess sixth forms. Instead there are two sixth form colleges: Itchen College and Taunton's College. A number of Southampton pupils will travel outside the city, for example to Barton Peveril College. Southampton City College is further education college serving the city. The college offers a range of vocational courses for school leavers, as well as ESOL programmes and Access courses for adult learners.

There are 79 state run schools in Southampton, comprising:

• 1 nursery school (The Hardmoor Early Years Centre in Bassett Green)
• 21 infant schools (ages 4 – 7)
• 16 junior schools (ages 7 – 11)
• 24 primary schools (ages 4 – 11)
• 8 secondary schools (ages 11 – 16)
• 2 secondary schools with sixth forms (ages 11–18)
• 2 academies (Oasis Academy Mayfield and Oasis Academy Lord's Hill)
• 5 special schools

There are also independent schools, including The Gregg School, King Edward VI School and St Mary's College.

Over 40 per cent of school pupils in the city that responded to a survey claimed to have been the victim of bullying. More than 2,000 took part and said that verbal bullying was the most common form, although physical bullying was a close second for boys.

It has been revealed that Southampton has the worst behaved secondary schools within the UK. With suspension rates three times the national average, the suspension rate is approximately 1 in every 14 children, the highest in the country for physical or verbal assaults against staff.