Commute

Ease of the commute is as significant as time up to a point. Hour door to door here, but 50 minutes on the train makes it possible to get plenty of work done en route.

Not sure the people of Oxford would think of themselves as unsophisticated, but equally given how built up the South East is, nowhere is really that far out/ rural, South Bucks is almost the most rural South of Oxford given how difficult it is to get planning in the S Bucks area for new developments.

@ChickenSoupAndLokshen How very rude! Nowhere deserves this woman!

@TizerorFizz the boonies are the sticks. It's an American expression for an area that isn't easy to get to and isn't v sophisticated.

Why won't you live within walking distance to St Helen's so your DD can prepare better for A Level?

Where do you expect DH to be based? How easy should his commute be? Personally I like Berkhamsted as a place to live and it has good access to London. To Oxford it’s not great - cross country - but doable once a week or twice. . Would not want it every day!

Yeah, as @TizerorFizz says, don't do Beaconsfield to Berkhamsted – that's a half-hour drive on a Sunday morning, at least twice that in school traffic.

I strongly recommend you decide on whether your house's location is the priority, or your DCs' schools. Then choose the other accordingly…

@yoga123 What are boonies?

So you would have DC commute to Berko from Beaconsfield? Just too far. Berko is pretty MC. If you need work that badly surely around Oxford works just as well. (Or is DH in London?) What are you too far from? Around Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross is countryside. Plus loads of interior designers already who are established. It’s an overcrowded market here!

But if your ds will be entering year 6 the Bucks 11+ test is this September so will he have little time to benefit from any cramming.

A word on Crown House. It’s a total grammar 11+ crammer (but I guess you already know that). The facilities really aren’t great and the fees reflect that. It’s only recently they got a teacher of sport in house. It’s small size has it’s benefits, but be prepared for a lot of time sat at desks working and very few of the added bells and whistles.

That’s fine if it’s what you want, but just wanted to highlight. You’ll get a very different experience at St Martin’s, Thorpe House or Berkhamsted.

@yoga123 Gerard's Cross

Is there nothing in Oxford? Seems a lot of hassle to be in Bucks or Herts. Far more going on there too!!

Berkhamsted to Oxford is cross country. If you had both at Berko, living nearer to Wendover is a better bet.

There's a school coach from GX to St Helens. Lots of girls go there. Though the non rush hour drive can be 15 / 20 mins the bus journey will take c45 / 60 for school. Don't know about St Martins. I don't hear of many boys from GX going there.

Berkhamsted is a great school and there’s a lot to be said for having the children in the same place.

The town itself is also a great place to live. 90% of house sales are people moving out of London. Has a Waitrose, Gails and numerous coffee shops and places to eat out. A great tennis club, sports centre with swimming pool, a lovely cinema and half an hour into Euston on the train. Connections to Oxford aren’t as good as Beaconsfield though.

If you wanted to try for a Bucks 11+ place you need to register very soon and be living in a local address by October.

@thing47 I really did mean from Beaconsfield. 6 miles traffic jams around Chorleywood today! Driving is a non starter from there.

Not everyone needs loads of prep for the 11+, so may still be worth a shot for your DS I think. But not much point in putting him in for it if you're not going to be living in Bucks.

As mentioned above, there are plenty of towns and villages in south Bucks which would allow you to keep your options open between St Helens/MTS/Berkhamsted/Bucks grammars (the latter could also work for your DD at Sixth Form, does she know what she wants to study for A level?).

@yoga123 contrary to what has been said, lots of DCs go to private schools in Northwood from south Bucks and always have – St Helens and Merchant Taylors primarily. It's a perfectly viable daily commute, but you need to think TRAIN not car or coach.

And this doesn't work from Beaconsfield because it's on a different train line from the one you need. A much better option is to live in or around Amersham and Little Chalfont and then your DCs can get to Northwood on the Metropolitan tube line.

To address your other points: Thorpe House is a perfectly reasonable option. You are unlikely to get a Bucks GS place at 13 (as PPs have said). Berkhamsted is a good choice but from your OP you seem to prefer single-sex schooling? If so, be aware that Berkhamsted is only single-sex between Y7 and Y12 so both your DCs would be in mixed schooling.

Bicester to London and Oxford to London is pretty easy. Oxford has lot's of private schools.