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Education

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Original poster

Berkhamsted

16 replies

jgrime99 · 13/04/2013 21:29

Hi there, I apologise in advance if im in the wrong area. Im a dad and have been on here a few times but i am not really sure where to go.

I live in north london and our son is 2 in june. We want to find a nice area for our son to go to school etc.

We have tried to find the best locations to suit my partner and my own needs and we have decided upon berkhamsted.

The main reason for leaving london is schooling.

Ideally we would like the opportunity of grammar schooling but i am not sure if its available in Berkhamsted.

What are the schools like for our son? I would ideally not have to pay but appreciate that Berkhamsted school has a good reputation and as such if needs be we would consider going private.

My partner is colombian and she noticed there was a school called Ashleys or something similar which claimed to be a specialist language school? Does anyone have any info on this school?

Im really sorry im not good at this and google schools and guides etc and read the osted reports but just dont know where to start. I am panicing a bit as dont fully understand the procedure of getting my son into a school.

Any berkhampsted specific schooling advice would be amazing.

Thanks in advance for anyone with any help.

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 13/04/2013 21:33

Berkhamsted is in Hertfordshire. Buckinghamshire has the grammar school system.

Ashlyns school in Berkhamsted is a good, ordinary secondary school.

Berkhamsted is right next to the line for Buckinghamshire so if you lived in Chesham or Aylesbury then they could apply to be in the grammar school system. Aylesbury grammar is a really good school.

Berkhamsted Collegiate is a private school and is about £15 k per year - it's an excellent school with really good facilities.

Original poster

jgrime99 · 13/04/2013 22:43

Thanks LaurieFairyCake, When you say "ordinary" school is that meant to mean non fee paying or ordinary as in its not anythign special?

As mentioned funding isnt the prefered option but a last resort. However if you had a boy who you wanted to suceed academically and lived just off the high street of Berkhamsted where would you choose to go both in terms of primary and in terms of secondary.

Many thanks again.

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 13/04/2013 23:00

Sorry - non fee paying, the school is good - I'm on my phone so I can't link you to the Ofsted report - lots of good sport there

The fee paying Collegiate is a very good school academically but lots of the boys I know whose parents aren't wealthy move half a mile down the road and get their academic kids into Aylesbury Grammar.

Ashlyns is a 3 Ofsted which used to mean 'satisfactory' and now means 'requiring improvement'.

You asked me what I'd do - I'd move half a mile and send a very academic child who wanted to go the grammar to the grammar in Aylesbury.

Or I'd send them to Ashlyns - but I would only do this as my Dh is a teacher and I know that he could improve our child's grades if there was an issue.

I love the Collegiate, I know many people with children there and I know a lot of the staff as its the biggest employer in Berkhamsted but I wouldn't spend 100k on a child's secondary education unless I could really afford it - please don't underestimate how expensive it is to live out here. I would probably have to earn about 150k a year before I would consider it - if you're in that ballpark then great

tungthai · 13/04/2013 23:08

Chesham Grammar is usually under subscribed and to date all of the children that pass the 11+ have been offered places there including Berkhamsted children.

The state primaries are very good. In your shoes I would find a house you like and worry about schooling once you are in the town. As I said all the state primaries are well regarded so it doesn't really matter which particular part of Berkhamsted you choose to live in. It's years before you have to worry about secondary schooling and Ashlyns is moving in the right direction.

LaurieFairyCake · 13/04/2013 23:11

And I have to agree with tungthai - the primary schools are all good

I misread your OP, thought your son was 12 not 2. Ashlyns may be brilliant by then.

fortyplus · 13/04/2013 23:16

Buy in Tring - more house for your money, less snobby and closer to Aylesbury Grammar (though Tring School is also good). ps I live in Hemel Hempstead, which Berko people consider beyond the pale - it's classier to live in a council flat in Berko than my rather lovely large 4 bed Edwardian house which is worth about the same as a 3 bed terrace with no parking just off Berko High St.

ps my boys went to Hemel Hempstead School which has a good reputation and achieves great results.

Original poster

jgrime99 · 13/04/2013 23:21

Thanks very much for all your help. Essentially i work in the city and need a commute under 1 hr. Which i think berkhampsted to euston then the city will be about 50 minutes.

My partner is colombian and has only ever lived in london. She loves Hampstead and Crouch end and Muswell Hill etc. She doesnt drive and as such wants a place that is near a villagey feel place.

We want a house that we can move into and is relatively modern etc and requires no effort or modification as we are not practical.
My family are from coventry and i travel 2 times per month as such anywhere north of london is great.

We have spent a year and a half looking for the right house not so much the right location. Today was the first one to tick all the boxes.

Wrongly i thought all of Hertfordshire was in the grammar stream, I went to a grammar school in rugby (nb you wont gather that from my spelling and punctuation!!!) and would love my son to do the same.

OP posts:

tungthai · 14/04/2013 07:36

If your wife loves Muswell Hill etc she will be happy in Berkhamsted. Lots of residents in Berkhamsted have relocated from the north London area.

eatyourveg · 14/04/2013 09:04

dh went to Ashlyns - he turned out ok

Original poster

jgrime99 · 14/04/2013 17:49

Thank you all very much for your help.

OP posts:

Original poster

jgrime99 · 14/04/2013 19:35

My son is catholic and i have noticed that JFK in hemel hempstead seems to allow catholic children from neighbouring areas. Does anyone have any knowledge of this school and the ease of access?

Thanks

OP posts:

tungthai · 14/04/2013 20:28

JFK is well regarded if you attend church you will have no problem securing a place for your son. The Catholic primary in Berkhamsted is called Thomas More and has a very good reputation.

fortyplus · 14/04/2013 21:43

If you're Catholic you could buy in Boxmoor - your son could attend JFK and you could walk to Hemel Hempstead station which is only 30 mins into Euston.

fortyplus · 14/04/2013 21:45

Boxmoor on Wikipedia

ReallyTired · 14/04/2013 23:14

JFK is one of the best schools in the area. If you attend church and have got your children baptised as babies then you should easily get a place at JFK. JFK takes children from far away as Luton.

1sttimemumS · 28/07/2017 19:56

Just picking up in this thread as we are looking at moving to berkhamsted. It seems as though primary is great. What are the latest views on secondary and non private. It seems as though Ashlyns is the only Option? Any views? Also what is the chances of getting into one of the Bucks grammars from berkhamsted? Any help would be great. My dd1 is 8 and dd2 5 and we don't want to move and then have to move again for secondary

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