Dr. Challoner High School

[Mumof2D]

Hi all,
How difficult is it to get in Dr. Challoner High School (Grammar school for girls) if you are living in the catchment area? Also, any suggestion on feeding primary schools to this secondary school?
Thanks..

If you live in the catchment area and pass the 11+ test you're pretty much guaranteed a place. How old is your daughter? if she's not naturally academic it wouldn't be the right place for her. Local comprehensives are okay, but as they have creamed off the brightest children, then can struggle to get good teachers.

Generally around about the top third of children pass their 11+, you need to do some extra prep with them the year before they sit it (so they sit at the start of year 6, so most of the prep is done in year 5).

Little chalfont school gets a lot of their children in, but you have to live very close to the school to get in and housing in Little Chalfont is very expensive.

Lots of parents send their children to local prep schools, many of them have a high 11+ pass rate eg.high march in beaconsfield.

Thanks for the reply. I have 2 daughters, 1 in year one and other in preschool. Therefore we have to see where can she get in - year admissions and good school for younger one.
You wrote , Dr. Challoner is very academic. Does it mean it lacks in extra curriculars? Can you share some more thoughts on the school if you know about it?
Was looking at Elegani, St Mary Amersham....
You are right Properties around Little Chalfonts are scarce and expensive..
Thanks..
M2D

Just to clarify.

Pupils at private primaries 'opt in' to sit the 11+ (i.e. children expected to pass sit the test, and the pass rate is very high).

Pupils at state primaries 'opt out' of sitting the test (ie. the test is open to all, the the pass rate is obviously much lower).

11+ coaching is a massive business, with many children from better-off families being coached from Y4+. Hence the difference in pass rates between state primaries.

Mum Dr Challoners is very academic as that's what it does - it teaches the more academically able children, so if you have a borderline child, they can struggle. They do have similar extra-curricular activities activities to other schools, but I understand that some of the less academic subjects are being stealthily downgraded.

Grammar schools do suffer with funding for the extra subjects as they often have less money per pupil as they have less children who qualify for pupil premium.

If your child is right for the school though, its a fantastic school and gets great exam results.

Hi underneaththeash,
Thanks for your post. When it come to internet, one can read all sort of good and bad for anything. Same goes for DCH's review. My only concern is a review I read about the school not having great ethnic mix? Is it worrying? Is there any sort of bullying and all, if you know about?
Thanks...

We have had DCs at DCHS and CGS and found both to be pretty good academically but not that inspiring. We found them a bit narrow in outlook and non academic subjects have little funding.

There is not the greatest ethnic mix in the catchment. Wycombe High is different.

You won't get into any sought after primary school in that area unless you live in catchment. You need to look at the Bucks CC Admissions info to check these out. Little Chalfont school has always been extra popular. Please be aware though, that no primary school coaches for the 11 plus. If a school has a high level of success at 11 plus, this reflects the school population and not coaching by the school.

No school is a feeder for a grammar school. It is where you live that counts.

For YR admission, you need to live in catchment of the school you want by the January before your child will be admitted to school the following September. You won't find places coming up very often at Little Chalfont, Chestnut Lane or Elangeni or St Mary's . If you are thinking of moving then consider very carefully where you want to live and what primary might be available. I can assure you that not all get 30% 11 plus success rate. There are massive differences just a mile or so apart.

Grammar schools are academic. They have virtually no FSM or pupil premium children or even SEND children so inevitably their funding is a bit lower. Bucks is also a low spending authority on schools. It may well be that they will not be able to fund everything but they have plenty of very high earning parents!!! And are the best complainers out there!

Anyone would know how close you have to be from the school?

I live aboit 3 and half miles away bht i am in catchment area.

Is it that farther i am the lesser chance to get the admission?

Would it mattet my child do really welll on 11+ entrance test?

If you are in the catchment for DCHS and your dd achieves the qualifying score she will be offered a place. Everyone in catchment has been offered since 2015 when the school added an extra class.

Higher scores do not make any difference as long as 121 has been met.

Thank you so much for your such an valuable reponse. It explains a lot and reassures me too.

Still one more querry please?

There is another grammar school which is much closer to my address than Dr Challoner.

Would it mean council is going to insist my daughter to take place to the nearest grammar school, than to the one of my preferred choice?

thanks a million

The catchment of Dr Challoners High School overlaps with Chesham Grammar School. It is also possible to be nearer to Beaconsfield High School than Dr Challoners High School, but within Dr Challoners catchment. No, the LA will not insist on the nearer grammar. You do need to look at oversubscription rules for Dr C H though. It is on their web site.

Having had a quickl look, their admissions policy puts catchment at no 3 in their admissions critieria (behind looked after and fsm girls in catchment) and the LA would not normally make you go to a nearer school if you express a first preference for Dr Challoners High and live in catchment. The only possible issue might be if the school was oversubscribed but then it is normally children living furthest away from the school that might be directed elsewhere. Check the exact details though. For example, many years ago, Aylesbury High school took Gt Missenden girls when Dr C was full with girls living nearer. As you can see, the catchment extends quite a long way north.

However, I really would not worry. To put this into context, all the Grammar schools are great and most of the secondary schools are too. Many people would love to have a choice of fantastic schools like these.

Thanks a million for swift thorough explaining.
.you have put me in rest.

Thank you

HI

Has anyone with their own house moved into Buckinghamshire county just for the schools before 31st Oct deadline ? What did they do with their house if it could not go on rent in short time ? Thanks Shuchi

You need to have sold your home, and have evidence of that, as well as evidence that your move into Bucks is genuine, and not because you have shopped around for school places. There are too many exam tourists trying to take advantage of our system, and it’s inherently unfair for people who do live here. What is wrong with the schools where you live? When people feel their local schools are not what they want, they generally move, ‘before’ they enter their children for the test in that catchment, and not after. Bucks CC will examine moves like this, very closely.

Hi there I hope you or someone can help. I received a letter today from Dr Challoners 6th form, for sep 2020 entry. They said I need to upload my actual gcse grades when I receive them. They weren’t able to offer as I chose Maths A level and my prediction is 6 but needed 7. My point score met the criteria. I’m quite hopeful I’ll get 7 for maths but can someone tell me if they have been in the same boat as me and my likelihood of an offer. Any help will be much appreciated

Which Challoners is it... DCHS or DCGS?

Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Chesham Rd in Amersham
Buckinghamshire. HP6 5HA

@Mumof2D @bojorojo what are your thoughts about the mix of ethnicities at both Dr Challoners these days? My perception when viewing in Little Chalfont last year was that it hardly had any other ethnicity apart form Caucasian. Amersham and Chesham have more Asians but very few Africans or Caribbean. Dr Challoners' and Dame Alice Owens are the schools we like but it's safe to be in Buckinghamshire for selective schools.

Dr CGHS is quite mixed. Lots of Asians. Have a look at kids going in and out of the school. There is a larger number of Asians than any other ethnicities. Most live in Little Chalfont too for the school, and hardly hang out in the village. In 2022, I would not worry about a lack of ethnicity. Caucasians may actually be in the minority in 2022. But does it all really matter though

The area around DCGS and DCHS is generally not diverse.

Gerrards cross has a south asian minority population (mostly very affluent people of Indian heritage, Hindu or Sikh) but the other villages around are generally largely white. There are very few black people, particularly if you are comparing to relatively nearby areas like north west london or the area around luton.

Slough is more diverse. Whether the grammars there reflect this is another matter. Surely a great education is what really matters? White people or Asian people are all going to pleasant at DCHS.