Buckinghamshire Gateway School vs Griffin House School

[TheBellsAreRinging]

Posted in Private school as well, but trying here for more traffic.
Moved to Buckinghamshire (South) not long ago, and currently looking for a school for our 3 year old. It's probably going to be either Gateway or Griffin and I would appreciate your thoughts/experience (obviously the latter will be different for everyone). The idea is to enable my little one to go to grammar school after 11+ (subject to them being academically gifted which we shall find out in the next few years). Gateway is apparently very good at preparing children for Grammars, and also growing their confidence etc. Griffin on the other hand seems to put (even) more emphasis on pastoral care. My little one is quite a gentle soul, always the first one to share with friends and help them. They might struggle a little with boisterous types and would probably benefit from smaller classes and a more personal approach (they will also be one of the youngest in the class).
Have looked up a few similar posts on Mumsnet but could not see any recent ones. Thank you for any insights you may be able to provide!

From what I have heard, GH is falling by the wayside. Some parents pulling children out (not vat related) because standards have slipped. I know that some activities parents expect to be on-site aren’t feasible at GH eg they go to Risborough Springs (council owned) swimming pool for lessons.

A friend of mine was booked in for a viewing which GH which GH themselves cancelled by email and never reinstated.

Can’t help re Gateway other than its Montessori.

I agree with PollyMolly3. I'm aware of parents who have decided to pull their kids out of what is a declining school and we're looking to do the same. The whole feel of the place has been going downhill since the headmaster left several years ago. Facilities are sub-par or non-existent; large parts of the estate are neglected and cramped; and administration is a complete failure. There's high teacher churn, with three headteachers in the past several years. Pastoral care used to be a real strength but like most other things, it's really not up to scratch. It's also worth noting, that some of the classes aren't full and the company that owns Griffin House have recently closed other schools in their portfolio. So beware! It wouldn't be the first time this school has had to close down at short notice.

Update from my previous post:

Friend gave GH a second chance by trying to book a visit, 12 months later.
Was told by admissions a return call would be made within 72 hours…it never came.

She put in a grievance to the group that own GH (Chatsworth Schools) and has also not received an acknowledgment or reply of any kind.

From what I've heard from current and former parents, you should definitely avoid GH. The word about town (well Butlers Cross) is that they talk a good game but standards have fallen off a cliff edge. The school is pretty run down and lacks a lot of things you'd expect for the money. I wouldn't be surprised if closes down at short notice like St Teresa's. So beware and don't leave yourself in the lurch.