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Original poster

Berkhamsted schools - help please!

233 replies

teetering · 07/02/2009 17:09

We are moving to the Berkhamsted area and wonder if anyone can give any further insights to: Berkhamsted Collegiate Prep School, Westbrook Hay Prep School and The Beacon School in Chesham Bois? It's hard to get an inside view when all you can do is read a review and do a quick tour etc.

If there are any other schools (state or private) that anyone can recommend, please do share!

Thanks!

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Original poster
teetering · 08/02/2009 21:18

LOL! One estate agent grew up in Berkhamsted and now lives in Boxmoor, and was very forward in saying that he really dislikes Berko, saying it's 'neither fish now fowl'. I think that the shop issue might be the only downside that I can find. Not insurmountable though!

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Original poster
teetering · 08/02/2009 21:22

DH has asked 'if you wanted to be in the area but not live in Berko, where would you go?'!!!!!!!!!!

He is thinking that if we were to rent in Berko for 6-12 mths and decide that we (he!) don't like it, is there an obvious alternative place to be in the area??!

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NK1c0cfef8X11b3c70bf0e · 08/02/2009 23:14

Teetering, at first Saturdays were tiring plus the longer school day but after a couple of weeks it was not an issue . One thing to bear in mind is the long exeats which can cause problems if you work. My experience was that there was always someone willing to help/pick up if you needed to work, everyone was very helpful. Day boys were treated the same as borders and sometimes it was good to know that they could stay for supper if you needed them to. Also if there was room they could stay for one night at a reasonable cost, sometimes easier than a 'baby sitter'. At the time my son was at the school you could not be a prefect/headboy unless you were a border/flexi border. I think they have an open day coming up, worth a visit. I do not regret sending my son to the school, it was a great learning experience for him even though we were not the typical prep school family. Good luck.

NK1c0cfef8X11b3c70bf0e · 08/02/2009 23:30

sort of cut off. weirdy like league of gentlemen.

How true! But Boxmoor (and I should know) justs like to pretend that it is not in Hemel Hempstead. No one would move from Berko to Boxmoor unless they had to,there is nothing in Boxmoor apart from the moor and the railway station. The worst thing about Berko is Waitrose on a Saturday when all the men are sent to do the shopping,waiting it seems for Boden Johnnie to do his catalogue shoot. Berko is lovely for day to day shopping, it has a lovely organic butcher plus Waitrose and a small Tesco. Do you listen to 'Ed Reardon' on Radio 4 ? It is set in Berko. Nice canal to stroll along and good train connection to London.

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 08/02/2009 23:42

I'm in Boxmoor too and we very much like to pretend we're not Hemel. It's better for shopping than pound shops though. Apart from Debenhams which is very good considering the nearest is Luton or London for a Debenhams there is Monsoon (with helpful staff that will order stuff) and Laura Ashley, 2 Waterstones, H&M, HMV, Next.

The main advantage Hemel has over Watford is the parking for the shops, it's a fifth as cheap and most importantly at Christmas you don't get trapped on the Watford ring road for 3 hours unable to park and unable to get off it.

Berko's lovely and we nearly bought there two years ago but the size of house swayed us (you don't have that problem with your budget obviously)

Best news, Ocado's deliver so you don't have to actually go to Waitrose except for 'bits'.

And the organic butcher is the best in the universe imo

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 08/02/2009 23:51

Just in case you haven't ruled out Boxmoor

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-18858763.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E65129&sortB yPriceDescending=true&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&pageNumber=1&backToLi stURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E65129%26sortByPriceDescendi ng%3Dtrue%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses

And I notice that my favourite house in the whole area went on sale yesterday (gutted that I can't have this as I was only drooling over it last week when on the Moor in the snow)

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24506591.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E65129&sortB yPriceDescending=true&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&pageNumber=1&backToLi stURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E65129%26sortByPriceDescendi ng%3Dtrue%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses

ForeverOptimistic · 09/02/2009 10:04

For our big shopping we tend to go to Brent Cross, it is further than Watford but takes about the same length of time to get there as Watford has traffic issues and at Brent Cross you don't have to worry about finding a parking space.

Beaconsfield is not too far and has good clothes shops, Fat Face, White Stuff etc and High Wycombe is only a 20 minute drive away.

I think it is a good plan to rent for 6 months and see if you like it. Most people I know rented at first and have ended up staying. Why don't you come back for a longer weekend and see how you find it? Make sure you go for a walk in Ashridge and have a drink at one of the canalside pubs before you make up your mind.

The school run to the Beacon School would be fine, it is on the Berko side of Chesham, even in the school rush I don't imagine it would take long.

Have you considered Haresfoot School? I don't know much about it, I know of someone who sent their son there and they were happy with it.

clam · 09/02/2009 19:08

LOL at Boxmoor folk pretending we don't live in Hemel! But true!
Go to David Doyle's estate agents or Castles for Boxmoor properties (although they also have offices in Berkhamsted.
Laurie, is that the house that had an open day? Up with H's?

dearbeatrice · 09/02/2009 19:41

I would agree re Northchurch being a bit too far to walk to station; my dh will do a fair size walk where we are now, but that was too much for him.. miss Berko terribly having been relocated by work to Surrey. Have friends there still and going to a wedding at the Collegiate School where two of them attended, so can vouch for the staying in touch bit..

good luck - it's worth holding out for. I'd move back like a shot if it didn't mean a slog round the M25 to work

Original poster
teetering · 09/02/2009 19:57

I note that Berko has a Hemel postcode!!!

Thanks for all the shopping advice. Now I am officially in the know!

We'll have a look at Boxmoor (I love pound shops, really!) as it's good to know the area. Pretty decent houses, Laurie, that's for sure!

Sadly out of budget slightly but this would have been a cracker! www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-21811232.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E109 5&sortByPriceDescending=false&minBedrooms=4&minPrice=700000&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPro pertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=1&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2F find.html%3FsearchType%3DSALE%26locationIdentifier%3DOUTCODE%255E1095%26radius%3D0.0%26displayProper tyType%3Dhouses%26minBedrooms%3D4%26maxBedrooms%3D%26minPrice%3D700000%26maxPrice%3D%26maxDaysSinceA dded%3D%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26includeSSTC%3Don%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26primaryDisplayPro pertyType%3D%26secondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldPrimaryDisplayProper tyType%3D%26oldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26newHome%3D%26retirement%3D%26auction%3Dfalse%26part BuyPartRent%3Dfalse%26x%3D41%26y%3D7

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Original poster
teetering · 09/02/2009 19:58

Sadly out of budget slightly but this would have been a cracker! 5&sortByPriceDescending=false&minBedrooms=4&minPrice=700000&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPro pertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=1&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2F find.html%3FsearchType%3DSALE%26locationIdentifier%3DOUTCODE%255E1095%26radius%3D0.0%26displayProper tyType%3Dhouses%26minBedrooms%3D4%26maxBedrooms%3D%26minPrice%3D700000%26maxPrice%3D%26maxDaysSinceA dded%3D%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26includeSSTC%3Don%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26primaryDisplayPro pertyType%3D%26secondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3D%26oldPrimaryDisplayProper tyType%3D%26oldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType%3D%26newHome%3D%26retirement%3D%26auction%3Dfalse%26part BuyPartRent%3Dfalse%26x%3D41%26y%3D7

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NK1c0cfef8X11b3c70bf0e · 09/02/2009 20:06

What I'd really like to know, NK1, is what you observed at Westbrook Hay that you weren't so keen on? Was it general feel, or something specific?

Hello,
It was a general feel, nothing awful I promise! It was just not my cup of tea. Some of it was little things such as the very young pupils being allowed to spoon on as much ketchup as they liked!This was about 6/7 years ago and no doubt it has changed alot. Good luck, Berko is a really nice town.

PS No one has mentiomed The Rex cinema,

www.therexberkhamsted.com/
worth moving there for that alone.

sinkingfast · 09/02/2009 20:13

Gawd, I really wouldn't fancy driving from Berko to Chesham Bois in the rush hour .

How about Chesham Prep? That's the right side of Chesham for you?

merlin · 09/02/2009 20:16

Sorry to hijack - but I lived in Berko (well Dudswell to be precise) til I was 14.

Foreveroptimistic - I loved those fleas!!! That was always a weekend treat to go to the museum.

And The Rex - I saw my first film there - Bambi!!!!!

Hijack over ........ sorry don't know anything about schools there now.

clam · 09/02/2009 21:28

Ooh, and the nice teashoppy lunchy place at the top of the antique-y shop. The one you need oxygen masks to get to on the top floor. Opposite Oakleys estate agents...

Original poster
teetering · 09/02/2009 22:20

What are these FLEAS??!!!

Rex Cinema looks really fantastic.

I seem to be mentally moving to Berko already.....!

Good news is that 2 of the schools can take my boys - YAY! But DS1 has to be subjected to an 'assessment' which fills me with DREAD. Doesn't seem right for such young children to be 'assessed' even if it's just casual observation. Anyone have experience of these 3+ assessments?! Are they just formalities to make sure they won't tear the place down?!

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LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 09/02/2009 22:43

Clam- yes, it's on with Hamptons but I didn't know it had an open day.

The fleas are in the Rothschild offshot of the Natural History Museum in Tring.

And in the interests of inclusivity Boxmoor primary (as is Pixies Hill and Southhill primary) is fabulous and Hemel Hempstead secondary school is perfectly good (though very focused on music and academic subjects)

My friends son has just left Chesham Prep and gone up to Challoners - they have been really happy so far with their choices.

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 09/02/2009 22:44

And the teashop place on top of the antique shop is called the Attic Tearoom and does lovely home made cakes - I go nearly every week

Original poster
teetering · 10/02/2009 15:26

Is there anywhere in Berko itself where you would particularly love to live, and anywhere that you would particularly avoid??!

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clam · 10/02/2009 18:08

Shooters' Way! If you're very wealthy.

Original poster
teetering · 11/02/2009 20:46

Can anyone recommend a park with swings etc to take the kids to when we visit Berko again on Saturday?

And we were going to take them swimming to check out pool facilities. How about Sportspace www.sportspace.co.uk/sportspace/default.asp?step=6&id=2

is that the main pool or are there others?

Ta.

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clam · 11/02/2009 21:20

Yeah, that's the main sports' centre in the town. The one in Hemel is bigger, with a variety of pools (and another AquaSplash complex towards the M1) but the Berko one is perfectly adequate. There is also a large pool in the Collegiate Girls' School, but you need to be a member of the club there and there are restricted opening hours.
There is a small park with swings etc.. just over the canal from the Waitrose carpark, by the tennis/squash club. There is another carpark over there, but you need to navigate a bit to find it (down Lower Kings Road from the traffic lights, round the wiggly bend, over the canal and turn left into a sheltered housing sort of place. Follow the road round lots of bends (turns into a sort of driveway) go past the tennis club, and park).
But easier to go from Waitrose, frankly.

Original poster
teetering · 11/02/2009 21:59

Thank you Clam. Big help.

ForeverOptimistic says we must go for a walk in Ashridge. Is there a particular point to park the car to do such a walk?

Thanks!

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Original poster
teetering · 11/02/2009 22:46

NK1 The bumpf for Lockers Park has arrived and DH really rates it. I feel somewhat nervous about the prospect of sending my little one there. My big question is about all these temptations to 'try' boarding if you are a day boy. Surely if they try it (as their mates are boarders etc) they would end up loving it and wanting to do it full-time??!

Did you find it a showy school? Would a parent rocking up in their trusty Fiesta look out of place?!

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Haribosmummy · 11/02/2009 22:54

Sorry, rocked up here a bit late.

My two DSDs go to Berkhamsted Collegiate and LOVE it. It's agreat school. DS is already signed up for stepping stones.

It's alovely place to live, close to London but still a bit different.

I love it.