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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!

OP posts:
ForeverOptimistic · 21/02/2009 17:52

Chesham High's 'A' level results aren't actually that much better than Ashlyns.

Original poster
teetering · 22/02/2009 18:46

We have spent virtually the whole weekend exploring the area. Today we tried Chesham and Bovingdon. Probably adequate village shops in Bovingdon. Chesham did not 'capture my imagination', shall we say!!!

A family member is determined to have us live in St Albans. What does everyone think of it? Seemed like a bigger version of Berko. And what a nightmare getting to grips with all the different 'suburbs' of such a big town...

Does anyone use it for shopping as it seems to have some really decent shops.

Leverstock Green also did not get the heart racing. It was an amazing house but would need total redoing (rewiring, new roof etc) so I think we have to discount it for faint-heartedness/budget reasons.

We parked at Riverside carpark in Hemel and found that end of the centre pretty decent! WHAT is the deal with that massive highrise being constructed in Hemel - how on earth it got planning permission I have no idea....!

So, it seems Berko still has my heart. I just need more rental properties to come up, p-l-e-a-s-e!

OP posts:
WinkyWinkola · 22/02/2009 20:08

I love Berko. It's an amazing place. We couldn't afford to live there so we live nearby. But we're often there, visiting friends, toddler groups etc.

St. Alban's is ok. Traffic is absolute hell there though and I think it's got quite a different feel to Berkhamsted. If your heart is set on Berkhamsted, then go for it. It's a lovely place to live. Really family oriented. I wish we could!

Bovingdon gives me the heebie jeebies for some reason. It's like a deserted place to me. I don't like it at all. Nothing going for it IMO.

That new high rise in Hemel - I can't decide whether it's going to be a monstrosity or a refreshingly clean piece of architecture. We'll have to see. It's to tempt London commuters, I think.

The shops in Hemel are ok. Too many pound shops dominate the high street though and I suspect Debenhams really struggles. I wish John Lewis would open up in Hemel!

Original poster
teetering · 22/02/2009 21:28

Winky I had to LOL at your summary of Bovingdon! There was an odd atmosphere that I could not quite put my finger on, but you have!

Yes, Debenhams seemed really empty, as did most shops in Hemel, until................I went into a pound shop (half of Hemel was in there!)! I must confess I had brilliant fun in there and DS1 loved the massive pack of glitter pens I bought for him in there for 99p!

OP posts:
Original poster
teetering · 22/02/2009 21:51

Quickie question: I've just seen this house for sale, which says it is in Bourne End. Can anyone comment on the location? If you click on the map it shows that it is right on London Road, so I guess traffic noise is an issue. It seems to be 1.2 miles from Hemel station and 2.2 miles from Berko station.

Is there anything in Bourne End at all? Shops etc? I imagine it might be a house where you have got to use the car everytime you leave the house...

OP posts:
Original poster
teetering · 22/02/2009 21:53

Doh I forgot the link:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-19782364.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E1095&sortB yPriceDescending=false&minBedrooms=4&minPrice=500000&displayPropertyType=houses&radius=0.5&secondary DisplayPropertyType=detachedshouses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&oldSecondaryDisplayPropertyType=de tachedshouses&includeSSTC=true&includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=1&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Ffin d.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DOUTCODE%255E1095%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minBedrooms%3D4%26m inPrice%3D500000%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26radius%3D0.5%26secondaryDisplayPropertyType%3Ddeta chedshouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26includeSSTC%3Don

OP posts:
ForeverOptimistic · 23/02/2009 11:28

I like Bourne End, it feels more Berko than Hemel. Only problem is there is nothing there, not even one shop! There are a couple of pubs and a hotel, you would not even be able to get a pint of milk without using the car.

The highrise building that you refer to was previously the headquarters for Kodak, bit of an eyesore but the new part of Hemel isn't the most attractive of places anyway.

St Albans is great, even though I love living in Berko in some ways I think I would prefer St Albans as the demographics are more diverse, Berko is very white middle class, St Albans is more mixed. On the downside it is much bigger as you say with lots of suburbs and as Winky said the traffic is horrendous! St Albans does have some nice shops although its big stores (M&S etc) are not quite big enough and it does not have a department store. It can get a bit rowdy at night, my friend is a police officer in the St Albans area and she said that anti-social drink related arrests are higher than you would expect. St Albans is definitely worth a visit, it is very pretty, lots of history and fab restaurants.

WinkyWinkola · 23/02/2009 15:38

That's a lovely house, teetering.

Bourne End has nothing in it in terms of retail. But Berko and Hemel aren't far away - five mins in either direction - but you'd need a car.

Are you going for it?

Haribosmummy · 23/02/2009 16:58

Bourne End has the Great Outdoors shop ... We nearly bought there, and I walked there recently - it's really quite a walk to Berko or Hemel....

Personally, I like St Albans (they have Wagamamas!! and the waffle house!!)

I don't really like Bovingdon, but lived in CHipperfield for a short while and found that a lovely place (not Berko I grant you!!)

I do agree with the others though, If you can afford it, go for Berko. It's lovely. I wasn't keen on it before we moved here, but wouldn't swap the place now. It's really cool.

NK1c0cfef8X11b3c70bf0e · 23/02/2009 18:40

Teetering, that is a lovely house and quite close to WH. Bovingdon does have a prison and a market.....I do not think either are to be reccomended.
St Albans is lovely for a day out, nice park, Cathedral and museum. I like the Kodak building, or I did before they started to mess around with it. A fine example of the period in which it was built. Do not forget if you decide on anywhere in the area you are also close to Whipsnade. A yearly pass is good value and you can nip up for an hour or two whenever you feel like it.

ForeverOptomistic, that is interesting about A Level results for Chesham High and Ashlyns. The GCSE results are very different. Did Ashlyns have a bad Ofsted a few years ago? If so it probably means it is really going to improve in the next few years.

Re the 11+, many years ago someone told me that if you fail you go to Berko Collegiate (as it was then). I assumed that it was a tongue in cheek remark and that is how I took it.

Original poster
teetering · 23/02/2009 19:06

Winky - I think we will view it this weekend. Must assess noise of being on the London Road.

Haribo - you WALKED to Bourne End?! I guess that means there must be a footpath, at least!

NK1 thanks for Whipsnade tip. Friend in Boxmoor is always inviting us to join them when they go (same friend that also likes Bourne End!!!!!).

I've a friend in Harpenden who grew up there and went to Haberdashers Askes Girls School (Elstree, I think) from age 7. Involved a 40-min minibus twice a day! Would anyone consider sending their kids at that age so far away?!

Also, the Beacon School (Chesham Bois) confirmed that they do have kids on role from Berko! So it amazes me the distances some people do to go the school of their choice....

OP posts:
Haribosmummy · 23/02/2009 19:30

Teetering - Yes, you can walk along the road or along the canal - you can walk all the way to Hemel (or to Tring the other way) along the canal.

I like the comment about Failing the 11+. My DH's ex was worried we wouldn't stump up the fees for the collegiate so 'organised' for us to be told that DSD1 had failed the 11+.... so I think there is more than a little truth in that comment.

WinkyWinkola · 24/02/2009 09:32

Habs is a very very very competitive school. I wouldn't send my child there. I have friends who went there who got A*s for their GCSCE's but still managed to beat themselves up over getting 'only' 96%!

So it's the Collegiate you send your kids to if they fail the 11+?

Haribosmummy · 24/02/2009 10:21

Teetering - Just read your post - Chesham Bois isn't far from Berko.

My DSD1 has friends in the collegiate from Milton Keynes!!!!

Winky - that comment was sort of tounge in cheek, the fees are not cheap!!! But, yes, I do think it happens.

WHich school is HABS? I think the Collegiate is pretty competitive!!!

Swedes · 24/02/2009 10:30

Bourne End, Bovingdon and Hemel are cheaper for good reasons. Berko, St Albans and Harpenden are expensive for good reasons.

I would opt to live in Harpenden and send my children to St Albans School (boys) and St Albans High School for Girls (girls). My children take less than half an hour to get to school door to door and they use the train. But the children would need to be reasonably bright in order to pass the entrance exam.

Swedes · 24/02/2009 10:38

Also I think Harpenden's three state school secondary A level results are very similar to Berko Collegiate in fact Sir John Lawes is higher and not selective in any way other than by house price in the catchment although it's by no means the most expensive part of Harpenden

The three Harpenden secondary schools are:

Sir John Lawes
Roundwood
St George's

Haribosmummy · 24/02/2009 11:19

Yes, Swedes is right. Harpenden is nice too... Close to Luton though!!

Swedes · 24/02/2009 12:25

I think being not too far from Luton is a benefit.

Original poster
teetering · 24/02/2009 15:26

A question for those of you (like Swedes) with children further down the education track: how can you choose where to live, and send your kids for secondary, when they are only tiny (3 and 1 in my case). I don't see how you can make any grand education plan work, eg get in to St Albans School, when you cannot predict where their talents will lie (assuming there will be talents!), if they will get through entrance exams etc etc....

OP posts:
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 24/02/2009 15:30

If you're picking independant schools though it doesn't matter where you live

Haribosmummy · 24/02/2009 16:07

Sorry, Swedes - I'm not a fan of Luton - I lived and worked in Dunstable for years and just didn't like it.

Teetering - I don't think you can really. I mean, I have the school I hope DS will go to picked out, but who knows if that will be right for him?

If not, we'll just have to re-evaluate when the time comes.

Swedes · 24/02/2009 17:57

Re Luton - There are several miles of open countryside between Harpenden and Luton. I don't see why it would bother anyone at all to be honest. I quite like it - it has intergrity.

Swedes · 24/02/2009 18:06

Re the schools thing. Well I think you should ask yourself if you want to move again before your child is 11. I have 4 children (17, 13, 3 and 1) so in some ways I have similar concerns to you. Even though my two big sons are already at high school.

SugarSkyHigh · 24/02/2009 18:24

StThomas More RC primary in Berko just got Outstanding from ofsted

clam · 24/02/2009 19:24

Bovingdon Primary School has got 'Outstanding' in its last 2 OfSTEDs. But you'd have to live in the village to get in, and there's currently an issue over where to go for secondary schools from there. That situation might ease in future, however, if birthrates decrease or if they amend the admissions critieria.