Primary schools near Farnham Common/The Chalfonts/Gerrard Cross

[SS12]

We are considering moving to the area and considering various options for daughter who is 8yrs and son who is 4yrs. Have looked at (via website) Dair house as it's the nearest. Also had email exchanges with St. Bernard. I know there are few more options around Gerrards Cross too. Are there any parents at these schools who could give me some feedback please. Dair house being such a small school has it advantages but I'm concerned about what if friendships breakdown.
Also would be very interested to hear from anyone at the Farnham Common junior & infant schools as these would be the nearest state schools.

A lot of Bucks state schools are full. You cannot assume you will get the nearest school. I’m not a fan of small independent schools. You don’t get good enough drama, music or sport. It’s just a bit limited. There are so many better options in the HW, Farnham, GX area.

Godstowe and Caldicott are the best ones.

@PresentingPercy

Godstowe and Caldicott are the best ones.

This depends on the end destination and the child in question - Caldicott and Godstowe are absolutely the go to schools if you want to go to a public school. Not the right destinations if you are aiming for grammar.

In the case of Caldicott I would also not send a child Witt any spld given the recent experience of a friend's child.

"With" - typo

Godstowe has girls going to grammars. The op didn’t say she wanted a grammar. The schools I named are the best private prep schools though. There are plenty more to choose from in Beaconsfield and GX though. If parents want to hot house for 11 pls, that is a different market and the usp of some schools. But small schools will always have limitations in terms of the breadth they can offer. When we chose a prep, we wanted our money to give a breadth of education and nit focus on the Bucks education system. I’m thankful we could avoid it!

@PresentingPercy

Godstowe has girls going to grammars. The op didn’t say she wanted a grammar. The schools I named are the best private prep schools though. There are plenty more to choose from in Beaconsfield and GX though. If parents want to hot house for 11 pls, that is a different market and the usp of some schools. But small schools will always have limitations in terms of the breadth they can offer. When we chose a prep, we wanted our money to give a breadth of education and nit focus on the Bucks education system. I’m thankful we could avoid it!

Completely agree - we too are avoiding it. I also agree with your comments regarding small schools.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. At the moment we're thinking about the right school to get into grammar school but starting to wonder if the stress of this system should be avoided. I would like my children to have the opportunity to focus other things and not purely academic grades.
Does anyone have any inside info on St Bernard's. I know it's in Slough so a bit further but wondering if they have better offering as it's part of the grammar school.

Slough is a very very different place to GX and around regarding schools. That might suit you but it might not. You might not be in catchment for Slough schools.

Bucks 11 plus is a bun fight. It’s stressful. Parents tutor for years. We did none of it. You are better off at state schools in many ways. The schools cannot get your DC more marks than a tutor can. Are your DC top table types of DC? If not and you cannot afford private secondary, live in catchment for the best secondary modern.