Schools near to Wendover / Tring

[Suzanna123]

Hi there,

We’ve had an offer accepted on a house in Aston Clinton, Bucks and I’m looking at schools with vacancies to make the in year admission application (we’re re-locating from a different country due to my job)
Wondered if anyone was able to share experiences of The John Hampden infant school and connected Wendover CoE junior school in Bucks and also Dundale primary school in Tring, Herts? Both schools have vacancies, are within a 10 min drive and have Good ofsted reports. Will be visiting the schools in the coming weeks but any personal experiences to hear would be super helpful, thanks so much x

I know Wendover pretty well! JH has always been well supported by parents and the head used to teach DD. @Suzanna123 It’s a school that’s been used by Aston Clinton parents quite a bit. The village school there was never very popular, but I assume it has no spaces? Not sure about it now.

Wendover Junior. It’s more CofE leaning than it was. I’ve heard prayers are said during the day outside daily act of worship. I’d take a look around and see what you think. I’ve heard mixed reports. When dc were there, it had a variable quality of teachers too but that might have changed. 11 plus results not brilliant these days either but school cannot coach - lots of parents pay for it though . I’m assuming you know it’s a grammar county.

JH is still a very good school and parents love it, but WJ - more a matter of faith and hope.

Thank you @TizerorFizz That’s helpful to know. Wendover junior doesn’t have the best results but I know that’s only ever one piece to the puzzle. What bothers me more is the parent feedback in the 2019 ofsted report - 60% of parents WOULDN’T recommend the school! 6 years ago, perhaps it’s changed but doesn’t fill me with loads of confidence!

Dundale is nice enough; it's improved a lot in recent years. Have you looked at Long Marsden? That's a really nice primary and not too far out, your school run from AC will be about the same as to Dundale.

I have no advice but I’m really jealous as it’s a beautiful part of the country but way out of my budget. My dad lives there. I hope you’ll be very happy!

No Ofsted report from 2019, there is a very recent one (a few days old!) and 2020. My DC left a few years ago, we were very happy with the school. Same head now from looking at the Ofsted report.

Have you looked at Halton and Weston Turville? Both nice schools. It's an area I know very well.

Halton has a throughput of RAF dc and the site will be closing at some point. It had a fantastic head who was also a former JH teacher. She’s retired I think but it can be a transient school population (Raf officers dc usually came into Wendover!)

@Suzanna123 11 plus is everything in Bucks. Some parents talk about little else. The head of WJ upped the CofE input at the school and I heard parents were not that keen. Wendover parents want the grammars but plenty will go private to get their dc over the line for a grammar school. It could be parents at WJ think the pass rate is too low? I don’t know, but in Bucks the 11 plus is a big thing. Having said that, John Colet is a really decent non grammar and every dc I know that’s been there has achieved very well. It’s just a bit less pressurised.

@WendoverParent Oh this is good to know you had a positive experience!
sorry it was the 2020 parent feedback report within the Ofsted report.
Will look round the school in the coming weeks, sounds like the John Hampden is very highly regarded by parents so fingers crossed I get a good feeling at both.
Thank you

@Suzanna123 Do they have spaces? I think WJ isn’t quite full but what about JH?

@WendoverParent Yes vacancies in WJ and according to the Bucks primary schools vacancies sheet JH also has vacancies, but not sure how many so will reach out to the school to try and get a steer.
did you find WJ overtly religious?

@Suzanna123 Regarding CofE - this used to be a “light touch” CofE school. When my dc went we had the vicar in occasionally and Christmas and Easter celebrations. RE was the agreed syllabus for Bucks. Daily act of worship had some religion in it but it wasn’t bible based.

We had a “Church” group of parents who went to church and were friends, but most parents didn’t and obviously, for many, it’s their catchment school. They haven’t chosen WJ on religious grounds. A quick look at newsletters gives a CofE flavour you will not find at JH (so dc moving up are not used to it) and this head has altered the school to be more religious. People put up with it as they have no choice regarding another school but I’ve certainly heard parents talking about it and that their dc don’t like it because it’s now too much - in their view. Dc with no religious beliefs do question the prayers and ethos. No idea how other religions now fit in.

Many CofE schools have become like this - my dc would not have liked it. Not sure if dc can opt out. The CofE Aided schools always were stronger on the religion but Controlled, like WJ, were far less religious and only daily act of worship had a religious side - and even then not much.

Dundale will lead on to Tring school which is a good comprehensive, Bucks is the Grammar system. If your child passes the 11 plus they’ll have the option to go to very good schools, but if they don’t it’s quite damaging for a child to be labelled as ‘not clever enough’ at such a young age imo.

@Suzanna123 You presumably knew Bucks was a grammar country. If you wanted Tring, then best to choose Tring, but I’m assuming you knew what the secondary options would be.

Aston Clinton is catchment for John Colet (non grammar) . Many of my friends’ dc went to John Colet and not a single damaged dc! They all got on really well. Many parents I know have very good jobs and degrees and didn’t think the grammars were right for dc so fully supported JC. No one was negative and labelled dc a failure. Dc I know are now doing jobs that are just as good as the borderline and above passes to the grammars. My village has both grammar and JC dc and after 21 there’s not much to choose between them! I know JC alumni who have degrees in maths, biological sciences, geography, history, sociology from RG universities after JC 6th form. Only the over invested parents and over tutored child will feel temporary disappointment. The majority go to JC from Wendover Junior so it’s just seen as a normal secondary progression. There will always be some who can get into Tring School and prefer that to JC. It’s a pretty unusual though. Many Aston Clinton dc are happily at JC. Your dc doesn’t have to take the 11 plus. You can withdraw them.