Where to live in Buckinghamshire for Grammar or Independent secondary school

[movingToBuckinghamshire]

We have decided to sell our apartment in west London and move to Buckinghamshire. We are looking to buy a house there but don’t mind renting initially till suitable property is found. The reason we have chosen Buckinghamshire (other option was Guildford) is because DD is already preparing for grammar school. We are currently in the outer catchment of Tiffins girls but even if she gets into tiffin, with our budget of 700-750K, we will have less options to buy in Kingston compared to in Bucks.

Me and my partner needs to travel to London twice a week only, hence it makes sense to move out of London and get more for the money.

With our lifestyle, we often visit different parks (Richmond park, Kew gardens, Chiswick House Park etc) and used to have shops around. I dont expect same level of livelihood but hope there will be some good places to visit over weekends, to go for cycling/ running etc.

So I would really appreciate if you advise me on,

1. Which Grammar schools can we consider for our DD? If DD doesnt get in Grammar, we would like to have an option of independent secondary.
2. Which area can we consider to buy a house (for the school you have suggested)? We will look for 3-4 bed with a good size garden. Budget is 700-750k.
3. Which area to rent into till we find suitable property?

The only place we visited in Buckinghamshire so far was Marlow which was lovely and expect other areas of Bucks will be similar.

Also have a look at the schools GCSE options. If your daughter is keen for cooking, textiles, dance, computing - these are not routinely offered at all grammar schools. Beaconsfield High probably offers one of the greatest ranges of GCSE options.

Also check the admissions policies for each individual school - some require you to be living at the permanent address you will be applying from by as much as 18 months prior to starting at the school.
And look at the Bucks county website to see how far out places were offered last year - while you may move somewhere that is technically within the catchment, the places often fill up within 3-4 miles of the school.
What year will your DD be in when you move? Will you be looking for a prep for her for Y6?

thank you @Onesipmore, @ILoveShula

thank you @ittakes2 I have requested for the open days registration and some of them have got back to me. Hopefully I will get to visit the schools soon.

Hi @TeaandHobnobs DD will be in year 4 or 5 when we move. Yes prep will be preffered. Also if she doesnt get a seat offered in grammar then we will continue her in prep.

Buckingham for the Royal Latin, 15-20 mins drive to Milton Keynes for the station which is then only 30 mins to Euston. I do this 2-3 times a week to get to London for work.

You’d also get way more for your budget than in the south of the county.

Hazlemere (part of High Wycombe but quite nice). Beaconsfield if you can afford it!

Hi my DD is at Wycombe High School - our catchment was either WHS or Beaconsfield High school (just out of catchment for Borlase) She loves WHS and isn’t finding the exam pressure too much (end of yr 10)
I drive into London to work, but would go via Beaconsfield to Marylebone, or Bourne End (via) Maidenhead to Paddington
Good luck

Sorry, I meant train wise if not driving...

Hazlemere isn’t part of High Wycombe. It is a village in its own right, as is Holmer Green. Both worth considering. Hazlemere would be WHS; Holmer Green WHS, or further towards Amersham and Missenden, Challoners.

@PicpoulDeMeNay

Buckingham for the Royal Latin, 15-20 mins drive to Milton Keynes for the station which is then only 30 mins to Euston. I do this 2-3 times a week to get to London for work.

You’d also get way more for your budget than in the south of the county.

Excellent idea

Tingewick Road, Buckingham, BUCKINGHAM, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, MK18 1ST
www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-80605020.html

Can someone advise me as to what parts of Beaconsfield are nicer to live in if we are going to try for Beaconsfield High? I will also get to know what I get if I stretch in terms of affordabilty. Even great if you can suggest what areas to avoid.

@movingToBuckinghamshire

Can someone advise me as to what parts of Beaconsfield are nicer to live in if we are going to try for Beaconsfield High? I will also get to know what I get if I stretch in terms of affordabilty. Even great if you can suggest what areas to avoid.

Isn't Beaconsfield the most expensive place to live out of London ?

Similarly for Dr Challoner's, which part of Amersham are nice to live in and which to avoid? I will try to schedule some viewings and get the idea of the area.

@movingToBuckinghamshire

Can someone advise me as to what parts of Beaconsfield are nicer to live in if we are going to try for Beaconsfield High? I will also get to know what I get if I stretch in terms of affordabilty. Even great if you can suggest what areas to avoid.

There isn’t anywhere ‘rough’ in London terms. As a rough rule of thumb the old town is handier for the motorway and the new town has more housing stock and is closer to the station. Maxwell Road and surroundings have a fair amount of social housing, which is not in itself a reason to avoid them but means that they have a slightly different look and feel to neighbouring roads.

If you're looking at preps, you must check if they go past 11 years. Lots of the Bucks preps now finish at year 6, because the aim is to prep them for grammar school.

We're just over the border in Herts, but a number of friends were caught up in these changes. They moved to private schools in Herts (Berko particularly). To my knowledge, Bucks isn't brilliant for private, because the grammars are so strong.

You can't go wrong with Amersham. Nice little town, met line and Chiltern Line to London.

Dr Challoners High is actually in Little Chalfont, not Amersham, although near the tube station. Amersham would probably be a better bet to live - it's only one stop on the tube to LC and both Berkhamsted and Pipers' Corner Girls School have buses that cover Amersham. You'd also be in catchment for Chesham Grammar (mixed) although I second what PP say - check the admissions policies very carefully, they are designed to stop people moving into the county just before/after 11+ and taking places from local children who don't have the option of a non-selective system. If you opt for the Chalfonts, you also have the option of St Mary's in Gerrards Cross, although it sounds as if you want a more academic school.

Area-wise, Old Amersham is lovely but not so accessible for the tube (at the bottom of a huge hill). Chesham Bois is lovely - about a 20 minute level walk to the tube - but not sure how far your budget would go. And if you're planning prep, I'd get in contact with schools now - apparently demand for places has massively increased since lockdown as everyone starts flapping about the 11+........

Anywhere in Beaconsfield is nice, Old Town or New Town.

Chalfonts are good for catchment - however, not the quiet haven it once was, and the grammars were disappointingly shabby and not inspiring at all. They have changed a lot over the past decade or so, and test tourism has changed the cohort considerably.
We turned down our child's place and moved out of the area, so we could be closer to a good independent in the end.
However, if you're set on grammar, it's a good spot - and bucks grammar is far less selective than the likes of Tiffin or Kendrick, so you're almost guaranteed a place if you live in catchment. Beaconsfield High & Wycombe girls, have been offering out of catchment for a few years now, as many catchment places are not taken up.

Bh catchment is still extremely tight and wh reputation is not doing well at all at the moment
Slough has lots of fabulous grammar school but it's how to get them there and hard for access

BH catchment is not that tight at all? Allocation area even extends as far as Burnham near Slough, and if you check the allocations data for the past few years, you will see that all places were offered in catchment…and some beyond.

@movingToBuckinghamshire what did you do in the end, why and how's it going? Any advice for anyone in a similar positon?

We're in Wendover are very settled and happy here. It's a wonderful place to live.

Congratulations.