Where do people go to Secondary School in Bengeo (Hertford)??

[JBauer]

Hello All,

Be kind to me, first post! We are planning to relocate from SW London to Hertford in around 12 months time to be closer to family. We have two very young children, one who will be approaching primary school age when we move.

We are doing some area research and just starting to realise what a minefield it is with primary and secondary school catchment areas...

So looking for someone with experience of the Bengeo area north of Hertford. Trying to understand where the kids living in Bengeo go to school? Looking at the catchment areas for Primary Schools on the Locrating app and Bengeo Primary only seems to cover a relatively small number of houses towards the north of Bengeo.

Then with the secondary schools, the area is in the Sele School catchment, but less than 5% of kids in the area go to Sele. Locrating seems to show about 40% going to Simon Balle and around another 30% to either Richard Hale or Presdales... but this is what I can't get my head around because most of Bengeo is outside of the Simon Balle catchment area where places were offered last year. Although it seems that last year the catchment was smaller than usual, it still doesn't quite add up.

I think ultimately that all the schools in Hertford look good, so this shouldn't be a huge problem, but I just don't want to buy in a street or area and be stuck without a nearby primary school or missing out on one of the Secondaries by a few hundred meters.

Any advice from locals massively appreciated.

I think that Simon Balle secondary has recently changed into an academy, with priority going to children coming up from year 6. So you'd need to get your children into Simon Balle primary to be guaranteed a place moving into year 7. I know people who live in Bengeo and have children in Simon Balle primary. I believe standard catchment is for Sele as standard. I don't think that has a good reputation. Richard Hale is boys, Presdales is girls.

Also because of the recent academy status and primary addition they had extra space in lower years which may account for skewed figures.

Thanks Becky that's reassuring. You look at the catchment blobs online and it's really scary, especially for Primary School places, but the kids are obviously going somewhere! I might need to get on the phone to the Local Education Authority and find out what they say.

Bengeo also has its own primary school. There's also a private school very nearby - Duncombe - so some will go there.

Good luck with the move by the way. Hertford is a lovely town.

@JBauer I have PMd you.

@JaneAustinFan yikes. I did the tour at Bengeo Primary and immediately disliked the headteacher so didn't send DC and hence have no personal opinion. But I do know a lot of people who really rate it.