Great marlow school

11 replies

JJ02 · 01/07/2011 21:12

Hello, i live in France and I am relocating to High Wycombe for September. My son has been offered a place at Great Marlow School in Buckingham shire We are also waiting to see if he gets offered a place at Burnham Grammar School In Bucks. as I have no way of visiting either of these schools before hand Does any one have any knowledge or experience of either of these schools ? My son will be entering year 10 . Thank you

OP posts:

toomuchicecream · 01/07/2011 23:13

My son will be starting in year 10 of BGS in September. The head told me they're admitting 10 new pupils - at the time 5 were decided, and one was coming from overseas. I questionned him quite carefully about transition arrangements and the school ethos before making the final decision to move my son, and was very happy with the answers given.

How on earth will you get your son from High Wycombe to Burnham (if he gets a place)? No viable public transport whatsoever and depending on where in Wycombe you are, 30 minutes plus in the car in the rush hour. The Royal Grammar School & John Hampden are both in Wycombe and so would be much easier to get to, if they have space. It would be much easier to get your child to Marlow, so if you want a grammar school, is Borlase full?

Don't know much about Great Marlow, but most of the bright kids will have been creamed off to one of the schools mentioned above...

Marjoriew · 02/07/2011 08:05

My 7 children were born and brought up in Marlow. As you'll be already aware, we have the 11+ here. When my children went to school in Marlow - youngest now 26, if a child didn't get through the 11+, then the option was Great Marlow. It was the school that everyone dreaded their kids having to go to.
However, some years on, Great Marlow is now a school in demand and has pulled it's socks up.
One of my sons went to the Royal Grammar, a great school and academically demanding. Another went to Great Marlow and did just as well.
Marlow much easier to travel to.

bigscarymum · 03/07/2011 23:19

My DD transferred into Burnham Grammar in year 10. They handled the transfer extremely well and we have been very pleased with the school, but yes it is a long way from High Wycombe and there are much nearer grammar schools - athough you would have to take their tests for year 10. Boys only though in Wycombe I think.

bigscarymum · 03/07/2011 23:20

Oops sorry, double post!

Original poster

JJ02 · 07/07/2011 20:24

Thank you every one for your much appreciated advise.

OP posts:

marlowmum28 · 09/09/2014 17:27

Uniform is appalling. one girls skirt was so short that whenever she leant over slightly i could see her underwear. When i told her it was to short she told my to f* off and her and friends laughed. very bad impression

tripleespresso · 08/01/2015 10:09

I think that says more about the parents rather than the school.

LL12 · 08/01/2015 13:34

From what I have been told by some parents, the head does a good sales pitch in the open evenings but if you have any problems the head doesn't want to know. They also said that unless your child is in put into the top set then forget it.

It seems to be in demand due to the negative reputations of the two neighbouring sec schools called Cressex School and Bourne End Academy.

southbucks77 · 09/01/2015 21:18

Great Marlow is an excellent school. Much closer to you than BGS and has a good support system. Borlase is obviously better for grades etc but starting in Yr10 when GCSEs start in Yr9 will be very hard. It would be better to go to GMS and if your son's predicted GCSE grades are suitable apply to Borlase for 6th form.

PatriciaHolm · 09/01/2015 21:25

the OP is 4 years old so I suspect she has sorted it out by now!

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