Advice on bucks secondaries

[mzdemeanour]

Hi

Have copied this from the local bucks thread and am hoping someone can give me some advice on secondary schools in bucks. I am currently living in London but planning to move to bucks when my DTs transfer to secondary school in sept 2015 and really need to get my head out of the sand and start thinking about possible schools ..

My DS may pass the exams for selective schools but my DD is unlikely to do so I need to think about an area that has a good non-selective secondary option although private may be an option.

I am going to have to apply while we are still living in London although will be able to provide an address in Bucks as will be staying at least short term with my boyfriend. I currently work in London so somewhere near M40/good road or rail link would be handy.

Not sure I could stand to be too isolated although small town would be fine.

Hope someone can help/offer advice.

MzD

I have a DD at grammar school in Aylesbury, but if you want to be closer to the M40 you might want to look at Wycombe, Amersham, Beaconsfield or other South Bucks villages such as the Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross. House prices are very high in South Bucks.
Amersham has a well regarded upper ( non selective) school, as well as single sex grammar schools, and Chesham grammar school which is co ed. I have heard that to apply to Dr Challoners boys grammar you need to prove you are resident in the catchment area well before the application deadline. This was done to stop people renting to get a place and then moving out.
In the Aylesbury area there seems to be more places available for out of catchment applicants to the grammar schools. My DD has friends who travel from Tring, Milton Keynes and Thame.
Waddesdon school is a non selective school with an excellent reputation, but further out for travel into London. Some kids who don't pass the Bucks 11+ go to comprehensive schools in neighbouring counties. Bucks doesn't have any comprehensives as it is a wholly selective system.