Ashlyns School Berkhampstead vs Local Grammars

[sniffydog]

In our neverending search for a new life outside of London, we stumbled across Berkhampstead and my other half promptly fell in love with it.

The location and connections are ideal and the primary schools are all pretty good. The big concern is when we approach secondary (our eldest is 7 now).

Unless we win the lottery the private College is no-go. Ashlyns school is the only other secondary in the town and the OFSTED reports have been pretty unfavourable. Naturally they have and 'action plan' but does anyone have any local insights to it? Is it that bad? What are the chances it will improve?

Our only other options would be grammars in Bucks but we're nervous about getting 3 kids of (presumably) differing abilities and interests to pass the 11+ AND into the same school!

Anyone who has faced the same dilemma, insights most welcome, thanks.

While we don't have children there ourselves (we don't live in the area), we do have some insights. It is not by any stretch a "bad" school. The SEN provision is very good and the music and sports is above average. The teachers do genuinely care about their students and work very hard to get them to be the best they can be. In my opinion, it is a school on the up and by the time you get there, it should be hitting its stride.

You would not be guaranteed a place at a Bucks Grammar school if you live in Hertfordshire. It is best to live in Bucks if you definitely want a grammar school and would like all your children to go to the same one as they operate on a catchment area system. Bucks CCs web site has the maps on it. Living in another county is more likely to mean you get the places not allocated to the catchment area children ( if there are any left) and you therefore have less control over allocation. Ashlyns used to be a good school but loads of people pay for Berkhamsted Collegiate as it is a wealthy area. Tring School might be better a few miles North. It is possible to live in Bucks and go to Tring School rather than a Bucks Secondary Modern so you might be better off looking at this possibility.

I know a few people my age who went to Ashlyns; it has been through a lot of peaks and troughs but my impression is that it is fundamentally a decent school.

If you were looking at the Bucks grammars Chesham looks like a fab school; ds1 did the Bucks test this year and it was hard (the nature of the test changed supposedly to make it more tutor-proof) but he did pass. Just be careful of the catchment as Chesham is getting more and more popular. We wouldn't have got in on distance this year (luckily that didn't matter because he got his first choice school in Herts) - as the required marks for the SW Herts Consortium schools are getting higher I think you'll find more and more parents from the Watford area looking at Chesham, which could shrink the catchment even more.

I think the biggest problem with Ashlyns is that lots of children go to the many private schools in the area (this is a high wealth area) or the grammars.

For many families Ashlyns is the least desirable option IYSIM and they avoid it if possible.

It's not a bad school, but it suffers from having so many middle class families avoiding it.

Thank you for your insights. TheWordFactory I think your last sentence hits the nail on the head (is that snobby?).

As for Grammars. We could look at living in Bucks for the Grammars but if all of them don't get it what are we left with? Are there any nice towns in Bucks with good Grammars AND a good comp?

There are no comps in Bucks as it is a wholly selective county with grammar and upper schools. Waddesdon is a village 6 miles outside Aylesbury with a well regarded upper school, and in catchment for the 3 grammar schools in Aylesbury. If you are a living in Bucks and your child passes the 11+ you are guaranteed a grammar school place in the county, but it may not be your first choice. The Aylesbury grammar schools and Chesham Grammar are the schools most likely to have places for out of catchment children. Some of the upper schools don't have great reputations, whereas all of the grammar schools have good Ofsted reports.

Have you thought about hertfordshire? St Albans and Harpenden? Good rail links and not grammar area.

In Bucks, Waddesdon is the place to go, or the very few surrounding villages in the Waddesdon School catchment area, because you do get the grammar schools in Aylesbury or Waddesdon School if your children don't get the 11+ mark required. It is a C of E Secondary Modern school but selects many on Church attendance. The results there are better than very many comprehensive schools. John Colet School in Wendover has taken its eye off the ball recently, but they will bounce back. The school is highly sought after. Another good secondary and a popular one is The Misbourne School in Great Missenden. Many people have children at grammar schools and siblings at these secondary schools. Good candidates can also transfer to the grammar schools for 6th form.

I would look at Chorleywood which is in Herts but next to Little Chalfont, Amersham in Bucks. The local school St Clement Danes is highly thought of, outstanding in all areas. Children from there go to St CD, also can take the 11+ and many go to Chesham Grammar and Becky High. Many parents are now choosing St CD over all the other options including private schools. Watford Grammar is available too, providing they do well in the academic consortium test. Links into London are good, and its near the M25, Mi etc.

Interesting that the Chorleywood girls don't get into Challoners High which is practically next door in Little Chalfont which is Buckinghamshire and a grammar school ! Beaconsfield High School is quite a trek! Presumably the boys don't get into Challoners Grammar either if they go to Chesham Grammar. I would also recommend Chorleywood though.

Yes, the Challoners are always way too oversubscribed for out of catchment children to go there. Becky high is actually not far at al- 15 mins by car. Nearer and quicker to get to than Chesham Grammar which is a 10 min train ride away, then 10 min walk.

Thanks again for all the insights.

I didn't realise that about the 11+. Still, the thought of (literally) pushing our 3 through it fills me with dread.

We've been around the St Albans/Harpenden trail. St A is nice but the boss says it's 'a bit surburban' and Harpenden is crazy expensive for houses.

Waddesdon is too problematic for the commute. But Great Missenden sounds good. We drove through at some point and remember is was very nice. Houses are pretty £££ though.

Prestwood could suit you and further away from HS2 route. Or look at Little Kingshill. Is really depends on where you want to commute to in London. Chorleywood is expensive too! Tring might be worth looking at. Less expensive than Berkhamsted. Tring School is used as an alternative to Bucks Secondary Moderns.