Secondary independent schools near MARLOW???

[Smileypeople11]

Hi All

We are seriously considering moving to Marlow as it has the right transport links for my dh work. Also seems very beautiful place to live!

However my dd is moving into year 7 next year and I'm not sure of the schools in the area. She is clever, arty and mildly dyslexic.

Do girls commute to the Oxford and Reading schools e.g. Headington or Queen Annes or is it just too far?

I also have 2 younger children , a dd and ds. I have heard that the local primary schools are amazing but I'm not sure whether it would be possible to enter in the later years?

Thank you in advance for any advice on the schools or the area. Feeling slightly overwhelmed at the prospect of moving to a totally new area.

Marlow is a grammar school area so independents are a bit thin on the ground. There is Pipers Corner near High Wycombe which is a girls selective senior school but has a junior department. There is also Godstowe A girls' prep at High Wycombe for girls up to age 13. You will have to check with each state primary school to see if there are vacancies but you may well find there are not. You also have secondary independent schools in Maidenhead and Ascot which are not too far if Queen Anne's seems a bit remote.

Boys schools are equally problematic but again Maidenhead has a co-ed senior school I believe. There is also St Edwards in Oxford but this starts at 13 so you would need a boys' prep first.

Hi Smiley. We moved to Marlow

I would strongly consider Godstowe Prep at High Wycombe for your eldest dd because it gives an excellent preparation for transfer at 13 to the senior school of your choice and will allow you the luxury of having a look around to see what you prefer. Pipers Corner is now selective and you need to do their entrance tests. Pipers is also the other side of High Wycombe from Marlow so your commute could be grim. Heathfield at Ascot now takes day girls so you could consider them. I think Marlow people would consider Queen Anne's but it is quite a commute.

Although children do pass the 13 plus selection tests for Grammar schools, and Sir William Borlase's Grammar in Marlow administer their own tests, frequently there are not enough places available for the children who "pass". It can be around 50% who do not get a place even though their results are good enough. Places have also been allocated at 12 plus so waiting for 13 plus (year 9) entry, makes this a very high risk strategy.

Bucks CC keep a list of primary schools with places so you could check with them when you move but it could be a disappointing list!

Hi smileypeople11 I have came across this threat and it could not have been more similar to our circumstances namely we are also looking into relocating to Marlow and are looking into the independent secondary places for our (also very smart, arty and slightly dislexic daughter). So far we have Pipers Corner on our list but have not visited so not sure how good the school actually is.
Can anyone advise on some good independent secondaries within 30-40min max commuting distance from Marlow please...
We will also need primary school places for our two brings sons (hoping for the Sir William Borlaise for secondary for them) but are worried that most places at good primaries (Sprinfield, Holy Trinity CoE or Danesfield) never come up especially in twos!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Smileypeople11 if I may ask, where did your daughter eventually end up, would loved to hear from you. Thank you all.

I think there is a coach to Pipers from Marlow, I know somebody with a Y7 child there (just started) and is very happy with it.
I understand that the three schools that you listed are as you said, very hard to get a place in. Although if you end up living in the Holy Trinity catchment you may have a slightly better chance of a place as they are upping their numbers (although those numbers may be for the extra children now in Little Marlow Infant school).

Shiplake College near Henley is close by too. Stepson went there and they were really helpful with his dyslexia.

Whilst not there yet, my girls are registered at Pipers Corner from 11. It is selective in that there is an entrance test, but it is a school that takes many girls who have failed the 11+ so it's most definitely not a hot house.

I totally fell in love with the place. The girls are happy, confident, down to earth and very proud of their school. They are able to meet the needs of the very intelligent as well as those who need a little extra help. What sold me though was the ethos that what you do outside school is just as important as the academics and they had a huge enrichment programme to support this. It is a school with a great reputation for art and performing though so if academics and that kind of hot housy feel are what you want then it's probably not the right school. For example, many girls go onto art and design courses at university with fewer choosing Russell Group and traditional academic courses.

If it sounds like your cup of tea I would seriously encourage you to visit it.

Pipers takes a lot from its own prep deptartment. Failures of the 11 plus have to be pretty good (so not children who are nowhere near passing) and they reserve the right not to even take on all their own prep girls. I would expect that the school is mostly full of high achievers (as defined by the government) and manages to screen out many children who are likely to find it difficult to get 5A*-C GCSEs. I know a number of girls who have not been able to get in. I also know ones who have gone to top universities from there and have chosen to go there instead of a state grammar school - hence the very good university destinations! Pipers is a longish commute from Marlow - you have to go through High Wycombe and High Wycombe traffic!

St Annes, Caversham, as mentioned above used to be very popular with Marlow parents and there are more academic schools in Ascot. Bucks County Council used to have a list of primary schools with vacancies.

The bigger problem you will have is if your boys do not pass the 11 plus. Boys independent schools are very thin on the ground in that area. Lots therefore have to commute a long way or board.