Lord Williams's School Thame

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Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of how well LWS serve their more academic children? We have visited, read the reports, looked at the results and stats (including the value added). We get the impression of a school who take their comprehensive status seriously and with pride. And some of the children get some great results.

But each year a few children do go to the grammar schools in Aylesbury. (Which we have also visited, etc). Which suggests some parents feel they (LWS) cannot provide for the brightest.

Wondering if the weekend people know...

We are in a very similar position so following this thread with interest. Plenty of bright children get top grades at LWS but they also look after the less academic children very well.

I think a bright child will reach their academic potential whether at LWS or an Aylesbury school, so the decision comes more down to what other things the schools offer . The feel of the school, pastoral and extra curricular, travel time, where do we think our child will be happiest.
There is also the fact that LWS will be 12 form entry from next year so double the size of the grammars, though I still can't decide if that's a pro or a con!
We have until next year to decide but at the moment I'm very undecided, we are lucky to have the choice if they pass the 11+. And if they don't then LWS is our only choice but a very good one.

"Where our child will be happiest" - indeed, this is it, if only I had that crystal ball! I do realize we are in the highly fortunate position of choosing good school A or good school B.

I know someone whose sons both went to Lord William's but one went to Henry Floyd's for sixth form. She says she found no real difference between the two as far as standards went - some very good and some not-so-good teachers at both apparently.

Please remember that some people have it deep in their psyche that a comp (however good) cannot provide for the most able as well as a grammar.That's not to say there aren't individual cases when a child might do better at a particular grammar than at a particular comp.

Eerk. sorry - insert "not" after "that's" to make sense.

I work in an Oxfordshire Comp (not Lord Bills) and live in Bucks with two children at a Bucks grammar.

My comp is v high performing however each year we lose some children at the end of year 8 to Borlase (who take an additional 25 in year 9). Would these children have reached the same levels / achieved the same grades if they had stayed at my comp? Undoubtedly!

Some people will always believe that a grammar school is better whatever you say to them! Lord Bills is a great school.

I went to Lord Williams's School myself and stuck around for the sixth form too. I thought it was a great school and was very happy there. I don't think they are any better or worse than Aylesbury grammar schools tbh and the majority of people who finished sixth form when I did have gone on to go to uni and are on their way to becoming pretty successful in their careers! :D
It was also nice when moving into sixth form to not have such a big transition when starting as you may have if moving to a college or another sixth form.

Thank you all, interesting.