Aylesbury High School (AHS), any thoughts......?

[UnderneaththeArchers]

Anybody have experience of this school? We have been to visit on a few occasions and we all really like it. I have some niggling doubts however about how competitive and resilient it is necessary to be. Is it only for those who fit that description?

I know someone currently at AHS. She puts a tremendous amount of pressure on herself and works solidly from 6am until 10pm. Its ridiculous. She is predicted all A grades but is terrified of letting that slip.

Her friends have run out of patience for her as she never makes any time to hang out with them.

I have asked her whether her teachers are aware of how hard she is working and how anxious she is and it seems that they are not, despite the fact that she has dropped extra-curricular activities (some school-based) to make more time for school work.

I find it concerning that no one there has identified that she has a problem. She can't possibly keep working and stressing as much as she is without it surely leading to burning out or having some sort of breakdown.

Having said that, this is just one pupil. She tells me that although everyone there works hard most do give themselves a break as well.

It sounds as though the quality of the teaching (academically speaking) is pretty good.

Thanks GRW for your reply.

Sorry, I should have said I live in Bucks too I have had one DC go through the "old" 11+ and I have got another DC to take it this September so you got me a bit more worried!
It makes me very that people out of county push up the pass mark and then don't even take up a place but that is a whole other thread

Thanks again.

Both my daughters went to AHS and did very well academically but in my opinion the pastoral care was lacking. My elder left to go to SHFGS for A levels - she had approached teachers to say she was unhappy, she was offered counselling, that we were not told about, at no time did the school contact us to discuss things - my younger daughter suffered from severe anorexia so left to do A levels elsewhere. While it does suit many girls with the benefit of hindsight we made a dreadful decision, we would have been better living in a non selective county.

You cannot assume other schools would not have had the same consequences though. Mental health issues are not just found in grammar schools.

We found out today that DD has a place there. It was her first choice and DS is already at AGS. However I was talking to someone the other day who has a daughter in Year 7 and she said that they regret it. Her daughter complains that the girls don't want to work and are only concerned about their hair etc. I know the lack of desire to work has frustrated my son at AGS. Both of them went to a small school where if pupils were given a task to do, they did it. Wondering if we made the right choice. DD really didn't like SHF

Are you for real? So what other options do you have?? SHF and AHS are the only Grammars in Aylesbury. Would you prefer a secondary modern? Probably not. You could go Private of course but I think your summary of the girls at AHS is frankly ridiculous.

The vast majority of DDs friends (15) went to AHS. A few might be interested in hair and make up but this is inevitable in a large school. The results tell you that girls do work! There is also outstanding teaching. It’s a happy school with many highly educated parents.

There will be a few over coached ones who are sick of education though and will do the minimum. They are not a majority. It’s a large school and takes all sorts of personalities. We knew girls who went there who were very studious and serious. Others were a bit more frivolous. So be it.

My neighbours boys went to SHF and loved it. If you don’t have the funds to go Private, you are being ultra picky. Everyone I knew was delighted to have a girl there and SHF too. If you don’t like those awful girls, get saving!

I find it hilarious that boys don’t work at AGS either! What judgemental children you have when a grammar isn’t good enough and neither are the children at the schools. I have two friends who had 2 sons each who went to Oxford and Cambridge from AGS. I guess they didn’t work and just sailed in!

Excuse me - I don't think I said that that was MY assessment of the girls at AHS. It is a comment I've received from someone. I'm merely asking if other people found the same problem or is it just blown out of proportion by my friend (which knowing her is not outside the realms of possibilities).

And I never said that the boys at AGS were not good enough. I just said that my son has struggled with it (he has Aspergers so is very set in his ways) - his form has actually been banned from their form room before the start of the school day due to behaviour.

I was under the mistaken impression that this was a place to ask people for personal experiences. We were suprised at my friend's comments, so I'm asking here. If this is not the general experience of people then fantastic.

DropZoneOne I was there 30 years ago too! Would agree with everything you said. I was an academic high achiever. In retrospect I have issues with single sex schools and have deliberately avoided for my own children but if it's something you're happy with then obviously that's a personal decision!

Didn't expect this thread to reappear, but as the OP I thought I might update. DD has happily received her offer today - for a nearby non-grammar. She passed the 11+, and after much consideration decided AHS was not the right place for her (and she still didn't like SHF).