Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Info on Marlow, Henley, Thame, Chalfonts

356 replies

Spanielmad · 19/08/2017 22:38

Hello, we are thinking of moving into South Buckinghamshire for DH's work. Been looking at the impossible school situation already and earmarked a few areas with good (but oversubscribed) secondary schools.
Before I drive over to visit the area (we are a few hours away) I need to narrow down which towns we might like, as I can't visit them all in a day or two.

We like to be near or on the outskirts of a small town with stuff for my kids (young teen boys) such as a leisure centre, sports clubs, we like hiking in the hills/woods, I'd like a nice town with boutique shops, cafes, art galleries, art clubs etc. Low crime and peaceful would be good too- goes without saying.

Can anyone tell me anything about these towns? What are they like? I already know most of them are pricey- but would like to know more about atmosphere, crime, shops etc....
I have only done online research so far.

Henley,
Shiplake,
Marlow (my fav at the moment but hard to find a house),
Chalfont St Peter,
Chesham,
Thame.

Any thoughts very welcome!! Thank you

OP posts:
WaitrosePigeon · 26/08/2017 19:00

Definitely have a look at Freith..

Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 19:47

The schools listed (on right move as its easy to use) as nearby SP are Khalso, Beechwood and Wexham.....

OP posts:
Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 19:54

ah, if Furze Platt is good.... (76% get A*-C last year) then Cookham is in the picture and towards Maidenhead along the A4094... nice and close to SP...

Nice plan B school if Marlow doesn't work out too I imagine...

OP posts:
Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 19:59

And cook ham is close to Marlow.... could be a nice compromise but must visit and compare GMS with FP

OP posts:
mumblechum0 · 26/08/2017 20:07

I like Cookham, often go for lunch with a friend there in a pub right on the river followed by tipsy shoe shopping (tho' there aren't that many shops there).
It has some very pretty Georgian town houses and also a large estate but q decent houses.

ShaneBitchy · 26/08/2017 20:16

I wouldn't send mine to Wexham. Beechwood I've heard good things about.
If Khalsa is your catchment school then PP is correct, you have to pay for transport elsewhere.
IMO a faith school shouldn't be your catchment school but let's not get started on that or I'll get angry about it.
Have you looked at Dorney or Taplow? Can use back routes to get to Stoke Poges. Would take 15/20 mins.

Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 20:22

Thanks all. I am not mad about any of the schools and will not send my kids to a religious school. Transport is the least of our problems, getting a place is the main issue as we'll be going for mid-year admissions. The closer we live to a school the better. So SP is out as I would not live close enough to any of my preferred schools.

Just saw that south of Cookham - towards Maidenhead is all 'high flood risk' :( darn, saw a nice house there. Oh well.

OP posts:
Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 20:25

SP is Burnham Grammar catchment so that would work nicely but we would not know whether my kids passed the test AND whether they have a space free until after we'd move, so that's a risk I am not going to take, as there is no decent upper nearby (the closer we are, the higher we will be on the waiting list).

OP posts:
Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 20:25

we might well opt for the one school that has a Y8 place free and then move there...

OP posts:
Ollycat · 26/08/2017 20:26

The bad floods were 3 or 4 years ago - if it didn't flood then you'll be ok.

ShaneBitchy · 26/08/2017 20:28

My friend's DD was at Burnham Academy and transferred mid-year to The Beaconsfield School so maybe they'd have spaces which is a good back up for not getting grammar.
Not a massively large catchment area though I don't think but you'd still have choice of Burnham Grammar, John Hampden.

Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 20:53

Beaconsfield does not have a great ofsted report.... :(....

OP posts:
ShaneBitchy · 26/08/2017 20:56

No but the new HT does seem really good and he cares about the pupils which goes a long way in my book.
I think I said before on another thread that my friend's DC go to a school with Outstanding Ofsted but it isn't a nurtering or caring environment, it's all results driven.

LAlady · 26/08/2017 21:31

I live In the river area of Maidenhead after formerly living down the road in Cookham. DS goes to John Hampden in High Wycombe. There are four private buses that go from the Maidenhead area taking both John Hampden and Wycombe High pupils to and from school. He would've have got a place in Sir William Borlase too as many of the Bucks schools are in catchment in Cookham/Maidenhead.

My DD goes to Newlands. Despite being in catchment we had to appeal for a place as the school is heavily oversubscribed. Thankfully she got a place on appeal. It is a fantastic school.

Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 21:43

Ah yes a good HT can definitely make a difference!
Thanks LAlady, good to know transport goes far and wide... and I suppose if you pass the test you can apply to any of the grammars, although I suppose it helps living near...

OP posts:
poisonedbypen · 26/08/2017 22:54

You can apply to any of the grammars, but there is no point if there is no hope of getting in.
FWIW most people seem to be very happy with The Beaconsfield School.

Original poster
Spanielmad · 26/08/2017 23:51

Good to know, thanks!! Smile

OP posts:
jempuddleduck · 27/08/2017 12:08

Hi Spanielmad,

I have been reading your thread as we are also likely to be moving to a similar area at some stage probably next year due to DH's job (not 100% yet as he needs to be offered a permanent post) which is also v near SP (he has already started there). We have 4 children so having even more fun with the school situation! I have been doing a lot of googling or areas/ schools, etc too. I think it's going to be impossible to get them all into a first choice school moving 'in year' like this. Marlow looks lovely but house prices probably just too high as we do need a large house with such a large family and commute is a little on the longer side too. I'm also wondering about Burnham/ Cookham/ Taplow or considering the South around Ascot as schools there good (not too keen on the middle schools in Windsor). I'm starting to wonder if renting might be a good idea too..

Original poster
Spanielmad · 27/08/2017 14:30

Hi Jempuddleduck - how cool to hear you are in the same boat. But then with 4 kids! wow.

I am going to do another email to the council but am I mad not wanting my kids to go to an 'requires improvement' school while they wait for a place to become free in a preferred school? I am really on the fence about this. They are currently in a good school where they are happy and moving house will be quite a big thing; and not being able to tell them where they will go to school (as will have to wait applications, appeals etc) until a week or so before moving date will be quite stressful for them. And then go to a not so great school and move school again within weeks/months/years? Ugh, I really don't know if I want to put them through this.... I can't see how it wouldn't make them get behind etc, and they are pretty bright kids. :(

But where on earth is the nearest good school that has a place (or two, or four, LOL). we'll end up in Dorset!

Taplow and north Maidenhead is high flood risk... I ruled it out.
I had not looked at Ascot yet.... schools I see are Charters in Sunningdale and Easthampstead Park near Bracknell... ....

Sounds like we can compare notebooks!

OP posts:
Original poster
Spanielmad · 27/08/2017 20:21

Got Waingels on my list now too, anyone know more about it?

OP posts:
jempuddleduck · 27/08/2017 21:31

It's definitely less than ideal but there doesn't seem to be much option unless you can afford private or are very lucky.
I have two at senior school so will focus on them more as there seem to be plenty of pretty decent primaries. The grammar school system does seem to result in some really poor comprehensives sadly. I have explained the system to my older two and they understand. We are particularly trying to sort things out for my oldest who is GCSE age so absolutely not an ideal time to move for her.
My DH's job also means that he can't be too far from work so Reading/ Henley, etc are out for us.

Have Bucks cc been able to tell you which schools actually have spaces? Is there info on their website?

cantkeepawayforever · 27/08/2017 21:39

"The grammar school system does seem to result in some really poor comprehensives secondary moderns sadly."

You can't have a comprehensive in a grammar system - comprehensives take the full range of ability, which the 'other' schools in a fully grammar system (traditionally called secondary moderns, but now disguised under a range of terms such as 'High schools', 'Community collges', the catch all 'academy' or simply 'school) obviously don't.

In fact, it looks as if some of the secondary moderns in Bucks do do surprisingly well, given the removal of their high achievers more or less en masse - but comprehensives they are not.

cantkeepawayforever · 27/08/2017 21:47

Apologies for that outbreak of educational pedantry!

It can be useful, when comparing different types of school, to look at the outcomes for different groups of pupils rather than for the school as a whole.

So a school with 85% high attainers will, at the 'average raw results' level, have better results than e.g. a school with 25% or 15% in this group. However, if you look at the results for middle attainers at each school, you may find that they are much more similar than the difference in 'headline' results may lead you to expect.

jempuddleduck · 27/08/2017 21:54

I see, sorry, I have never lived anywhere with this system before. I didn't actually know that there were any counties where all pupils took the 11+ until I started researching this area so have never used the term 'secondary moderns'.

I don't think there is any substitute for actually going to the school and speaking to current parents in the area. I will try to arrange a visit or two in September. Mumsnet is a great resource in the meantime!

Singap0reSling · 27/08/2017 23:18

Anecdotally we know some people who have kids at Waingels, they're not over thrilled - there were some issues about class management. They had a lot of money spent a few years ago, not sure those parents felt the money had been well spent / saw much improvement.

And in the same area Waingels have been surpassed by Bulmershe apparently. Have you had a look at Bulmershe school?

Maiden Erlegh is the most desirable Wokingham secondary in this part of Reading (of these 3 schools), house prices around it reflect that.

But all three are quite different in style I believe, and although Maiden Erlgeh gets good results (again anecdotally) I hear good and bad things about it.