Secondary schools in Milton Keynes

[Esperanza18]

Hi everybody! We are a Spanish family moving to the Milton Keynes area by the end of July. We have 2 sons, the eldest is currently attending Year 8 and the youngest is in Year 5. We are looking for the best comprehensive schools in the area but we have not been able to find a top school up to know. We can see the grammar schools have the best results but don't know if our son will be able to pass the 11+ since he hasn't got the chance to prepare it. There is the Oakgrove School which seems a good solution because it has both primary and secondary together but results don't look as good as the grammar schools. We are hiring a special company for appeals but we would really appreciate some input from your side on this issue, really appreciated.

I live in Milton Keynes and best secondary schools are shenley brook end and Denbigh.

Grammar schools are selective and only the top (approx) 20% will be accepted. Therefore it is not surprising that they have better results than comprehensive schools (which take children from the full ability range). Milton Keynes itself it not in a grammar area - although you may be able to get a place within one of the grammar schools in Bucks based on distance. You could, of course move to actually live within Bucks, but if that were the case you would want to make sure you had a fallback (non grammar) school available. Many children are tutored for the 11+ from the start of Year 5 (or earlier) so your youngest child will be at a disadvantage if he takes the exams, although you do still have some time to prep him.

What constitutes a good secondary school is a matter of taste. Also as Milton Keynes is a growing town, schools tend to ebb and flow.

I'd say in general the following schools have better reputations (although I don't think there is a genuinely awful school in MK)

• Hazeley

-Denbigh -Shenley Brook End

• Oakgrove
• Walton High
• Ousedale

Kents Hill Park only opened last year, so too early too tell there.

You should be aware (for the Year 5 child) that lots of the secondary schools have feeder school criteria in their admissions requirements for secondary. So ideally you'd want to get the Year 5 child in a feeder school for your desired secondary.
Have you approached schools to identify places in Year 8 and Year 5?
Public transport is patchy (fine to get into town, not so easy to get across town) so you will have to look at a school that is easy for your DC to get to from your home, unless you are prepared to drive them every day.

Do you know where exactly you're moving to?

The 11 plus is irrelevant for a Bucks grammar. He’s y8. The Grammars will administer their own tests IF they have a space or two. You best bets would be The Royal Latin School in Buckingham and Sir Henry Floyd School in Aylesbury - but even if a child passes their tests, they won’t admit if they are full.

You need to find out what schools have vacancies for a y8 child in MK. It’s all very well wanting the best, but the best might be full. You need to ask. Anyone can do this.

You are unlikely to win an appeal! What grounds have you got! You are a late arrival and other parents have children in the schools. If they are full, they are full and they won’t take extra children from late applicants. Why should they?

You need to establish which schools have vacancies and make your choice. Your child won’t be registered for the 11 plus which is a Bucks exam and taken in September in y6. It will be difficult to get a grammar school place I think. However the Bucks CC website will give you info about registration and late applicants.

Bubbly presume that OP is talking about the 11+ for her child currently in year 5, for whom it is relevant.

Well some people think you can take an exam and get into a grammar at any age. I thought 11 plus might be shorthand for that! But yes, most likely the child going into y6. It will be difficult to get all of that organised so Bucks CC transfer to secondary school web page is the best place to start.