Secondary Schools in Chesham

[PaleAle]

Hi, I am trying to understand how the schooling system works in Chesham particularly around grammar vs comprehensive secondary schools.

From reading online and here it seems that Chesham mostly has grammar schools. I'm wondering what happens in situations where the child doesn't pass the 11+, what are the options from there? Does it mean trying to find a comprehensive school outside of the catchment area that will accept the child, or would you potentially have to move house in to an area with comp schools?

Thanks for any advice!

There are grammars and comps. Only state grammar in Chesham is Chesham Grammar but also might get into eg Dr Challoners or others further away. If they don’t pass the 11+ or don’t take it then the nearest comp is Chiltern Hills. Amersham School or Misbourne also possibilities depending on distance (likely to get in if live on that side of Chesham, not likely if on other side). Could also consider Herts schools eg In Berkhamsted.

There are no comps in Bucks, only Uppers (without the "top" 30%) & grammars. A comp has the full range of ability, uppers don't which can mean the don't offer some subjects eg triple science or certain A levels.

Of course there are NO comprehensives in Bucks in the true sense of the word and understanding that this means all ability. They clearly don’t have all abilities.

Your catchment school would be Chiltern Hills but you could apply to other schools as suggested. Whether you get in or not would depend on distance allocated that year and it varies. The best thing to do is check out the schools and live in the catchment of the Secondary school you prefer! Not grammar catchment. All are first class schools.

Or live in Berko and be nailed on for Ashlyns School for a comp - although Berkhamsted School is the competition here.

Technically they are comps as that is simply a school that doesn’t select on basis of ability, although agree that’s not how most people think of a comp. They will have children across the full range of abilities, as some parents don’t enter their child in 11+ on principle or because it will stress their child, plus some very able children fail the test. However it will be skewed towards those who aren’t the most able.

Also, in case this thread is found by others looking at Bucks schools, there are areas of Bucks without grammar schools, eg Milton Keynes, and the shrinking catchments of many of the grammars mean the schools there have an unskewed mix of pupils ie are what are commonly thought of as comps.

Thank you all for the very helpful replies. We'll have a look at some of the options you suggested, much appreciated.

Based on this year you will not get into Ashlyns if you live in Chesham. In fact, some children who lived on the wrong side of the canal in Berkhamsted didn’t get a place.

Historically in the region of 40-50 children from Berkhamsted got a place at Chesham Grammar. The change in catchments at CG meant the last admitted distance fell by 3 miles and all the Berkhamsted children get in. They are all going to Ashlyns and as such the catchment for Ashlyns also shrunk dramatically.

FYI the tutoring that I have experienced other children doing over the summer for the Bucks 11+ is, in some cases, bordering on barbaric. These are friends of my DC. I refuse to tutor and feel that my extremely bright (academic scholarship at independent school) probably won’t pass. I would only live in Bucks if I was close to one of the good comps. And they are great schools. They just suffer from the brightest students being creamed off and in grammars.

Don’t get me wrong, I do support the concept of grammar schools. It’s just these days they are not for the academically able. They are for those who can afford to tutor to high even and live in the £1m houses next door.