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Secondary education

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

Moving to Bucks County

18 replies

sala73 · 29/09/2019 22:18

Hello All,

I am new to Mumsnet!

We are planning to move to Bucks county for better life style and good schools. My husband needs good commute to London and we have 2 kids. My son is in year 4 in primary and my daughter is in year 7 in secondary school. We have to look for a primary school and most importamtly my daughter has to do 12+ for local grammars school. If she doesn't pass the test or most likely no availability then what are her choices for Secondary schools in the area.

We started looking for some properties in the Little Chalfont. Since we are moving from Central London, welcome your advice and suggestions for schools and location.

OP posts:
Mustbetimeforachange · 29/09/2019 22:36

I think your choices there would be Chalfont Community College or Amersham School but you can easily check catchments on the Buckinghamshire County Council website. People fall into the trap of moving to Bucks for the schools and then find out that most of the schools are rubbish unless it is a grammar school. The chances of a place after year 7 are minimal, although of course it is possible if people leave.

sala73 · 29/09/2019 22:49

Thank you, I will check those 2 schools.

OP posts:
Popfan · 29/09/2019 22:54

Both those secondary schools are great and the PP is totally wrong to say 'most of the schools are rubbish unless it's a grammar!

BubblesBuddy · 29/09/2019 23:22

These schools might be full so do check what the position is before you move. They are both good schools. Little Chalfont Primary school is very sought after. You are unlikely to get a place unless you are very lucky. You may be offered the other school in Little Chalfont but that might disappoint you. So again, check exactly what the position is.

The grammar schools are all excellent and mostly full. The secondary schools are not outstanding (well one is, but it’s at Waddesdon). Some have been in and out of RI and Inadequate and Special Measures ever since inspections started! Some have always been pretty good and have sustained that position. Therefore it’s no easy matter, moving to Bucks. You may well have little choice.

Popfan · 30/09/2019 06:28

@BubblesBuddy is correct in that both Chalfonts and the Amersham school could be full. Amersham particularly has become sought after and is very over subscribed - it's much smaller than CCC. I'd think you would need to be in catchment to stand any chance of getting in so you go to a high position on the waiting list.

Peregrina · 30/09/2019 09:08

You don't say where your DH works, but how about moving to Oxfordshire somewhere near the Oxford to Marylebone line? There are no worries about Grammar schools or Sec Mods, and there is a good comprehensive, Lord William's in Thame.

Geronimo8 · 30/09/2019 09:15

I really wouldn't move to Bucks with a 12 year old. She's missed out on a grammar place and the secondary moderns are fairly dire. You aim toward Tring for the comp there. It's ok but not a school worth moving for.

BubblesBuddy · 30/09/2019 09:38

Not all the secondary schools are dire but the ones with places won’t be great. Not sure if CCC has places or not.

Lord Bills in Thame is very popular too. Does that have places? That’s going to be the key for both DC. What good schools actually have places. Theme and Haddenham Parkway is a much longer commute than Chalfont and Latimer.

HPFA · 30/09/2019 11:13

Not quite sure why you are moving to Bucks purely for the schools? As other people have said, your chances of getting into any of the good secondaries at this stage aren't great.

There are areas of Oxfordshire that have easy commutes to London and good secondary schools - Lord Bill's as has been mentioned and Didcot - two very good single-sex schools and a mixed school.

sala73 · 30/09/2019 14:15

Firstly thank you everyone for all the honest and useful information.

Unfortunately as you were all predicated primary schools like Little Chalfont are completely full and the only school which has availability in all years is Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy. Do you have any comment about that school?

I just now realised

OP posts:
BubblesBuddy · 30/09/2019 18:56

It has spaces for a reason I’m afraid. It’s bottom of anyone’s wish list. Location, chequered history and likely ability of cohort tends to put people off. All the other local schools are better. But I suspect they are full. If you look on Bucks CCs Admissions web site, they will post all schools and indicate vacancies in each year group. It could be a bit early but keep looking. This probably won’t solve the secondary issue. Does CCC have places?

Geronimo8 · 30/09/2019 19:28

Is there a reason you want Bucks? Near family? A selective county is about the last place I'd be looking with a child already in secondary and one in year 4. You're going to get the worst of the worst.

OMVM2 · 30/09/2019 20:35

Hi, we moved to Bucks 6 years ago purely due to my work relocating there but also as we heard it had amazing family feel, great schools, close to central London yet with amazing countryside.

Some of it was true.

I would say schools are average. Secondary - as some mentioned already, less than average. Daughter was in CCC as we never tutored her for 11+ so she did not pass and CCC was the only choice.
BTW everyone tutors for 11+ from year 3. They will of course say they do not, they just have bright kids - do not believe them.

As to CCC, daughter did not enjoy it too much. Teachers were ok. Choice of lessons and after school activities limited. GCSE options (we moved right before they were making choices - in YR8) not very inspiring. Average I'd say.

The school had a strange feel - it is not academic, nor sporty, nor arty. Just average at everything with not much of passion.
What was most disappointing, is that she did not make many friends as could not relate to many of her peers. Most kids seemed older for their age, with interest in partying more than learning, sports or art (which my DD is very keen on).
Then came the bullying due to the fact that she had a backpack and not a handbag.. School was not great at responding. I had to pick her up once as there was pushing and shouting / calling names involved. No follow up from any of the teachers. Not invited to speak with anyone. Pretty disappointing.

As to primary, my son went to St Joseph's Catholic school in Chalfont St Peter as this was the only one that luckily had a space. We lived in Gerrards Cross and their primary is continuously oversubscribed. I would put name on the waiting list as a lot of people move around during the year. You might not get the one you want but places do come up.
StJosephs was an ok school. I would not rave about it. But son felt safe and made friends. As to parents, a lot seemed very middle class (nothing against, just want to give best feel of the place). So if this is something you like, you'd feel comfortable. I was not, and did not make many friends there.

On the secondary school, just something to keep in mind - there seem to be a trend of sending kids to local state primary (if it is a good one, if there is no space in a good one - they go private, in just GX there are 4 or 5 of them). if the child passes 11+ (you need means to pay for tutor), they will go to DrChalloners or Beaconsfield grammar. If not, they will go private. So only people who cannot afford private and their child did not pass exams (whether private or 11+), will end up in CCC or Amersham. If you are a diverse family, I would think carefully about your choice.

In the end we moved out of the area (the healthy village living was more of a mirage, could not walk anywhere as schools were too far, buses run not often enough and of course no safe walking route to school so we used car all the time) due to work commitments - to central London.

We live in NW area now and would never exchange it for Bucs again. It is nice to go there and visit but school wise - people do underrate how good Central London schools are, what kids have on their doorstep and how easy it is to let them experience so much on a free bus ride to any museums, events etc.

Good luck with the move, hope it all works out for you!

Cuddlysnowleopard · 30/09/2019 21:57

Try just over the county border in Herts? Schools are generally good, and you have all the same facilities as Little Chalfont etc.

sala73 · 01/10/2019 13:25

Hello,

I am so grateful for all you valuable and honest comments.

Unfortunately it seems that we missed the boat and we are better to stay in London.

Thank you so much

OP posts:
Zinnia · 01/10/2019 14:09

Don't lose heart, @sala73 - my own experience of growing up close to the area you were looking at was close to @OMVM2's, even though many years ago now. I have never for a moment considered moving back.

DH, who also grew up fairly close to me, and I have settled in NW London and there are some great schools around here. Take some time to peruse the many, many MN threads on schools in N London (especially secondary) and look to moving accordingly. Good luck!

BubblesBuddy · 01/10/2019 15:56

Gerrards Cross isn’t really a village though. These are wealthy areas and people have money! Little Chalfont is much smaller but you only have to look at the houses between Little Chalfont and Chalfont St Giles to know people won’t want the local secondary moderns.

Going further north, it’s not like this with road after road of multi £million houses, but you still won’t get into the best schools. Some secondaries are well supported by MC parents eg The Misbourne, Waddesdon, John Colet and The Cotteslowe but others are avoided by many. However Aylesbury isn’t wealthy and north Bucks is very different to south Bucks. Villages are more genuine and can be great places to live. The downside is a much longer commute.

ittakes2 · 01/10/2019 18:23

Sir William Borlase grammar in Marlow! They take an extra 30 places in year 9 (exam this January) and they are an amazing school. The local comprehensive Great Marlow is excellent too.

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