Gerrards Cross, Chalfont, Windsor or?

[Zeek12]

Hi everyone.

We are looking to move to a nice family friendly area, that is surrounded by excellent state primary schools as well as excellent mixed (not single sex) independent schools. We have a soon to be reception aged 4 child (only 1 child) so its important to find somewhere there are good mums groups or lots of activities for that age group, cafes, nice restaurants, parks, shops and other important local amenities.

We have only been up to Windsor which was pretty and seems it had good amenities but might be too congested and busy during the tourist season? We will have 1 car but want to be able to walk around for local amenities. Moving from London, so dont want somewhere too quiet either but unsure of the surrounding areas that are North East to windsor such as Gerrards Cross, the various Chalfonts etc.

Would love to get your opinions on the above. Thank you in advance

Windsor still has middle schools - so first, middle and senior, which may or may not be something you want.

Henley on Thames and Marlow both worth exploring

If your child is already 4 and is due to start school in September, you have missed the application date which is in January. The most popular schools are difficult to get into if you are a late entry. If you want private it could be easier. I don’t know much about Windsor but the best schools in and around GX are popular. The schools in the Chalfonts are more of a mixed bag.

I like Chalfont St Giles. Little Chalfont has a pleasant Centre as does Chalfont St Peter. All are family friendly. Amersham is intending to redevelop it’s swimming pool and of course the Chilterns is just on your doorstep.

For really family friendly places, I think Wendover is nicer. Or Berkhsmsted which might give you more state school options. You need to be aware that Bucks is 11 plus. If DC doesn’t get into one, you need to be in catchment for a good secondary. The Amersham School is highly regarded but you need to live quite close to it to get in. Chalfonts School suits plenty of people too as does John Colet at Wendover and The Misbourne at Great Missenden. Prestwood might also suit you and there are villages such as Little Kingshill that are also popular. However you do need to look at primary YR places to see where might have vacancies.

Chesham Bois has good access to Amersham and Amersham itself is worth a look.

Another vote for Berkhamsted. All of the state primary schools are rated good or outstanding. The secondary school, Ashlyns, is fabulous. 90% of all house sales in the town are people moving out from London so it has a good vibe. Lots of cafes, restaurants, family friendly pubs, a nice High Street with Waitrose and you can walk to National Trust parkland at Ashridge. Direct train into Euston takes half an hour.

There’s the big independent in town, Berkhamsted School, which has a diamond structure. Coed to 11, single sex to 16 and back to coed at 16. The boys and girls schools do a lot together, including drama, music, CCF and trips so the five years or single sex in the classroom have a lot of coed stuff still going on.

Berkhamsted also puts you closer to Aldenham, Haileybury, St Margaret’s in Bushey and St Columba’s which is just changing to coed. Mixed secondary independent schools are rather thin on the ground in the Amersham and the Chalfonts areas though. There’s a wide range of single sex though.

There’s a raft of brilliant prep schools nearby too - Beechwood Park, Westbrook Hay and Chesham Prep to name a few.

I broadly agree with Percy’s comments. For a mixed secondary independent (I assume you were referring to secondary regarding independents, as you also mention state primary?) Berkhamsted School has a good reputation. Berkamsted is a lovely town with everything you’ve listed in your OP, but is in Herts rather than Bucks. I gather that there are some great primary schools there too.

I grew up in the area and we lived with our two DC in the Chalfonts for several years before moving away. The primary schools in that area are certainly a mixed bag. One of the infant schools in the area, which had one of the better reputations, let us down badly as a family. It was Ofsted Outstanding at that time.

Thank you so much everyone for your personal recommendations and your time. I really appreciate it

If you choose Gerrards Cross or the Chalfonts from that list then they are still in grammar catchments so they tend not to have excellent mixed indies as such.

I think there are no mixed independent secondaries of note in Bucks except Stowe in the far North. However families around Wendover, Chesham and further out do like Berkhamsted school.