Hemel Hempstead

[DecemberTherapy]

DC in Y4 and would like to move out of London. We don't seem to know anybody in Herts. Thinking of moving solely for Hemel Hempstead School, partly because of a convenient shopping area in town and reasonably quick train into London and fair house prices e.g. relative to Berkhemsted, Harpenden and St Albans. Any thoughts about the area and also what other secondary school options are there? I don't mind trying for selective private but need a comprehensive option. For DS we could think about trying for Berkhemsted School (won't be far by train from HH) but St Albans is too far to get to for DD. Don't mind trying for grammar too but need to be easy to get to.

Sorry most importantly, any opinions about HH School?

Hemel Hempstead school is the most highly sought after school in the town and you need to be mindful of catchment / last admitted distances. I personally think it’s a great school. A little rough around the edges in places but great head and staff. It has a nice vibe. If you’re looking at state then I would also consider Kings Langley School but again you need to be conscious of distance. A bit further out you should look at Tring School and Tring itself. The station is a little way out of town which makes house prices cheaper.

Grammar places you would have to be incredibly lucky to get a place living in Hemel. You are out of catchment and there are plenty of places on the Herts / Bucks border that are closer. If you live in Tring and pass the 11+ then you can usually get a place in one of the Aylesbury grammars.

Local independent secondary for DD would be Abbots Hill or Berkhamsted, but plenty of schools further away have direct school buses from Hemel station - Royal Masonic, St Columba’s, St Albans High, and Queenswood has a door to door car service taking about 30 minutes.

Thanks! I have to research all those indies

I can't quite understand the furtherst distance admitted for hemel hempstead school but from council site:

In priority area, nearest 1980.1
In priority area, distance 551.6

Does it mean you should live within 1.9km or 550 metres from the school?!

They are currently in the process of changing their admissions criteria

www.hhs.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/211004-C0-2023-Admissions-arrangements-for-September-2023-with-consultation-changes-in-red.pdf

They have a definition of “Priority Area” which is your closest co-Ed, non selective school as the crow flies. Children at these addresses have priority. There’s another comprehensive school just down the road, Laureate Academy, so you could be really close to Hemel School but actually because LA is closer to your address then you fit into their priority area rather than HH. You will have children who live further away in places like Felden and Bovingdon who get a place (that’s the higher distance) because it is their closest school. The lower distance is for those children where LA is their priority school. The location of your house is VERY important.

That actually sounds fair (I think?!). Probably means you need to live SE side of Hemel Hempsted. Thanks again for this invaluable info!

All very confusing - if DC make a selective independent, we'd want to spend a bit less on house and have a little more freedom on where to look...

I didn't even realise Berkemsted had girls (Have a DD and a DS) so have to look more into that.

Tring is a bit far for me as I go in London twice a week.

Also saw St Albans High & Girls have coach and not far, but I'm not sure DS will get in (get the impression it's higher pressure, highly academically selective alpha male type place) I'd like that as an option for DD though.

Tring is literally five minutes past Berkhamsted on the train line with plenty of commuters. Don’t discount it if you can get a house on the station side of town. To be perfectly honest, Tring is much nicer than Hemel and I would rate Tring School higher than HH.

Another school with a bus from Hemel station is Aldenham. Co-Ed. Be warned that places for boys at Berkhamsted at 11 are thin on the ground. They have plenty more places available at 13. Girls there is much less pressure for 11+ places but this may change as Heatherton House has guaranteed places at Berkhamsted School for girls currently in Y3 there.

Gosh this is really very useful and proves how unaware I am.

I've been using the dept of education website and never saw tring school.

Is Heatherton House a feeder prep to Berkhemsted then and are there others?

Heatherton House is part of the Berkhamsted Group - they purchased it a couple of years ago. It is effectively standalone and in previous years the girls went to a wide range of schools at 11. I honestly think the great majority will head to Berkhamsted though moving forwards if they don’t pass the 11+ grammar.

Children also come up from Berkhamsted prep which means a lot of children are already in the system.

There is also Chesham prep for boys and girls. I too would suggest Tring or Berkhamsted over HH any time. Both much nicer! Bucks is short on boys independent secondary schools. The better options are in Herts. Living in Tring gives you the chance of Aylesbury grammar schools. Villages in Bucks definitely give you this.

Informative thread. I wonder how far things will change in about 10years as there're many new estates going up in Aylesbury.
Do children in Hemel get into Watford Grammars via the 11+? Which schools do they get into if successful in 11+?

@Delectable Hemel children don’t tend to get Bucks or Herts 11+ places as you are too far away. I know of one child who goes to Chesham Grammar but she didn’t get a place in the first round of admissions. If you are happy to live in Bovingdon you might stand a chance.

The only way to guarantee a grammar place for Bucks is to actually live in Bucks!!!!!

@BookwormButNoTime thanks. What about DAO?

@Delectable Not a chance in hell from Hemel.

If you want a grammar then you need to live in catchment / nearby. Please read the admissions criteria and statistics (including last admitted distances) for all the schools you are interested in.

@BookwormButNoTime sure. Thanks.

Try Tring. That gives you the option ofBerkhamsted, Tring and Aylesbury. Frm Hemel there is Watford but..... Try Tring!

DD goes to the Hemel Hempstead school and she has come on in leaps and bounds. She loves going and the staff work so hard to do the best for the students. I will apply for my youngest as well!

@Jossbow thanks.
@itsjustnotok thanks for sharing.