Bucks Grammar cathchments

[Atkins77]

We are moving to Bucks as we want our DS to attend a grammar school. We found that some areas (postcodes) cover up to several schools while others cover one or two. For example, a postcode in East Amersham (towards Little Chalfont) will cover only Dr Challoner and Chesham Grammar, while those West will cover RGS and JHG. Are we correct in this analysis, any views or recent experience, as it seems it has all changed past year or so?

The council has a map of catchments I think. Aylesbury grammar schools have bigger catchments than the Amersham ones as they're not as oversubscribed.
If you put your postcode (or that of prospective houses you want to buy) in here it tells you which are which. I've just put mine in and it's looking bleak compared to last year.

And that link was: services.buckscc.gov.uk/school-admissions/nearest
Oops.

Be warned that just living in catchment doesn’t mean you’d get a place if they pass. For example, the catchment for Challoners is quite large on the map but with places allocated in accordance with distance you can still miss out on a place.

There’s usually enough grammar places for Bucks children, but every year some children don’t get a place at either of their catchment schools but at another one further away.

Also be aware that some schools require you to have lived at your address for two years prior to applying. People get caught out by this.

If you got onto council website, you can see the distances offered to. They vary hugely.
Also, have a Plan B. Yet again, one of the really intelligent children at my DC's school did badly in the exam. They may well get in through the review process but they may end up at a non-grammar school which is something that doesn't seem to have occurred to their parents!
If your alternative to a grammar school would be a private school, then bear that in mind when choosing where to live. I think that, due to the grammar school system, there don't seem to be as many private schools in Bucks as there are in Oxford, Berks, Surrey etc. For DD, there was only one viable private school option and that would have involved her getting the school bus so she wouldn't have ever done any after school activities.

@Atkins77
How old is your child? If secondary school age already, the schools are probably full.

We don’t have many private schools here and boys schools really don’t exist except at Stowe in the north. Berkhamsted is worth considering for private. They are both co Ed.

In Bucks the grammars are all outstanding schools. You don’t have anything to worry about at any of them. The catchment areas in Aylesbury are larger because it’s rural and fewer pass the 11 plus. The Aylesbury schools take lots from outside Bucks. So think about secondary schools if DC doesn’t get to a grammar. Waddesdon tops this tree but others are good. Some are not. There’s a pecking order!

If you are eligible for transportation due to distance (3 miles?), bear in mind that the council will only provide transport to the closest school. If there is a closer secondary school, it won't provide transport to the grammar.

We fell foul of this as there was a marginally closer secondary. Luckily he could use the train for one stop.

Agree with others , you need a plan B in case he doesn't pass.

Bucks changed transport eligibility years ago. Most parents dig deep for transport. It’s quite a lot for some and it’s really unfair on some! Bucks never paid for transport to get to FE college so schools were privileged!