Queens wood school or Royal Masonic school

[Najia123]

We are considering both schools for my eldest daughter sixth form. These schools are open for registration as some school have already been closed for registration.
We are planning to move to Gerard cross for my other two children for potential Grammer school in the area. RMS is half the distance than Q . Anyone has any experience for these schools ? Which is better academically and the potential path to top university?

My daughter is academically very strong . And we are bit late for admission for 2023/24 Are there any good school open for registration now ? Help really appreciated

Not personally @Najia123 , but my two best friends have/had DDs at RMS and are very happy with it. The threee that have recently left all got good A level grades and got into their first-choice universities to study academic subjects. There's a bus from GX to RMS.

No experience of Queenswood but it always gets very highly spoken of on MN so I don't think you can go wrong with either.

You probably need to visit both and see which one has the right 'vibe' for your DD.

I was a student at the RMS and loved it.
I have never heard of Queens wood school I'm afraid.
You could also look at Wycombe Abbey and Pipers Corner if you are moving to Gerrard's Cross.

Is it Queenswood in Hatfield? That would be a terrible journey from Gerrards Cross. Are you happy with the Upper Schools locally if your other children don't qualify in the 11 plus.

I know both Queenswood and Gerrards Cross very well. That would be an absolutely hideous journey. I do it regularly out of school traffic / rush hour and it's a nightmare. It's hard to imagine why anyone would consider doing it daily. It's a much much easier journey to RMS and you can avoid the M25 on days - like today - when it's appalling.
I have friends with children at Queenswood and they are happy. I've seen the girls on the train and they seem nice enough. I have one friend with a child at RMS and she is also happy with it.
I don't think either school is particularly academic but presumably that's what you are looking for.

Gerrards Cross to Queenswood isn’t a journey to do every day. However, the flexi boarding there would be a good option and I know their door to door transportation system is used by some boarders.

Neither school is top of the academic league tables but they aren’t trying to be. They take a wide intake and offer so much in terms of extra curricular. Bright girls do go to both schools and are very successful. Both send girls to Oxbridge occasionally but not in their droves, but though have strong Russell group admissions.

St Helen’s, Northwood would be a good option if you are after a very academic school.

Thank you for your reply. I’m considering to live in Gerrard cross mainly coz of my son schooling. He’s in class 4 but I would like him to be in good Grammer school. I know commuting from GC to Q will be quite a lot . What other place would you recommend to be close to school but also have good Grammer schools in the area ?

But have you looked at the Upper Schools as well? The problem with the grammar system is that it means that the "top" (at least on the day) are absent from the other schools, and some of the Upper Schools in Buckinghamshire aren't very desirable.

I agree that there’s no guarantee that your son will pass the 11+. Even the very brightest can have a bad day. Where will he go if he doesn’t get into a grammar?

I would look at somewhere like Amersham where you have access to the Challoners grammar schools but also Amersham School which is a fabulous secondary modern if things don’t go to plan. Don’t bank on a grammar place.