Aylesbury High School vs Sir Henry Floyd

[SchoolLemon]

We are in the happy position of being able to choose between AHS and SHF for DD. We live more or less equidistant. I was hoping to get some input from current parents on either school.

My observations are: on paper, AHS seems the better school - slightly higher results and a wider range of GCSEs offered. Trips seem better too.

But wandering around the school, children seemed a little more socially adept at SHF and the atmosphere seemed a bit less hot-housed. It also seemed more ethnically diverse, whereas AHS seemed predominately Asian (no problem with this - other than it means it could lack diversity. For reference, approximately 15% of our local population is Asian, whereas the school appeared 60%+ Asian)

AHS seemed to go BIG on trans visibility, which is a concern from a social contagion point of view, and I could see several individuals presenting as non-binary. Again, no huge problem with this, but wonder if it's more prevalent at girls' schools. And as far as I know, SHF may be the same and I just missed it.

DD's strengths are English, Art, History, Music. She enjoys sport but has limited aptitude (takes after me!). She likes performing arts but is probably a behind-the-scenes person rather than a star performer.

I would be keen to hear from any parents with any views on either school.

My daughter went to AHS. Got 122 in 11+. Didn’t struggle at all. The teachers don’t teach anything different than anywhere else-just the pace is faster. Some of those that had intense tutoring to get through 11+ struggled with the pace.
As for the social side, we never came across this issue. In fact it was great that there was such a diverse mix and opportunity to learn about other religions and cultures. The girls in my daughter’s year were very sociable and lovely, confident young women on leaving. Some of her friends went to SHF and loved it there too (especially as they were keen dancers/musicians). We went to see both schools and liked both equally, so let our daughter decide. We considered ourselves lucky to be in a position to be able to choose between two great schools. Go with your gut and don’t get too bogged down in the minutiae. Pros and cons to both!

We did go to the Floyd but it was an evening not a day so not a direct comparison (we say AHS during the day). We preferred AHS (DD preferred Floyd). It’s such a difficult decision because my DD is both into STEM and dance/ drama and is also pathologically sociable. She got 149 so she’s quite academic but also ND so needs good pastoral care. The Head said to me though that about 40% of the girls at AHS are ND. It did seem like a school full of girls very similar to her. But the social aspect is so important. Hoping it will become clearer next week!

Honestly, I don’t think that the score your daughter gets will make very much difference. Especially to her experience at either school.

is she generally fairly hard working ant organised? I think there’s a lot of homework at any of the grammar schools. My eldest son (who got 128 in his 11+) struggled a bit with expectations and organisation in year 8. Whereas my younger one (scored 119 and got through on selection review) found it easier because he was a bit more organised and resilient.

@Hotdoughnut Unless the girls have got a lot brighter, why would it? Plenty are tutored for years. If your dd has, then maybe think again. If not, why not? I’m not sure what the ratio of Asian/white is anyway?

@FlatStanley50 @Hotdoughnut the social aspect really isn't a worry.

As I said, DD's longest friendship group is with mainly Asians (mainly Muslim).

Although they don't get to go to town, they do have parties, they do go to dinners in town, they do have the girls over to theirs.

To be honest, the first few years is very heavily parent dependent anyway, as most girls don't live down the same road, or even the same estate, heck - not even the same town. So whilst they are young, the parents do take and collect them from get togethers.

It is also essential to note, that a huge change to friendship groups happens when they begin Yr10 and are put into groups where they mainly mingle with those who've chosen the same options as them. This is a huge change, and leads to solidifying of some friendships and new groups forming.

DD is still friends with her initial group, but now goes out regularly with others. They can meet in town, now they are old enough to navigate transport alone and they have sleepovers.

I'm genuinely really happy that DD is at a single sex school. She still has some male friends, but she is not distracted by boys, not distracted by heartbreak and is not sexually harassed.

I'm biased as I was sexually harassed as a teen (actually from 11), due to the fact that I developed young, it was awful at school, awful at home.

It affected my schooling. Boyfriends affected my schooling. I was unusual, I know, and my experience was different to most. But DD also developed young, and has no pressure to look a certain way, be compared to other girls, plus she can excel in Maths and Physics, without having sniggering or intimidation from boys. Again I experienced this.

DS went to the Grammar. I kind of wish he'd gone to SHFGS (he was autistic and not very sporty). This did worry me when DD chose AHS, but she's happy with her choice, so am I.

AHS is wonderful at supporting students and they are not as pressured as you may believe. They really do support pupils, even if they struggle, so don't worry about them not being able to keep up, it is not a hothouse, where they push for the results they get. It's more, the girls want to do well.

DD wasn't tutored, so she was, in a way, in an even tougher position, as her primary was not good at all (and the majority spoke English as a second language, as highlighted by OFSTED when they put the school in special measures).

I agree, there is no need to really worry about struggling.

I know a girl who failed her 11+, failed the 12+, but got in on appeal. She's not the top of the class at all, but because she wanted it, she tries hard. It's as much application and motivation as pure academic brilliance.

@FlatStanley50 I spoke to the head of pastoral when I visited AHS last year specifically about how they support their neurodiverse girls, and was really pleased with what she told me (not strictly relevant to me, DD is probably not ND but her brother is, as am I, so it is important to me).
AHS (and SHF for that matter) is a bit too far to be practical for us, even though we are in catchment, but I think my DD would be very happy at AHS.

We thought we had decided on SHF (for the performing arts), but we've been back to AHS this morning and DH & I really like it. The Head is very impressive and my husband pointed out that if she and all her friends said they wanted to go there we'd have already put the form in, we wouldn't be trying to persuade her to look at SHF. We are going to look at SHF again tomorrow. I suppose the key thing is that she is happy and she seems more enthusiastic about SHF so maybe that is our answer.

How are you getting on @Hotdoughnut ?

@FlatStanley50 We were at AHS this morning too, and also going to Floyd tomorrow, perhaps we know you :-)

We are impressed with AHS, 3rd time viewing and it is consistently impressive. Like the Head, and the Progress 8 score is amazing. I can't decide how I feel about all girls.

Never seen the Floyd, I'm really hoping we have a gut feeling either way when we see it tomorrow. I'm worried our DD judges on the specific kids who show us around, etc, rather than the bigger picture.

Good luck to you. Please come back and tell me where you decide!

I was also interested to hear triple science is compulsory at GCSE. I remember at my secondary I had to convince the Head to let me take triple! So will ask same question at Floyd. Husband and I are both scientists, but no idea about DD true interests yet.

My DD seems to prefer the Floyd purely based on having seen a dance club happening when we went to the open evening. That and her best friends have decided that’s where they are going (both families want co-ed). Like you we aren’t sure whether we think the single sex option is a good or bad thing.

She is likely to want to do science but more on the biology side than the physics side. And she does plenty of dance/ drama/ music outside school. It’s such a hard decision.

We didn’t like the Head at SHF first time round but we too are hoping for enlightenment tomorrow!

We want to ask the proportion of girls doing science at the Floyd.

I spent ages the other night looking at the websites and comparing the curricula.
They start Y7 with individual sciences at the Floyd whereas they do combined at the AHS until Y9. And they at AHS they start the science GCSE courses after Xmas in Y9. The Floyd is either triple or combined science for GCSE.
Floyd doesn’t make a language compulsory for GCSE but they start with the same 3.
Floyd has compulsory short course RE during years 10/11 even if they don’t do GCSE RE. AHS RE is not compulsory.
More dance and drama in the curriculum at the Floyd, more computing at AHS.
Swimming in the PE curriculum at AHS but not at the Floyd.
Art and music and DT seem similar.
History is slightly more focussed on Europe at the Floyd and more international at AHS (& they do women’s suffrage).
English they start with extracts of various Shakespeares at the Floyd whereas it’s straight into the full midsummer night’s dream at AHS. English curriculum at Floyd has lots of hero/ villain action type focus which might not be great for my DD who is of a nervous disposition and won’t read anything with even mild peril. Perhaps more boy friendly?

I didn’t use either of these schools but - your dc will be happy at either. Back in the day DD1 got 140/141. I had no idea what curriculum she might enjoy as she got older. She didn’t stay as a 10 year old. All her girl friends went to AHS but we chose another girls school. All the girls meet boys if they want to! They just don’t have lessons with them. AGS is just next door and a girls school doesn’t segregate them for life! It’s part of the day for part of the year. They are free to express thoughts and feelings without the presence of boys who make adverse comments. It’s pretty much a safe environment for them.

Thank you. What was the general experience with your DDs friends at AHS, please, any regrets? Boy issues in their later teens as a result?! Thanks!

This is so helpful!! Thank you! Sharing it with DH now :-)

I would agree this is a good summary. DD is in Y8 and I would clarify that in Y7 and 8 she does "Science" - though each module is clearly Chem/Bio/Physics - but they do it for a block at a time e.g. three weeks on Reproduction rather than - say, Biology once a week, Chemistry once a week, Physics once a week. They do double science as a minimum for GCSE but can take separate sciences if they want.

The Religion thing is interesting - we're dyed-in-the-wool atheists, and DD's favourite subject is PRE as they call it - Philosophy, Religion and Ethics. The school brings a brilliant approach to looking at world views, and she's even considering Philosophy at uni - something I wouldn't previously have put money on! I have no qualms about them carrying this on until Y11 - they've addressed some really thoughtful subjects in age-appropriate ways.

The Performing Arts is magnificent but the flip side is only the best of the best get chosen for the high-profile things, however, in Y7-8, everyone can join in the lower school choir / dance troupes that do their incredibly impressive end of year concert at the Waterside Theatre. There are also drama clubs open to all. Some of the dance performances would have stood up there with the best of the West End last year. Simply incredible. (Yet disingenuous to suggest that it's all the hard work of the school - these are clearly children who live and breathe dance.)

For DD2 we are still looking at both schools - though skewed towards what we know. DD2 would like to go to the Floyd as apparently "the canteen is better". 😂

This is really helpful, thankyou. My daughter already does dance 4 times a week and is super keen on it but I wouldn’t say she’s the best of the best.

I don’t know if it will make any difference (!) but they’ve got new caterers at AHS as of this term and apparently it’s very good now (it did smell good today). Last time we went (end of last year) the tour guides told us the food wasn’t good but today they were raving about it 😂

And as fellow die hard atheists that’s v reassuring re the PRE (I like the different title for it).

They do a lot of dance and drama at AHS. They dropped dance for GCSE at AHS, but I think this was only for the current y10a and I believe they are reinstating it.

They do a lot of extracurricular* *dramaat AHS. I was surprised, as I assumed SHF was the more arty. The drama productions are often held with AGS, so they do get to mix with boys then.

The swimming is excellent. It's held at AGS school.

Another thing, which may seem small, but is worth mentioning, is it's helpful to have all girls when they need to find sanitary protection, have cramps or have an accident. There is mo worrying about embarrassment from the boys and the girls are open about it, as they are all Ithe same boat, whereas 50% aren't in a mixed sex school. I know it may seem trivial, but I remember the embarrassment and shame from a mixed sex school.

They are more sporty, but it's fine. DD isn't sporty. The swimming club for Y7s is really good,

²

@Hotdoughnut Absolutely none! Dc are doctors, well paid in city finance, working in management for charities and all sorts of interesting jobs. We’ve had many girls go in our village but the boys like the Floyd. DDs at DDs school all chose AHS. My cleaners DD went to AHS as did her older siblings. They do a variety of good jobs too. All, to my knowledge, were happy. All found their subjects, clubs, and interests.

It’s a school for anyone. I really don’t think any parent needs to worry about curriculum and boys! They really do find boys if they want them.

Thank you @tizerorfizz, that's really reassuring!

We viewed Floyd this morning and we now have no idea what to do! We were hoping it would be clear cut decision, but were impressed by what we saw at Floyd.

@FlatStanley50 how did you get on?

We really liked the Floyd this morning too. DD absolutely loved it so I think we are decided on as SHF as our first choice now. She loved the performing arts stuff, and we were reassured about academic performance. We asked the girls at our table about whether boys were disruptive and they said they were controlled (!) And there’s apparently an equal split of girls/ boys doing science and maths. And when we looked round all the classes looked calm and the boys were met seemed nice. We did hear a boy being shown around sounding horrified at being made to do dance so suspect he won’t be choosing it 😅. It seemed equally as diverse in student backgrounds as AHS - we were a bit worried that there might be some sort of self segregation going on so we were happy with that too. So I think we addressed our concerns and DD was so excited about it that it did actually become quite clear for us. And actually, importantly for us, one of the girls showing us around said that her friend has ASD and gets an hour a week 1-2-1 support to help her (this is in sixth form) and there is lots of other support for ND children.

Good luck with your decision!

I find it astonishing that the Floyd has had an award at pastoral care. I think it’s absolutely dreadful for it and don’t get me started on the absolute lack of SEN support even for students with a diagnosis.

I have a child and another school in the same trust and their attitude to their students is completely opposite.

@SchoolLemon Bucks secondary schools have results equivalent to many comps! There is not 30.% missing either. Definitely not in Aylesbury vale. The issue is Waddesdon selecting and poor leadership at other schools. They could be good, but one hardly ever is! The majority are good though and most parents support them.

@crikeycrumbsblimey just as a counter to that, my friend’s DS (who has received an ASD diagnosis while at SHF) has been supported brilliantly, and has made incredible progress since he joined, so that isn’t a universal experience

Did you have a child needing SEN support at the Floyd? It's not something we've been personally affected by, but anecdotally they seem very good - e.g. one girl with ADHD in Y7 has been given leeway where other children would get concerns for minor things like forgetting books to lessons etc.

Medically they are on it too - DD had a UTI and they happily gave her a medical exit card so she didn't have to explain to teachers why she needed the toilet during lesson time.

But I totally understand everyone's experience can be different!