High Wycombe - Secondary Schools - Non Grammar

[Tired121]

Hi,

Am finialising a move to HW and wanted some advice on secondary schools - will be in Loudwater so the catchment schools are Holmer Green Senior, The Beaconsfield School or Bourne End Acadamy. Does anyone have any reviews or experience with these schools? Or are there any others which people would recommend?

Also, in terms of a Junior school, the local one is Loudwater Combined or Holtspur, again, any views and advice before I choose one blindly!

Thanks,
Much appreciated!!

I don't have up to date knowledge of the schools, but if you have a look on the Bucks council website at previous allocations you can pretty much assume that the schools which are "all offered" on March 1st are the less desirable ones.

Thanks for the response.

A lot of the schools seem the same so was hoping someone with some current first hand experience might be able to advise.

@Tired

You will only have a “choice” of schools with spaces. All the secondary schools you list have used distance from school for admission this year. That indicates some DC didn’t get in.

Loudwater is in catchment for Bourne End. Not Beaconsfield from what I can see. The distance offered by Holmer Green might not include Loudwater this year. Distance offered as stated on Bucks web site, looks short of Loudwater to me. I’d be surprised if they had spaces but are you wanting y7?

So I would consider your catchment school first but this will depend on if they have a space. Not sure if appeals have all been heard and Bucks CC has a final position. In year moves change the position of course However, as of 2 July all three schools are full for y7,8 and 9. HG has vacancies in y10 and 11. Chalfonts has vacancies in all years but not that close to you. 9 miles.

Nothing much to choose between Beac School and Bourne End and both have a chequered past. Bourne End is a newer school. Beccy Sec has been the ultimate yoyo school, for decades - look at Ofsted history . SLT really matters. Many dc go private in these areas so dc in these schools not only lose their grammar dc, they lose plenty of others too. Holmer Green is probably better but getting in looks to be a challenge everywhere. So I would restrict looking to schools with vacancies and talk to Bucks admissions urgently.

Primary - again you need to find out where has a space. As other poster says, popular schools will be full. Both schools seem to run 1 class per year. 11 plus results possibly more robust at Holtspur. However that’s down to lots of factors, not just school. Both Loudwater and Holtspur are showing a full right now. Holmer Green Junior appears to have vacancies. Bucks CC list of vacancies as on 19 July. So look at this. You need to search more widely. Woburn Green Primary has vacancies for example.

Hope that helps.

Chalfont St Peter CofE has spaces. Do you fancy the commute?!

Thanks. Apologies, probably should have been more specific re: Dates.

I don't want to pressure the kids with 11+ so preparing if they do not make it through.

Need a Y7 space in 2026 and looking at the straight line distance, the house just gets into both TBS and HG. Obviously things can change, but just trying to judge which way to proceed once ready if required.

Y3 move would be Sep 2025 - again, looking at distance on the site I think I may just get in to Holtspur and Loudwater Combined is the catchment school.

I they’re academic enough to get into a grammar, I would definitely try. None of the secondary options are particularly good.

Otherwise move to an area with comps.

Y3 move would be Sep 2025 - again, looking at distance on the site I think I may just get in to Holtspur and Loudwater Combined is the catchment school.
But they still need to have spaces, regardless of whether it is your catchment school.

I am 100% going to try and have them doing the extra tuition etc. now to prepare. However, nothing is ever guaranteed! So need to think of alternatives, I am moving into this area as where I am currently, I only have Chalfont as the option for secondary and I do not hear good things about it.

Understood! I am confusing applying for a secondary where they have set spaces against the primary where classes will be moving up within the school... Not easy keeping up!

You are definitely doing the right thing by considering your options. Unfortunately the Upper Schools in Bucks can leave a lot to be desired. Also they popularity changes.
Years ago Chalfont was the more desirable school & then the Beaconsfield school became more popular. As PP says, it depends on the SLT.

@Tired121 Can you be clear, please? You need a y2 space for Sept 24 and what else? Y5 primary? So don’t really get the angst about secondary.

First - secondary - look at the catchment maps, unless you are closer to Beaconsfield, Loudwater is Bourne End School or Holmer Green. This year, it’s looking like HG didn’t take DC from this part of the catchment. However, you will be applying in 25 for a 26 start. Things can change but the obvious one is Bourne End. All dc are registered to take the 11 plus unless you say no. At both Holtspur and Loudwater, you would need to be “top table” to be in with a shout most years. They get 5 dc or less passing. It’s not leafy lane.

So primary. You need to look for schools with vacancies in your year groups. So where it’s an infant school, look for y1. For a combined look for current y1 and y4 and, in just junior, y4. The Bucks cc web site is pretty up to date. All these listings are current and these dc move up to y2 and y5 in Sept. is this what you are looking for?

Worrying about what each school is like might be futile if it has no spaces. You have time to consider 11 plus and which secondary you prefer but always include the nearest catchment one, the furthest catchment one as well plus a grammar or two if you don’t pull out of the 11 plus. It seems your main focus should be primary. Nothing wrong with Chalfonts by the way.

There’s not much to choose from between TBS and Chalfont. Amersham is a better option.

@theeyeofdoe You more or less have to live near Amersham to get in. If the OP is moving to Loudwater, forget Amersham. At least look at the catchment areas. Bourne End is most likely but others might be possible. Depends on distance offered and that changes every year. What won’t happen is The Amersham School recruiting from Loudwater.

@TizerorFizz I meant moving to Amersham area, rather than Loudwater. She's not moved yet.

TBS offered up to 3,43 miles last year and it usually has places, I don't think any of the years are currently full.

@theeyeofdoe Theres a big difference in house prices! Houses in Amersham School catchment will be a lot more money.

I thought the move to Loudwater was a done deal? I think she is really looking for primary if she’s now talking about 11 plus. Beaconsfield has no in year vacancies according to the Bucks web site. I was quite surprised but that’s what it says.

It's funny, when DD2 started at Amersham School (2011), most parents tried to avoid it like the plague. Year groups were very rarely full and if you did want to go there, you basically could!

Nowadays it's over-subscribed – backing up what @Nonameoclue said, this is largely down to a strong HT and SLT who have mostly been there for many years. You definitely need to be living quite close to the school these days as @TizerorFizz rightly says. There are lots of young families moving into the part where we live, but yes, house prices are totally ridiculous.

Sorry for not being clear.

House move is basically done, just by J3 roundabout in Loudwater.

My kids are moving into Y2 and Y5 in September 2024.

I am keeping them in their current school and looking to move them into a new Junior school - Y3 September 2025 and Secondary school Y7 in September 2026.

I know we are a while away and things can change, but looking at places offered distance and where we are located, this past year we would have been offered a secondary place in HG senior and TBS which is why I was asking about these secondary schools if we don't manage to pass the 11+. Or any other alternatives which could be recommended.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the feedback and messages so far.

@Tired. Of the schools you could look at, Holmer Green is usually the most popular. As you have some time, you can go to the open days next term. Realistically you have the 3 secondary schools mentioned. You should get into one of them. Grammar obviously requires entry to Bucks 11 plus. Are you in Bucks now?

If you delay applying, and the primary schools you like are full, they might stay full. I am not sure what advantage there is in not applying now and getting on the waiting list when you have moved. I am not sure there is a junior school around Loudwater, so did you mean y3 in a combined primary school? Most dc just stay in the combined schools so places don’t appear in y3. DC just move up in their cohort so which schools did you have in mind? Bucks CC has listed which schools recruited in y3.