John Hampden Grammar School vs Royal Grammar School

[Boosee]

Hello, just wondered if anyone on here has experience of these schools and how their boys have settled in? Any pros and cons of both schools will be useful. We visited both and liked them for different reasons, they each have pros and cons, which makes the decision difficult.
For those who have sons at JHGS, is choosing GCSE options in Year 8 too soon from your experience?
JHGS seems to have more modern facilities and RGS seems a bit dated in some areas.
Transport options for both is good where we are.
Have RGS had another OFSTED recently?
We have been offered JHGS, but on W/L for RGS, however, just wanted to find out additional information as may just stick with JHGS if we do get offer from RGS in later round.
Thanks in advance.

I only have experience of RGS, but a friend's DS is in Y9 at JHGS and she has been very happy with how he has got on there.

JHGS wasn't the right fit for us, but RGS has been utterly perfect for my DS - neither he for I could imagine him being anywhere else.

RGS's facilities perhaps aren't the most fancy, but what they do have in their favour is:

• very engaged and positive teachers (I always get the feeling they really enjoying teaching the boys there)
• excellent music department
• lots of extra-curricular offerings
• good rugby (if that is your DS's thing... note RGS don't really do football... my DS is not sporty but is really quite happy with what is on offer for Games and PE, which seems to include cycle of different sports / activities)

They had an 'ungraded' inspection last week (that's like an interim check-up for schools already graded Good or Outstanding, just to check they are maintaining the standard) - no report yet, but I believe it went well.

Double check how they do things these days, but it used to be the case that if you come to the top of the waiting list for RGS it would be assumed that you wanted that school so the JHGS place would be no longer available (someone else would be offered that place at the same time). In other words, you don't get a choice between the two schools at this stage.
Check how they do things now, but this certainly used to be how Bucks did it.
Edit: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools-index/school-admissions/school-admissions-guides-policies-and-statistics/guide-to-moving-up-to-secondary-school/later-allocation-rounds/

RGS have dated classrooms, but have a think about whether or not that is something that matters to you. Personally I don’t think dated classrooms makes any difference to learning, so it wouldn’t matter at all to me.