Amersham/the Chalfonts, where do you do send your child if s/he doesn't get into the grammar schools?

[LadySanders]

We are hoping to move from E. London for better schooling. Have found house in Little Chalfont, in catchment for Little Chalfont Primary which seems to be good.

However, son 1 is 9 (year 4) and though very bright, is severely hampered by dyslexia. It's therefore presumably highly unlikely he would pass the 11+.

The ofsted report for The AMersham School isn't especially encouraging, and I'm especially put off by the fact that it mentions the success of the smoking counsellor in encouraging pupils to quit...

Can anyone reassure me that it's not going to be just as scary and full of horrible kids as my local london comp?

Or are there other options - the house we like is only 2 miles from Clement Danes school which looks fantastic but don't know whether there is any chance of getting in when we are out of catchment?

All thoughts or views gratefully received!

No actual experience although we considered a similar move to South Bucks a few years ago. We looked at Chalfont Community School and The Misbourne as reasonable fall-backs if a GS didn't work out. Clement Danes is very good - we have relatives who go there - but from memory the catchment is quite tight.

No actual experience yet, my DD1 is in Y4 as well. We live in Chorleywood, and we should get into St. Clement Danes, but we are just under 2 miles from it, so we'll see. Most of the kids in her school go there, and it is where she wants to go. It has a very good reputation, and all the kids I know that go there are happy with the school.
Why don't try to phone the school about the catchment area, and if they have kids from Little Chalfont?

Amersham School is far, far better than it was a few years ago owing to an inspirational HT who is very hot on discipline, correct uniform, trying to maximise pupils? potential etc etc. She has totally turned the school around and there is now a waiting list (DCs looking to join in Y8 do not get an automatic place any more). There is still a lot of snobbishness about Amersham School, but much of it springs from its past reputation rather than any direct knowledge of its current status.

From an academic point of view, pupils are set for maths, science and English from day one and the top sets take triple science, which was an important factor for us. They get lots of homework and there is extension work available for those who are finding the classwork easy. Plenty of sport, music and drama too and our DC has a lovely bunch of friends ? mostly from Little Chalfont primary school!

IMHO Amersham is at least as good as Chalfont Community School and far better than the Misbourne, which is currently experiencing some difficulties. Clement Danes is excellent, but you will not get a place if you are out of catchment.

PS LadySanders if your son has an actual diagnosis of dyslexia, you will be able to apply for some adjustments when he takes the 11+, such as his being given extra time. It would also be taken into account at any appeal hearing, I believe.

My son goes to a very good, and desirable school in a totally different area; however as he often tells me, the most attended extra-curricula activity is the Quit Smoking group. (Even more than D of E I think.) So I wouldn't let that worry you, see it as a good sign.

thanks so much for your responses, sorry i've got to these so late...

mattellie - i'm really encouraged by what you've said, thank you - there does seem to be a bit of an attitude that not getting into grammar is fate worse than death - ds1 does have a diagnosis, yes, but i suspect he would do better in a decent comp than in a very academic school anyway as would potentially be intimidating if he can't keep up easily.

Clement Danes would be out of catchment, and the admissions policy doesn't rule out OOC kids, but presumably its pretty rare that there would be places left.

I think Clement Danes takes a few kids from Bucks each year - about four IIRC, based on musical or sporting talent.

The Amersham School is our catchment non-grammar school, and although our kids don't go there, a lot of our friends have kids that do, and they're happy with it.

The grammar schools have problems with kids smoking/drinking/ doing drugs too. Don't think that you won't have to deal with these problems just because your kids pass the 11+.

You may want to check this but I think I read that CD now uses the entry test that most of the Watford schools use. I think (not sure)that CD is partially selective.

Would you go private? Hear nice things these days about Pipers Corner. I don't think the fees are too expensive their either. A few other private options around that area I think if you'd consider.

Piper's Corner is a girls' school, though, so while OP's DS might like the sound of it, I suspect he might not get in

CD does take music scholarships but they seem a bit random - I know of one DC who has been playing in the National Youth Orchestra for several years who was not accepted. I'm not aware that they offer sports scholarships but I can double-check if that's of any interest.

Just wanted to add my bit here as I was interested in the grammar school bit in the heading - I was surprised by your bit about smoking as I think it's done in a lot of schools now like healthy eating just because it's where the govt offer money to promote healthy living at least that's what I suspect and that it doesn't reflect on the school itself in this day and age.

Don't want to go private - with 3 kids it would totally bankrupt us, and is one of the main reasons for moving out of london!

bellabellabella - thanks will look into that

rey - i am obviously behind the times on the smoking thing, all my friends' kids are younger than mine so i don't have much experience of 2ndary schooling,but it does seem that the quit smoking groups are pretty commonplace...

as for sports/music scholarships - ds1 sadly has inherited all his sporting ability from his very musical but slow & flat footed mother, and all his musical ability from his very sporting but tone deaf father... so not an option!