Best place

[ranmis]

My son is 8 yrs old. I would like him to go to a grammar school in future. We are therefore planning to relocate to an area where we can have the maximum option for grammar schools. However, we work in London, so this area should be at a commutable distance to London as well, with obviously lower house prices.

Can you suggest which place we should relocate to?

[Catherine]

Hi ranmis,

I saw that Sally-Anne has answered for Bucks. Bucks has excellent grammar schools, but allocate places according to where you live. If you like a school in Bucks, you have better move into the catchment. It is different in Berks where places are allocated according to the exams results(although Reading grammar has a catchment area)
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 9895#29895

This means that if you leave in Bucks close to the Berks border you have access to both areas. (but as Sally-Anne mentioned, more preparation work for the tests).

The Bucks/Slough border is good for access to London with the M4 and M/A 40, and would give your child access to the Slough grammars, Burnham grammar(in Bucks), and the Chalfonts community College (Bucks)that Sally-Anne mentioned.
A few miles North towards Gerrards Cross (Bucks) you would also have access to the excellent Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe and Dr Challoner's.
From Slough, the rail services to London go to Paddington station, and from Gerrards Cross to Marylebone.

There are 4 grammars in Slough: Langley Grammar (Foundation - co-ed.) 145 places. Mathematics and computing specialist http://www.langley-grammar.slough.sch.u ... ssions.htm
Herschel Grammar (Foundation - co-ed.) - 120 places. Technology specialist http://herschel.slough.digitalbrain.com ... page/home/
St. Bernard's Convent Grammar St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School (renamed because the convent part has gone)(Catholic, Voluntary Aided - co-ed.) - 120 places Humanities specialist http://www.st-bernards.slough.sch.uk/
Slough Grammar (Foundation - co-ed.) - 145 places
Language + Sciences specialist
http://www.sloughgrammar.co.uk/default.aspx

Reading grammar is a very good school.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=1687

If you trawl through this section, you'll find quite a bit of info about each of these schools.

Hope this helps.

Catherine

[ranmis]

Thanks a lot for your response Catherine.

Can you be more specific about the name of the place where we could move to, in order to make the best of the grammar schools around, that you have mentioned.

[Catherine]

Hi ranmis,

I was thinking of Iver - Iver Heath -Stoke Poges -Denham - Richings Park, (all North of Slough) you are in Bucks close to Slough, and you can find small 4 bed detached houses for around £ 400000.
It's worth mentioning that your local Bucks grammar would be Burnham, and it is not considered as as good as some other Bucks grammar, but you would be very close to the Slough grammars.

[ranmis]

Do you know which are the feeder schools to Slough Grammars? Do they give preference to students from the feeder schools? Do these feeder schools prepare their children for the 11+ exams? What is the benefit of being in a primary school that is a feeder to a grammar school?

[Catherine]

Do you know which are the feeder schools to Slough Grammars? Do they give preference to students from the feeder schools? Do these feeder schools prepare their children for the 11+ exams? What is the benefit of being in a primary school that is a feeder to a grammar school?

All the schools in Slough are feeder schools for the Slough grammars. Some primary shools in Slough do help with the 11+ preparation, and there are a few excellent schools like Castleview. However they are over subscribed, and you have to live in the catchment.
The grammar schools do not give preference to the feeder schools, but if you live on the other side of the border in Bucks, the primary schools are not allowed to coach for the 11+ at all.
The only benefit of being in a feeder school is that some of them help with the 11+ preparation.