11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello everyone,

We are new to UK and looking for opinion on DCGS and/or CGS.
Does anyone have first hand experience from their DS in DCGS or CGS?

Thanks in advance.

Have a son in y8 at DCGS. He is very happy there and the school is different to what I expected. I had pre-conceived ideas that it was a bit of a exam factory and very pushy but that has not been our experience so far.
Friends with kids at Chesham Grammar are also very happy - they just wanted their children to be in a mixed grammar not in a single sex school.

bucks mum1 wrote:Have a son in y8 at DCGS. He is very happy there and the school is different to what I expected. I had pre-conceived ideas that it was a bit of a exam factory and very pushy but that has not been our experience so far.
Friends with kids at Chesham Grammar are also very happy - they just wanted their children to be in a mixed grammar not in a single gender school.

Thanks. Good to hear from your experience.

I have a son at CGS.
There have been changes for the better since the new head arrived a couple of years ago. The school has not been as rigorous as I would have liked. Communication is hit and miss. Homework - well sometimes no homework would have been better than what has been set. Sport - I understand that DCGS is better for this. Music - 2 school concerts in 6 years although they do put on a play/musical every year.

I think we have been unlucky as we have 'lost' a couple of teachers mid-term over the years. One in GCSE year and now one in the 6th form.

Having said all that my son is as happy as he is ever going to be at school. It is just his Mum who is not! He has a lovely set of friends who have been together now for 6 years and he has had a few great teachers.

Remember, this is just our experience, many people are very happy with the school.

I have a DS at DCGS (Y10) and we – and he – love it. But I would describe it as a very boy-ish school in the sense that academically it is focused primarily on maths and the sciences and socially there is a lot of emphasis on sport/outdoor activities, computing and other what I would broadly call traditionally male interests. I was educated at an academic public school and the look and feel of DCGS is very similar. I would have thought it might be less fantastic for a boy of more artistic temperament.

Again, this is just my impression.