Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

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Awesomeanshi
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:53 am

Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by Awesomeanshi »

We are considering JHGS as an option for our DS, so any feedback on what the school's strengths and weakness are would be helpful?
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by southbucks3 »

The school is very parent friendly, has a fantastic mix of children and stretches them both academically and in sport, art, drama and music. You are kept up to date with half termly reports, which I find very helpful and the boys are aware they have staged assessments for these reports, so it keeps them on their toes.
The sports facilities are brilliant and varied and the art and design and technology depts and their current art teaching staff are amazing, offering support at lunch times rather than home work, meaning pupils can extend their work with the help of a teacher if they are keen, which they all seem to become! They could do with more computers and support staff in ict for projects that cannot be done on their iPads, such as programming, less people have big home computers now so more boys need access at school.
Whenever you visit is seems clean and the boys are well turned out and polite and due to healthy after school and lunchtime activities they seem to know one another between years.

Communication, like in all schools could be better, they have also fallen into the bucks grammar school trap of pandering to the wealthy, with ski trips costing 1300 rather than 700-800 offered by the two local upper schools and the pa reps can be a little too enthusiastic with fundraising. I sometimes wish they would shout a little louder about how fantastic they are, I have boys at jh and rgs, the latter is very arrogant about its achievements and strives for gold in everything they do, often making sport and activities not all inclusive due to their desire to concentrate on the best performers,I am lucky my son is good at their chosen few team sports, but many are not, jh s very inclusive obviously they have a smaller trophy cabinet due to this, but happy,confident, fit boys. They do get brilliant academic and art results though, without the bullying or draconian methods employed by some grammar schools and I think they should reward themselves with a bit more of the rgs style arrogance! The over all atmosphere is one of calm, this was the deciding factor for my third son, who prefers just to get on with life and not shout about it, I feel confident that quieter children are not lost at jh but are encouraged, I will find out soon, I hope I am right.
The biggest negative is the location if you are from the wycombe area, Marlow hill is a nightmare for traffic, with a motorway junction, large industrial estate and four secondary schools all within half a mile of one another, travelling to the school is rather tiresome, but there are school buses if you have the spare cash, or you can be mean like we are and get him to use shoe leather, rather than petrol to climb the hill......many do!
Awesomeanshi
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:53 am

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by Awesomeanshi »

Thank you southbucks3 for taking the time to provide such valuable information. Really appreciate it:-)
trudie
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed May 06, 2015 9:43 pm

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by trudie »

I think southbucks3 has done you proud with that reply and just wanted to echo the same sentiments insofar as we have a friend with a son there who is delighted with the school. They are very good at being supportive of all the boys, whatever their interests and specialisms. I also understand first-hand what southbucks3 says about the contrast with RGS where - although about to get new and very different leadership which should take in an excellent direction - is not the kind of place that will fit around your son - or you, for that matter.
Awesomeanshi
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:53 am

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by Awesomeanshi »

trudie wrote:I think southbucks3 has done you proud with that reply and just wanted to echo the same sentiments insofar as we have a friend with a son there who is delighted with the school. They are very good at being supportive of all the boys, whatever their interests and specialisms. I also understand first-hand what southbucks3 says about the contrast with RGS where - although about to get new and very different leadership which should take in an excellent direction - is not the kind of place that will fit around your son - or you, for that matter.
Thanks Trudie, just saw your post.....I am indeed so thankful to southbuck3 for sharing such detail.........not everyone does that!!!
munisha
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:44 pm

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by munisha »

Hi Southbucks3

I'm interested to hear that your DS walks up the Marlow Hill to school. Should my DD get a place at Wycombe High I am wondering whether the walk is feasible from the train station up to the school. Can you give an idea on how long it takes your son? And whether that is a similar distance?

There are buses that run but they are not as frequent as I would've hoped and obviously we are dependent on train timetables too.

Many thanks.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by southbucks3 »

Hi,
The boys gets dropped on Victoria road and it takes them about twenty minutes, this is about five minutes walk from the railway station heading the right direction, but dh does take them up the hill if they have cooking stuff, pe bags and art folders all on the same day or if the weather is filthy!
Wycombe high is about two -three minutes,nearer than jh.
One young jh man (sixth form) walks from hughenden road in his very sharp suit every day, we use him as ammunition if we are whinged at by middle son as this boy often overtakes either dh or myself after we have initially driven past him, which all things considered is an amazing indication of how awful wycombe traffic is! Youngest never whinges, just sets the pace and strides up. Quite a few do, it's a chore but it's very cheap....shoe wear taken into consideration, they enjoy walking down together of course.
munisha
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:44 pm

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by munisha »

Thanks Southbucks3. It's not an ideal solution (as would be no alternative way to get up the hill in bad weather etc) but certainly sounds doable at around 20-25 mins.

Of course in my day, we wouldn't have blinked at the prospect but with today's kids ... :)
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by southbucks3 »

munisha wrote:Thanks Southbucks3. It's not an ideal solution (as would be no alternative way to get up the hill in bad weather etc) but certainly sounds doable at around 20-25 mins.

Of course in my day, we wouldn't have blinked at the prospect but with today's kids ... :)
:lol: that's because we had bus fare but chose to run up the hills with a bag of sweets and smash hits (or fags,for the naughtier kids) in our bags instead.....bus passes were introduced half way through and ruined the fun.

I bribed mine with money for a Costa on the way home last week, that got the legs working. :lol:
BlueBerry22
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:16 pm

Re: Any feedback on John Hampden Grammar School?

Post by BlueBerry22 »

I just spent ages typing a reply which has disappeared !!!

The short reply is that lots of children walk up the hill - my DS walks from a bit further up Amersham Hill than the train station. He allows himself 25 mins.

There is a bus from the train station that we will try out in bad weather but rumour has it that it is frequently late and children miss registration. There are also buses from Castle Street (just outside train station)

On the odd occasion I pick DS up at 340 from school - his friends who are all walking down often get to the bottom of the hill before us.

Maybe not ideal but certainly doable and will result in children with well developed leg muscles and a bit of stamina!!!
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