11 Plus Exams Forum

I have a very complicated situation and I am hoping someone on here can help. I have twin boys, one with special needs, one without. They are currently in yr4. We went to look at a school today in Berkhamsted for the child with special needs with a view to getting a place for him there at yr7. If it turns out to be the right place for him and if the local authority will fund the place then we would think about moving nearer to there to make the journey easier for him (and us). At the moment we live in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

However, we also have to think about his twin who is very bright. The obvious place to try and move to would be Amersham because of the grammar school. But as I understand it, we would have to move there sometime before applying in order to fulfil their residency criteria. And obviously he would have to pass the test (which I think he is likely to with a little tutoring). We don't want to move before yr7 though because of the difficulties with getting the children to their current schools. I can't see a way around this at the moment.

What happens if someone moves into the area after the normal admission period? So if we moved in the summer term before they were due to start in yr7? How does DCGS cope with admissions out of the normal time period?

I also have another child currently in YR whom we will also have to find a new school but I can't deal with that at the moment.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Welcome!

Once DCGS go over PAN there is little chance of getting a place through appeals.

You'd need to be in catchment before the school's deadline [check on their websute but I think it's April of Year 5] to stand a chance.

DCGS is not the only GS in Bucks [and it isn't one everyone would choose] - isn't Berkhamsted nearer Chesham? You could also look at Aylesbury.

PAN? Sorry - still getting used to the abbreviations.

Yes Berkhamsted is near to Chesham. But I'm not sure I want to live in Chesham! However, I am still at the very early stage of working out what we might want to do.

PAN = published admission number ie no of places.

They run their own appeals and very few are won. You wouldn't have to live in Chesham to get a place at the GS there - their allocation distance is usually fairly wide.

Look at the historic allocation profiles - one of the stickies - and you can see roughly where you can look at living. The further north in Bucks you go the cheaper houses tend to be but obviously you need to think about where you work too.

Thanks. That's useful. I need to be a on train/tube line to central London so that limits things a little.

What's wrong with Chesham?! Only joking, each to their own but personally I quite like the town and it has the advantage of being on the Met Line, has its own grammar school and is cheaper than Amersham. There are two Amershams. Old Amersham is very picturesque but is very expensive and the station is a mile away up a long hill. Amersham on the Hill is more modern but closer to the station.

Best wishes with whatever you decide. I hope it all slots into place.

With the boys currently in year 4 surely trying to find a primary school near Amersham for year 5, if that is your preferred location, would make sense. Getting them all settled in the area would make their transition to big school easier, rather than a mad rush.
I know a lady moved into the area last year and succeeded in getting good primary places for all three of her children, a few Bucks parents remove their children from state schools in year 5 to start prep, so there are often vacancies.

Try looking on the euston line out as far as Leighton Buzzard and surrounding villages or villages around Tring etc, school Aylesbury grammar for the eldest. It's a long was from the bright lights of London but houses much cheaper and some lovely countryside.

anotherdad - sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone! My experience of Chesham is a few years old now so perhaps I am being too hasty. I have always liked Amersham though. I can see that the catchment for CGS would include Amersham and Berkhamsted so it would be an option. Except that we would probably not move into the area until after the allocation so I'm not sure how hard it would be to get in there under those circumstances.

southbucks - sadly that isn't an option. My son with special needs is currently in a mainstream primary with a special resource provision and therapies provided on site. There is no way that we will be able to move him twice in a short space of time, even assuming that a similar provision in the right area has available spaces in year 5. He is currently doing well where he is so we don't want to have to move him until the natural transition point at yr7. He doesn't cope well with change.

kate - my problem is that I want to be somewhere with nice facilities (restaurants/shops/supermarkets etc). I am spoilt by living so close to things like that now and I can't imagine being in a small place where I would have to drive to get to those things. (I am aware that this is a possibly unachievable aim).

kate14cat wrote:Try looking on the euston line out as far as Leighton Buzzard and surrounding villages or villages around Tring etc, school Aylesbury grammar for the eldest. It's a long was from the bright lights of London but houses much cheaper and some lovely countryside.

There's also Sir Henry Floyd GS in Aylesbury -

Just watch where you choose to live as the route of HS2 will destroy some beautiful countryside