Milton Keynes - Does one need to live in specific areas

[jackman]

Greetings,

I moved to MK an year and a half ago, DS is in Y4 at a local school now.

The 11+ fever is upto its maximum here in MK (I am in Oxley park) and I have see parents sending there children to expensive 11+ study centers in the area.

My situation is that after a few months of renting in MK, I am now planning to buy a property here. I have also managed to get a job locally so no commute as well.

However, I have been advised that if my DS needs to have a chance to get into a GS (Buckingham/Aylesbury), I need to be in areas close to A421 - namely Westcroft, Tattenhoe, Tattenhoe Park and Oxley Park.

A few of my neighbors have moved into the area from Two Mile Ash and Monkston citing the reason that they were 'out of area' for GS and have now moved to 'In area'.

I am not sure whether to limit my property search to Westcroft, Oxley Park, Tattnehoe & Tattenhoe Park or to consider other areas like Monkston or Broughton.

I tried contacting Bucks CC and I was told that the whole of MK is outside catchment area and my DS will need to appear for the 11+ exam at a local grammar school in Bucks and the unlike Bucks CC schools the MK school pupils will not sit their 11+ exam at their local school.

[Guest55]

I tried contacting Bucks CC and I was told that the whole of MK is outside catchment area and my DS will need to appear for the 11+ exam at a local grammar school in Bucks and the unlike Bucks CC schools the MK school pupils will not sit their 11+ exam at their local school.

Yes this is all true - you need to be close to a GS to get a place after your son has qualified.

Look here:

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/education/sch ... sfer-test/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also look at the distances the schools have historically offered places to:

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=46176" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is not where you are in MK it's how FAR you are from the school you want.

[jackman]

it's how FAR you are from the school you want.

I believe this will translate to where I am in MK?

13 September 2016 Children take the Preparation Test.

Also, I see a preparation test is planned on 13 September 2016. Is this only for Bucks CC schools or MK school children can also write this preparation test?

[Guest55]

Yes it does translate to where you are in MK but the straight line distance to RLS will be different to the straight line distance to Aylesbury. Which GS are you aiming for?

Your DS will sit in the tests in Year 6 not this year. The preparation test is taken at the same GS as where you sit the Transfer Test.

Find out when the Open Days/Evenings are and go round them this year to decide whether RLS [mixed, Buckingham], SHFGS [mixed, Aylesbury] or AGS [boys, Aylesbury] is the best fit for your son. Then you can decide which area f MK maximises your chances but do have a good MK school [some are great] as a back-up that you are in catchment for.

[jackman]

Then you can decide which area of MK maximises your chances but do have a good MK school [some are great] as a back-up that you are in catchment for.

I am near Shenley Brook end school, however I have been told that Denbigh is better - TBH I have no clue whatsoever.

Will it not be wise to move to Buckingham as staying in MK might mean that DS may miss out even if he scores 121.

[Guest55]

You could consider moving nearer Buckingham or Aylesbury - but decide which school you are aiming for first.

The three schools are very different - only one has a recent Ofsted report [SHFGS].

There are no comprehensives in Buckinghamshire so should he not qualify he will be allocated a Secondary Modern school. Please think about all the consequences of moving to Bucks.

[Marylou]

Some parts of South Northants just the other side of the county boundary are within striking distance of Buckingham AND Milton Keynes, and have a reasonable chance of an 11+ qualifier being allocated a place at RLS, yet are also in the catchment area of good comprehensives. With RLS at the centre, draw a circle on a map with a radius of 6.5 - 7 miles and see what you come up with. Lots of new houses going up in Silverstone!

[Ducky]

You've had some excellent advice already I will just add that you need to consider if your DS is likely to be GS material as if they are not and independent isn't your bag then researching the decent state secondaries before you move in MK is a good idea. Oakgrove is excellent as is Denbigh but they have very small catchment areas so again you'll need to choose carefully. My advice would be to start looking around the schools GS or non-GS you are interested in so you are clear which ones are the best fit for your DS as they are all very different.

[jackman]

Thanks to everyone who has given me excellent advice.

However, I am now in a difficult situation and need some help - on the same topic: Location in MK for being close to Aylesbury and Buckingham GS.

My landlord decided to serve notice to us in the middle of winter and now we are desperately trying to find another rental property, the consideration is still the same - distance to GS.

I am in Tattenhoe in MK at the moment but we have got only a few weeks to go in the present property, the properties I have viewed are in Emerson valley in MK.

Does anyone know that any pupils living in Emerson valley MK have successfully attained admission in Aylesbury or Buckingham GS.

I don't want to create a situation where we move to Emerson valley and DS can't get into a GS because of the distance from Aylesbury and Buckingham GS.

Alternatively, I am also considering moving to Berryfields in Aylesbury - Anyone have any experience of this place?

[Guest55]

The local Upper in Berryfields is Aylesbury Vale Academy - it has a 'requires improvement' Ofsted report.

Check the straight line distances to each school using a map to check how far you are from the schools.