Can anyone tell me which grammar school is best in berks?

[gaathu]

I am currently planning to relocate to West London area to prepare my son for Grammar schools. I am looking to move to SL=4 or 6 which falls under Langley grammar school. Can anyone suggest me the best places in and around langley that is suitable? what are the chances to get a place if we are around 14 miles away... can anyone give me a summary of how the Berks admission works?


I've moved this to the Berks section - Moderator

[mad?]

Hi Gaathu and welcome.

I think you may need to clarify your post and thread. Your thread is about the best grammars in Berkshire and your post about moving house? You mention you are moving to West London (most of which is not in 'catchment' for a grammar school, although several schools do not have a catchment), then you mention moving to SL4-6 which is not West London?

What precisely is it that you want to know?

[berks_mum]

Gaathu, as mad? has pointed out West London and West of London are two different locations. AFAIK there are no grammar schools in West London. Slough is to the west of London in Berkshire county.
Slough consortium has four grammar schools -
1) Langley grammar
2) Bernard grammar
3) Herscheel grammar
4) Upton (previously Slough) grammar

Best school varies from person to person. Best way is to go for open evenings and find out for yourself which school is the best match for your child. If you follow the league tables then probably Langley tops other schools. I don't know much about Bernards because it is a religious school and the admission criteria was different than other schools when I looked. After Langley Herschel is the most sough after and then Upton grammar.

All schools(don't know about Bernards) used to have some places reserved for local children and some places based on test score. Langley is probably changing the admission policy this year. I suggest you have look on the websites of each school for exact admission policy details.

Living in some parts of Slough may put you in the catchment of Reading boys (much higher in league tables compared to Slough schools) and some of the Buckinghamshire schools. Again you see the catchment rules for each school you are trying to target. Bucks county council website should have a list of all the grammar schools in bucks approx 12-13 in number.
- Bucks schools do not have score criteria. If your son passes the exam and you are in catchment of any bucks school then he should get in that school.
- Reading school is much more competitive as entry is based on score only, within the big catchment area.
- Bucks exam may be slightly easier to pass than berks(Slough and Reading) exams as bucks passes top 30%. Again this may vary from person to person. My DD found Berks(Kendrick) exam harder than HBS exam but managed to get in.

Apart from all this if you want the top school (League tables listing) then the ever so popular QE boys is also an option. QE boys has no catchment and anyone in the country can appear and get in if they score over the cut off score. You can find more information about QE boys in the Hertz section and also directly on their website.

I hope this helps you in making your decision. Any other questions let us know.