Burnhammum wrote:
The best thing to do is to go to the websites for each of the 4 Slough grammar schools to see exactly what their admissions criteria are. For example, for Langley GS, priority is given to certain SL3 postcodes first, then to a selection of other postcodes, and then still others in a third tier of priority. Herschel has a priority catchment area for any addresses which fall within a 4 mile radius of the school (this encompasses all of Slough and I believe Langley as well, though I'm not absolutely certain of that, as well as a huge area of South Buckinghamshire, plus Eton, Datchet and a lot of Windsor). Upton currently still places distance from the school last in its criteria and for St Bernards priority is given to Catholics and then other Christians as I understand. It would be prudent to check the catchment comprehensives for any area you are thinking of living in case your child is not successful in gaining a grammar place.
You may also want to consult the catchment area checker on the Buckinghamshire County Council website. A lot of addresses in SL1, SL2 and SL4 are actually in Buckinghamshire and have South Bucks as their local authority. So depending on the precise postcode, you might well be in catchment for one or more of the Buckinghamshire grammars (e.g. Burnham Grammar, Beaconsfield High School, John Hampden). There is a small area of Slough near the border which is even in catchment for Burnham Grammar despite not actually falling under the South Bucks local authority. NB the Buckinghamshire exam is a different one to the Slough grammars but a huge number of children near the border sit both. A lot of Slough children have in the past got places at Burnham grammar (and some girls at Beaconsfield High) but you should be cautious as the admissions distances are shrinking all the time. Someone has already kindly posted the link on this thread for this year's allocation distances I think. Another word of caution, should you move to an address in South Bucks, is that Buckinghamshire is a wholly selective county so there are no comprehensives. The non-selective schools vary hugely in quality (and in fact the non-selective in Burnham closed down this summer) so that is a consideration for the event that your child does not pass the 11+.
Another consideration is that schools can and do change their admissions policies. You don't say which year your daughter would be taking the exam, but you could find you move somewhere only for the policy to change before she reaches the right age. Most schools also have priority for anyone who qualifies for pupil premium which is also something to be aware of.
If I were you, I would check the admissions section on the websites of all the schools you are interested in and then see where the precise postcode (i.e. not just the general area) of any properties you are considering buying would fall in terms of those schools' admission arrangements. I hope that helps.
And further to that -
never, ever rely on companies like Zoopla, Rightmove etc (I'm sure others are available)to tell you for which school(s) a given address may be in the priority area. They are there to sell you a property and if telling you that of course the property is in catchment for <
name of your target school> will secure the sale, you are unlikely to find out from them that far from being 'in catchment', you would be several categories below the last one admitted within living memory. Always contact the relevant local authority / admissions officer (not the 'nice lady in reception', unless they are definitely one and the same person). As has already been said, find the relevant school's admissions policy, for the correct year of entry, online and check where your DC, living at that address only from the date you will actually be resident there, fits into the criteria.
One last thing, we are about to move into the period during which schools (or the LA, for community schools) must consult publicly on proposed changes for 2021 entry. Which of course can include changes to the scope or order of admissions criteria - so make sure that you find out whether this applies to any of the schools which interest you.